PSXI-28 - Commercial grain-free diet improved taurine status, but increased bile acid excretion when fed to Labrador Retrievers

In 2018 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement that grain-free diets may be related to the increased incidence of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. This statement was made despite all implicated diets meeting nutrient requirements published by the Association of American Feed Controls Official (AAFCO) and enforced by State Officials. Many of these dogs presented with low plasma or whole blood taurine concentrations, and as such, we hypothesized that feeding these diets would result in reduced taurine status over a 26 wk feeding period. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding a grain-free diet to large breed dogs on taurine status and overall health. Eight Labrador Retrievers (4 males, 4 females; Four Rivers Kennel, MO) were individually housed and fed a commercial complete and balanced grain-free diet (Acana Pork and Squash formula; APS; moisture 8.40%, crude protein 37.81%, crude fat 18.78%, ash 8.06%, and total dietary fiber 11.40%) for 26 weeks. Fasted blood samples were collected at week 0 and 26 for analyses of plasma and whole blood taurine. Urine was collected by free catch and analyzed for taurine and creatinine. Fresh fecal samples were collected and analyzed for bile acids. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure with repeated measures in SAS (v. 9.4). Dogs were healthy throughout the duration of the trial. Urinary taurine to creatinine ratio did not change throughout the feeding period (wk 0 = 0.25 vs. wk 26 = 0.28). Fecal bile acid excretion increased after 26 weeks of feeding APS to dogs. Despite the higher fecal excretion of bile acids, plasma and whole blood taurine increased over the 26 wk feeding period. In conclusion, feeding APS for 26 wk results in increased taurine status in large breed dogs, despite higher excretion of fecal bile acids.