There are
many adverse reactions to food that your friends eat that are minor. However,
I thought I would give you the latest in terminology and the latest thoughts
from the veterinary profession on this matter. Realize that reactions are
seldom life threatening. Your friends are very good at “upchucking” or
vomiting, as we can all verify. There are many other medical reasons for
vomiting, so consider food incompatibility first. The following terms are
used by the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology.
FOOD
ALLERGY: An adverse reaction to a food or food additive with an immunologic
basis. This reaction would not necessarily show up in an external symptom.
Laboratory tests would show a high lymphocyte percentage. Friends with this
problem would not necessarily throw up or have diarrhea. However, those I have
diagnosed just don’t feel well. They lay around and seem to be in mild pain.
There are many medical conditions in our Friends that can have this symptom,
called “general malaise”. Ah, those French have a way with words!! Removing
different foods or additives from the diet “by elimination” is the standard
method for curing this. I find that wheat gluten is the number one cause of
food allergy . It is in many foods and treats. I have not decided yet if corn
gluten is a problem or not.
FOOD
INTOLERANCE: A non-immunologic ,abnormal physiologic response to a food or food
additive. This is the old familiar diarrhea and vomiting problem that we see .
The food does not have to be spoiled or a bad food. A sudden change to bacon
or chili or anything different from a standard , stable diet can cause this.
The usual response is a quick vomiting episode. Once the food is out of the
stomach, all goes back to normal. The matter goes away when you stop that
particular treat!
FOOD
ANAPHYLAXIS: An acute systemic reaction to a food or food additive with
respiratory distress, collapse of the blood vascular system, and itching. This
condition is very rare as all pet foods are extensively tested for any
difficulties such as this . I have seen this in Friends that eat lizards,
frogs, insects, etc.. The response is severe. They itch a lot and generally
have hives all over or swell up in the face and neck area. This is a medical
emergency requiring fast action on your part and a vet visit.
DIETARY
INDISCRETION: This term, which we all have violated at one time or another,
refers to overeating, eating unusual things such as dirt, and eating grass or
one’s own stool (bm). The simple cause of this is food not being completely
digested before it passes as stool. Cats rarely or never do this. Our canine
Friends seem to do this often. The condition is called COPROPHAGY , or eating
one’s own stool. It can be stopped with medical tests, a change in diet, and
sometimes a special compound to make the stool taste bitter. Eating cat stools
can be stopped by putting the litter box where Fido cannot reach it.
GENERAL
IDEAS: If your canine friend vomits once, give him or her a dose of Pepto and
wait for further developments. If your feline friend vomits, give him or her
some cat laxative or margarine and wait. If the vomiting continues, or has
blood in it ,call me. The same instructions are for the other end when
diarrhea occurs. Grass eating, gurgling stomach or intestines, or tenderness
in the abdomen is hyperacidity or pancreatitis and must be treated by me. I
can clear up most hyperacidities by a routine of antacids that most of you
have around the house.
Give your
friends a hug for me!!
A primer on
what to look for in food:
