Taurine

Taurine is a non-essential amino acid for dogs. This means that dogs can produce taurine on their own. It is, however, essential for cats as they can not synthesize taurine on their own and must obtain it from their diet. Some breeds of dogs have an inability to produce taurine on their own. English Setters, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, American Cocker Spaniels, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds, and Portuguese Water Dogs are some of the breeds that are more likely to suffer from taurine deficiency. Larger dogs have slower metabolism, which means slower synthesis of taurine in the body. Older dogs are also not as efficient in its production as younger ones. Deficiency is linked to diseases that are related to the brain, eyes, heart, and reproductive organs. It can lead to weakness, Dilated Cardiomyopathy, painful urination, Progressive Retinal Atrophy that results in blindness. Food sources of taurine are meat, organs, eggs, and seafood. Raw meat contains most of taurine, there is some loss of it to the water during cooking. Kibble typically contains the least amount due to processing. If your pet doesn’t receive a diet high in meat or predisposed to taurine deficiency, adding more meat to the diet is a must. There is a blood test available to check for taurine levels. If your pet is deficient, despite diet modification, supplementing might be necessary. Synthetic taurine is very safe and has no side effects. Dosage will vary depending on diet, pet size, and health concerns. Typical dosage 125-250mg for cats, 500mg for large breed dog. Taurine is also helpful in heavy metal detoxification.