Taurine

Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid required for normal cardiac, retinal and other cellular functions. Cats depend on an adequate dietary supply. Veterinary supplementation is used for confirmed or suspected deficiency, including taurine-responsive dilated cardiomyopathy in cats and some dogs. Taurine status is particularly relevant in nutritional evaluation of compatible cardiac or retinal disease.

Group

Nutritional amino-acid supplement

Mechanism of Action

Taurine contributes to membrane stability, calcium handling, osmoregulation and cellular antioxidant balance. It also participates in bile-acid conjugation and supports normal myocardial and photoreceptor function. Replacement of a deficient supply restores these processes in viable tissue and can improve cardiac function in taurine-responsive disease. Retinal benefit is principally prevention of deficiency-associated injury and further progression.

Dose Rates

Dogs

Use / stage	Dose	Route	Schedule	Instructions
Taurine supplementation	500 mg/animal	PO	Every 12 h
Taurine-related cardiomyopathy	500–1500 mg/animal	PO	Every 24 h
Dilated cardiomyopathy supplementation	500–1000 mg/animal	PO	Every 8–12 h	Dogs under 25 kg.
Dilated cardiomyopathy supplementation	1–2 g/animal	PO	Every 8–12 h	Dogs over 25 kg; exact 25-kg boundary not given.
Seizure complementary therapy	22.0462262185 mg/kg	PO	Every 12 h	400 mg per 40 lb, exact conversion; evidence of benefit is uncertain.

Cats

Use / stage	Dose	Route	Schedule	Instructions
Taurine supplementation	250 mg/animal	PO	Every 12 h
Cardiomyopathy supplementation	250 mg/animal	PO	Every 12–24 h
Seizure complementary therapy	500 mg/animal	PO	Every 12 h	Benefit is uncertain.

Indications

Treatment and prevention of taurine deficiency in cats and selected other veterinary patients.
Treatment of taurine-deficiency-associated dilated cardiomyopathy in cats or dogs.
Nutritional replacement to prevent or limit further taurine-deficiency-associated retinal degeneration.
Adjunctive supplementation in selected dogs with suspected taurine-responsive dilated cardiomyopathy.

Adverse effects

No specific adverse effects are described in the clinical guidance.

Toxicity

Specific animal overdose information is sparse; toxic potential is considered low at nutritional supplementation amounts.

Monitoring and Administration

Assess dietary adequacy and measured taurine when indicated. Reported deficiency thresholds: plasma below 40 nmol/mL or whole blood below 150 nmol/mL; interpretation depends on laboratory and specimen.

For hepatic lipidosis, 250-500 mg/day is mentioned without an explicit route in that line. Cocker-spaniel cardiomyopathy plans may combine taurine 500 mg orally every 12 hours with carnitine 1 g every 12 hours; investigate dietary and taurine status rather than assuming all DCM is deficiency-related.