Why do vets not like grain free

The Farmers Dog has its skeptics: veterinarians

Veterinarians weigh in on The Farmers Dog

Following our publication of an earlier story about The Farmers Dog, we heard from veterinarians who were adamantly against the food and said that they would not feed The Farmers Dog to their own dogs or recommend the food to clients, regardless of cost.

Asked about a sample recipe from The Farmers Dog for turkey, which the companys website generated based on information we entered about five-year-old Labrador Nellie, Korinn Saker, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University who is also an associate professor of clinical nutrition, said:

The fat level is higher than what I would feed to them [her own dogs] and Id prefer a diet that has undergone animal feed tests by AAFCO protocol.

The AAFCO, which stands for the Association of American Feed Control Officials, is a voluntary membership organization that helps to regulate pet food. Dr. Saker also said the fact that the food is grain-free concerns her, but not as much as the first two issues those are, the fat content and the lack of AAFCO testing. She tries to avoid such foods.

We cant say that its [cardiac disease in some dogs] specifically associated with them being on a grain-free diet. There is an association. We dont have any idea yet what the mechanism of action could be for that association but from a nutritionists perspective, I try not to recommend diets that are grain-free right now because there are so many other diets on the market that have grains in them.

Dr. Sakers chief concern was the high-fat level, not the fact that the food is grain-free, nor the fact that the food is not AAFCO tested. If the fat level was a little lower, that would be nice. Its not that there arent diets that are fed to adult maintenance dogs that are that high in level of fat. From my perspective as a nutritionist, when I see a lot of more mature and older dogs that are really overweight and obese, part of the reason is because their diet is high in fat.

Steven Rosenthal is one of the worlds leading experts on dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs and a board-certified veterinary cardiologist who is part of CVCA, a veterinary practice of cardiologists who were among the first to alert the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to the possible connection between grain-free diets and cardiac disease in dogs. Dr. Rosenthal told The Canine Review that the fact that The Farmers Dog is grain-free is not what troubles him. Rather, it is the fact that the food is not tested according to AAFCO standards.

Echoing Dr. Saker, Dr. Rosenthal said he is less troubled about the fact that the food is grain-free.

We do not believe that the exclusive reasoning being the nutritionally mediated heart disease is the fact that the diet is just grain-free any longer, said Rosenthal, who is also working with the FDA on case studies involving grain-free dog food. There are grain-free products that are not associated with heart disease. Being a grain-free product was the initial concern as this was the most obvious factor tying the cases of affected patients together. It is a complex issue that may have a number of factors and at this stage, we are focusing on the high legume content of the diets in affected dogs. I can tell you that I dont personally use that diet for my own dog. I would prefer a diet that has gone through [AAFCO protocol] feed testing, he added.

We also spoke with Martha Cline, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. Dr. Cline said that she does not comment on specific brands, but asked generally about the fact that the food was both grain-free and about the AAFCO statement, she said that while her preference is a diet that is formulated to meet the nutritional levels for the intended life stage AND undergoes AAFCO feeding tests [The Farmers Dog does not do the AAFCO feeding tests], there are also foods that she recommends that just state formulation. Dr. Cline echoed Dr. Rosenthal, saying, The association between diet-associated DCM is still being investigated and there is a lot we dont yet know. The cause is likely multifactorial and likely involves both the diet and the individual dogs response to that diet and how it is fed. All of the doctors agreed that AAFCO testing was a good thing or, as Dr. Rosenthal phrased it, an extra layer of comfort.

A New York veterinarian who asked not to be named offered a more blunt assessment:

I do not feel comfortable with this diet at all. Especially in light of the whole cardiomyopathy (cardiac) issue with boutique diets that are grain-free. Do they have a veterinary nutritionist (someone with a DVM that is boarded in nutrition) guiding them through what they are making? Is the diet AAFCO tested? I would not recommend this diet to any of my patients. If a client wanted to do a home-cooked meal, I would refer them to a veterinary nutritionist that could create the appropriate food and vitamins.

The Farmers Dog responds

Responding to the concern that the recipe is grain-free, the 32-year-old co-founder of The Farmers Dog Brett Podolsky said in a follow-up telephone interview:

Theres absolutely no conclusive evidence whatsoever proving that boutique, grain-free, or exotic BEG is what theyre referring to it as has any connection to DCMAll or 99% of the cases were reported to the FDA about dogs getting DCM were [dogs who eat] dry food. Also, about 40% of dogs in the country are eating grain-free foods, so statistically, its going to work out like that every single time.

