VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

CHRONIC DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS

• Chronic vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and inflammatory bowel disease are among the most frequent illnesses treated. These are often the result of an allergy or intolerance to pet food ingredients.
• The market for “limited antigen” or “novel protein” diets is now a multi-million dollar business. These diets were formulated to address the increasing intolerance to commercial foods that pets have developed.
• Even so, an animal that tends to develop allergies can develop allergies to the new ingredients, too.
• One twist is the truly “hypoallergenic” food that has had all its proteins artificially chopped into pieces smaller than can be recognized and reacted to by the immune system. Yet there are documented cases of animals becoming allergic to this food, too.
• It is important to change brands, flavors, and protein sources every few months to prevent problems.