Treating Food Allergies in Felines

As with the human population, allergies feline symptoms seem to be on the rise.
Allergic reactions in pets are often characterized by skin problems where a cat
itches and scratches constantly sometimes even leading to loss of hair. One of t
he most common allergies feline may experience is food allergies. An allergic fo
od reaction occurs when one or more ingredients in a pets food is perceived to be
foreign by the pets immune system and this in turn initiates an inflammatory mecha
nism to fight off this perceived intruder. The common symptoms associated with foo
d allergies are itching, chewing and licking. The skins food hypersensitivity als
o causes skin problems with some pets experiencing diarrhea and other digestive
problems as well. Interestingly, some allergies feline experience may start afte
r a pet has started on a new diet or even after the pet has been eating the same
food type for years.
How though do you diagnose a food allergy, especially if your feline has been on
the same diet for years and starts experiencing some strange itching and inflam
mation for no apparent reason? The most effective way for allergies feline diagn
osis is to put the pet on what is called an exclusion diet. Think of it as a spec
ial diet for pets for a minimum of 8-12 weeks. Such a diet will usually contain i
ngredients that the animal has previously not been exposed. What is for anyway?
This exposes the animal to proteins that are normally not found in regular pet f
ood and since most allergic feline reactions are due to a protein source, such a
diet will usually show significant symptom reduction if your pet food is allerg
ic. To identify the food allergens, add single proteins at a time for 1-2 weeks
and watch out for worsening or recurrence of symptoms. Once you have identified
the offender remove it from the diet. A veterinarian will usually come in handy to
show you how to go about with these food procedures.
Food allergies feline may experience can either develop after eating certain foo
d products for a long time or they may be born with it. Other symptoms not menti
oned that may result from an allergic good reaction are digestive disorders, res
piratory distress and itching. The above symptoms are also treated using the sam
e exclusion diet mentioned earlier. In some cases, a veterinarian may prescribe
antihistamines and steroids to your pet. Thus, before starting out on an exclusi
on diet be sure to consult a veterinarian.