Whole blood and plasma taurine reference intervals in adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and correlations between taurine concentration, diet and mitral valve disease

Sonya WesselowskiDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

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 MS, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
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Amanda B. BlakeDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

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 PhD
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Sonya G. GordonDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

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 DVM, DVSc, DACVIM (Cardiology)
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Jan S. SuchodolskiDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

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 MedVet, DrMedVet, PhD, DACVM
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Joerg M. SteinerDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

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 MedVet, DrMedVet, PhD, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.22.07.0280
Volume/Issue:
Volume 260: Issue S3
Online Publication Date:
27 Sep 2022
Restricted access
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine breed-specific reference intervals for whole blood (WB) and plasma taurine concentrations in adult, overtly healthy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCSs) and determine whether taurine concentrations differ across preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) stages or between CKCSs eating diets that meet World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) nutritional guidelines versus other diets.

ANIMALS

200 privately owned CKCSs.

PROCEDURES

Clinically healthy adult CKCSs were recruited prospectively. Diet and supplement history was collected. Dogs were staged by echocardiography using MMVD consensus guidelines. Taurine concentrations were measured in deproteinized lithium heparin WB and plasma samples with the postcolumn ninhydrin derivatization method on a dedicated amino acid analyzer.

RESULTS

There were 12 stage A (6%), 150 stage B1 (75%), and 38 stage B2 (19%) CKCSs. Seventy-eight dogs (39%) were reported by their owners to be eating diets meeting WSAVA nutritional guidelines; 116 (58%) were not. Taurine concentrations in plasma (P = .444) and WB (P = .073) were not significantly different across MMVD stages or between CKCSs eating diets meeting WSAVA nutritional guidelines versus other diets (P = .345 and P = .527, respectively). Reference intervals for WB taurine (152 to 373 µM) and plasma taurine (51 to 217 µM) concentrations in CKCSs were generated.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

In CKCSs, taurine concentrations do not differ significantly based on preclinical MMVD stage, nor do they differ significantly based on consumption of a diet that does or does not meet WSAVA nutritional guidelines.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine breed-specific reference intervals for whole blood (WB) and plasma taurine concentrations in adult, overtly healthy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCSs) and determine whether taurine concentrations differ across preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) stages or between CKCSs eating diets that meet World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) nutritional guidelines versus other diets.

ANIMALS

200 privately owned CKCSs.

PROCEDURES

Clinically healthy adult CKCSs were recruited prospectively. Diet and supplement history was collected. Dogs were staged by echocardiography using MMVD consensus guidelines. Taurine concentrations were measured in deproteinized lithium heparin WB and plasma samples with the postcolumn ninhydrin derivatization method on a dedicated amino acid analyzer.

RESULTS

There were 12 stage A (6%), 150 stage B1 (75%), and 38 stage B2 (19%) CKCSs. Seventy-eight dogs (39%) were reported by their owners to be eating diets meeting WSAVA nutritional guidelines; 116 (58%) were not. Taurine concentrations in plasma (P = .444) and WB (P = .073) were not significantly different across MMVD stages or between CKCSs eating diets meeting WSAVA nutritional guidelines versus other diets (P = .345 and P = .527, respectively). Reference intervals for WB taurine (152 to 373 µM) and plasma taurine (51 to 217 µM) concentrations in CKCSs were generated.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

In CKCSs, taurine concentrations do not differ significantly based on preclinical MMVD stage, nor do they differ significantly based on consumption of a diet that does or does not meet WSAVA nutritional guidelines.

Contributor Notes

Corresponding author: Dr. Wesselowski (swesselowski@cvm.tamu.edu)
Cover Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ISSN:
0003-1488
Publication Date:
01 Dec 2022
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