Grain Free Diets

Recent research has made the association between dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and grain free diets, but what exactly in the diet is causing this? This was originally assumed to be associated with Taurine deficiency, but a recent study shows that 90% of dogs with DCM have NORMAL taurine levels! (link to a great article about this here http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/11/dcm-update/).

So what should we be recommending for our patients? The reality is that nothing is right for all patients. The boutique brands are poorly quality controlled, home cooked diets rarely meet nutritional requirements, and raw food diets carry infectious and zoonotic risks. Luckily, veterinary nutritionists can provide online consultations and unbiased commercial recommendations for the patients with special needs (eg that cat with diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and chronic kidney disease). Contact us on 9452 2933 for more information or to submit a request.