Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a serious and often fatal condition in medium to larger breed dogs. Signs may be sudden or progressive in onset.
How do you prevent dilated dog cardiomyopathy?
Don't fill your dog's bowl with peas—avoid dog foods with peas, lentils and other legumes, as well as potatoes, listed as a primary ingredient. These findings are driven home by the fact that supplementing grain, meat, or taurine does not correct the disease for most cases.
Can dilated cardiomyopathy be prevented?
You can't prevent inherited types of cardiomyopathy. But you can take steps to lower your risk for conditions that may lead to (or complicate) cardiomyopathy, such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and heart attack. Cardiomyopathy can be precipitated by an underlying disease or condition.
What should I feed my dog to avoid DCM?
If possible diet-associated DCM is diagnosed, we recommend changing the diet to one made by a well-established manufacturer that contains standard ingredients (e.g. chicken, beef, rice, corn, and wheat). All dogs in the household eating the same grain-free diet should have their diet changed.
Can you reverse dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs?
Dilated cardiomyopathy is rarely reversible, and patients that have it usually have it for life. A rare exception is taurine deficiency, which is a lack of whole-body stores of the amino acid taurine.
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