Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diagnosing food allergies in itchy dogs with home and hydrolysate
By Loeffler, Anette et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2006·Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A retrospective analysis of case series using home-prepared and chicken hydrolysate diets in the diagnosis of adverse food reactions in 181 pruritic dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 181 dogs with itching and skin problems were tested to see if their symptoms were caused by food allergies. Some dogs were fed home-cooked meals while others were given a special chicken hydrolysate diet. After six weeks, the dogs that improved when switched to the new diet and then had their symptoms return when they went back to their original food were diagnosed with food allergies. Both diets showed similar success rates in diagnosing food allergies, suggesting that the chicken hydrolysate could be a good option for pet owners looking to identify food-related issues.
People also search for: dog itching food allergy treatment · home-cooked diet for dogs with skin problems · chicken hydrolysate diet for dogs
Abstract
The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare home-prepared and chicken hydrolysate diets in the diagnosis of canine adverse food reactions (AFR). Seventy-two dogs were fed home-prepared diets and 109 were fed hydrolysate. Owners chose the type of diet at presentation, and ingredients of home-prepared diets were selected depending on each dog's dietary history. Ectoparasitic infestations and microbial infections were treated during the trials. Cutaneous and gastrointestinal signs and pruritus scores were recorded before starting the diet, 6 weeks into the trials and after provocation with the original diets. AFR was diagnosed if pruritus resolved during the trial and recurred on dietary provocation. The dropout rate was lower for home-prepared diets although not statistically significant (18.1% home prepared; 24.7% hydrolysate, P=0.377). AFR alone was diagnosed in 10 dogs (17%) using home-prepared diets and in 15 (18.3%) fed the hydrolysate. Gastrointestinal problems were more frequent in dogs with AFR than in dogs without AFR (P=0.001). Another 11 dogs (18.6%) in the home-prepared diet group and 20 (24.4%) in the hydrolysate diet group had AFR concurrent with other pruritic diseases, mainly atopy. The similar frequencies of AFR diagnosis in the two groups (P=0.837 AFR; P=0.416 concurrent AFR) indicate that the chicken hydrolysate diet may be a valuable alternative to home-prepared diets in the diagnosis of canine AFR. Prospective cross-over studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16827671/