|
|
         
|
|
   
FOOD ALLERGY
Our pets are just as susceptible to allergies as we are. Most itchy problems are the result of allergy. (Allergies can also cause many other problems.) Unfortunately, the list of possible allergens is very long. Not only that, many times symptoms are the result of a combination of several different allergens. Most of the time, however, it’s not important to know the exact cause. If symptomatic treatment gives good relief and the problem is not occurring too frequently, we don’t need to get involved in allergy testing. If, however, we can’t provide effective, long-term relief or it requires the use of too much medication (long-term steroids, etc.) we need to try to identify the offending allergens.
One common allergy is food allergy. This is not an allergy to a certain brand but an allergy to one or more of the many proteins common to most foods. This can include any type of meat, dairy, wheat, soy or other protein sources. Random diet changes rarely help because most of these proteins are common to most pet foods.
The common way to determine if a pet has food allergy is to eliminate all potential offending proteins from the diet. This can mean switching to diets that contain nothing but novel proteins—protein to which the patient has had no previous exposure. Another approach is using a limited protein diet in which the proteins have been broken into short molecular chains. (It’s the large protein molecules that are able to trigger an allergy.) If the patient responds over the next 30-60 days it means that the patient probably has food allergy. While the trial is being done, it is crucial that the patient receives no other protein source. This includes treats, chewable medications, rawhide, etc. Even a small bite once a week of an offending allergen can cause symptoms to persists, resulting in erroneous conclusions.
SUMMARY…
1. Feed only the prescribed diet until the doctor instructs otherwise.
Back to PetEd
|
