Looking for resources

[catholicdave]

Hi! I currently feed my 2yr old pit/shep (48lbs) the Acana Limited Ingredient Lamb & Apple, and I’m just thinking about switching to something else. not for any particular reason, I know there’s a bunch of drama about mars buying them, I don’t know much about that but my concern is that if there’s a formula change it’s going to upset my pups stomach. But my concern is our girl has hip dysplasia (it’s managed thru pain management and physiotherapy) so really really really has to stay at her weight (rn she is a 4/9 on the body condition scale).

I was wondering if anyone had any links to reputable scientific resources/papers that have information on the %’s you should look for in pet food for fat, protein, etc. also if anyone knows if there’s better food for dogs w/ hip dysplasia?

 

[sevilodorf]

@catholicdave You should speak to the vet but your best option is going to be a weigh management specific diet from a science backed brand.

Higher fiber and protein options are good ones

Pro plan, hills, and Royal Canin have excellent options.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5139085/

These ones may not be open access:

Lawler, D.F., Larson, B.T., Ballam, J.M., Smith, G.K., Biery, D.N., Evans, R.H., & Kealy, R.D. (2008). Diet restriction and ageing in the dog: major observations over two decades. British Journal of Nutrition, 99(4), 793-805.

Smith, G. K., Paster, E. R., Powers, M. Y., Lawler, D. F., Biery, D. N., Shofer, F. S., McKelvie, P. J., & Kealy, R. D. (2006). Lifelong diet restriction and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis of the hip joint in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 229(5), 690–693.

Kealy, R.D., Lawler, D.F., Ballam, J.M., Lust, G., Biery, D.N., Smith, G.K., & Mantz, S.L. (2000). Evaluation of the effect of limited food consumption on radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 217(11), 1678-1680

 

[catholicdave]

@sevilodorf Thank you! It’s too bad there isn’t more recent literature out there. I’m sure science has improved since 2008! I appreciate this as a jumping off point

 

[sevilodorf]

@catholicdave Im sure there is this was just what I have on hand! Sorry it’s not more comprehensive

 

[danieldior]

@catholicdave Acana was one of the foods that caused food related DCM in dogs

 

[catholicdave]

@danieldior From a 2021 Nature study exploring DCM and dog food: “Despite ongoing research efforts, understanding of whether diet may be involved in the observed DCM in dogs remains unclear. Standard nutritional analyses of the associated diets have failed to identify a causative factor and so other, more novel approaches are needed.” “While we cannot establish with certainty if any of these compounds and ingredients are causal for disease, the findings support peas as a leading possible ingredient associated with diet-associated DCM in dogs.”

The science isn’t conclusive on the “causing” DCM so I’d be careful about conflating correlation with causation, when the researchers themselves are very explicit in saying they can’t say for certain what is causing the increase in DCM. But based on the current finding of peas being the hypothesized culprit, I don’t feed my dog peas! Thank you for the input, but it wasn’t what I was asking about in my post

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94464-2

 

[sevilodorf]

@catholicdave The science is quite advanced on this given that it’s only been five years. While it’s not clear why this is happening, it’s quite clear that diet is linked. There are twelve peer reviewed studies supporting a link.

https://www.alltradesdvm.com/topics/diet-associated-dcm/dcm-qa