Does grain-free dog food cause DCM in dogs?

No causal link between grain-free food and dilated cardiomyopathy has been established. The FDA opened its investigation in July 2018 after reports of DCM in dogs eating foods that were commonly grain-free and commonly high in peas, lentils, other pulses or potatoes. Some of those dogs were breeds with no known genetic predisposition, which is the detail that got vets' attention.

By December 2022 the FDA said it hadn't found a definitive relationship, that the science pointed to something complex rather than one bad ingredient, and that it wouldn't publish further updates without meaningful new evidence. That's still where things sit.

Two things are worth holding at once. Reports to a regulator aren't confirmed cases with a proven cause, so the early numbers were never as damning as the coverage made them sound. And 'we couldn't prove it' isn't the same as 'there was nothing there', so it's fair to keep an eye on the research.

It's also worth remembering that DCM has been a well-known genetic disease in Dobermanns, Great Danes, Boxers, Irish Wolfhounds and Cocker Spaniels for decades. If your dog is one of those breeds, or you've noticed coughing, tiring quickly or faster breathing at rest, book a vet appointment rather than changing the food and hoping.