Should you take your dog off of a grain-free diet?

Dog owners who swear by grain-free dog food might want to reconsider that choice. That's one suggestion from some veterinarians groups, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigates a possible link between grain-free food and dog heart disease.

The debate started last year when the FDA found heart disease turning up in way more dogs than normal. They say one common denominator appears to be grain-free food. Now, investigators are asking vets and dog owners to report heart disease cases and include details of the dog's diet.

For many, the choice of a grain-inclusive diet goes "against the grain" of the popular grain-free dog food trend. But grains are getting new consideration as scientists investigate whether some of the non-protein ingredients in grain-free dog food - like peas, legumes and sweet potato - might be linked to an increase in a serious dog heart disease called Dilated Cardiomyopathy, or DCM. But research is still in the early stages.

"Because the FDA right now is trying to gather as much information as possible and they have diagnosed about 325 cases that seem to be a nutritional Dilated Cardiomyopathy," said Dr. Annie Dittrich of Roosevelt Station Vet Care in Seattle.

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