a) Diets from smaller, “boutique” companies that do not have a PhD or board certified veterinary nutritionist employed full time.

b) Diets containing exotic ingredients, such as bison, kangaroo, and duck.

c) Grain-free diets.

d) Raw diets.

e) All of the above.

a) Golden Retrievers may have a higher requirement for taurine than other breeds.

b) Taurine deficiency has been described in the veterinary literature as a cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in multiple breeds.

c) Most dogs with nutritionally-mediated dilated cardiomyopathy have low taurine levels.

d) Taurine is not considered an essential amino acid in the dog, whereas it is in the cat.

e) Diets that are high in fiber may cause excessive taurine loss through the gut.

a) The observation that nutritionally-mediated DCM always resolves with change of diet.

b) The finding that dogs with nutritionally-mediated DCM tend to be young, and dogs with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy tend to be advanced in age.

c) Nutritionally-mediated DCM does not affect dog breeds that are susceptible to idiopathic DCM, such as Dobermans, Great Danes, and Irish Wolfhounds.

d) The finding that with a diet change +/- cardiac medications, nutritionally-mediated DCM can resolve over time, whereas idiopathic DCM cannot and is considered a progressive and ultimately terminal disease.

e) If they’ve been eating an at-risk food for less than a year, they likely have idiopathic DCM if DCM is found on echocardiography.

a) Taurine levels (whole blood and plasma) and an echocardiogram.

b) Taurine levels (whole blood and plasma) and a NT-proBNP.

c) Thoracic radiographs and an echocardiogram.

d) Taurine levels (whole blood and plasma) and thoracic radiographs.

e) Thoracic radiographs and a NT-proBNP.

a) Pimobendan and benazepril

b) Furosemide and spironolactone

c) Digoxin and diltiazem

d) Atenolol and benazepril

e) Coenzyme Q10 and coconut oil