Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How to diagnose food allergy in cats by elimination diet
By Bryan, Jacqueline & Frank, Linda A·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2010·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Food allergy in the cat: a diagnosis by elimination.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with skin problems and itching may be suffering from a food allergy, which can also cause gastrointestinal and behavioral issues. Diagnosing this condition isn't straightforward, as many symptoms overlap with other allergies, like flea bites. The only way to confirm a food allergy is through a food elimination trial, where specific foods are removed from the cat's diet and then gradually reintroduced to identify the trigger. Once a food allergy is confirmed, the cat will need to stay on a special diet for life to manage the symptoms effectively.
People also search for: cat itching food allergy · Siamese cat skin problems · cat food elimination trial · how to treat cat food allergies
Abstract
PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Food allergy is recognized as a cause of non-seasonal dermatologic disease and pruritus in cats, though its exact prevalence remains unknown. Feline food allergy can also be associated with gastrointestinal, neurologic, respiratory and behavioral components. PATIENT GROUP: There are no breed, sex or age predispositions for developing food allergy, though there is some evidence that the Siamese and its crosses may be at increased risk. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: Food allergy cannot be diagnosed simply on the basis of the distribution of pruritus, and many of the dermatologic reaction patterns observed in affected cats, such as miliary dermatitis, eosinophilic granuloma complex and alopecia, may be seen in cats with flea allergy and atopy; in some cases, cats may have concurrent allergic conditions. The only way to definitively diagnose food allergy is to identify a causative food component through a food elimination trial. However, palatability and client compliance can each be a problem; specifically, many owners are unwilling to perform a provocation challenge, which is required to confirm a suspected food allergy. For cats in which the existence of a food allergy is confirmed, a suitable maintenance diet then needs to be fed for the remainder of the patient's life. EVIDENCE BASE: Recent literature has revealed that there is marked variability in the clinical picture, response to treatment and outcome in food-allergic cats. This article reviews published literature and highlights clinically relevant observations pertinent to feline food allergy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20974403/