Effect of type of diet on blood and plasma taurine concentrations, cardiac biomarkers, and echocardiograms in 4 dog breeds.

Background: Associations of diet with dilated cardiomyopathy are under investigation.

Objectives: That cardiac assessment would show abnormalities in healthy dogs eating grain-free (GF) diets or diets with Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-listed ingredients of concern (peas, lentils, or potatoes) as top 10 ingredients (FDA-PLP), but not in dogs eating grain-inclusive (GI) diets or diets without FDA-listed ingredients of concern (PLP) in the top 10 ingredients (NoFDA-PLP).

Animals: One hundred eighty-eight healthy Doberman Pinschers, Golden Retrievers, Miniature Schnauzers, and Whippets.

Methods: This study was an observational cross-sectional study. Echocardiograms, cardiac biomarkers, and blood and plasma taurine concentrations were compared between dogs eating GF (n = 26) and GI (n = 162) diets, and between FDA-PLP (n = 39) and NoFDA-PLP (n = 149) diets, controlling for age and breed. Demographic characteristics, murmurs, genetic status, and ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) during examination were compared between dogs eating different diet types.

Results: No differences in echocardiographic variables, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide or whole blood taurine were noted between dogs eating different diet types. Dogs eating GF diets had higher median high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) (GF 0.076 ng/mL [Interquartile range (IQR), 0.028-0.156] vs. GI 0.048 [IQR, 0.0026-0.080]; P < .001) and higher median plasma taurine (GF 125 nmol/mL [IQR, 101-148] vs GI 104 [IQR, 86-123]; P = .02) than dogs eating GI diets. Dogs eating FDA-PLP diets had higher median hs-cTnI (0.059 ng/mL [IQR, 0.028-0.122]) than dogs eating NoFDA-PLP diets (0.048 [IQR, 0.025-0.085]; P = .006). A greater proportion of dogs eating FDA-PLP diets (10%) had VPCs than dogs eating NoFDA-PLP diets (2%; P = .04).

Conclusions And Clinical Importance: Higher hs-cTnI in healthy dogs eating GF and FDA-PLP diets might indicate low-level cardiomyocyte injury.