We still have customers coming in saying they've been told to feed a grain-in diet to their pets. This conspiracy theory has been disproven. According to Dr. Karen Becker, "adding rice or grains back in to your dog's diet (which is what veterinarians are recommending) is the worst thing you can do." There is so much confusion surrounding this topic, we thought we would simplify it by creating some bullet points and resources for you to continue your research. That being said, Odyssey Pets has a variety of the highest quality (with grain or without grain) pet foods on the market. We do not carry anything with corn, gluten, or by-product. Take a look at the label on your pet's food. Is there anything in there that's useless filler? Dogs and cats do best on a high meat inclusion food. If a specific meat is not listed first on the ingredients, then you may be ready for an upgrade. Odyssey Pets can help you find the perfect food for your pet. 
 

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs is largely an inherited disease and not the result of a grain-free or legume-rich diet.
  • A peer-reviewed veterinary study published in June of 2020 failed to find a definitive relationship between grain-free and legume-rich diets and dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. 
  • It’s impossible to determine a cause and effect relationship between diet and DCM due to a lack of standardization and so many different variables in any current studies or reporting including from the FDA.
  • DCM is rarer than they lead us to believe. In reality, fewer than 1 in 100,000 dogs are diagnosed with diet-associated DCM.
  • The three veterinarians at the heart of the DCM investigation all have financial ties to one or more of Hill's Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare, and Nestle-Purina Pet Care
  • Protein deficiency is likely the biggest contributor which can be caused by excessive levels of carbohydrates and/or fats, processing methods, poor-quality raw ingredients and/or synthetic add-ins.
  • Steps you can take to help protect your dog from nutritionally related DCM include feeding a fresh food diet with low carbs and moderate fat, rotating the food you feed, and adding taurine-rich toppers and treats.

To research further - check out these sources:
 

  • www.whole-dog-journal.com
  • www.mercola.comhealthypets.mercola.com
  • https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/grain-diet-not-linked-to-dcm-in-dogs-study-says/