[susan k]

I promised crazy4cats I’d report the results of Koby’s taurine test — he’s been on Wellness Core chicken formula ever since I got him two years ago, as I’ve reported earlier. I do feed him bits of whatever protein I have for dinner — eggs, salmon, chicken — and sometimes a little cheese for a treat — but the basis of his diet is the Wellness Core, which is grain-free, and it DOES have potatoes and peas, though not in the first four ingredients. I am delighted to say that Koby’s taurine test is fine — in fact his taurine level is a little above normal.

I think we are all tired and frustrated with the dog food industry and everyone on this forum is trying to figure out how to solve a problem that is, in large part, beyond our control. So I am trying to let the several scolding replies I’ve received about saying I was staying on Core till I got my dog’s taurine test results roll off me like water off a duck’s back. But I want to point out that my delight and relief at Koby’s excellent test results does NOT mean I advocate grain-free food for all dogs or any such thing. Again, we don’t know if taurine deficiency (that is, if peas and potatoes result in inability to absorb taurine) is the real cause of this epidemic of heart failure in dogs, since some dogs in the studies do NOT have low taurine, AND some dogs in the studies who DO have LOW taurine are eating foods rich in grains. And again, the great majority of dogs who’ve developed heart failure that provide the data for the studies we’ve been debating are Golden Retrievers, not Cairn terriers. What Koby’s test results DO mean (in addition to the fact that he is enthusiastic, active, a major walker/jogger and a shiny, happy boy) is that for now, he is doing FINE on Wellness core. I will have his taurine checked annually from now on, and I will have him seen by the cardiologist if he EVER develops any heart symptoms, food-related or not. But because his appearance, behavior, and taurine test all point to good health unaffected by the fact that he is on Wellness Core, he will STAY on Wellness Core, at least for now. I will keep an eagle eye on this story as it develops, and on the dog food industry — and I hope all our protests about the problems with the industry are not falling on deaf ears. We all want MUCH better dog food options for our beloved companions, and we want them SOON.