Page 13 - Palm City Spotlight - October '19

Palm City Spotlight, Page 13
tip oF the taiL
Diet-Associated Heart Disease
In Dogs
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Over the past year, a trend in canine heart disease has What is it about these diets that is causing heart disease
developed that has been linked to grain-free and boutique
in some dogs? The short answer is, we don’t yet know. The
diets. Specifically, affected dogs eating certain diets are common link seems to be foods that use lentils or other
developing dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a condition that legumes (e.g. peas, chickpeas, beans, soybeans, peanuts) or
affects the heart muscle which causes the heart to become potatoes as their base ingredient. To determine if your pet’s
enlarged and ineffective at pumping blood. diet uses one of these ingredients as a main ingredient, check
Researchers are working diligently to understand why the label; ingredients are listed from largest to smallest, so
certain diets, particularly grain-free diets, are causing heart main components of a diet formulation are listed early in the
disease in some pets. Historically, a deficiency in a specific ingredient list.
amino acid called taurine has been known to cause DCM, Some owners feeding a grain-free or boutique diet have
but in a majority of the dogs affected in these recent cases, started giving their pet a taurine supplement. Unfortunately,
taurine levels have been normal in the dog as well as the this is not recommended, particularly since most affected
implicated food. dogs diagnosed with diet-associated DCM have adequate
There are also some breeds of dogs (Dobermans, cocker taurine levels when tested. Supplementing taurine does not
spaniels, Great Danes and boxers) that have a higher risk of appear to reduce the risk of developing diet-associated DCM
developing DCM, however, in these recent diet-associated in the cases seen so far.
cases, we are seeing DCM in breeds not typically thought If you are feeding a grain-free diet, or a diet with a base
of as at-risk for heart disease. ingredient of lentils, legumes or potatoes, contact your
veterinarian to discuss if a diet change is recommended
for your dog. From a veterinarian’s perspective, there
are no known health benefits associated with feeding a
grain-free diet, and a grain allergy is incredibly rare in
dogs. Unfortunately, the explosion of grain-free and exotic
ingredient diets is simply a marketing trend that seems to
now be causing harm to some pets.
Signs of heart disease in dogs can include exercise
intolerance or reduced interest in exercise, a soft cough, an
increased respiration rate (particularly at rest) or in severe
cases, collapse. If your pet is experiencing any of these
symptoms, contact your veterinarian.
For more information about diet-associated DCM,
your veterinarian is a great resource. You can also review
published information on the subject on the FDA’s website
or on Tufts University’s veterinary nutrition website.
Established in 1981, Palm City Animal Medical Center
is dedicated to providing the best possible care for your
pets. With focuses on compassionate care in surgery,
physical therapy and rehabilitation, preventative medicine,
extensive diagnostics, and emergency service, Palm City
Animal Medical Center combines exceptional medical
care with a caring philosophy for pets and their owners.
For more information, call (772) 283-0920, visit www.
palmcityanimalmedicalcenter.com or find us on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/PalmCityAnimalClinic.
heaLth taLk
Florida Department Of Health
Provides Hepatitis A Vaccine
Outreach To Helping People
Succeed
The declaration is heard loud and clear that residents
of the Treasure Coast should get the Hepatitis A vaccine
in order to be protected from this contagious virus. The
Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Martin County
has confirmed that we are experiencing an outbreak here
as well as in many other communities across Florida, and
in many other states.
Our Department of Health has gone to great lengths
to make the vaccine accessible to all residents. Recently
they provided vaccines at the United Way Community
Conversations meeting and from there offered to bring
the vaccine to other locations. Helping People Succeed
took them up on the offer to schedule a vaccination day
for employees and customers, which took place this
week.
“We are so grateful
for our longstanding
partnership with the
Health Department, and
especially appreciative
that they were willing
to come to us to provide
protection against
Hepatitis A,” said Kathy
Derringer, senior vice
president of Helping
People Succeed. “The
vast majority of our
services are offered out
in the community and
in family homes, and Florida Department of
we always prioritize the Health nurse Marybeth Pena
health and safety of our administering vaccine to
staff and the people we Helping People Succeed board
serve.” member Barbara Essenwine.