What to know before you buy taurine supplements for dogs
Taurine is an essential amino acid for humans and pets, so there really isn’t anything much safer. The problem is that many dog diets, especially grain-free diets, can’t be seen as an appropriate source of taurine for dogs.
Taurine deficiency can cause electrolyte and immune problems, but the biggest problem for dogs is that taurine deficiency has been linked to cardiomyopathy, a potentially fatal and progressive heart problem. Taurine supplements are a cheap and safe way to avoid this in your pet, regardless of their diet.
Benefits of taurine for dogs
Adequate levels of taurine are essential for normal cell metabolism and immune function, but the biggest issue that taurine supplementation solves is heart diseases like cardiomyopathy caused by taurine deficiency. Taurine supplementation is a cheap and safe way to prevent this, regardless of your pet’s diet.
Along with this, a recent Columbia University study found a slew of other benefits:
- 12% longer life in female mice, 10% longer in males
- Reduced geriatric weight gain
- Increased muscle endurance and strength
- Improved immune system and stem cell function
- Reduced senescent "zombie" cell accumulation
- increased mitochondrial energy
FAQs about taurine supplements for dogs
Yes! Taurine is an essential amino acid, and so is needed by everybody for survival. Supplements don’t get much safer than that.
The primary issue caused by taurine deficiency is heart disease. The typical symptoms would include excessive panting, lethargy, coughing, and sometimes abdominal distension.
There are no side effects of taurine supplements for dogs within the recommended doses. All benefits, no risks. Pretty good calculus.
You can look at the ingredients on your pet’s diet for taurine content, but the easy way is simply to give your pet a taurine supplement—a cheap and safe form of insurance for your dog.
Not all cases of DCM (Dilative CardioMyopathy) are caused by a taurine deficiency, so taurine supplementation will not help all dogs with DCM. However, if your pet’s DCM is in fact caused by their diet, taurine supplementation may help to slow the progression of the disease. There are no downsides to the use of taurine in dogs with DCM. It’s cheap, safe, and routinely recommended by veterinary cardiologists for many different heart conditions.
If you have a simple question on taurine and dogs, I am happy to help and you can email me at ktomandvm@gmail.com. For more complex questions or to develop a treatment plan, we can set up a concierge consult for you.
