Field Guide · Glossary
Taurine
Food and labelsA sulphur-containing amino acid involved in bile, heart and eye function.
How it works
Dogs can synthesize taurine from other amino acids, which is why it is not classed as essential in the dog's diet in the way it is for cats, who cannot make it and must obtain it from food. Deficiency in dogs is documented and can cause heart muscle disease, and some breeds appear more susceptible than others. Its prominence in recent discussion comes from it being the first hypothesis investigated when diet-linked heart disease emerged.
What it looks like
A dog diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy has their taurine level measured as part of the workup. The result comes back normal, which rules out deficiency as the explanation for that dog and leaves the question open.
Commonly confused with
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Taurine deficiency is one known cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. It is not the only one, and most dogs with the diet-associated form have normal taurine, so the two are not interchangeable.
Related terms