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==8. Diagnosing Taurine Deficiency==

==8. Diagnosing Taurine Deficiency==

Diagnosis of taurine deficiency is based on compatible clinical signs and demonstration of low fasting plasma and low whole blood taurine concentration. Deficient or inadequate sulphur amino acid content in the diet may also help establish a diagnosis although difficult to analyse. Fasting plasma concentration reflects the labile pool of taurine and is prone to processing errors. A better indicator of taurine status is provided by assaying whole blood taurine content as this is believed to reflect tissue levels. Normal plasma taurine concentration in cats range from 50-250 nmol/mL and 60-145 nmol/ml in dogs. Results < 40 nmol/mL is highly suggestive of a deficiency in cats and dogs. Whole blood taurine concentrations are normally > 300 nmol/mL in cats and > 200 nmol/mL in dogs and values < 160 nmol/mL are considered to reflect a deficient state although many clinical cases have < 50 nmol/ml.

Diagnosis of taurine deficiency is based on compatible clinical signs and demonstration of low fasting plasma and low whole blood taurine concentration. Deficient or inadequate sulphur amino acid content in the diet may also help establish a diagnosis although difficult to analyse. Fasting plasma concentration reflects the labile pool of taurine and is prone to processing errors. A better indicator of taurine status is provided by assaying whole blood taurine content as this is believed to reflect tissue levels. Normal plasma taurine concentration in cats range from 50-250 nmol/mL and 60-145 nmol/ml in dogs. Results < 40 nmol/mL is highly suggestive of a deficiency in cats and dogs. Whole blood taurine concentrations are normally > 300 nmol/mL in cats and > 200 nmol/mL in dogs and values < 160 nmol/mL are considered to reflect a deficient state although many clinical cases have < 50 nmol/ml.