Episode Description
Grain-free dog food has spent years in the DCM hot seat, but what is the research actually saying?In this month’s Zoomies, September Zoomies, Jordan Tyler and Dr. Stephanie Clark revisit the controversy surrounding dilated cardiomyopathy and unpack the recent Dog Aging Project findings. Together, they trace how an investigation became a source of widespread fear and discuss the research gaps that still exist between diet and canine heart health.
From mistaken diet histories to the limits of taurine testing, their conversation explores why finding answers is more complicated than pointing to an ingredient list. Jordan and Dr. Steph also share helpful advice for pet parents, including questions to ask pet food brands, a breakdown of why a dog’s individual health needs belong in diet discussions, and heart health warning signs to bring to your vet’s attention.
Helpful Links
🦴Here are some of our previous episodes about DCM and pet research:
diets-and-dcm-in-dogs-are-the-answers-found-in-poop
behind-the-research-revealing-the-truth-about-diet-and-dcm-in-dogs
fellowship-of-iron-and-earth-from-farm-to-bowl-with-tim-mcgreevy
think-twice-even-bad-science-can-get-published
🐕 The most recent Dog Aging Project study:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vms3.71213
🩺 And Dr. Steph’s take on it: decoding-the-dog-aging-project-data-grain-free-diets-cardiac-diagnoses-and-what-the-latest-research-really-means
🐾 Read BSM Partners’ research on DCM in dogs here: dcm
Chapters:
00:00 — Grain-Free Dog Food & Heart Health: The DCM Debate Explained
02:05 — DCM in Dogs Explained: What Is Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
07:23 — Grain-Free Dog Food & DCM: What Started the Investigation?
10:34 — Can Blood Tests Detect DCM in Dogs? Understanding the Limitations
21:30 — Dog Aging Project: What the Study Found About Dog Food & DCM
25:38 — Dog Food & DCM: Why Pet Owner Reports Can Be Misleading
29:41 — How to Choose the Right Dog Food: Questions to Ask
36:15 — DCM in Dogs: Early Warning Signs & Symptoms