Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Traditional and nontraditional effective and noneffective therapies for cardiac disease in dogs and cats.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice
- Year:
- 2004
- Authors:
- Pion, Paul D
- Affiliation:
- Veterinary Information Network · United States
Plain-English summary
This article discusses the treatment options for heart disease in dogs and cats, focusing mainly on non-traditional therapies. The author believes that taurine and, to a lesser extent, L-carnitine can be helpful, but only in cases where there is a documented deficiency of these nutrients. In cats, heart problems caused by a lack of taurine often stem from mistakes in pet food formulations. For dogs, it's still unclear whether taurine deficiencies are due to health issues or problems with their diet, but it seems that dietary errors might be the main cause. The author emphasizes that there is limited evidence supporting many treatment recommendations, so it's important for pet owners to carefully consider the advice they receive and weigh the costs and benefits before deciding on a treatment.
Abstract
In this article, I presented my (admittedly biased) perspective of the current state of knowledge addressing the role of traditional and non-traditional therapeutics. The focus has been on the nontraditional therapeutics. Among these, the only ones I currently consider to have any documented value are taurine and, less commonly, L-carnitine. The role of taurine (and likely carnitine) remains limited to cases of documented deficiency. In the case of cats with taurine deficiency-induced myocardial failure, it is now clear that most cases are the result of formulation errors by owners and manufacturers. In dogs, it is less clear if the causes of taurine deficiencies represent manifestations of pathologic conditions or dietary formulations errors. Increasingly, it seems the latter may prove to be the case in most, if not all, circumstances. Finally, I would like to reiterate the conclusions of the last time I addressed this topic (with coauthors Kittleson and Sanderson) in this publication. Remember that there is limited evidence to support the therapeutic recommendations you read or hear in most circumstances. The urge to do "something" for patients can be overwhelmingly attractive. Nevertheless, whether it is administration of drugs or prescribing nutraceuticals or prescription diets, strongly consider the source of the information urging you to prescribe, the strength of the evidence presented, the financial costs to the owner, and the potential risks and benefits to the patient.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15032128/