Wednesday Aug 7, 2019

The FDA Investigates Potential Link Between Unusual Cases of DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy) and Certain Pet Food.

In July of 2018 the FDA announced it was opening an investigation into the potential connection between diet and unusual cases of DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy). In their original announcement, the FDA expressed concerns that “...dogs that ate certain pet foods containing peas, lentils, other legumes or potatoes as their main ingredients...” [most often labeled ‘grain-free’] are at higher risk of developing canine heart disease.

On June 27, 2019 the FDA provided an update on their investigation, having looked at 517 reported cases since their announcement the previous year.

As pet owners ourselves, TLC Pet Food is committed to learning as much as we can about what the FDA has found so we can help protect our own pets and provide our customers with the best possible information available.

1. The FDA has released no conclusory findings to date.

As of this writing, the FDA has yet to provide any conclusory findings from their investigation. With their June 27 update, they provided detailed information, including a synopsis of the 517 reported cases. Here are some key takeaways from their investigation:

• Diets fed in 90% of reported cases were labeled "grain-free" (did not contain soy, wheat, rice, barley or other grains).
• 93% used peas/lentils and other legumes as their main ingredients
• "No one animal protein source was predominant."
• The FDA is continuing to investigate if and how "...taurine metabolism (both absorption and excretion) may have a role…" in unusual cases of DCM

2. TLC Pet Food has not been implicated in the FDA’s investigation.

With their update, the FDA released 16 brands that were named ten times or more in the reported cases they received. TLC Pet Food was not part of the FDA’s list and was not fed in any of the reported cases. TLC Pet Food formulas are not "grain-free" and do not use peas/lentils or other legumes as primary sources of protein.

3. All TLC Whole Life Pet Food formulas include whole grains

TLC Pet Food formulas include ancient whole grains like whole grain barley, whole brown rice, quinoa, and millet. These ingredients are rich in vitamins, dietary fiber, and essential amino acids.

4. Understanding what the FDA means by "main ingredients"

It’s important to understand that peas, lentils, and other legumes are not “bad” ingredients on their own. The FDA is looking at formulas where these ingredients are used as “main ingredients”, something that’s often seen in grain-free formulations. When grains are removed from a formula, they are often replaced with these kinds of ingredients. Since legumes/peas/lentils are a source of lower quality protein, grain-free formulas are often forced to reduce the amount of higher quality meat-based protein sources in their food (otherwise the formula’s protein would be too high). This leads to peas/lentils/legumes becoming primary ingredients in the formula and the main source of protein.

To give you a clear understanding, compare TLC to three grain-free formulas from brands named in the FDA’s report:
TLC Whole Life Dog Food includes green peas, the only 'legume' found in the formula's top ten listed ingredients. Each of the formulas from brands named by the FDA are labeled "grain-free", list a legume in their top 3 ingredients, and include several more in their top ten. Another important thing to note is all three of the formulas use a technique called "ingredient splitting", a practice TLC avoids.

Ingredient splitting is when a pet food company chooses to break up inferior ingredients in order to move meat proteins further up the list. For example, green peas, yellow peas, pea protein, and pea fiber are all a form of "peas". If you combined these ingredients, some of these formulas might very well have peas listed as the first ingredient.

5. All TLC Pet Food is formulated by professionally trained nutritionists

Since our inception in 1994, TLC has worked with professionally trained nutritionists to develop our formulas. Our nutritionists hold degrees in Animal Science and Nutrition, accredited by Canadian and U.S. Universities. Every ingredient is carefully considered and all TLC formulas are made to provide high-quality, complete and balanced nutrition.

6. TLC is committed to providing proven formulas for our customers and their pets.

Every TLC Whole Life Pet Food recipe has been formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient profiles for growth and maintenance. All of our food undergoes feeding trials completed by independent laboratories in accordance with AAFCO guidelines. We remain committed to offering the highest quality pet nutrition to both our customers and their pets. We will continue to monitor the FDA's investigations and will share with our customers any future developments as they arise.

If you or your vet still have questions after reading, please do not hesitate to reach out to our knowledgeable Pet Service Team who can assist in answering any questions you might have. Phone 1-877-328-8400 or email petservice@tlcpetfood.com.