If you have concerns about taurine deficiency in your dog, you’ll want to take a long, hard look at your dog’s breed and diet. The following article discusses nutritional choices for dogs that are predisposed to low taurine levels.
There has been a lot of information circulating online about taurine and dog health, with some sites suggesting taurine supplements and feeding dogs meat-based diets. While it’s true that meat-first diets are preferable to grain-first or vegetarian diets, should you be concerned about the taurine in your dog’s diet? Why is it important?
Taurine is an amino acid that supports healthy organ function. Most dogs are able to synthesize taurine from nutrients that are required to be present in commercially available pet foods, and do not need taurine supplements. However, some dog breeds are predisposed to a condition that prevents this synthesis from occurring, and therefore may suffer from chronically low taurine levels if the condition is unaddressed. These breeds are:
- American cocker cpaniel
- Retriever (golden and Labrador)
- English Setter
- Newfoundland
- Great Dane
- Saint Bernard
While taurine deficiency itself doesn’t cause physical symptoms, the underlying cause of some dogs’ taurine deficiency – such as cystinuria – will be symptomatic. If your dog has difficulty urinating or if there is blood in their urine, have them checked by a vet immediately.
Your vet will conduct tests to determine if your dog’s taurine levels are low. If it is discovered that your dog is suffering from a taurine deficiency, your vet may recommend taurine supplements or a pet food rich in taurine. Foods with high taurine content include dark meat poultry and fish. Zignature dog food taurine levels are naturally high enough to meet most dogs’ nutritional requirements, but you should check with your vet before making any significant modifications to your dog’s diet. Moreover, your vet may suggest alternatives that address other health issues for a more holistic nutritional solution.
To read more on topics like this, check out the food & health category.
