For Real, It’s Probably Not the Corn

For Real, It’s Probably Not the Corn

There are many misconceptions associated with food allergy and other food reactions. This topic deserves a little attention to help clear up some of the myths.

The identity of the compound responsible for the allergic reaction is a hot topic (the critical one, in fact, if we hope to remove that ingredient from our pet’s diet). Many people think that the vegetable matter in dog and cat diets is the most likely source of any adverse food reaction. Actually, this part of the diet (conventionally wheat, corn, soy, or rice) is viewed with some contempt by many experts—self-proclaimed and otherwise—for an entirely different reason. Corn and wheat in particular are indicted as carbohydrate sources and often accused of being “fillers”, even though they do provide useful nutrition, particularly to the dog. In fact, allergic responses are more often incited by pure protein sources, such as meats, eggs, and dairy products. These are healthy, high quality, even desirable food ingredients, but they do have a greater power to spark allergic reaction in the right individual.

Also faulty is the idea that the pet’s diet must recently have changed in order for him or her to show signs of food allergy. In fact, these sensitivities develop over time, and many pets diagnosed with this condition have not had a diet change in years. True, the veterinarian may ask if there has been a recent diet change for your itchy pet, but that’s probably because it’s such a simple, quick, and inexpensive test for you to revert to that original diet. Occasionally, it does the trick.

Food allergies may cause upset stomach of some kind, including gas, frequent defecation, or vomiting and diarrhea, but they very often manifest as itchy skin. In cats, the itching might be centered on the face or head. In dogs, recurrent ear discomfort, often followed by ear infection, is a common presentation for food allergy. The area just around the anus might also be itchy, so the patient might have a history of “scooting” that does not improve when the anal glands are emptied. Food allergy might be especially hard to treat with medicine, so if an allergic pet doesn’t get relief from his therapies, the food might be the culprit.

This type of allergy is most often equally itchy all year round, but dermatologists contend that some pets have only a mild reaction to their food, which is not appreciable in the absence of other irritants. Then when pollen season rolls around, the combination of allergens overloads the system, and the pet’s skin breaks out. In this exception to the rule, a food allergic pet would appear to be itchy only during the months of high pollen exposure.

If your itchy pet has already been examined for parasites, fungal infection, and bacterial issues, especially if he does not get much comfort from his anti-itch medication, a food allergy might be at work. But don’t do anything yet. Next time, how to address this potential issue without making it worse.

Dr M.S. Regan