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Taurine (Supplement)

Taurine Veterinary

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Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Drug Class

Supplement

Routes

PO

Indications

Diet-associated DCM/Taurine deficiencyDilated cardiomyopathy (taurine deficiency)

Mechanism of Action

Essential amino acid in cats; conditionally essential in dogs. Critical for cardiac function (myocardial contractility), retinal health, bile acid conjugation, and reproduction.

Side effects & warnings

Deficiency causes dilated cardiomyopathy in cats and some dog breeds. Very safe even at high doses. Essential supplementation in home-prepared and grain-free diets.

Species with Taurine (Supplement) dosing data (2 dose rules)

Cat (Domestic)Dog (Domestic)

Species references:All Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugs

Evidence levels across 2 dose rules

Moderate×1Strong×1

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 2 published sources

  • · FDA Investigation into Grain-Free DCM; ACVIM Consensus
  • · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed; ACVIM Consensus on DCM

Sample dosing (2 of 2 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 2 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

SpeciesRouteDoseFrequencyEvidenceSource
Cat (Domestic)PO125–250 mg/cat totalq12hStrongPlumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed; ACVIM Consensus on DCM
Dog (Domestic)PO25–50 mg/kgq8-12hModerateFDA Investigation into Grain-Free DCM; ACVIM Consensus

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