![]() Our protein comes from meat, fish and eggs. We will never use cheap protein fillers in Wolfworthy. Which is why we include both in our food. The reassuring news is that one of the best natural sources of taurine is actually organ meat and poultry meat. For dogs diagnosed with taurine deficient DCM, taurine supplementation has been found to improve the condition. But some larger breeds including Great Danes, Retrievers, Dobermans and Irish Wolfhounds can struggle to make enough taurine when fed a diet low in animal protein. It also plays an important role in eye, brain and immunity.Īmazingly most dogs have the ability to make taurine themselves from other amino acids. Taurine is an amino acid that is necessary for the development and function of the heart and muscle cells. A deficiency in taurine has long been linked to DCM and other heart conditions. This was first discovered in the 1970's when the issue of diets low in taurine, which is found in meat, was found to be responsible for heart problems in cats. To hammer home the point even more, meat provides some essential amino acids that are not found in legumes, like taurine. Dogs and wolves have done just fine on mainly meat for thousands of years which is good enough for us. We have never done this, even before the DCM debate. Put simply, meat is more expensive and you can still get a high 'protein' rating on the packaging if you include peas, lentils or legumes. It is a known practice by pet food companies that a cheap way to raise the protein level of their food is to include peas and lentils instead of meat. Research is on-going but what interests us is the persistent reference to peas and lentils. Twenty years on and the sales of grain-free foods have increased 5 fold but the cases of DCM remain steady. Back in early 2000 some links were made to grain-free diets. This created a bit of a media storm but was based on no real research. DCM can cause death but is very rare, affecting only 0.5% - 1.1% of the dog population. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a life threatening heart disease where dogs develop an enlarged heart with a weakening of the muscles. Just a quick summary for those of you who have not heard of DCM. The debate around grain-free diets, originating in the USA, has highlighted the problem of including vegetable protein rather than protein from meat in dog food. ![]() ![]() We also never add artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, sugar or salt. Proper meat is incredibly important to your dog because it is packed with protein, nutrients and vital amino acids. This is why we based our food on the diet of the Grey Wolf - mainly meat and fish (80%) with some fruit and veg (20%) and no grain. Our values mean we believe dogs thrive on a high meat diet. ![]()
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