Symptoms of both can be very similar, which include chronic otitis (ear infections), itchiness of the ears, face, paws, belly, etc., non-itchy or itchy infections along the entire dorsal neck and back and other dermatological manifestations. Most (but not all) pets with food allergies are ITCHY.
Some (but not all) dogs and cats with a food allergy, will have gastro-intestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence.
In dogs, the ingredients most commonly responsible for food allergies include chicken, beef, dairy, lamb, eggs, wheat, less often corn and soy. In cats, fish, beef, and dairy are big ones.
What is so important to understand is that any food can eventually become an allergen in any pet, it just takes time to develop an immune response to the offending food.
Pets that present with allergy symptoms at either a very young age or a very old age are more likely to have a food allergy than an environmental one (though this is not set in stone).
Some laboratories run diagnostic tests that look for specific antibodies (called IgEs) against different antigens found in food, however dermatologists have taught us that these tests are far from accurate. These serum IgE blood tests are far more accurate against environmental allergens (like dust mites, grasses, trees, etc). The only way to find out if your pet has a food allergy is to try a limited-antigen diet, or a novel diet (containing ingredients that the pet has NEVER before consumed in its lifetime) for a total of 10-12 weeks, with no cheating! Do not choose these foods on your own, but rather have your vet help you choose. In my experience, pet owners often have the right idea by changing foods, but invariably never choose the appropriate ones to rule out food allergies.
And don't run for organic-shmorganic foods. A cat allergic to beef will also be allergic to beef in a bag of food that costs a thousand bucks!
If you suspect food allergies in your pet, talk to your vet about it.
A cat with a food allergy. Photo taken from: www.leicesterskinvet.com
11 comments:
Both of my dogs have food and environmental allergies and the hardest thing I have is that my dogs are allergic to a range of things and since most of them are hard to eliminate from the environment the symptoms are hard to eliminate, but every time I ask the vet for stuff to alleviate symptoms he says "get the allergies under control" and leaves it at that. My one dog licks his feet raw, but he is allergic to dust mites, an array of pollen, molds, grasses as well as foods. I can't keep them all away from him and the shots haven't worked, so I ask for tips or something for his feet, but get nothing.
The other thing I hate about the allergies is that every issue I get with my dogs is blamed on it. I noticed discharge from one of my dog's eyes and the vet said it was from the allergies--well it turns out she has juvenile cataracts in both eyes, which he might have seen if he had looked. She had gone completely blind in one eye before I asked for a second opinion.
Sorry for the rant.
I do like to be mean to pet store clerks by asking them to find a prepared food my dogs can eat, because they are allergic to rice and potatoes and beef and fish and even more, so they can only eat the v/d ultra allergian free food, or prepared food.
My little 5 year old Yorkie has been suffering from an allergy that is yet to be identified. We have spent a fortune at the vet and because she manifests so bad, the only option has been cortisone injections and antibiotics. I DON'T want to do this anymore as she is so tiny, weighs 2,7kg. I've changed her diet to Royal Canine's hypoallergenic but after a month it flared up again. She gets a rash around her neck and around her private parts - I'm really starting to think it has something to do with grass. Knowing that the tests are not conclusive and they cost an arm and a leg, I'm not going to have that done. Do you have any suggestions of what else I can try?
Thanks a mil for a wonderful site!
Sarah,
Cytology should be performed on the dog's paws to make sure there's no yeast present. Yeast can greatly exacerbate a dog's itchiness.
Your dogs can be allergic to many things, but I don't think they're allergic to all of the things you propose.
Serum allergy testing (with intradermal skin testing) can be quite successful at finding out what environmental allergens the dog is allergic to.
In this case, I would use a commercial diet or homemade diet (see vet for recipe) that contains a novel protein and novel carbohydrate. The skin and blood testing will be mildly-moderately expensive but may help enormously. So will the food trial.
Be patient, be nice to store clerks, and good luck!
Emilene, Yorkies for some reason have higher incidence of ringworm (a dermatology professor told me this personally), don't ask me why. Have your vet do a mycology (fungal culture).
Second recommendation: ask your vet for referral to see a veterinary dermatologist.
Feedback is always appreciated!
Thank you so much - she had to have more injections today and I only read your suggestions now but will follow up for sure. The so-called 'Bath diet' has also been suggested to me now by my vet - they seem to have had great results with that. I'm going to do my homework and will let you know how it goes. Thanks again!
Graet blog! I write a blog about vet med and dog agility and I'd love it if you would add it to your blogroll
www.cruzanborders.blogspot.com
Emilene,
Forgot to add: Atopica (or cyclosporine) may be the medication you are looking for. Talk to your vet about it.
ah, good (timely)topic.
My 10 year old (orange) DSH has had for 4 years in a row an outbreak of Eosinophillic Granuloma but ONLY in middle January to late February.
We finally have a solution(after 3 years of trying various treatments)>>> a week of Surolan !
he gets Lamb only- no other protein,so the diet is controlled as best as we can-but as we know cats are climbers and jumpers.....
right after New Years I keep a watchful eye on his back near the tail- but this year it started up near his collar.
A lot of animals that move to this area seem to develop food allergies.
Cool Springs,
If many pets without previous allergic skin disease move to your area and start to develop allergy symptoms, I cannot imagine that they are developing food allergies but rather environmental ones.
Thanks for commenting!
The serum allergy testing (with intradermal skin testing) can be quite successful at finding out what environmental allergens the dog is allergic to. In this case, I would use a commercial diet or homemade diet (see vet for recipe) that contains a novel protein and novel carbohydrate.
Ya,There are so many allergen presents in environment that affect the the activity of your dog (pet)
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