There are many allergens that cats can be exposed to. These allergies include flea bites, atopies (inhalant), environmental and foods. Allergies tend to become evident and intensify over extended periods of time, and can take years to develop. Symptoms can arise within a few minutes to 1-2 hours after ingestion of or exposure to the suspected allergens. These symptoms can include both gastrointestinal and dermatological signs, such as itchy skin, hair loss, and excessive scratching that does not respond to steroid treatments. Atopy usually results in pruritic skin diseases; however, signs can be diverse and include miliary dermatitis, symmetrical alopecia, and lesions of the eosinophilic granuloma complex.
Food allergies account for approximately 10% of the total allergies in both dogs and cats. Food allergies can be mistaken for food intolerances, which result in vomiting and diarrhea instead of dermal issues. In most cases where food allergies occur, they do so with foods that the cat eats most often. Common food allergens in cats include beef, dairy, fish, eggs, and chicken. Preservatives and other additives are also occasionally involved in triggering an allergic reaction.
There is no specific breed or age range that food allergies target; however, there are certain breeds that are more susceptible to food allergies. For example, Siamese and Siamese crosses may be at increased risk of food allergies versus other breeds.
Video Allergies in cats
Hypoallergenic elimination diets for cats
Limited ingredient diets
A limited ingredient diet, also known as limited-antigen foods is a type of elimination diet that is devoid of the problematic foodsthat cause a reaction. Usually these diets are targeted toward the removal of protein (protein-elimination diets) due to dietary allergies usually being caused by water-soluble glycoproteins, but can also be targeted towards the removal of gluten/wheat, target vegetables or a combination of both. In commercially available versions of these diets, producers usually include one protein and one carbohydrate source, in an effort to minimize reactions to any foods.
Homemade diets
Homemade diets are a type of elimination diet, which are made specifically for the cat with allergies, either by the owner or a third-party person like a chef. Studies suggest that commercial elimination diets may still react negatively with a cat, even if they are devoid of the target protein/other problematic foods. Many pet owners, for this reason, choose the homemade option, as it allows them to personally identify the pet's history and tailor the diet with various ingredients, and consider the process a bonding experience. Some drawbacks to a homemade diet are the time needed to shop for the ingredients and the potential setback financially.
Homemade diets are generally nutritionally deficient. For example, a study found that 90% of homemade elimination diets are not adequate in terms of nutrition. However, homemade diets are a great way to determine which ingredient is causing the negative symptoms in the cat.
Hydrolyzed proteins
Hydrolyzed proteins are often used as the primary source of protein in a diet, particularly in elimination diets, for these proteins don't cause allergenic responses. The reason for this is that breaking up the protein into smaller fragments allows the protein source to bypass the allergenic immune response associated with IgE. This avoidance of the immune reaction allows the animal to eat a sufficient protein source without the immune system interfering.
Novel proteins
A novel protein is a protein source used in diets for hypoallergenic cats that the cat has not been exposed to before. This depends on what the cat has been fed previously. Common examples of novel proteins are lamb, rabbit, venison, duck, elk, kangaroo, ostrich, emu, goose and goat. However, there is a chance of cross-reactivity. This is when there is a higher taxonomic relationship between the two species so there is a higher chance the cat will react adversely to the novel protein source. Examples of cross reactivity are other ruminant meats if the cat reacted negatively to beef; or avian meats if the cat reacted negatively to chicken.
Novel proteins can be used in elimination diets as well for long term management. Many commercialized novel protein diets are nutritionally adequate and balanced. They have one single protein source and one single carbohydrate source that the cats are unlikely to have seen before. Owners are more likely to be compliant to feeding a commercial novel protein diet as compared to feeding a home cooked diet. This is due to the fact that it can be hard to obtain novel proteins, and it takes less time to prepare. In the early '90s, an experiment was done that showed novel protein diets had a 70 to 80% success rate. However commercialized novel protein diets are not always effective. They are not always tested on animals that have food sensitivities. The processing of the diets can cause adverse reactions due to additives being included which may be allergens to some cats. It is recommended that human-grade meat is used in the diet instead of pet food meats since there can be preservatives, which can be detrimental to the cat in pet food meats. There was also a study done that showed if the processing machinery was not cleaned properly, ground meat that came from one animal could be contaminated with the ground meat from another animal. This study found that four commercial diets using venison included products that were not on the label. Soy, beef and poultry were found in three of the diets, which are common antigens in cats. However, if the commercial novel protein diet does not cause an adverse reaction in the cat, it can be used long term.
Maps Allergies in cats
See also
- Cat health
- Allergies
- Cat food
- Allergies in dogs
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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