Nutritional management of concurrent fat and food sensitivities Flashcards
What are Food allergies (FA) aka ___ :
food hypersensitivities are immune-mediated reactions following food intake
What are non-immunological reactions of food
Non-immune mediated reactions are food intolerances
What are the top 3 causes of canine allergic skin disease
Allergy dermatitis with related scratching is usually caused by 1 of the 3:
- Atopy
- Flea Allergy Dermatitis
- Food Allergy
Out of the 3 main causes of canine dermatitis, if flea allergy is ruled out what is the next step?
Whether it is a
1. Atopy (environmental) OR
2. Nutritional (Food allergy)
List 3 signs of food and environmental allergies
- scratching
- rubbing face and ears
- inflammation of external ear canal (otitis externa)
- small bare patches of skin on belly
- redness on paws or around footpads
What are some signs of adverse food reactions - may be acute or chronic signs of colitis or gastroenteritis (List 3)
- flatulence
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- frequent bowel movements
- abdominal pain
What % of a pet’s immune function is located in the GI tract
70% of the body’s immune system is in the GI tract
Stimulation of the immune system by allergens can cause widespread clinical signs affecting several organs
What % of dogs with food allergies experience both skin and Gi signs
10-15%
For dogs with non-seasonal allergy signs, what is required to rule out a food allergy?
elimination diet
What are some tips for a successful food elimination trial (name 3)
- food selection is the most important factor
- protein is usually the culprit, so therapeutic foods containing hydrolysed or novel protein are required
- over the counter foods aren’t suitable as they may contain proteins not included in the ingredient list or may have cross contamination
- transition slowly over 7-10 days to new food
- food elimination trial can take 8-12 weeks and compliance is critical
Define hydrolysed proteins
hydrolysed = breaking a compound and adding water
contrast to intact protein, hydrolysed protein are broken down enzymatically. This allows the protein to be too small to cross link immunoglobulin E (igE) receptors on the surface of mast cellls and thus the dog’s body will not likely react to the protein.
What must be asked to ensure a comprehensive dietary history is taken?
- primary disorders vs secondary - Caused by other diseases
- acute, chronic, intermittent GI disorders
- Mild, moderate, or severe
- small bowel vs large bowel vs mixed
Include all foods, medications and supplements in dietary history
What are some small bowel signs
-weight loss
-borborygmi (rumbling/gurgling sound)
-feces watery
-mucus - if present mixed with feces
-Melaena - dark, sticky blood in stools
-fecal volume -normal to increased
What are some large bowel signs
-defecating frequency largely increased
-feces - porridge
-tenesmus present (continual or inclination to defecate)
-Haematochezia (Fresh blood in stools)
T or F
Most dogs have mixed small and large bowel signs, which makes it a trial-and-error process to determine which food type will improve signs.
True
Briefly describe a typical action plan for the following:
Large bowel
Small bowel
and what is the next step
Large bowel - increase fiber content
Small bowel - try a low-fat food
Next step is a hydrolysed food diet
What is the gut microbiome?
billions of microorganisms thar live in the gut. these microorganisms are unique to each dog and essential for their health.
The microbiota in the gut include ___, __, ___, ___ and contribute to bodily functions, including: __
bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi
-energy homeostasis
-metabolism
-gut epithelial cell health
-immune system activity
Define gut dysbiosis
imbalance in the gut microbiome that occurs when harmful bacteria outweigh beneficial ones
T/F gut dysbiosis is not found in patients with abnormal immune responses such as allergies
False. it is found in patients with abnormal immune responses as 70% of the body’s immune system is in the gut.
What is leaky gut syndrome
syndrome in which immunogenic molecules (including dietary antigens) penetrate or leak into the bloodstream
Dysbiosis can cause this
Define fiber-bound polyphenols
provide prebiotic and postbiotic effects that benefit the pet consuming the food
define prebiotics
prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth/activity of bacteria in the gut biome
define postbiotics
postbiotics are metabolic end-products released after bacteria have broken down undigested substrates (prebiotics) e.g short-chain FA
