[katdog5911]

I have been reading about the grain free food and DCM. The more I read the more confused I become. I have joined the FB page and it has a lot of info....but again....the more I read the more confused I get!!!

Currently I have my 2 yr old and 7 yr old on Wellness Simple (due to diarrhea issues last year) and on Salmon grain free. Both are doing well on it. Unfortunately both food have legumes which are the suspect ingredient from what I understand. They both get a hamburger or chicken midday and their treats are generally boiled chicken, dehydrated beef liver, and string cheese. They also get some canned food with their kibble.

I called Wellness and was told that they add taurine to their product.

I guess the only way to know if they are taurine deficient would be a blood test but it is quite pricey..vet said about $250. Vet suggested supplementing with taurine if I don't want to change diet. I am not against trying other food but it seems like 99% of food is grain free now and even "regular" food has peas or lentils or potatoes in it. Plus some of what I have read seems to suggest that the legumes block the absorption of taurine....so what good is it either already supplemented in the dog food or added by medication?

My 7 yr old was on a raw diet for about 2 yrs but I cannot afford it for 2 dogs. And it is easier to keep them on a similar diet.

So what is everyone doing regarding this?

 

[Magwart]

Have you seen our mega-thread dissecting the issue? There's better thinking going on in this thread than you'll find on most of the blogs discussing it. The consensus seems to be just supplement if you're worried, but it's hashed out in lots of detail here:



https://www.germanshepherds.com/for...-dog-foods-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy.html

 

[katdog5911]

I started reading through it a few days ago. That is where I saw the link to the FB page. My main question is regarding supplementation.... If the legumes block absorption, how will it help to supplement?

 

[Magwart]

No one knows whether they do. It's pure hypothesis right now. If they do, supplementing with more makes it more likely some will get absorbed. Maybe.

 

[gsdsar]

So here is where it gets dicey. Not all of the dogs in the current study are Taurine deficient. Some of the dogs with a Taurine deficiency have responded to supplementation and a diet change to one with lower levels of the suspected culprits. But not all.

There is no good answer. I wish we really understood what the actual issue is. Right now we have a strong correlation but no causation.

Supplementing with Taurine is not a bad idea. They are safe and what the body doesn't use is safely excreted.

 

[gslover60]

I lost a four year old shepherd to grain free. Sadly, I didn’t carefully read the ingredient list. After the FDA made the connection with legumes and taurine deficiency, I read the list. The company had done that horrible deceptive thing food producers do, apparently legally, which is to break one ingredient into three parts. In her case she was eating peas, pea fiber and pea protein—all at the top of the list after lamb, meaning she was getting more peas than lamb. The food was Earthborn Holistic Meadowfeast. She died in 12 short hours from diagnosis. I think if your grain free doesn’t overload the legumes like this one did, you’re okay. And I read most dogs respond to treatment, few die. Perhaps because I had her on this food from puppyhood, it was more severe.

 

[Malibu]

I lost a four year old shepherd to grain free. Sadly, I didn’t carefully read the ingredient list. After the FDA made the connection with legumes and taurine deficiency, I read the list. The company had done that horrible deceptive thing food producers do, apparently legally, which is to break one ingredient into three parts. In her case she was eating peas, pea fiber and pea protein—all at the top of the list after lamb, meaning she was getting more peas than lamb. The food was Earthborn Holistic Meadowfeast. She died in 12 short hours from diagnosis. I think if your grain free doesn’t overload the legumes like this one did, you’re okay. And I read most dogs respond to treatment, few die. Perhaps because I had her on this food from puppyhood, it was more severe.

Well this is sad .. Earthborn Holistic if I am correct is a 5 star kibble all over the internet.. :frown2:

 

[barnyard]

I lost a four year old shepherd to grain free. Sadly, I didn’t carefully read the ingredient list. After the FDA made the connection with legumes and taurine deficiency, I read the list. The company had done that horrible deceptive thing food producers do, apparently legally, which is to break one ingredient into three parts. In her case she was eating peas, pea fiber and pea protein—all at the top of the list after lamb, meaning she was getting more peas than lamb. The food was Earthborn Holistic Meadowfeast. She died in 12 short hours from diagnosis. I think if your grain free doesn’t overload the legumes like this one did, you’re okay. And I read most dogs respond to treatment, few die. Perhaps because I had her on this food from puppyhood, it was more severe.

I am so sorry for your loss.
Sadly, the whole thing with rating food 5 stars doesn't seem to mean much.