Here's an excerpt:

According to the FDA, hundreds of dogs have gotten the same diagnosis, some even died because they were eating grain free dog food.

"We know that there's a link between grain-free food and specifically foods that have lentils and peas and maybe sweet potatoes in them," said Ryan Carpenter, a veterinarian for Family Friends Veterinary Hospital. "So those foods are causing dilated cardiomyopathy."

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a genetic condition in dogs, typically seen in large or giant breeds like Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, the Irish Wolfhound and Cocker Spaniels. It's disease of the cardiac muscle that results in decreased ability of the heart to generate enough pressure through the vascular system.

"Over the last year, there's been more knowledge about it," Carpenter continued. "So, we're looking for pets that may be on a grain-free diet, screening them and paying close attention to what's going on with them."

In July 2018, the FDA opened an investigation into the potential link between grain-free food and heart failure in dogs. The FDA found that grain-free foods blocked the absorption of taurine, a significant amino acid needed for a dogs heart to function.

"It's a micronurtrient that allows the heart to pump normally," Carpenter explained. "And it's not something that we think of on a daily basis -- about taking taurine -- but it's there in micro amounts that causes a lot of help."

In addition to finding the taurine link, the FDA also discovered certain breeds of dogs are affected more.

Labrador retrievers, mixed breeds and Golden Retrievers top the list.

Here is a list of the dog food brands associated with the FDA investigation:

Acana
Zignature
Taste of the Wild
4Health
Earthborn Holistic
Blue Buffalo
Nature's Domain
Fromm
Merrick
California Natural
Natural Balance
Orijen
Nature's Variety
NutriSource
Nutro
Rachael Ray Nutrish

4Health is my dogfood, but it has Taurine in the list of ingredients.