Pros and Cons of Commercial Pet Foods (Including Grain/Grain Free) for Dogs and Cats.

Commercial pet food in the United States includes a diverse range of products. There is a tremendous amount of variation among companies regarding the financial resources invested into producing their products, research, and marketing. Commercial pet food is a regulated industry at both the state and federal levels, and many of the same standards applied to the human food industry apply to pet food.

Taurine and carnitine in canine cardiomyopathy.

Some newer more promising therapies for dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are taurine and carnitine. Deficiencies of these nutrients have been shown to cause DCM in dogs, and some breeds of dogs have shown dramatic improvement in myocardial function after supplementation with one or both nutrients. Although most dogs diagnosed with DCM do not have a documented taurine or carnitine deficiency, they may still be benefit from supplementation.