The Missing Link: Taurine for Dogs - Why this Essential Nutrient Can't be Forgotten in Your Dog's Diet

The Missing Link: Taurine for Dogs - Why this Essential Nutrient Can't be Forgotten in Your Dog's Diet

As pet parents, we know that our dogs and cats need protein, iron, calcium, and many other nutrients to be happy and well. But there’s one nutrient you may be forgetting or even unaware of, taurine.

Dr. Richard Patton, a world-renowned pet nutritionist with over 40 years of experience, answers your taurine-related questions.

What Is Taurine, and What Does It Do?

If you only know about taurine from the writing on energy drinks, you may wonder if it’s something you should be concerned about. Is taurine bad for you or your pets? Is it a natural substance or artificially made?

Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid involved in many key biological functions. It supports strong heart muscles and good blood flow, and is also important for normal eye functioning.

“Taurine is involved in many crucial roles in metabolism. It’s found in bile acids, so is needed for fat digestion.  It’s stated to be involved in antioxidation, osmo-regulation, membrane stabilization, calcium signaling (metabolic messenger molecules), essential for cardiovascular function, and needed for proper development of skeletal muscle, retina and the central nervous system.”

Dogs can make small amounts of taurine themselves — but that doesn’t mean they don’t need any in their diet. The real benefit of taurine for dogs is the energy and biological resources your dog saves by not having to make their own.

With enough natural sources of taurine in their diet, a dog’s body can use that energy for something else — skin cell repair, coat health, or improved digestion. There’s evidence to suggest that a diet rich in taurine may lower your dog’s risk of certain heart conditions.

Unfortunately, taurine in dog food is a relatively new concept. Per AAFCO guidelines, taurine is required to be either naturally present or supplemented in cat food. Dog food, however, is only required to include the nutrients that dogs’ bodies use to build taurine (such as cysteine), not necessarily taurine itself. Yet it’s much more efficient for dogs’ bodies to get taurine directly from their food — not as an added supplement, but as a naturally occurring nutrient in real, fresh meat.

So, how do you ensure you’re feeding your pup the best dog food with taurine? You should be looking for dog food that contains whole meat and ideally includes all parts of the animal, such as muscle meat, vital organs, and bone.

As Dr. Patton points out:

“Taurine is found in all fresh meat and raw meat diets, especially those that contain organ meats. Further, any diet that is extruded, baked, boiled or canned will have its natural taurine level lowered if not obliterated.”

That’s exactly why we use real, high-quality meat here at Vital Essentials, making our dog food grain-free, protein-packed and nutrient-rich. Plus, all our food and treats are freeze-dried or frozen to retain natural nutrients like taurine — never baked, boiled, or cooked!

Having high taurine levels in their diet reduces your dog’s need to use up energy building it themselves.

Fortunately, there’s no reason to splurge on vitamin supplements. The easiest way to ensure your dog gets enough natural sources of taurine is by feeding them the real, raw meat they instinctively crave.

For more information on Vital Essentials and our full product line, follow us on TikTok and Instagram. And if you have any questions, be sure to check out our FAQ page for answers. Together, we can ensure your pet gets the proper nutrition they deserve.