26/04/2026
As Doberman owners, we know dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the most serious health challenges in our breed. DCM is a disease where the heart becomes enlarged and weakened, reducing its ability to pump effectively. While many cases in Dobermans are genetic, we’re also seeing cases that are not, which has led researchers to take a closer look at diet.
The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine first raised concerns about certain diets, particularly those high in pulses (i.e., peas, lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes) commonly found in grain-free foods. These ingredients may interfere with taurine, an amino acid critical to heart health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine continue to study diet-associated DCM, and it remains an open and evolving issue.
More recently, we’ve been hearing from veterinary cardiologists about another area of concern: root vegetables. These are foods where the edible portion grows underground, including sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, and beets. A Northern California cardiologist we know and trust has suggested her clients (all breeds) remove root vegetables from their diets. Clients without a genetic predisposition for DCM who showed sudden or early signs of the disease have significantly improved and even showed a normal echocardiogram after these ingredients were removed from the diet. At this point, we don’t know why this may be happening, and research is still limited — but it’s something we feel is worth sharing.
One of our club members recently experienced something similar:
“Our 4-year-old dog had always had normal Holter and echo results. Then last fall, one Holter showed a significant increase in PVCs and the echo had declined. A few months later we did another Holter check and the PVCs dropped almost back to normal. Recently we heard about the vet having success eliminating root vegetables. Looking back, we realized that for a few months prior to the bad Holter and echo, we had been adding carrots and sweet potatoes to the diet for temporary weight loss. When we did the second Holter recheck, she had been off the carrots and sweet potatoes for about 3 months. It was a real lightbulb moment for us.”
We know information like this can feel unsettling, and that’s not our intent. We also know this community values thoughtful, informed decision-making. Our goal is simply to share what we’re learning so each of us can make the best choices for our own dogs.
For those feeding raw or home-prepared diets, it may be worth reconsidering the use of root vegetables, especially in larger amounts. If you feed kibble, take a look at the ingredient list and where these items fall. (Not a directive, just something to be aware of.)
At the end of the day, Dobermans may be especially sensitive to nutritional imbalances that affect heart health. We’re all doing our best to give them the healthiest, longest lives possible, and sometimes that means adjusting as new information comes forward.
As always, talk with your veterinarian before making significant diet changes. We’ll continue to share what we learn as this research evolves.
Sources include:
National Library of Medicine, 2025: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12656978/
Tufts University, 2023: https://sites.tufts.edu/petfoodology/2023/02/07/diet-associated-dilated-cardiomyopathy-the-cause-is-not-yet-known-but-it-hasnt-gone-away/
UC Davis, 2018: https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/update-nutrition-services-concern-between-diets-and-dcm-dogs
Xray and heart diagram images:
https://vethospital.tamu.edu/hospital/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2018/01/cardiology-DCMHalfBooklet.pdf
