Genetics also play a significant role, with certain breeds and family lines being predisposed to developing DCM. However, it is also known that large dogs produce taurine at a slower rate than small dogs, putting them at risk for a deficiency. It was thought that, because they could produce it themselves, dogs didn’t need supplemental taurine. Taurine for Dogsĭogs make their own taurine from sulfur-containing amino acids, primarily cysteine, but also methionine. A genetic form also exists in Maine coon cats and a few other breeds and lines.
However, cats can spontaneously develop DCM unrelated to taurine. Since then, DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) has dramatically decreased in cats eating commercial, "balanced" cat food. As a result, pet food manufacturers hastened to supplement taurine in their diets. In the mid 1980's, they published the results of their research showing that taurine deficiency was the cause of the issue. Many of those cats were eating the same food (Hill's Science Diet), and this was noticed by researchers at UC Davis. In the late 1970's, cats started going blind or dying of congestive heart failure due to a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). So, pet food makers substituted other leftover animal tissues or "by-products." Over time, the result was a high-grain, low-meat dry food, for which the profit margin was - conveniently - much higher than for canned food. At the same time, meat processors were becoming increasingly proficient at getting more meat from livestock carcasses.
This started the trend of ever-increasing quantities of cereal grain, such as corn, in dry foods. To get the correct consistency of dough for the extruder, the recipe called for a minimum amount of starch. This piece of equipment was introduced in the 1950's. The primary machinery for producing what we now know as dry food is called an extruder. It still contained a good amount of meat, and this is what prevented taurine deficiencies from occurring. However, metal was needed for the military, and by the time the war ended, 85% of pet food was dry kibble. History of Taurine in Dog Foodīefore WWII, more than 90% of commercial pet food came in cans, and contained mostly (if not only) meat. ( The notable exception is cats, who must consume taurine in their diet.) The first step involves the sulfur-containing essential amino acid methionine, which is used to make another amino acid, cysteine (also spelled "cystine").
Most mammals produce their own taurine from precursors. It is an essential component of bile acids, which are produced in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and used to break down fats from food. It is abundant in the brain, the eye (especially the retina), muscle tissue, and many organs. Taurine is an amino acid found primarily in meat. Is this warning justified and based on science? Let's take a look at the facts. In July 2018, the FDA released a warning about grain-free dog foods and their possible connection to the development of a serious heart disease in dogs.
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