Taurine-supplemented food could protect many dogs from serious diseases

The English Cocker Spaniel, one of Sweden's most popular dog breeds, is unfortunately overrepresented in the occurrence of the heart disease dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The disease is, in most cases, incurable, and affected dogs risk becoming seriously ill and dying prematurely. There is, however, a variant of the disease that arises after a prolonged deficiency of the amino acid taurine, and dogs affected by this condition can often regain a normal life when receiving adequate treatment. This condition has been known in veterinary medicine since the 1990s, but knowledge about it is still limited both in Sweden and internationally.

Researchers at SLU in Uppsala, in collaboration with researchers at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) and clinicians at two major animal hospitals in the Stockholm area, have conducted an extensive investigation of the prevalence of low taurine levels in a large population of English Cocker Spaniels. The study included dogs with clinical signs of DCM and congestive heart failure, as well as clinically healthy dogs. This is the first large study performed that has evaluate a potential association between taurine levels and clinical status in a large population of dogs, and, furthermore, a possible association with the nutritional content of the food that the dogs were fed.

Taurine deficiency more common than expected

The study, which included 180 privately owned Swedish dogs (167 dogs were considered healthy at enrollment, and 13 presented with clinical signs of congestive heart failure), showed that about 30 percent of the examined dogs had low taurine levels. In addition, 9% of the dogs with low taurine levels showed a type of ocular abnormality known to be associated with taurine deficiency in other species.

Food had a clear impact on the dogs' taurine levels

The study also examined possible associations between taurine levels in the dogs' blood and the levels of taurine, as well as methionine and cysteine (two amino acids that the body can convert into taurine), in the food the dogs were fed. Sixty different dog foods were analyzed, and a clear association was found between the dogs' taurine levels and the amino acid content in the food. The researchers also demonstrated a clear association between certain food components and low taurine levels in food. Food that contained red meat as the main protein source generally had lower taurine levels than food that had white meat as the main protein source.

"Our study shows that many seemingly healthy Cocker Spaniels have low blood taurine levels and therefore are at increased risk of developing serious heart disease and other conditions if this is not addressed in time. We believe that the majority of all cases of DCM and heart failure in English Cocker Spaniels could be avoided, or cured, if pet owners, breeders, veterinarians, and, not least, dog food manufacturers, have the right knowledge about certain individuals' need for dietary supplements to maintain adequate taurine levels," says Karin Kriström.

Some of the dog foods analyzed in the study had remarkably low levels of taurine, methionine, and cysteine. According to the researchers, this suggests that many dogs in Sweden and the rest of the world could develop serious diseases (heart disease, eye disease, etc.) that likely could have been prevented with adequate nutritional content in all dog foods.

"All commercial cat food has been enriched with synthetic taurine since the 1990s, which has contributed to certain diseases now being rare in cats. We hope that our results will contribute to a recommendation that dog food should also be adequately enriched in the future," says Karin Kriström and Ingrid Ljungvall.

The researcher group has recently also mapped patients with suspected taurine deficiency-induced heart disease at three major animal hospitals in Uppsala and Stockholm, Sweden, and found that dogs of over 25 different breeds were represented among the dogs affected.

"We will continue to investigate the underlying causes of taurine deficiency-induced conditions in dogs and the extent of the problem among various breeds. However, we hope, of course, that our work will not be needed in the future if appropriate preventive measures are taken to counteract the occurrence of taurine deficiency in the dog population," says Ingrid Ljungvall.

Contacts

Karin Kriström, PhD student, veterinary specialist in cardiology,
Department of Clinical Sciences; Small Animal Medicine
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
070-791 29 70, karin.kristrom@slu.se

Ingrid Ljungvall, Associate Professor, veterinary specialist in cardiology,
Department of Clinical Sciences; Small Animal Medicine
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
018-67 13 38, 070-953 24 88, ingrid.ljungvall@slu.se

The article

Kriström K, Häggström J, Fascetti AJ, et al. The association between taurine concentrations and dog characteristics, clinical variables, and diet in English cocker spaniels: The Canine taURinE (CURE) project. J Vet Intern Med. 2024;1‐13.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17150

More about DCM

Primary dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a serious heart disease in dogs characterized by a decreased ability of the heart muscle to contract. The disease often leads to development of heart failure, and dogs with primary DCM often die prematurely even if treated with various medications.

Taurine deficiency-responsive cardiomyopathy is a variant of DCM that occurs after a prolonged deficiency of the amino acid taurine. Unlike primary DCM, taurine-responsive cardiomyopathy is often a reversible condition, and many dogs that receive proper medical treatment and dietary supplementation of taurine can eventually regain a normal life and avoid long-term medical treatment for heart disease.