16 dog food brands may cause heart disease in pets

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified more than a dozen brands of pet food it says are most frequently connected to a spike in reported cases of heart disease in dogs. The FDA is continuing to investigate more than 500 reports of dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, in dogs eating certain types of pet food. A form of canine heart disease, DCM can cause congestive heart failure in dogs.

"We know it can be devastating to suddenly learn that your previously healthy pet has a potentially life-threatening disease like DCM," Steven Solomon, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, said Thursday in a statement. Because the FDA has "not yet determined the nature of this potential link, we continue to encourage consumers to work closely with their veterinarians."

To see the full list of the dog foods affected, click below ↓