Nutritional dilated cardiomyopathy in cats - a report of two cases

Taurine deficiency in cats may induce cardiac dilatation and low systolic function of the left ventricle, leading to congestive heart failure. In this paper, we report two cases of taurine deficiency induced dilated cardiomyopathy in cats diagnosed by increased left atrial size and ventricular diameters in both systole and diastole, with low systolic function. Furthermore, this paper describes the reversal of the pathologic changes in the heart after cardiac pharmacotherapy and taurine supplementation.