Dog Nutrition
Your puppy is being fed Purina Pro Puppy.
There is so much information out there about what you should or shouldn’t feed your dog. It is overwhelming!
I started out thinking that grain and corn free dog food had to be better.
But, then research came out showing links between BEG dog foods (BEG = Boutique, Exotic Ingredient, and Grain Free) and nutritional Dilated Cardiomyopathy (problems with the heart).
In a nutshell, the FDA doesn’t know for sure what is causing the issues. Just that there is a connection.
They also know that simply adding taurine (a supplement thought to help reduce risk of DCM) does not help. Legumes in some foods block the ability for dogs to absorb taurine. Legumes are peas, potatoes, chickpeas, etc.
Take caution if you see a dog food company announcing they are adding taurine in response the the FDA alert. It means they didn’t listen and don’t understand the real problem.
A lot of dog food companies may not be formulating their foods with the guidance of nutritionists or vets. As long as they are meeting AAFCO standards, there is no rule saying they must have one on staff. The companies that DO have nutritionists and veterinarians making the dog food formulas are:
Purina
Royal Canin
Hills
Eukanuba
Iams
So please, talk to your vet, and keep all this in mind when choosing a dog food. The facts are showing that grain free, newer brands of dog food are not nourishing our dogs the way they should. These companies have done a bang up job in marketing, but none even employ a full time nutritionist. It isn’t an acceptable risk in my mind.
If you would like some reading material on where I’ve researched to come to this conclusion, don’t hesitate to reach out. Theres some amazing groups on Facebook as well where tons of research is already compiled and easy to read.