Hello again dog lovers, back with an article that may be quite beneficial to 
you. How many of you dog owners have heard or are familiar with ‘taurine’? Is it something that you need to be aware of? You will find the answer to these questions below and learn why taurine in dog food may be critical to the health of your pet.
Be honest, how many of you have ever heard of taurine? Even if you have, do you know why it is used in dog food? If not, don’t feel bad as I am quite confident that most pet owners are not familiar with this term either. Let’s get right to it, and take a look at taurine.
Okay, Tell Me About Taurine
In its simplest form, taurine is an amino acid that can be found in organs and tissues within the body itself. Taurine is considered to be a non-essential amino acid (some would argue this) because it can be synthesized or manufactured within the body itself. Taurine can be found in the following organs or tissues that I have listed below:
- Heart
- Brain
- Eyes (Retina)
- Muscles
Is Taurine Essential To The Health Of Your Dog?
That depends! Most dogs are able to produce their own taurine through amino acids (sulfur) so adding this (taurine) to a dog’s diet was not something that dog owners needed to worry about. Unfortunately, there are those canines (larger in size) out there that produced taurine at a much slower rate than your smaller dog.
As a result, these dogs may lack the amount of taurine that is needed to keep their heart healthy, which may lead to heart disease or develop DCM. Simple genetics or family history of heart issues can also be a culprit. For those unfamiliar with the term, ‘DCM,’ let’s take a look at this now.
What Is DCM?
DCM or Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a disease which is associated with a dog’s heart. Dogs with DCM have a much more difficult time in pumping blood which can lead to heart failure. Although not all inclusive, this disease seems to be associated with large breeds as well as their age (middle-aged and older.)
in 2018, the FDA became involved in this issue, and began to investigate reports associated with DCM. They looked at diets that dogs were consuming, especially those labeled as ‘grain-free’ and contained such things as lentils, peas, and various forms of potatoes. As I write this article, the FDA continues to research and investigate this issue.
So What Does Taurine In Dog Food Have To Do With This?
If dogs are taurine deficient, this may result in the heart disease known as DCM. As mentioned earlier, this disease may cause serious health issues. Always consult with your veterinarian should you have questions or concerns.
It is important to note that dogs who have been diagnosed with DCM have 
responded very well to a taurine supplement which is encouraging. Keep in mind that taurine is considered to be a non-essential amino acid (can be synthesized naturally within the body) so most of dog food recipes will not contain taurine.
The good news is that there are a number of dog food products on the market that do contain taurine should your vet suggest these type of recipes. Your vet will be able to determine which amino acids (Cystine and Methionine) could be contributing or lacking in terms of producing taurine.
Also keep in mind that whether your dog food contains taurine or not, it is important that your pet is consuming a healthy and nutritional meal. What goes into your dog’s stomach is one of the major factors in its overall health.
Before we get away from the topic of DCM, there has been some debate over the feeding of grain-free diets. The FDA has looked into the correlation between grain-free recipes and DCM. The study and research continues to take place and the direct link between grain-free diets and DCM has not yet been determined. Stay tuned!
Dog Food Recipes That Contain Taurine
Before I give you a few suggestions, let’s examine taurine in dog food a bit further. Keep in mind that taurine can be found in animal-based proteins in such items like chicken, fish, eggs, milk and a few others. Many, if not most of these ingredients can be found in a healthy and wholesome diet. Let me give you an example of the ingredients contained within a very popular brand of dog food. Take a look below:
Ingredients
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal, Pea Starch, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Peas, Pea Protein, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Potatoes, Dried Chicory Root, Pea Fiber, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Garlic, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vegetable Juice for color, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E 
Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Copper Sulfate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), L-Lysine, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Sulfate, Taurine, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Sodium Selenite, Oil of Rosemary.
If you look a little bit past the half way mark on the ingredient list you will see Taurine in red. In my opinion, this recipe offers a good source of Taurine as the Deboned Chicken and Chicken Meal add to its composition and makes this a healthy source.
Where To Find Taurine In Dog Food
For those looking to find a quality source of dog food that contains Taurine, I have listed a few of these below. Feel free to click on these items to compare and research these products if you so choose. Here you go:
When you buy something from this website, I may receive an affiliate commission. These are my opinions and are not representative of the companies that create these products. My reviews are based on my own personal experiences and research. I never recommend poor quality products or create false reviews in order to receive a commission. My intention is to provide you with information so you can make decisions to which products may best suit your needs.
- Blue Buffalo Wilderness Senior Chicken Grain-Free Recipe
Ingredients
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Starch, Tapioca Starch, Menhaden Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Pea Fiber, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed (source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Tomato Pomace, Fish Oil (source of DHA-Docosahexanoic Acid and EPA-Eicosapentaenoic Acid), Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Potatoes, Dried Chicory Root, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), L-Carnitine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vegetable Juice for color, Salt, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), L-Lysine, Copper Sulfate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese 
Sulfate, Chondroitin Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Sodium Selenite, Oil of Rosemary.
Click HERE for further details regarding this product.
2. Wellness Core Grain-Free Original Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal & Chicken Meal Recipe
Ingredients
Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Dried Ground Potatoes, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Chicken Liver, 
Natural Chicken Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Salmon Oil, Spinach, Vitamin E Supplement, Broccoli, Carrots, Choline Chloride, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Kale, Sweet Potatoes, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols Added to Preserve Freshness, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.
Click HERE for further details regarding this product.
3. Merrick Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
Ingredients
Deboned Salmon, Salmon Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Whitefish Meal, Sunflower Oil, Pea Protein, Potato Protein, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Deboned Whitefish, Salt, Organic Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Apples, Blueberries, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, 
Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Proteinate, Cobalt Carbonate), Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols for Freshness, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Citric Acid for Freshness, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product.
Click HERE for further details regarding this product.
Final Thoughts
Well, there you have it, a crash course on Taurine. Look, we all want our pets to live a long and happy life and I sincerely hope this article has given you some insight regarding Taurine. In the best case scenario, you will never have to deal with this but at least now you have some valuable information to assist you.
If you should notice a change in your pet’s behavior such as heavy breathing, loss of appetite, less energy then don’t hesitate in getting him/her to the veterinarian. Just like us, every pet is different and your vet will hopefully diagnose and treat the illness.
Thank you for visiting my site, and I hope it has brought some value to you. Please feel free to leave a comment below. To you and your pet’s health!
Disclaimer
For those unfamiliar with dog food grain-free recipes, there has and is a controversy taking place as I write this article. The FDA has made public that it has launched an investigation between a possible connection between the grain-free diet and heart disease within dogs. For further information, the American Kennel Club has provided further details. Click here.
Disclaimer
The purpose of this site and articles are intended to provide a source of entertainment and information. As a dog owner and dog lover myself, I enjoy researching dog food products on the market to provide you with helpful insights. I am not a veterinarian nor an animal nutritionist, just a dog owner who wants to provide a healthy lifestyle to their pet. I use my research to express an opinion which may or may not be one you agree with.
eathealthydoggy.com assumes no responsibility or liability for the use or misuse of what’s written on this site. You should always consult with a veterinarian if you should have questions regarding your dog’s diet or overall health.
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