Grain-Free Food and Dachshunds: What the FDA DCM Investigation Found

General nutrition information compiled from product labels and published sources, not veterinary advice. Your veterinarian is the right person to choose a diet for your dog, especially one with a health condition.

Many Dachshund owners have heard that grain free dog food may be linked to a serious heart condition. Others have heard the opposite, that it is all hype. Both camps tend to sound surer than the science allows.

This guide walks you through reading the FDA's public statements, checking your own dog's food label, and preparing for a talk with your veterinarian. It does not tell you what to feed. It helps you ask better questions.

What DCM Is and Why It Raised Questions

DCM stands for dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle. The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) opened an investigation into a potential link between certain diets and canine DCM. Note the wording in the title of the FDA page: it says potential link. That is the careful language to keep in mind throughout this article.

The question people ask most is whether grain free dog food dcm concerns apply to their own pet. The honest answer starts with what the agency has said, not with a product's marketing.

Where the FDA Investigation Stands

According to the FDA CVM investigation page, its latest update is dated December 23, 2022. The FDA states it does not intend to release further public updates until there is meaningful new scientific information. No later dates appear on that page.

That means two things for you:

The investigation has not produced a final answer that settles the question for every dog.
Anything you read that claims new FDA conclusions after that date should be checked against the FDA page itself.

For the full details of what the agency reviewed and how it describes its findings, read the FDA page directly. This article does not restate numbers from it, because the details are best read in the agency's own words.

Does the Dachshund Have a Stated DCM Predisposition?

The sources used for this article do not state a DCM predisposition for the Dachshund. The Dachshund Club of America breed standard covers structure, size and temperament, not heart disease. The health concerns that PetMD lists as relevant to diet for the breed are obesity and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), not DCM.

That is not the same as saying a Dachshund can never develop DCM. It means this article cannot give you a breed-specific figure. If you want to know whether your dog's lines or age raise any heart concerns, ask your veterinarian and, if you have one, your breeder or the Dachshund Club of America.

So Is Grain Free Bad for Dachshunds?

People often phrase it as "is grain free bad for Dachshunds," and a yes or no is tempting. The sources here do not support a blanket answer either way.

The FDA describes an investigation into a potential link, with a last public update in December 2022.
No source used here gives a Dachshund-specific DCM finding.
Whether a given food suits an individual dog is a decision for that dog's veterinarian.

What you can do is read the label, understand what you are feeding, and make the choice with professional input.

How to Review Your Dachshund's Food: Step by Step

Materials You Need

The bag, can or tub your dog eats now, or a clear photo of every label panel.
A list of everything else your dog eats, including treats, chews and toppers.
Your dog's current weight and age, plus the date of the last vet visit.
A notepad or phone for questions.
The FDA CVM investigation page, open in a browser tab.

Step 1: Find the Life-Stage Statement

Look for the AAFCO statement, usually near the guaranteed analysis. It says whether the food is complete and balanced for growth, maintenance, or all life stages. For example, the Royal Canin Dachshund Adult dry food states it is formulated to meet AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance, while Freshpet's Small Dog Bite Size Chicken Recipe is labeled for all life stages with an exception for growth of large-size dogs (70 lb or more as an adult).

That "except for" wording is acceptable for Dachshunds. Tufts Cummings School's Petfoodology explains that AAFCO growth and all-life-stages labels must state whether they include or exclude growth of large-size dogs. A standard Dachshund (usually 16 to 32 lb, per the breed standard) and a miniature (11 lb and under in the show class) are both well below that 70 lb line.

Step 2: Check Whether the Food Is Labeled Grain-Free

Grain-free is a marketing and recipe category, not a quality grade. Read the ingredient list to see what replaces grains, and note it. Freshpet's Small Dog Bite Size Chicken Recipe, for instance, lists chicken, chicken liver, carrots, cranberries and eggs as its first five ingredients and is a grain-free recipe. Many other foods, such as the Royal Canin and Hill's Science Diet recipes in the label-data comparison, include grains like rice, oats, barley or wheat.

