Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
food trial. In a food trial, a cat is fed an entirely new protein source for
four to six weeks. If the cat's condition improves, the animal can be
challenged with different protein sources, offered individually, to find
out which one was causing the reaction. That protein source is then
eliminated from her diet.
Lamb used to be considered a hypoallergenic food and was used in
food trials. Pet food companies all jumped on the bandwagon and start-
ed putting lamb in many commercially available products, so lamb is no
longer a unique protein source.A lamb diet may help some food-allergic
cats, but other less widely used protein sources are probably needed
instead.
A successful food trial involves eliminating all treats and table scraps,
serving distilled water and feeding the test diet exclusively. Some of the
unique proteins currently being used are venison, duck and rabbit. Lamb
or ham baby food may also be used for a hypoallergenic food trial.
Flea Allergies
The most common allergy in cats is flea allergy dermatitis. For a cat
with this allergy, one flea bite can cause a reaction equal to 100 fleas.
Cats with flea allergy dermatitis are very itchy and have hair loss and
miliary dermatitis along their back, the base of their tail and behind
their back legs. The hair loss is due to self-trauma—incessant chewing
at the sites of flea bites.
To diagnose flea allergy dermatitis, look for fleas or flea dirt (which
will look like tiny white and black specks—the white are flea eggs and
the black are flea excrement) on the cat and hair loss in the typical pat-
tern I've just described.The best way to look for fleas is by using a flea
comb to hunt for evidence.
Some cats are so sensitive to fleas that they bite off every flea that
jumps on them and leave no trace of infestation. If a veterinarian does not
observe fleas but still suspects flea allergy dermatitis, he or she will treat
it. Treatment involves flea control (the once-a-month topical adulticides
work wonderfully) and, usually, cortisone to break the itch-scratch cycle.
Contact Allergies
These allergies are the least common in cats, but they can occur when
a cat touches an allergen.The reaction is usually localized to the site of
contact, but if the cat licks or rubs, the problem area can get bigger.
Topical treatment with a cream, ointment or spray can be a first course
of treatment, but oral or injectable medications will be needed if the cat
insists on licking the irritated spot.
