Take dogfood claims with a grain of salt
IF YOU are a pet owner, you will probably have noticed the increasing trend towards grain-free pet food in recent years. When grainfree diets first appeared, I mistakenly thought that they would be a fad which would soon pass. In any case, I have always had concerns about the nutritional competence of the alternatives to grains.
For over 40 years as a veterinary surgeon, I have championed the inclusion of wholegrains (usually brown rice, oats and maize) as part of a well-balanced, nutrition-rich diet for dogs. I have seen first-hand how grains, both homecooked and commercially produced, can be effective in addressing a wide variety of pet heath ailments such as skin disorders, digestive problems and even behavioural issues.
Grain-free feeding has been promoted on the basis that grains could be bad for a dog’s health, but this simply isn’t the case – it is very rare for a dog to have grain sensitivity (except perhaps wheat). At the same time, there is no evidence to support claims of any health benefits from a grain free diet for dogs. The truth is that grain-free feeding has been promoted by the pet food industry, keen to develop new markets with scant regard for the wellbeing and nutritional needs of our pets.
It might surprise readers to know that there’s also growing evidence from the USA of a link between grain-free diets and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) – a type of heart disease in dogs. Research by the Food and Drug Administration in the USA has found a potential link between hundreds of deaths and grain-free food, with several breeds who are not usually associated with the disease having developed it in the last few years. As a result of these findings, many vets in the UK, including myself, are encouraging owners to think carefully before switching to a grain-free diet and to consider the risks to their beloved pets’ health.
It should be noted that I am not entirely against grain-free pet food per se. However, I believe that an animal’s nutritional needs should be the first consideration when selecting a pet food, rather than following a market-driven trend.
John Burns BVMS, MRCVS Veterinary Surgeon and Founder of Burns Pet Nutrition