Myth-Busters & Life Stages (evidence-graded)

Two Q&A packs ingested into Pinecone on 2026-06-30. Honest framing (proven vs. nuance vs. marketing). Part of [[Nutrition]].

Myth-Busters (10 pairs — qa-myth-busters.json)

• "Grain-free causes DCM" — NUANCED: FDA 2018 signal (>90% grain-free, ~93% peas/lentils) points to legumes/formulation, not grain absence; taurine deficiency NOT primary cause; causation NOT proven, still under investigation. Don't overstate either way.
• "By-products are evil" — by-products can be nutritious organs; problem is vague unnamed ones / quality, not by-products per se.
• "AAFCO complete & balanced = healthy" — meets paper minimums (a floor, not a ceiling); says nothing about quality/processing.
• "Carnivore vs omnivore" — in between: dogs evolved AMY2B (digest starch) but are meat-forward facultative carnivores, no carb requirement.
• "Fat makes dogs fat" — myth; dogs burn fat efficiently; calories/carbs drive obesity.
• "Corn is filler" — not technically zero-value, but signals cheap high-carb plant-bulked food.
• "Raw is dangerous / raw is always best" — balanced: real benefits + real risks (pathogens, imbalance); limited long-term RCTs.
• "Dogs need grain" — no requirement, but not evil either; formulation > label.
• "Expensive = best" — price ≈ marketing; read the label.
• "Bones" — NEVER cooked (splinter); raw meaty bones can be ok with right size + supervision.

Life Stages (11 pairs — qa-life-stages.json)

• Large-breed puppies: do NOT supplement calcium — they can't downregulate absorption; excess → skeletal abnormalities. Diet calcium 0.8–1.2% DM is enough. (Strong evidence.)
• Puppy: growth diet, 3–4 meals tapering to 2, keep lean; switch to adult ~9–12 mo (small) up to 18–24 mo (giant).
• Senior protein MYTH: healthy seniors need MORE quality protein (fight muscle loss), not less; protein doesn't harm healthy kidneys. Restrict only with diagnosed kidney disease.
• Senior: fewer calories (less active), omega-3/joint/cognitive support, monitor body condition.
• Weight loss formula (evidence): higher protein (>25%) + fiber (>12%), lower fat/carb → loses fat, preserves muscle. Measure meals, count treats.
• Lean = longevity: landmark lifelong study — lean dogs lived ~1.8 years longer + delayed chronic disease.
• Pregnant/nursing: energy 2–4× normal, calorie-dense balanced diet, don't randomly over-supplement calcium (eclampsia risk).

Sources

• DCM/FDA — FDA investigation updates; PMC narrative reviews; AKC/AMC summaries
• Large-breed puppy calcium — Purina Institute; VCA; PMC6677383
• Obesity/weight loss — MDPI meta-analysis (PMC11759159); Today's Veterinary Practice; landmark Purina lifespan study