Adverse food reactions: a dermatologist's perspective

摘要

The exact mechanism(s) by which adverse food reactions develop in dogs and cats is/are unknown. They are considered acquired rather than inherited and usually develop as immediate or delayed reactions to proteins that animals regularly ingest. Adverse reactions to food additives are believed to occur rarely. No breed, age, or gender predilections to adverse food reactions have been convincingly demonstrated. Adverse food reactions usually manifest as nonseasonal pruritus. Response to corticosteroidtreatment varies from complete to none at all. Virtually every type of primary and secondary skin lesion has been observed in dogs with adverse food reactions and in almost any location. Lesions are usually associated with self-trauma, seborrhea, and secondary infections. Adverse food reactions may also manifest only as nonpruritic, recurrent, bacterial skin infections or otitis extrerna. In cats, pruritus occurs most often on the head and neck but can occur anywhere. Miliary dermatitis, self-induced alopecia, and the eosinophilic granuloma complex have been associated. Gastrointestinal abnormalities, in addition to skin problems, have been reported to occur in a small percentage of cases. Inhalant, flea-bite, contact, or endoparasite allergies have been seen concurrently in about 25 percent of cases.