Love your little ball of fur, and want to ensure that they get the best care and nurture possible in terms of food and hygiene? In that case, you must note that food allergies may not only be limited to humans, but are also present in other mammals such as dogs, cats and horses, according to a latest study.
As a wise pet-owner it is always crucial to know when to put the foot down, and pay special attention to what you're feeding your pet. According to the findings, pets suffer from both lactose intolerance and severe milk protein allergies. Certain mammals have also shown allergic tendencies to proteins in wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, eggs and meat. In the case of dogs, cats or horses, the adverse reactions mostly affect the skin, followed by the gastro-intestinal tract. Very rarely there are also instances of asthma or severe shock reactions.
Lead author Isabella Pali-Scholl, from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, said, "Not only humans but basically all mammals are susceptible to developing allergies, as their immune system is capable of producing immunoglobulin E." The researchers said, because there is no precise knowledge as to which mechanism is triggering these reactions in animals, avoiding allergens is the best animals can do.
The researchers added that affected animals should be put under a so-called elimination diet. This regimen consists of removing all sources of protein from an animal's diet.
"During this period of diagnosis, the animal will be fed homemade food or diet food prescribed by a veterinarian. Only then, and if there have not been any dangerous allergic reactions before, can 'normal' food be gradually reintroduced," Pali-Scholl suggested.
This diagnostic procedure allows the allergen-free diet to be altered to the respective food intolerance, while avoiding unnecessary restrictions, according to the researchers.
(Inputs from IANS)