Review scope

This summary is based on the published abstract. We have not appraised the full methods, tables or supplementary material. Details absent from the abstract remain unverified.

Question and design

Beagles in a randomised, blinded crossover experiment. Five pulse-flour formulations, each fed for seven days. Comparator: A rice-flour formulation.

What was measured?

Glucose response, digestibility, taurine and related measurements.

Main findings

Some pulse diets lowered glucose responses. Digestibility varied and declined with increasing fibre and amylose. Plasma taurine remained within the normal range.

Study strengths

Several formulations compared within a controlled crossover design.

Limitations

Seven days per food cannot establish long-term cardiac outcomes. Multiple dietary components differed together.

Researchers’ conclusion

The authors raised a possible longer-term taurine and cardiomyopathy concern; that inference was not a demonstrated clinical outcome.

Evidence.pet interpretation

This paper cannot prove that pulses cause heart disease or establish that every pulse-containing food is safe. Formulation and exposure duration matter.

Funding and conflicts

Full funding and conflict declarations were not appraised for this abstract-based summary.

Source and review date

Quilliam C, Ren Y, Morris T, Ai Y, Weber LP. The Effects of 7 Days of Feeding Pulse-Based Diets on Digestibility, Glycemic Response and Taurine Levels in Domestic Dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2021;8:654223.

Read the primary source · DOI record

STU-032. Reviewed 25 September 2026. Next review 25 December 2026.