Allergies is one of the most common conditions seen in the veterinary world and can be caused by many different allergens, including food, environment, and medications. Food allergies make up 10% of all allergies in dogs and have a significant effect on cats and dogs all over the country and can cause a large array of problems (Eckstein, 2017). Often owners are not even aware that their animal has allergies due to the fact that the symptoms are typically very different from those of human allergies. As more and more veterinarians are diagnosing food allergies in pets, it is becoming vital that food allergies’ treatment options are well understood, as well as educating owners on how to read the signs and symptoms of food allergies.
When it …show more content…
First, a veterinarian must eliminate other possibilities and decide that the underlying cause for the clinical signs is not viral or due to parasites, but is indeed an allergy. Once this is decided, one must figure out the source of the allergy, also known as the allergen. Since this can be anything from the type of laundry detergent used on the dog’s blankets to the potatoes in his food, it can be tricky to narrow it down. There is a new blood test available that can detect which food are most likely to cause a reaction in an animal, but it is not fully known how accurate it is. Once a veterinarian has decided that the allergen is from food, the only real way to determine the exact ingredients the animal is allergic to is via an elimination diet. This is where the vet changes the pet to a completely different food that they have never been on and keep track of the ingredients. If the animal’s condition improves, then likely something in the old food was the allergen. One can slowly filter out ingredients by changing some and keeping others to determine which ingredients the pet is allergic to. Once a food that causes no reaction is found, typically the owners will continue feeding this for the remainder of the pet’s life (Eckstein,
When it …show more content…
First, a veterinarian must eliminate other possibilities and decide that the underlying cause for the clinical signs is not viral or due to parasites, but is indeed an allergy. Once this is decided, one must figure out the source of the allergy, also known as the allergen. Since this can be anything from the type of laundry detergent used on the dog’s blankets to the potatoes in his food, it can be tricky to narrow it down. There is a new blood test available that can detect which food are most likely to cause a reaction in an animal, but it is not fully known how accurate it is. Once a veterinarian has decided that the allergen is from food, the only real way to determine the exact ingredients the animal is allergic to is via an elimination diet. This is where the vet changes the pet to a completely different food that they have never been on and keep track of the ingredients. If the animal’s condition improves, then likely something in the old food was the allergen. One can slowly filter out ingredients by changing some and keeping others to determine which ingredients the pet is allergic to. Once a food that causes no reaction is found, typically the owners will continue feeding this for the remainder of the pet’s life (Eckstein,