Help Centre

Hello Families,

it's been some time since I've updated the website with photos and ideas, but I thought with the big "grain free" question circling around, that I should probably give my 2 cents on the topic.

While I don't feed grain free, I do know that many of the diets offer great protein sources and other great ingredients, some ingredients are maybe too rich, but that's another topic all together. From what I've heard, the issue surrounds the inclusion of "fillers" like legumes, lentils and peas that have been found to affect the hearts in our beloved dogs.

Rest assured that DCM is quite rare in our aussie friends! Here's a link to our Australian Shepherd Health and Genetics Institute on the topic to ease your minds. http://www.ashgi.org/home-page/genetics-info/heart-and-blood/cardiomyopathy

All of the research being done is very new as it applies to food related DCM, they only just started looking into these things. Genetics and breed health hasn't even factored into the study! So remember to research and read, and think rationally. Grain in my opinion is a very healthy ingredient, and I can't see any reason why it shouldn't be included in a dogs regular daily diet. I would suggest that "grain-free" is a fad, and probably should be left on the shelf.

That being said, simply because the list of BRANDs of diets includes your brand, that doesn't mean that they don't provide a diet that includes grain, so remember to check your ingredient lists!

I will post a photo of the brand that I use, and their ingredient list. Currently I feed my crew "Wellness" https://www.renspets.com/products/wellness-complete-health-whitefish-sweet-potato A good, complete diet, with fish to help keep a nice coat and improved skin condition. My guys love it, and seem to do really well on it. Alternatively, I have fed Fromm in the past, Go! and Now! as well as Acana and Origen. IF you MUST feed a grocery store brand I would recommend that Presidents Choice "Meat First" is the best Ingredient label I've ever read in a grocery store brand(AND TRUST ME, I've read them all).

Here is some information on the study from the FDA, and some other quality links with diet information.

- https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

- https://www.petmd.com/dog/centers/nutrition/evr_multi_what_is_grain_free_pet_food_really

- https://www.cvcavets.com/for-pet-owners/nutrition-grain-free/

- https://www.wsava.org/WSAVA/media/Documents/Committee%20Resources/Global%20Nutrition%20Committee/Frequently-Asked-Questions-and-Myths.pdf

I would also suggest that diagnostic testing, and veterinary care has really improved over the last 10years(which is great! I love diagnostic testing!!); and in that people are far more likely to run bloodwork, check x-rays, MRI's and CAT scans, ultrasounds etc. on our pets than we were just a few years ago, so that is worth taking into consideration as well. So DCM may not be as "new" a problem as what the FDA is making it out to be, it could just be that in the past we didn't test for DCM. I remember a time when we used to just say "Oh he died from cancer" which was likely the veterinarians best guess at the time, with no diagnostic testing, or treatment for that matter. One other consideration that I would like to make is that OBESITY in our pets is very prevalent, and it has always been my impression that weight plays a huge role in the overall health and well being of our furry family members! A lean body keeps our aussies hearts and joints happy!

I hope that this information finds you all well, and I encourage you all to ask questions and work together to find answers, as I believe this topic is sensitive and could become a debate. Dog food discussions can become heated, as we all believe we are doing the best for our dogs, so please be informative in your responses and lets help each other out! I look forward to hearing your perspectives and encourage healthy debate/discussions about this issue!

Talk soon,

Love you all!

Jocelyn