Carnivore Care Taurine is an amino acid supplement for cats and dogs. Taurine is a naturally occurring nutrient found in meat and organs, but some diets and health conditions may require supplementing with additional taurine for optimal pet health.
Cats have a higher taurine requirement than dogs as dogs can synthesize taurine from other amino acids, however, cats lack this ability and must receive an adequate amount of taurine through their diet or receive supplementation.
*Important to note: Be sure to keep and mix in the thawed-out “blood” (myoglobin) from thawing raw meals. When meat defrosts, the majority of the available taurine is left behind in the meat juices. This liquid is called myoglobin and contains many essential nutrients including taurine, so don’t toss this liquid gold down the drain!
What are the benefits of taurine for pets?
Heart Health
Taurine is crucial for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. It regulates the heart’s rhythm, improves muscle function, and reduces the risk of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and other heart disease.
Vision and Eye Health
Taurine is necessary to maintain excellent feline vision, but it still plays a significant role in maintaining optimal vision and eye health for dogs as well. For both cats and dogs, taurine supports retinal functioning, prevents retinal degeneration, and helps avoid vision impairments and potential blindness.
Digestive Health
Taurine plays a role in maintaining healthy digestion and absorption of fats by increasing bile production, ensuring optimal nutrient utilization and reducing the risk of gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and malabsorption.
Immune System
Taurine offers benefits as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, which can help protect the body against inflammatory diseases and may reduce allergy-related inflammation.
Reproductive Health
Adequate taurine levels are necessary for promoting healthy pregnancy, proper fetal development, and milk production in lactating mothers. Taurine plays a role in ensuring optimal reproductive health, particularly during breeding and nurturing stages. If a mother has a taurine deficiency, it can lead to poor development and growth of their kittens or puppies.
Does your pet require a taurine supplement?
It is important to note that taurine is a water-soluble nutrient and any excesses can be excreted through urination, so there is no issue if your pet receives more taurine than they require. There is however a cause for concern if your pet is receiving too little, especially for cat owners. Here are some circumstances which would require an additional source of taurine to be added to the diet:
Vegetarian or Vegan Diets
Dogs and cats are primarily carnivores, meaning their natural diets consist of animal-based proteins. Diets which lack animal-based proteins do not provide adequate levels of taurine. If your pet is eating a plant-based diet, supplementation might be necessary to prevent taurine deficiency-related health issues.
Restricted Diets
While taurine is found in most animal-based proteins, there is a wide range of taurine levels across different animals as well as between different cuts of meat and organs. Some animal-based proteins that are low in taurine include lamb, beef, venison, rabbit, and white poultry meat such as chicken breast, though it is worth noting that dark poultry meats and organ meats from all animals are good sources of taurine. If your pet is on a restricted diet consisting mainly of these listed foods, you might want to consider adding a taurine supplement to ensure that your pet is getting enough.
Specific Health Conditions and Breeds Prone To DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy)
Some health conditions or medications may interfere with taurine absorption or increase the body’s demand for taurine. Pets with conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract, liver, or kidneys may require supplementation to maintain optimal taurine levels.
Taurine deficiency is one cause of a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), where the heart muscle thins and the chambers become enlarged. Recently, studies have found a connection between DCM and these breeds of dogs:
- Golden Retrievers
- Cocker Spaniels
- Newfoundlands
- Saint Bernards
- English Setters
- Irish Wolfhounds
- Portuguese Water Dogs