Neither type is proven good or bad for Dachshunds by anything cited here. You are simply recording which kind you feed.

Step 3: Write Down the Label Numbers

Record the first five ingredients, the guaranteed analysis (protein, fat and fiber), and the calories per cup. Label calories matter because Dachshunds are predisposed to obesity, according to PetMD, and excess weight raises the risk of back injury. Calorie density varies widely. In the label data we compared, dry foods ranged from 293 kcal per cup for Royal Canin Dachshund Adult to 418 kcal per cup for Hill's Science Diet Puppy Small & Mini.

You can see more side-by-side label data in our comparison of foods by label data. We compared labels only. We did not run feeding trials or taste tests.

Step 4: Read the FDA Page for Yourself

Open the FDA CVM investigation page. Check the date of the most recent update and read how the agency words its conclusions. Compare that to what a pet food ad or social media post says. If they differ, trust the agency's wording.

Step 5: Note Your Dog's Individual Factors

Write down age, weight, body condition, any history of back problems, and any heart findings your vet has mentioned. Miniature Dachshunds are over-represented in Hansen type I IVDD, according to a PubMed Central review, and PetMD states that as many as 25% of Dachshunds develop IVDD in their lifetime. The evidence on weight and IVDD is mixed, though. Dachshund Health UK notes that research linking overweight dogs to IVDD was not replicated in its own 2015 survey, but it still advises keeping Dachshunds lean.

These points affect how a vet weighs food choices, so bring them along.

Step 6: Talk to Your Veterinarian Before Changing Anything

Bring your notes and the food label. Useful questions include:

Does my dog's current food fit his or her age, weight and health history?
Is there any reason to think heart health needs extra attention for my dog?
If I switch foods, how should I do it?
What body condition should I aim for, and how often should we recheck it?

Only a veterinarian can say whether a prescription diet is appropriate. No over-the-counter food prevents or treats a disease.

Step 7: If You Switch, Do It Deliberately

If your vet recommends a change, follow the transition plan they give you. Use the new food's own feeding guide as a starting point only, then adjust to keep your dog lean, as the Hill's Science Diet and VICTOR pages both advise. Track weight every few weeks.

Tips

Take a photo of the label each time you buy a new bag. Recipes can change.
Check the AAFCO statement before the front-of-bag claims.
Use the brand's own website for the current ingredient list. For example, see the Royal Canin Dachshund Adult page or the Freshpet Small Dog Bite Size Chicken Recipe page.
Remember that treats and table scraps count toward daily calories.
Puppies need special care. General small-breed guidance suggests adult food around 9 to 12 months, but Tufts advises no puppy of any size go onto adult food before 12 months, so confirm timing with your vet.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Switching abruptly out of fear. A sudden change can upset digestion and does not by itself answer the heart question.
Assuming "grain-free" means healthier, or "with grain" means safer. Neither claim is established for Dachshunds by the sources cited here.
Treating a forum post as an FDA finding. Check the date and wording on the agency page.
Ignoring weight. For a long-backed breed, body condition is a well-supported diet concern.
Stopping a vet-recommended diet without asking. If your dog eats a prescribed food, talk to your vet first.

What to Expect

After working through these steps, you should have a clear record of what your Dachshund eats, an understanding of what the FDA has and has not said, and a list of questions for your vet. That may help you feel more confident about the decision.

What it will not do is deliver a definite answer about DCM risk for your individual dog. The FDA's public updates have paused, and no source used here offers a Dachshund-specific DCM figure. If new scientific information emerges, the FDA says it may update its page, so it is reasonable to check it from time to time.

The Bottom Line

The FDA has described a potential link between certain diets and canine DCM, with a latest public update dated December 23, 2022. Dachshunds have well-documented diet-related concerns around obesity and back health, but the sources here do not state a DCM predisposition for the breed. Read labels, keep your dog lean, and make food decisions with your veterinarian.