Asked about the absence of AAFCO testing, Podolsky said:

What a lot of vets dont realize is that the AAFCO feeding trialsis animal testing. They do it in colonies. And we do not support that. We dont support testing on animals. We are looking into doing something like this.The real reason, though, is that the blood tests that are required will have no indication to prove whether or not the food will cause DCM..AAFCO really needs to change what their requirements are in order to make their feeding trials worthwhile for brands to do. It also is extremely, extremely expensive and boxes out any entering competitors from getting into the business.

Podolsky continued: If you speak to someone like the really reputable people in the formulation world, theyll say that the feeding trials really dont test for enough. Theyll also say that they really believe that this is a protein quality issue.

Podolsky said that fundamentally,

What we believe is that as long as theyre eating fresh food and its a good quality protein and you get all of your amino acids from that protein, a dog would not be at risk for an issue like cardiac disease as a result of diet. Its heartbreaking what these dogs are going through and its sad that a lot of these few vets are pointing at diets that are not causing this.There has been no conclusive evidence to prove that any one type of diet has been causing this. All that we do have to point at is that the vast majority of the diets that the dogs are eating that are getting DCM are dry kibble. The highly processed foods. Were not seeing this pop up in dogs eating fresh food. Were not seeing this pop up in dogs eating actual meat.

The Truth About Grain-Free Diets for Cats

Everyone seems to be talking about grain-free these days. Whether its in relation to our own health or that of our beloved companion animals, everyone who is anyone has an opinion. So, what is the truth about grain-free diets for cats?

Is grain really bad for cats? What about carbohydrates and gluten? Lets not forget that cats are the quintessential obligate carnivore, so do any or all of these ingredients cause actual harm to our cats?

If we do decide to feed grain-free pet food to our cat, were still not out of the woods in terms of controversy. Conduct any internet search on the topic and youre besieged with queries such as: does grain-free food hurt cats?

Do grain-free cat diets cause heart disease? Is there a link to DCM? What about diarrhea and the amino acid taurine? To help you sift through all of these questions, lets go back to the basics.

What Are Grain-Free Diets?

Grain-free diets are exactly as described. They are foods that dont contain any grains. The most common grains found in cat food are wheat, barley, rice, corn, and oats.

However, a grain-free diet doesnt mean that the food is carbohydrate-free. When grains are removed from commercial cat food diets, the carbohydrate content is often instead comprised of ingredients such as potato, tapioca, lentils, peas, yams and even carrots, beans, and cranberries. Its also not unheard of for a grain-free diet to contain as much, if not more, carbohydrate than its grain-filled counterpart.

How Do We Differentiate Between Grains, Carbohydrates, Cereals, & Gluten?

When it comes to cat food, we often put carbohydrates, grains, cereals, and gluten into the same category.

Generally speaking, the terms grains and cereals can be used interchangeably, with cereals considered to be any grass that is grown for its grain.

Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are collections of molecules containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms that together form compounds we recognise as sugars, starches, and fibers. When these compounds are broken down and metabolised, they release energy in the form of glucose.

This energy is then used as a basic fuel source for every single cellular process in our bodies. Carbohydrates are typically found in fruits, grains/cereals, vegetables, and milk products.

Gluten, on the other hand, is actually a protein, so an entirely different molecular structure to carbohydrate and also with a different function. It helps foods to maintain their shape and is found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale, and oats.

All of these cereals are grains, but not all grains contain gluten. Some gluten-free grains include corn, millet, rice, and sorghum. Confused yet or is everything crystal clear? So, why does all of this matter & how does it relate to the cats/carbohydrates/grain controversy?

Are Carbohydrates Good for Cats?

There are multiple text books, academic research papers, articles, videos and even TV programmes that have been produced to discuss the topic of cats and carbohydrates.

Im going to try to keep it simple:

1. Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that they have an essential dietary requirement to obtain some of their nutrients from animal sources. They cannot be vegetarian or vegan, unless a commercially prepared cat food is supplemented with artificial forms of taurine and other essential micronutrients normally found in animal sources.
2. Cats do not require carbohydrates in their diet. They are uniquely adapted to be able to use dietary protein to meet all of their energy needs for cellular function and survival.
3. Although cats dont have an essential requirement for dietary carbohydrates, they are well able to break them down and metabolise them in order to obtain energy in the form of glucose. Furthermore, by using carbohydrates as a primary energy source, this means that they are able to conserve protein for other vital functions such as carrying oxygen through the blood system; making antibodies to fight infection; building new cells for growth and repairing tissues such as muscle. Proteins form the backbone of every organ, bone, skin, hair and living tissue in the body and cats by their very nature, require more protein from their food than dogs.
4. Carbohydrates dont just supply energy. They form secondary important functions in the body, too. One of these is the contribution to gastrointestinal health. Whole grains and in particular fiber are key to this secondary benefit. They help to normalize bowel movements and contribute to a healthy microbiome by providing fuel for the good bacteria in the gut. They also help to control glucose levels in the blood which is important for the prevention and management of diabetes and they aid in the feeling of satiety or fullness, which is useful for weight loss. Finally, there is emerging evidence that cereal/grain derived fiber is associated with a healthy cardiovascular system in humans.

