In response to recently reported warnings from the FDA, the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) announces research funding for a scientific study of diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. With a grant from CHF Grant 02661: Investigation into Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs, a multi-institutional team of veterinary cardiologists and nutritionists will prospectively screen a large population of apparently healthy dogs for DCM and compare cardiac disease measures including ultrasound, blood biomarker and taurine levels, between dogs eating boutique, exotic ingredient, or grain-free diets versus other diets. Results will inform the extent and cause of the recent increase in diet-related dilated cardiomyopathy seen in all breeds of dogs, including mixed breeds and those not usually associated with DCM.
The principal investigator is Dr. Darcy Adin at the University of Florida. Co-investigators and other participating institutions include Drs. Lisa Freeman and John Rush at Tufts University; Dr. Rebecca Stepien at the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Drs. Amara Estrada and Margaret Sleeper at the University of Florida; and Dr. Joshua Stern at the University of California, Davis.
Learn more about the FDA Investigation into Potential Link between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy here.