Taurine is a water-soluble amino acid. It has recently become a hot topic when referring to the nutritional composition that makes up the human and animal physical structure. Taurine has been found to be very beneficial to various components of the mammal skeletal system such as heart, kidneys and blood.
Quoted directly from dictionary.com, the definition of Taurine goes like this - "a colorless crystalline substance, C2H7NO3S, formed by the hydrolysis of taurocholic acid and found in the fluids of the muscles and lungs of many animals."
Taurine's main purpose is to act as a catalyst facilitating the flow of vital elements to and from cells. Elements such as Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium depend on Taurine in order for them to move from one cell to another.
Cat foods have been using Taurine in them for quite some time because of the vital assets it brings. For this reason, dog foods have lately begun using Taurine as well.
Taurine is most abundantly found in the retina and cases of blindness have been linked to Taurine deficiency in kittens, however in most cases, the same studies showed a reversal of the blindness when Taurine supplements were administered.
Taurine is also very beneficial for the heart, and cases of dilated cardiomyopathy have been linked to low Taurine levels in kittens. (A disease or disorder of the heart muscle, especially of unknown or obscure cause.)
Taurine is not present in all dog foods. Thus, you need to read the dog food label carefully, making sure that Taurine is present. Almost all dog food manufacturers are concerned only with profit gains and are not interested in your dog's health. This is why you must do your homework so that you know the types of food you are feeding your dog.
Your dog will eat anything that is placed before him. So you must give him only the best dog food.
Food manufacturers' top priority is to make as much money as possible. Concerning for the health of your dog is way down the list for them. It is for this reason that you must educate yourself about dog foods, so that your dog stays healthy always by not eating the wrong kinds of dog foods.
