The U.S. Food & Drug Administration provided an update June 27 on its investigation into reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods containing a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses) and/or potatoes in various forms (whole, flour, protein, etc.) as main ingredients.

The agency said the update covers reports of DCM it received through April 30, 2019, and for the first time includes pet food brands most frequently named in DCM reports to FDA.

The agency is also posting a spreadsheet of DCM reports relevant to the investigation received through April 30, 2019. All of the reports included a diagnosis of DCM.

This includes the brands named in at least 10 DCM reports submitted to FDA through April 30. A compilation of these reports is publicly available in the CVM Electronic Reading Room. The reports are published as submitted and have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information but are otherwise unedited, the agency said.

At this stage of the investigation, FDA said it cannot attest to whether or how these case reports are linked to diet.

FDA explained that it examined product labels of products reported in DCM cases to determine whether the products were "grain free" (did not contain corn, soy, wheat, rice, barley or other grains) and whether the products contained peas, other lentils such as chickpeas and beans or potatoes (including sweet potatoes).

According to FDA, more than 90% of reported products were grain free, and 93% of reported products contained peas and/or lentils. A far smaller proportion contained potatoes.

FDA first alerted the public about this investigation in July 2018 and provided an update in February 2019. Since then, FDA said its Center for Veterinary Medicine has been collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to evaluate information about the DCM cases and the diets of those pets.

To date, FDA reported that it has not established why certain diets may be associated with the development of DCM in some dogs. In the meantime, and before making changes to their pet's diet, pet owners should work directly with their veterinarians -- who may consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist -- to determine the most appropriate diet for their pet’s specific needs.

Between Jan. 1, 2014, when FDA first received a few sporadic reports, and April 30, 2019, FDA received 524 reports of DCM, including 515 canine reports and nine feline reports. The vast majority of the reports were submitted to FDA after its first public alert in July 2018. Some of these reports involved more than one affected animal from the same household, so the total number of affected animals is greater than 524.

FDA pointed out that the American Veterinary Medical Assn. estimates that there are 77 million pet dogs in the U.S., and most have been eating pet food without apparently developing DCM. It’s not known how common it is for dogs to develop DCM, but the increase in reports to FDA signals a potential increase in cases of DCM in dogs not genetically predisposed, the agency suggested.

For details about the number of reports and additional information on this investigation, visit the DCM Investigation webpage.

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