FirstMate proudly sources Cage-Free Duck from France. Duck, as a novel protein, combined with pumpkin for its digestive benefits, can help to address common food sensitivities that pet parents have come to appreciate from FirstMate. The small bite kibble is perfect for smaller mouths.
This Limited Ingredient, pea free diet is easy on digestion and highly palatable
Family Owned & Operated Since 1989
Complete production control
Grain & Legume Free
Cage Free Duck
Puppy and Adult
Boston –
The vet and my local feed store recommend this formula and my dog loves it like it’s treats!
hamid –
My dog loves it. I use it as a treat or I mix it with his regular dog dry food but same brand. New Zealand Lamb FirstMate.
Sean Bailey –
This has been a game-changer for us. We have finally found a food that doesn’t affect him or his sensitive skin issues. He loves the small bite size. This is the first time we have seen him so excited to eat his meals. We only wish the small bites came in a large bag, as we have to special order the medium bags as our local supplier only stocks the small bags.
Cynthia –
This is the only food my dog can eat due to extensive food allergies (there is no fish in it thank goodness…why is there fish in everything, it’s the number one dog food allergy). She also has a misaligned jaw so small bites is perfect for her. Unfortunately it is extremely hard to find in the 12 lb bag . I have found only one store in the lower mainland that can order it in but they are constantly being “shorted” by the supplier. Why is this such a hassle to get First Mate? Please do better and make this more available.
Todd Putnam –
My dogs love this kibble, however, five months after switching to this kibble, our 3.5-year-old mixed breed dog has developed a heart murmur that appears might be Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Apparently, in a complex process that is not well understood, alternative protein sources such as peas, lentils and potatoes have been implicated in creating enlargement of the heart that could lead to DCM and eventually congestive heart failure. We are crushed, as we bought this food believing it to be an excellent product and healthy for our dogs. Because of the high potato content, the product should truthfully be renamed as “Potato, Duck and Pumpkin Formula.” Alternately, this new info suggests that the high potato content should be removed and replaced with another type of meat protein. Source: https://biologyinsights.com/dcm-in-dogs-a-food-list-of-what-to-avoid/
Rica Talay –
We are sorry to hear about your dog’s heart murmur. Has your veterinarian followed up with an echocardiogram to confirm the cause of the murmur?
We have been closely following the information related to diet-associated DCM and you may find the following information useful. One of the hypotheses is that there is a link between insufficient taurine and development of DCM. Dogs do not have a specific dietary requirement for taurine because dogs can synthesize taurine from methionine and cysteine. Therefore, it is very important that dog diets contain adequate amounts of methionine and cysteine. Taurine only needs to be added to dog diets if the diets do not contain sufficient amounts of methionine and cysteine. Methionine, cysteine and taurine are all present in meat. Diets with a relatively high meat inclusion, including all FirstMate and KASIKS diets, have adequate levels of methionine, cysteine and taurine. Our diets have at least 0.1% taurine on a dry matter basis, and our fish-based diets have even higher levels.
When the FDA first released their report suggesting a link between grain free formulas (such as those including potato), we prepared the following article regarding diet-associated DCM, and you may also find it useful for background information: https://firstmate.com/understanding-dilated-cardiomyopathy-dogs/
Potato was one of the ingredients initially investigated by the FDA for a link with DCM. However, recent studies have indicated that potato is not a concern and are instead focusing on other factors that may be involved (ensuring that meat protein is at an appropriate level when used with peas or legumes, for example). It is an issue that also appears to be complicated by genetics in many specific breeds of dogs, as well as underlying health issues. You can find additional information on the FDA’s most recent update here: United States Food and Drug Administration. Questions & Answers: FDA’s Work on Potential Causes of Non-Hereditary DCM in Dogs. December 23, 2022.
biologyinsights.com is an AI-generated content website that lacks original, verified, or expert-authored research. Therefore, it is highly recommended to avoid using it for medical or scientific information.
I hope this helps to provide some clarity.