💚Read Henry's remarkable story about DCM and grain-free vegan dog food diets below and what to advise when your vet says no to a plant-based diet because of the DCM rumours!
We are so grateful to Henry's Mum Sarah for sharing in his remarkable story about his heart health, and sending the photo of Henry with his scarf to stop his Spaniel ears from dropping into his wholefood bowl of plant-based goodness!
(Please note that DCM referred to in Henry's history stands for Dilated Cardiomyopathy)
"Henry was diagnosed with a heart murmur Summer ‘23 aged 9 - incidentally found by a vet in France upon a health check for return worming tablet.
Upon arriving to England he had Pro BNP blood test of 7496 which we were told was greatly elevated! At this time I was feeding him a mixture of Lily’s Kitchen, butternut box plant/ vegetarian recipe and then yora insect biscuits (also some meaty treat if we were given them as I hadn’t yet done all my research).
Cardiologist specialist ultrasound confirmed heart stretch and I think bloods on the low side of taurine. DCM confirmed but also perhaps Mitral Valve disease ( I think both went hand in hand and hard to know which was the primary one).
I looked at all diet options and lots of pages recommended the Purina cardio dried food. Being vegans for a long time ourselves I found this hard and despite it perhaps having the supplements needed I couldn’t help feel like it was like feeding him a McDonalds with all the other ingredients ( chicken fat and pork fat etc I seem to remember).
(We've included an image of those Purina cardio dried food ingredients that Henry's Mum is concerned about below and yes pork fat and digest made from chicken entrails are included in the list!)
I then added a bit of Different Dog heart recipe food to his diet (really struggling with the meat content- also not having any grain in it which I understood is needed to uptake of Taurine?) but then I decided we should try going back to plant-based for all the other ethical and health benifits- which is when we came across your wonderful Just be Kind website.
I also add daily Taurine, l- carnitine and also Omega 3 Daily for his heart. He also takes Vetmedin twice daily, also he always has lots of fresh fruit and veg and a very active lifestyle keeping slim and fit and stress free.
Since becoming plant-based eating your selection of plant-based foods Solo Vegetal, Give A Dog A Bean and supplemented homemade food; his concurrent scans at 6 months - one year, and two years have shown improved heart function and size has gone down and remained down!!
Pro BNP was halved after the 6 months check. Now at every vet check ( which he has many with travelling to Europe for work with us) they can barely detect the murmur. It is still present and we still need to monitor it as the valves aren’t totally functional but it’s very much under control. Zero clinical symptoms or exercise intolerance.
Also with his heart diagnosis we didn’t want to ignore the overall health of his whole body by putting him on a cardio diet that could have resulted in issues elsewhere.
His overall bloods are all normal and other than this breed specific disease, he is in brilliant health. A little age related gall bladder sludge confirmed yesterday but his CT was also looking very clear and all kidney markers in bloods were normal.
Our primary reasons for being plant based is animal ethics- but also environmental benefits and of course for our canine family now understanding that there are NO negative health impacts- in fact how it can even be beneficial!"
- Sarah and Henry 💚
What a remarkable story and proof that complete plant-based dog food diets and the correct supplementation do NOT have a negative impact on the heart health of dogs, quite the opposite in fact - they support heart health!!
ALL OF THE FOODS THAT WE SELL AND PROMOTE AT JUST BE KIND are complete and contain the vital extra amino acid Taurine and we even have Pure Bites Taurine Treats for dogs!
Our Omega 3 Algae oil contains the pure levels of Omega 3s needed to support heart health as well as the valuable addition of the key ingredient Astaxanthin which is a powerful anti-oxidant to support and repair heart health.
What peer reviewed study supports the benefits of plant-based diet and heart health?
Linde A, Lahiff M, Krantz A et al. (2024). Domestic dogs maintain positive clinical, nutritional, and haematological health outcomes when fed a commercial plant-based diet for a year. Published in PLOS ONE April 2024
The most comprehensive study so far by Dr Annika Linde et al published and peer reviewed in April 2024, has demonstrated that dogs fed nutritionally-sound plant-based diets maintain health outcomes just as well. In a few respects health indicators even improved.
The study, published in leading scientific journal PLOS ONE [1] AND peer reveiwed, comprehensively assessed the health of 15 dogs by analysing blood cells and biochemistry, blood nutrient levels, urine, veterinary clinical parameters, and monthly pet owner questionnaires.
In a few cases, previous deficiencies following a meat-based diet either improved or disappeared, including L-taurine and L-carnitine (important for cardiac health), Vitamin D (indispensable for immunity and bone health), and folate (required to produce red blood cells).
In this study, dogs were fed pea-based plant-based dog food, for one year. Blood markers of cardiac health were assessed, with NO signs of heart disease found. Indeed, in some cases indicators of cardiac health improved!
Read the full study here (Linde et al)
The study was particularly interesting, given suggestions that peas might contribute to heart disease in dogs in the US.
Although no credible evidence has been found, such concerns have persisted in some quarters and are used by the corporate meat-based pet food companies as they see these alternative diets as a threat to their profits being primarily meat-based pet food corporates.
Just one bit of concern by planting a seed of doubt in people's minds about a different way of feeding our dogs, can lead to a social media and online frenzy planted by the billionaire pet food corporates with too much at stake financially - they have to protect their profits at any cost!
Leaving people doubting about using pea and lentils in dog food from studies that were never peer reviewed and studies paid for by them have been very damaging to the entire pet food industry. (Read here how Hills Colgate-Palmolive have been sued for discrediting grain-free dog food diets by paying their vets to publish studies that were never confirmed as true.)
If your vet has heard these rumours and is advising against a plant-based diet for fear that it can affect heart health if using a food containing peas and lentils DO NOT try to change their views about the latest studies (as vets will believe the pet food corporates as these corporates have enormous control of the veterinary industry!)
Simply tell your vet that you are feeding delicious wet food trays Give A Dog A Bean or Jumping Jack as these complete recipes contain NO peas or lentils and high protein faba beans, quinoa and hemp instead; and they have the correct levels of added Taurine, Methionine, L-Carnitine and Omega 3s.
That will reassure your vet that you know exactly what you are doing and have made the right choices☺️
(Another top tip with your vet: Mention only the very neutral term 'plant-based' and NEVER use the word 'vegan' as it implies too much restriction and what is being taken away! Also, tell your vet that your choice is based on sustainability and this will get them on your side straight away too as we ALL suffer from climate anxiety and plant-based dog food diets are known to be the solution to our climate emergency!)
Which cardiology specialist vets feeds plant-based to her own dogs?
