Health · May 12, 2026 · 8 min read
DCM: understanding the disease
and avoiding it in the bowl.
Y
L’équipe Yuna
Nutrition report · sources at the end
DCM
The report
In July 2018, the US FDA released a notice that would shake up the premium dog food market: a suspicious correlation between some grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy.
What exactly is DCM?
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease where the heart muscle thins and dilates. The heart progressively loses its ability to pump blood.
What alerted the FDA in 2018 was the appearance of cases in breeds that are not statistically predisposed.
Our approach at Yuna
- Legumes capped at 17-18 % · well below the flagged thresholds.
- Sweet potato as the main starch.
- Animal protein first, ≥ 22% in the lead.
- Taurine 0.10 % systematic, no exception.
- DL-methionine 0.15 % + L-carnitine 0.02 % · the triple safety net.
And your dog in all this?
If your dog is on premium kibble from a serious brand, the absolute risk stays low. But if your dog is from a predisposed breed, it is worth discussing with your vet.