A commercial grain-free diet does not decrease plasma amino acids and taurine status but increases bile acid...

Area of Science:

• Canine Nutrition
• Cardiovascular Health
• Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

• Grain-free diets, often containing pulses, have been investigated for potential links to canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted a possible association between these diets and DCM in 2018.
• Low taurine concentrations were observed in some dogs diagnosed with DCM, prompting further investigation into diet-taurine-DCM relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a commercial grain-free diet on taurine status in large-breed dogs.
• To assess the overall health of dogs fed a grain-free diet over a 26-week period.
• To investigate whether the studied grain-free diet contributes to reduced taurine levels.

Main Methods:

• Eight Labrador Retrievers were fed a specific grain-free diet (Acana Pork and Squash formula) for 26 weeks.
• Blood, urine, and fecal samples were collected at baseline and at 13 and 26 weeks for comprehensive analysis.
• Analyses included blood chemistry, hematology, plasma amino acids, whole blood taurine, urinary taurine/creatinine ratio, and fecal bile acids.

Main Results:

• Plasma and whole blood taurine concentrations significantly increased over the 26-week study period (P < 0.05).
• Urinary taurine to creatinine ratio remained unaffected by the grain-free diet (P > 0.05).
• Fecal bile acid excretion increased, but this did not correlate with decreased taurine status.

Conclusions:

• Feeding the tested grain-free diet for 26 weeks improved taurine status in Labrador Retrievers.
• The grain-free diet evaluated in this study is unlikely to be the primary cause of DCM in dogs.
• Further research is warranted to explore other potential factors contributing to the etiology of canine dilated cardiomyopathy.