Peas/Legumes in Dog Food - Heart Disease?

[arealhuman]

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Hi All,

I noticed an article in the Daily Telegraph last week that cited a study that found peas and other types of legumes in dog food could be a factor in the apparent rise in severe heart disease in dogs. Does anyone have any other information about this? Most types of wet dog food seem to include peas, and we regularly give our dog Jimmy some cooked peas (from frozen) when we have them for a meal. I'd be interested in people's thoughts.

Looks like you need to be a subscriber to view the full article, I just caught the headline on the BBC website.

 

[Finsky]

I have not seen this article but I have to say I'm VERY surprised if legumes would be source for 'serious' heart disease. I'm inclined to believe for the fact most commercial dogfoods are cooked..that on its own already changes the fat and how they are digested so much so that some dogs find them difficult for their tummies. AND the fact that following those food's recommended daily amounts are often far too much/and rich for dogs needs...hence many dogs are over weight. Let's face it.....all those tins/trays/biscuits...they are canine version of 'processed food'. That is not daily recommendation even for a human diet and yet 'we' feed it for our dogs...every day...all year around....years and years.
But now that I am aware of such a study...I will have a look if I can found full details how such a study has been done to come such conclusion

 

[Finsky]

Aannnd, I've just had a quick look around and read few different sources about the issue. As I thought, it did sound bit 'weird' and seems like it is not quite what is been reported in first place. Quite good article about it is put together about it here; New Study Shows No Link between Grain-free Dog Foods & Cardiomyopathy – Bunny's Buddies (bunnysbuddies.org)

 

[JudyN]

Article in The Guardian: US study finds potential dog food link to canine heart disease

It looks like the research is still in the very early stages, and it's possible the cause is linked to something else that tends to correlate with legumes in the food. As the heart disease seems to be linked to grain-free food, it could even be something along the lines of people who feed (usually more expensive) grain-free are more likely to get their dogs' health issues diagnosed, or grain-free dogs are less likely to die of other conditions before being diagnosed with hear disease... So I think it's too early to worry about it too much....

.... Sorry, cross-posted with Finsky, so I haven't looked at that article yet.

 

[JudyN]

What's interesting though is that the research study the Telegraph and Guardian refer to is more recent than the article you mentioned is discussing, @Finsky. The recent study can be read here: Investigation of diets associated with dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs using foodomics analysis | Scientific Reports

So I think it still warrants further investigation...

 

[Inka]

it's now 'theorised' that peas, lentils, legumes, and potatoes make it difficult for your dog's body to produce the taurine they need to stay healthy. That is because those ingredients contain plant-based protein. Fact is commercial pet food manufacturers use cereals or potatoes, or peas/lentils/legumes because they are cheap ingredients, they also add any 'protein' from them to the total protein level even though it is not a protein that is at any way benefical or wanted/needed by the dog
As far as I can tell these newspaper reports are based on a warning from the US Food and Drug Administration released last week, that grain-free food might be giving dogs a life-threatening heart problem ( dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM) in which 'grain' is being replaced by peas, lentils, legumes, and potatoes

 

[JoanneF]

I have this bookmarked from a couple of years ago when this was first suggested -

It’s Not Rocket Science….But, it IS Science

 

[Hemlock]

I think there's one helluva difference between a few fresh or fresh frozen peas straight from the pod/packet, and immense quantities of legumes highly processed (often stored and cooked in aluminium vats) and fed at every meal.

 

[Finsky]

I think there's one helluva difference between a few fresh or fresh frozen peas straight from the pod/packet, and immense quantities of legumes highly processed (often stored and cooked in aluminium vats) and fed at every meal.

Indeed...there is so many variables to investigate, that to deem something 'good/bad' to feed is not going to be easy and will that huge effort and lots of time to rule in/out. I don't think that by looking bunch of cases is going to solve anything.

 

[arealhuman]

Thanks all for your replies. I feed Jimmy on Gentle Dog Food as recommended by @JoanneF and he still loves the stuff. Looking at their website it would appear there's nothing in it of concern in this context, although I don;t pretend to understand what all the ingredients are:

Dried Ground Chicken Meat (28%), Brown Rice (thermally pre-treated)(28%), Dried Ground Duck (9%), Herring Oil, Rice Germ, Maize Germ, Rapeseed Oil, Linseed Oil, Beet (Beta vulgaris), Sea Algae (dried), Vegetable Mixture (parsnip, chard, celery, chicory, parsley roots), Dried Herb Mixture (stinging nettle, fennel, caraway, chamomile), Egg Yolk, Yucca Schidigera (dried and ground), Silica, Bentonite and Bentonite-Montmorillonite, Dried Green Lipped Mussel Meat

Bentonite - I thought that was a type of mud - it was used in a previous job of mine relating to drilling underground!

 

[JoanneF]

I thought it was something superheroes have to avoid …

 

[arealhuman]

I thought it was something superheroes have to avoid …

A similar thought entered my mind too!

 

[Inka]

Bentonite - I thought that was a type of mud - it was used in a previous job of mine relating to drilling underground!

It is Bentonite is an absorbent swelling clay

 

[arealhuman]

Wonder why it's in dog food then...

 

[Inka]

Wonder why it's in dog food then...

They use it as an anti-caking agent and binder...its cheap, so adds weight to kibble some info on here.... Why is Bentonite Clay Powder in Some Pet Food Products?

 

[arealhuman]

Thanks for that @Inka - I remembered that it came from only one place on the planet when I posted earlier. Hmmmm, does that mean Gentle Dog Food should be avoided? @JoanneF, interested in your thoughts.

Why are things like this never simple? You should be able buy wholesome stuff without having a degree in rocket surgery (). I guess like most/all things, companies put profit before everything else.

 

[JoanneF]

I had a problem with a batch of Gentle. That was bad enough, but I was really annoyed at the way they handled it.

They were really dismissive, not particularly helpful and more interested in whether I was going to try to ruin their reputation than they were in solving the problem.

I'm not interested in that, I don't do trial by social media (and that's why I won't publicly share what the problem was, but I will message you), but as it happened, I had picked up some samples of Platinum and T really liked it, so I've been using that for 18 months.

 

[arealhuman]

Thanks for the update @JoanneF - you answered the question I asked in my PM to you. We have half a big bag of Gentle left so will need to get through that, but I'll have a look at Platinum. Thank you so much (again!) for your help.