Are pulses – beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas – safe for dogs to eat?
Canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has been a divisive issue in the pet food world following an explosion of grain-free or pulse-inclusive formulations. Though these formulas sought to appease consumers who questioned the usage of carbohydrates and grains in pet nutrition, they soon became connected to DCM following an investigation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In September 2020, the FDA claimed it could not establish a clear connection between DCM and grain-free pet food, leaving consumers and the industry with more questions than answers. The latest study from the the University of Guelph, ‘The Pulse of It: Dietary Inclusion of Up to 45% Whole Pulse Ingredients with Chicken Meal and Pea Starch in a Complete and Balanced Diet Does Not Affect Cardiac Function, Fasted Sulfur Amino Acid Status, or Other Gross Measures of Health in Adult Dogs‘, aims to provide evidence that pulses have no correlation with DCM.
The primary objective of their study was to quantify the effects of dietary pulse intake by adult dogs on cardiac function. Second, to investigate the effects of pulse consumption on plasma sulfur amino acid (SAA) concentrations as pulses are generally low in SAA and may limit taurine synthesis. Last, to assess the general safety and efficacy of feeding pulse-containing diets on canine body composition and hematological and biochemical indices.
The study, conducted using 28 privately owned dogs, were fed diets with equal micronutrient supplementation and increasing whole pulse ingredient inclusion (0%, 15%, 30%, and 45%) with pea starch used to balance protein and energy for a period of 20 weeks.
Kate Shoveller, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, said “This study is the longest, controlled feeding study to date to assess cardiometabolic health in healthy adult dogs fed pulse-inclusive diets.
Pulses serve as a great protein source in dog food and are used in many plant-based and vegan dog food formulas. However, there have been concerns that these ingredients may not provide enough key amino acids for dogs to produce taurine and maintain their heart health.
The study used echocardiograms, routine bloods samples and body scans to assess each dog’s body composition at the beginning and end of the study.
The conclusion from the study suggest that increasing the inclusion of pulses up to 45% with the removal of grains and equal micronutrient supplementation does not impact cardiac function concurrent with dilated cardiomyopathy, body composition, or SAA status and is safe for healthy adult dogs to consume.
Bonza includes a variety of pulses – chickpeas, peas and fava beans – each offering its unique balance of amino acids, fibre and phytonutrients, in our Superfoods and Ancient Grains vegan dog food.
