At Life’s Abundance, we believe that every ingredient should provide a benefit. We also believe  in a whole-health, or holistic, approach to product formulation.  Our dog foods include all the nutrients that we know their bodies need — including some cutting edge ingredient choices we’ve made over the years that can pay big dividends to your dog’s health, taurine among them.

As the canine heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), started making headlines in 2018, taurine publicly emerged as an important nutrient for dogs. For many, many years, our dry dog foods have included taurine at guaranteed minimum levels.  That’s because we don’t believe that formulating to just be “good” is good enough. 

What is taurine?

Taurine is an amino acid that dogs need in order to maintain proper body function, including keeping your dog’s heart pumping strong.  Because dogs can naturally make it themselves and it doesn't build protein, taurine is not considered to be an essential amino acid. However, there are other health benefits of adding guaranteed taurine to their diet. 

Here are some of the benefits of taurine for dogs:

• Strengthens heart muscles and vascular function

• Promotes reproductive health 

• Supports healthy vision and retina health

• Promotes healthy liver function

What is taurine deficiency in dogs?

Just like people, dogs can have nutritional deficiencies.  Sometimes they are harder to diagnose because many times there are no obvious symptoms of taurine deficiency in dogs. 

When taurine levels in your dog’s blood are low, the heart will become weaker and will not be able to circulate blood through the body properly. Taurine deficiency is one of the causes of a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — this is when the heart muscle thins and the chambers become enlarged. Research to uncover more about DCM and its possible causes is ongoing by the FDA. 

Although DCM can be genetic, it can also be caused by, you guessed it, taurine deficiency. Some breeds that are predisposed to taurine deficiency include:

• Golden Retrievers

• Cocker Spaniels

• Doberman Pinschers

• Great Danes

• Dalmations

• Newfoundlands

How do I support my dog’s heart health with taurine?

Keeping an open dialogue with your veterinarian about your dog’s health is an important first step. Next, choosing a food with guaranteed amounts of taurine for your dog’s daily diet will add nutritional support for your dog, and peace of mind for you. Check out our line of dry dog food at Life’s Abundance, which includes taurine in every kibble.   

Here’s an insider tip when it comes to dog food formulas: Taurine isn’t considered an essential or traditional amino acid because its primary function is not to build proteins, like other amino acids do. This is why finding taurine in dog food brands other than Life’s Abundance has been practically unheard of. At Life’s Abundance, your search for dry dog food with taurine is at an end.

You only want what’s best for your dog.  We know because we’re pet parents too.  Armed with a bit of useful information, we hope you can feel confident in making the right, informed choices for your furry friend.