{"id":3141,"date":"2018-05-30T15:45:42","date_gmt":"2018-05-30T22:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=3141"},"modified":"2022-03-09T21:15:03","modified_gmt":"2022-03-09T21:15:03","slug":"food-allergies-are-overblown-banfield-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/food-allergies-are-overblown-banfield-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Food allergies are overblown, Banfield finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s probably not the food.<\/p>\n

Banfield Pet Hospital says food allergies in dogs and cats are not as common as some people seem to believe. After examining the medical records of more than 3 million patients seen in 2016, the operator of more than 1,000 veterinary clinics reported that just 0.2 percent of dogs and 0.1 percent of cats were diagnosed with having a food allergy.<\/p>\n

Oftentimes, fleas are the likely cause of\u00a0a pet\u2019s skin problems, Banfield stated in a report released May 30. The Vancouver, Washington, company saw a 67 percent jump in feline flea allergy cases over a 10-year period.<\/p>\n

Given that fleas are found everywhere \u2014 on outdoor and indoor pets, in all 50 states and year-round \u2014 Banfield recommends the use of parasitic preventives at all times.<\/p>\n

If fleas aren\u2019t the issue, Banfield\u2019s 2018 State of Pet Health Report noted, the cat or dog might have an environmental allergy caused by pollen, dander, mold or cleaning products. Over the past decade, environmental allergies rose by 30 percent in dogs and 11 percent in cats.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith thousands of itchy pets coming through our doors each year, [the report] aims to uncover the common causes and offer pet owners the tools they need to help their pets find relief,\u201d said Daniel Aja, DVM, Banfield\u2019s senior vice president and chief medical officer.<\/p>\n

The report, available at http:\/\/bit.ly\/2J5fHRX<\/a>, tried to dispel food allergy myths. For example:<\/p>\n

Myth: Gluten-free diets will solve food allergies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fact: \u201cThere\u2019s no one-size-fits-all diet for pets with food allergies. Wheat allergies are possible but not as common as animal protein-based allergies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Myth: Pets with food allergies need a prescription diet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fact: \u201cA veterinarian-prescribed diet isn\u2019t always required for pets with food allergies, but a high-quality consistent-ingredient diet specific to your pet\u2019s life stage is always recommended. What\u2019s important is finding a diet with ingredients your pet hasn\u2019t previously eaten and does not have an allergic reaction to, produced in a facility where there will be no cross-contamination.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report also calculated the:<\/p>\n