BSM and U of MO analyze DCM in US dogs
by Katie Pfaff
BSM Partners, a pet care research and consulting company, collaborated with the University of Missouri to work on an analysis of a number of cases of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) each year. The data did not show a significant increase in cases between 2000 and 2019. During the latter part of that time period (2011 to 2019), sales of grain-free food increased by 500%.
Results suggest that grain-free food is not associated with an increase in DCM. The analysis looked at retrospective survey data, those dogs in the US diagnosed with DCM by veterinary cardiologists, and the increase in pet food that does not contain grains.
"Based on the data we received from veterinary cardiologists across the United States, we did not observe a significant increase in DCM incidence rate over time, which included the recent period when grain-free pet food sales grew exponentially," said Dr. Stephanie Clark, PhD, CVT, PAS, CFS, Dpl ACAS of BSM Partners, article co-author and board-certified companion animal nutritionist. "The existing scientific literature indicates that nutritional factors can lead to the development of DCM, but we did not find a correlation in the DCM incidence rate to grain-free pet food sales."
Data was based on more than 68,000 cardiology cases from referrals to veterinary cardiology hospitals. The rate of DCM diagnosis in these patients was an average of 3.9% (range of 2.53% to 5.65%) referral period of 2000 to 2019. Sales information on grain-free food was from Nielsen Company.
“This work is unique because we only examined cases of canine DCM diagnosed by veterinary cardiologists and is a significant addition to our understanding of DCM," said Dr. Stacey Leach DVM, DACVIM, article co-author and chief of cardiology and associate teaching professor of cardiology at the University of Missouri's Veterinary Health Center.
Comments
Tag
Copyright © 2025 - All Rights Reserved
ISSN 2768-198X
List
Add
Please enter a comment