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| Allergies to Foods/Food Trials |
You & Your Pet
by Dr. Wise |
Rhode Island
Veterinary Medical Association
11 South Angell Street #347 · Providence, RI 02906
(877) 521-0103 (866) 277-0238 Toll-Free ·Fax
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Dr. Wise answers the following questions regarding food allergies:
How do I get my family to adhere to the food trial?
Why isn't lamb and rice helping my dog's food allergies?
Why is my dog itching and what can we do? |
My veterinarian explained food allergies and food trials. My dog is being tested for this very problem, but my family is having trouble adhering to the rules. They want to give him treats!
Treats for the pup! The dog likes treats and usually expects them on a regular basis. It makes us feel good to give our pets treats. This is a very difficult part of a food trial, but it can be handled if some creative thought is used. Let's get started:
Dry food: Some dogs think all food is a treat, so divide the total ration of the kibble into several smaller portions. Allow family members to "treat" the dog using some of these small portions. Soak some of the kibble in water to make a mush and then stir in a seasoning (garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce are favorites for many canines). Spoon this mixture onto a cookie sheet and bake in the oven until dried into a cookie-like product. If rice is OK on the list, then one can also stir in some cooked rice with the moistened kibble for added texture to these "cookies".
Canned food: Food that has a solid form can often be pushed out of the can in a loaf form. Slice this loaf and place the slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle seasonings over the slices and bake in a slow oven until dry. Cookies! Food dehydrators also work for this process.
Consider the ingredients in the test diet. If the diet has items that are commercially available for humans, you are in luck. For instance, if lamb is in the test diet, you can purchase lamb from a the grocery store and prepare it in several ways. Ground lamb can be used to prepare a jerky-like product by adding some seasonings, and pressing it into strips for drying in a dehydrator or slow oven. Lamb shanks are often available to make a thickened broth that can be spooned into the kibble mush mentioned earlier. Similarly duck, rabbit and even venison can often be purchased and used in a similar manner.
Raw fruits and vegetables may be used as treats if your veterinarian approves them as a part of the test. Slices of frozen banana, whole grapes, carrots, even green beans may be considered a tasty treat by your canine patient. For some dogs, ice cubes are adequate! Use your imagination and some of these ideas when dealing with food allergic pets. You will be amazed at what you can come up with when you really think about it. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before adding anything to the food trial.
My veterinarian has diagnosed my dog, Scratchy, as having food allergies. I bought him a lamb and rice diet, but it is not helping the situation. Why?
A dog can be allergic to just one individual food ingredient or a combination of several. The challenge is to find out which ingredient(s) is causing the problems. The ideal method for detection is through a vigorous and strict food trial. How do you do this? It is a simple theory, but can be difficult in practice. You must remove all previously exposed food ingredients from your dog's diet and put him on a very limited diet with an ingredient list that is totally new for him. Once a test diet has been selected, it must be fed exclusively to the pet for a period of time prescribed by your veterinarian. This includes treats. Owners may have to be inventive if they want their pet to have treats during this time. If the dog improves on this novel diet, terrific! If not, you may need to start with another new food. It takes at least one month for the dog to detoxify itself from the earlier diet. If improvement is seen it is time to introduce different foods to the dog to see if the problems re-occur. Each food ingredient (let's start with egg, for example) should be re-introduced to the dog individually over time. If the owner has been following the novel food program to the letter and the dog shows a reaction if egg is added to the diet, then one can assume that eggs should be avoided in the future.
Once acceptable food ingredients have been determined, the pet owner can use this list to select a pet food for the dog. The owner must be willing to read ingredient labels on the back of the feed bags and cans. Contrary to popular belief, lamb and rice diets are not necessarily hypoallergenic. A dog can be allergic to lamb just as it can be allergic to beef or chicken. It is vital that the pet owner read the ingredients labels closely when selecting a pet food for their allergic dog. Many lamb and rice diets have corn, soy or wheat in the ingredient list. Pet food manufacturers have developed a number of diets, which can be helpful for dogs suffering from food allergies. Your veterinarian can help you to select from among the exotic and newly "designed" protein sources that are available in pet foods today. There are even some newer foods that utilize proteins that are so small the dog's body "see" them to react to them. This may well prove the easiest hypoallergenic diet to use.
Rest assured you are not alone; many of my patients and clients come in with similar questions. In fact, dermatology, or the study of skin-related problems, is one of the most common conditions that we, as veterinarians, treat. Furthermore, many of these itching problems are allergy-related. Whether it is flea allergy dermatitis, atopy, or food allergies, one or more of these are likely to be the culprit to the "itching problem."
Atopy is another type of allergic condition that can be quite bothersome to your pet. This type of allergy is a result of molds, pollens, dust and other particles that are inhaled and result in an itchy pet. Signs of this may be your pet chewing at its feet and face, or biting its tummy and the inside of its legs. Many times, we see very red, irritated skin with scabs and open sores. Some cases of atopy are truly seasonal and can be controlled with antihistamines and medicated shampoos and sprays. However, if your pet itches for several months in a year, we may recommend allergy testing and allergy shots to control the problem.
This information, prepared as a public service by the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association, answers problems Rhode Island veterinarians currently are seeing in their practices, as well as new developments in animal care.
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My dog Buddy is losing all his hair and driving me crazy with his itching. What is it and what can we do?Flea allergy dermatitis is just what it sounds like, an allergy to fleas. Ironically enough, it is usually not the dog with the most fleas, but the dog that is most sensitive to a few fleas. In fact, it is the flea saliva that is the problem. So when the flea bites your pet, a reaction that causes intense itching can occur. To treat this problem, first and foremost, we must do battle with the mighty flea itself. There are several different types of flea products available. Some are what we call an adulticide, which kills the adult fleas that are on your pet. The other class of products has what is called an IGR. This stands for an insect growth regulator, such as oral preparations. Generally speaking, if you are having a flea infestation problem, you will actually need a combination of both classes of products to get rid of the fleas. This means not only treating your pet, but your pet’s environment as well, and addressing both adult and juvenile fleas. There are many flea products on the market, both prescription and over-the-counter. Some work well, and some do not. Talk to your veterinarian about the best course of attack and treatment. Last, but certainly not least, are allergies to food. Chicken, wheat, and beef are unfortunately some of the most common problem substances. The culprit is the source of the protein. These animals will build up allergens to the protein source and then develop an allergic reaction. Food allergies can strike at any time or age. Diagnosing a food allergy can be very time consuming, but extremely rewarding when your pet finally stops itching.Scratchy most likely has itchy skin, which is the most common clinical sign of food allergies. Veterinarians may see other signs, including recurrent ear infections, vomiting, diarrhea or a combination of both. Scratchy may be allergic to any food, but the most common foods incriminated in food allergies are beef, milk, wheat, soybean, chicken, eggs, and corn. Food allergies are often tricky to deal with but take heart! You can help your pet by working closely with your veterinarian and following his or her advice and directions to the letter. It takes time and patience and a certain level of determination on your part to help your pet. |
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