Does Blue Buffalo kill? According to CBS News, an Illinois family claims that Blue Buffalo’s “Wilderness Grain Free Chicken,” which is marketed as “the healthiest food possible,” killed their dog.
According to this recent article, Ryan and Diana Walsh got their Golden Doodle, Maya as a puppy and had been feeding Blue Buffalo’s “Wilderness Grain Free Chicken,” for years as the brand claimed this particular blend contained “antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals carefully selected by veterinarians and animal nutritionists that help support: immune system health, life stage requirements, and health oxidative balance.”
Unfortunately, Maya passed in 2024 at 10 years of age caused by dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), which has been linked to some grain-free diets. Maya was fed Blue Buffalo's Wilderness Chicken Grain Free food from 2017 - 2022 until in 2023, when she developed difficulty walking and suffered from heart issues.
The Walshes switched her food and prepared human food including baked chicken, rice, and carrots, while also giving her medication and supplements to increase her taurine levels, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit stated that the Walshes paid a premium for the dog food, which they "were promised would keep their pets safe, happy, and healthy." Instead, the lawsuit alleged, the couple was paying a premium for dog food that "would give their pet an irreversible condition that causes death."
So, does Blue Buffalo Kill?
According to the lawsuit, a variety of different dog breeds between the ages of one and ten were diagnosed with DCM after being fed the dog food, and died as a result. Further, cardiologists found that grain-free diets, like this particular blend, interferes with the absorption of taurine, which is a critical amino acid for myocardial health.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association, theories on what is actually contributing to diet-associated DCM in dogs include:
- Use of ingredients that may negatively affect bioavailability of amino acids and other essential nutrients, like L-Carnitine, Taurine, Omega 3 Fatty Acids and CoQ10
- Intake of too few calories relative to energy needs resulting in a decrease of nutrient ingestion.
- A possible nutritional excess or toxicity.
- A nonnutritional toxicity.
- Breed predisposition. Breeds including Golden retrievers, New Foundlands, Irish Wolfhounds and Goldendoodles are predisposed to DCM
Unfortunately, it is not surprising that this particular brand and blend of dog food is linked to DCM. The FDA suggests that a high proportion of peas, lentils, chickpeas and dried beans are a potential link to DCM. In this particular lawsuit, the ingredients used in Blue Buffalo's Wilderness Chicken Grain Free are not only unhealthy generally, but also have a high proportion of peas in it, potentially causing DCM. Take a look at the ingredient list below:
General Problem Ingredients
- Chicken Meal: Chicken meal is a meat meal powder made of the byproducts of rendered chicken flesh, skin and bone trimmings that have been processed with high heat, leading to an accumulation of Advanced Glycation End (AGEs) products.
- Peas, pea protein, pea starch and pea fiber: Main ingredients containing peas and varieties of peas listed within the first 10 ingredients in the ingredient list before vitamins and minerals have been linked to diet-related dilated cardiomyopathy
- Natural Flavor: Umbrella term for flavors used to enhance aroma and taste. The actual ingredients do not have to be disclosed, so you really don't know what is in it.
Does Blue Buffalo Kill?
The answer is possibly. While these ingredients are certainly not the worst, they are also not the best. If your dog has DCM, or any health issue, this food will absolutely not promote or optimize health.
There are many ways to optimize the health of our dogs and it starts with the food we feed them. Feeding a healthy, nutrient-dense and species-appropriate diet will contain way more bioavilable nutrients than kibble and will help your dog stay healthy naturally for as long as possible. Consider adding supplements like Taurine, L-Carnitine, CoQ10 and fish oilf if your dog has DCM.
If you need some guidance on what to feed your dog, please click here. If your dog is sick and you need some guidance on helping them feel better, please visit Bobzilla's Happy, Healthy Life Made Simple.
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