When it comes to the topic of cats and carbohydrates, all of the above issues seem to have combined, divided, reformed, and coalesced to create a maelstrom of controversy.

By extension, and in no small part linked to the human controversy surrounding food sensitivities and gluten in particular, this has now also encompassed cats and gluten-containing grains.

Is a Grain Free Diet Good for Cats?

There are several controversies surrounding grain for cats.

Lets Break Down a Few of the Most Controversial Points Related to Cats, Grains, and Gluten.

Cat Allergies & The Missing Link to Grain and/or Gluten

Do cats have a sensitivity to grains and/or gluten? There is no significant scientific, peer-reviewed research that I can find that supports this theory on a widespread level.

There is certainly no evidence of anything akin to Coeliac disease in our furred friends. Of the studies that have been conducted the main food allergens that appear to trigger a hyper-sensitive or allergic response in cats are predominantly the proteins found in meat, specifically beef, dairy, and fish.

Chicken is also a potential culprit, but corn was only found in one study to affect 4 out of 56 cats. If a cat does have a true food allergic response to a specific grain, it would most likely be to the protein in that grain (contained within the gluten) plus there would be visible clinical signs such as itchiness, excessive hair loss even to the point of bald patches and inflamed skin.

Also Read:Hair Loss In Cats: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

In this case, a food trial with a grain-free diet would be recommended under the close supervision of your local veterinarian, after ruling out other potential causes.

Grain Free Diets & Heart Disease (DCM)

So, what do we know so far? Cats dont need carbohydrates and can use protein for all their energy needs at a cellular body level, surely then low-carbohydrate and/or grain-free diets are the solution. Right? Wrong.

Now we enter the debate about grain-free diets and DCM, otherwise known as Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

In June 2018, the US Food & Drug Administration started to investigate a potential link between certain diets and DCM in dogs. These diets are now bracketed as BEG i.e. boutique companies, exotic ingredients, or grain-free.

The FDA investigation is still on-going, but there does seem to be some evidence that certain BEG diets that have legumes, pulses, or potatoes as their main ingredient source, are linked to the development of this heart condition in dogs and to a lesser extent in cats.

DCM is a condition where the muscle of the heart loses its elasticity, resulting in an enlarged heart. As the heart becomes dilated, it becomes harder for the muscle to do its job of pumping blood around the body efficiently, which in turn can lead to leaking of the heart valves and a back-up of fluid in the chest and abdomen.

Ultimately it can result in congestive heart failure and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated early.

Grain-Free Cat Food & Taurine

So where does the taurine link come into all of this? Taurine is an essential nutrient in cat food and taurine deficiency is well-documented as a potential cause of DCM.

However, most dogs being diagnosed with DCM in relation to their consumption of BEG foods, are not deficient in taurine. Furthermore, supplementing commercial diets with taurine could actually do more harm than good given the lack of quality control for nutritional supplements.

So Is Grain Free Food Bad for Cats?

Ultimately, the jury is still out when it comes to taurine and its link to DCM in cats, as most of the focus to date has centred on dogs.

Furthermore, for the vast majority of dogs diagnosed with diet-associated DCM we still dont know the exact cause.

It is an issue that is undergoing active research both by the FDA and independent veterinary nutritionists and research institutions, so hopefully, well be able to provide more information soon.

Final Thoughts

1. Grain-free diets are predominantly a marketing tool designed to mirror the rise in human interest in grain-free foods.
2. Just because a diet is labelled as grain-free doesnt mean it doesnt contain carbohydrates. In fact, many grain-free diets are higher in carbohydrates than grain containing cat foods.
3. Cats are well adapted to metabolising carbohydrates, although primarily use protein as their main energy source.
4. There is no scientific peer-reviewed research to support the theory that cats are widely allergic to grains or indeed gluten.
5. Most grain-free diets contain one of the more common allergen triggers i.e. chicken, fish or beef.
6. There does seem to be a link between some grain-free diets and heart disease, but the jury is still out when it comes to the exact cause of diet-associated DCM in dogs, let alone cats.