Food allergy in cats - symptoms and treatment

Allergic reactions affect all mammals. The cat is no exception. Allergy develops according to a rather complex mechanism. The pathogenesis of this condition is associated with various biosystems of the body. It is about immunity, resistance, reactivity. Simply put, without delving into medical terminology, with this pathology there is an allergen that, like something foreign, is perceived by the body. In some cases, it becomes extremely dangerous, and the body tries to destroy it with all its might.

Neutralizing a foreign agent is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. The body needs to make a lot of effort. In any case, this will be accompanied by certain losses in the form of tissue decay. Products formed in this case will, to one degree or another, poison the body. This causes the occurrence of certain symptoms in the form of shortness of breath, sneezing, other specific and nonspecific manifestations of an allergic reaction.

What is an allergen?

Anything can play this role. No one can say in the affirmative that a particular substance has the properties of an allergen, and that it will never cause something allergy. For each animal, the allergen acts differently. One in contact with him has an allergic reaction, and the other cat is completely inert to this substance. All this is fully determined by the reactivity (sensitivity) of a particular cat.

There is a certain classification of all allergens. It is based on one or another principle. First of all, they distinguish:

1. Antigen. Its action stimulates the immune response.
2. Hapten. These substances are in no way associated with the immune system. As a result of the action, antibodies are produced. They are represented by various classes of chemicals. Even a single chemical element can play their role. This includes everything that cats constantly come into contact with. Smoke from a cigarette, household chemical goods or, say, perfumery products may well play the role of haptens.
3. Allergens are classified according to another principle, in particular, at the place of education. In accordance with this, they can be divided into the following types:
4. Exogenous allergen. It enters the body from the external environment. An example is drugs, germs, or something else. They enter the body in a variety of ways. The digestive tract, skin, mucous membrane of the eyes, inhaled air can become the entrance gate.
5. Endogenous allergen. Similar substances are formed in the body itself. This occurs as a result of complex biochemical transformations. The breakdown of tissues leads to the acquisition of allergenic properties.

Allergies in Cats: Species

The external manifestation of an allergic reaction is determined by the type of active allergen. The following types of allergic reactions are distinguished:

1. Idiosyncrasy. This group includes the medicinal, food type of allergic reaction. The cause may be dust, the effect of plant pollen.
2. Infectious type of allergy. The cause of its occurrence is a different microflora.
3. Allergy associated with the action of parasitic agents (fleas, ticks, worms).
4. An allergic reaction that develops as a result of chemical factors.

Allergic manifestations can occur with a single exposure of the allergen to the body (primary allergy).However, an allergen can enter the body many times, as a result of which sensitization of the body can develop, in which there is an accumulation of negative exposure factors in the body. Accumulation continues until a certain limit established by the organism itself is exceeded. By the way, its size is different for different cats. Upon reaching a critical level, it is sufficient to receive the smallest dose of allergen in order for the mechanism of an allergic reaction to start up in full.

Flea allergy
This species is most common in cats. The reason is various ectoparasites, including fleas, ticks, lice. Just one bite is enough for an intolerable itching. The skin turns red, bleeding sores may even form.

Feeding Allergy
In frequency, this species is in second place. A characteristic feature is that this type of allergy may not manifest itself immediately. External signs will appear only after the allergen has accumulated in sufficient quantities. Therefore, the diagnosis of this type is associated with certain difficulties. At that time, while the allergen accumulates in the blood, there are no external clinical manifestations. The lack of reaction when feeding any product does not guarantee that it will manifest later.

Pronounced allergic properties are found in animal and vegetable proteins. It can be pork, beef, fish, milk, other products. In a word, any product that is used to produce dry feed can act as an allergen. It should be borne in mind that the reaction does not necessarily occur in all animals, without exception. It can only be observed in a susceptible group.

Atopic dermatitis
As an allergen with it, absolutely any substance can act. You should not even list, because the list will be very long. Clinical manifestations are dry and itchy skin. Remission is replaced by exacerbation. Redness and swelling may occur with the formation of weeping ulcers. As a result of combing, microflora can join to the wound surface. The difficulty is that this type is practically not amenable to therapy. Throughout life, only supportive treatment is carried out.

Clinical symptoms

Regardless of the type of allergy that has developed, the external manifestations are similar in nature:

• tissue hyperemia with the development of progressive edema;
• body temperature rises;
• the skin is covered with a rash;
• the onset of shortness of breath and even the occurrence of signs characteristic of bronchial asthma;
• the cat begins to sneeze intensely;
• sometimes the manifestation of a gag reflex becomes pronounced.

Clinical manifestations can occur immediately after the action of the allergen or appear after some time. A considerable amount of time can pass from the onset of contact to severe clinical manifestations.

Establishing diagnosis

It is not easy to do this. If people are staged for various allergic tests, then this is not done for animals. Of course, there are sets of certain allergens, but their number is very limited. The exception method is mainly used. If there is a suspicion of a food type of allergy, the cat lands on a special diet. Its duration can reach up to three months. The composition of such diets includes foods that previously were not used in the nutrition of cats. At the end, they resort to provocative feeding. If the symptoms return, then this will serve as a confirmation of the diagnosis.

Treatment

First of all, the product that causes the development of an allergic reaction is excluded from the diet. If there are already pronounced clinical symptoms, antihistamines are prescribed. Do not experiment. They can only be prescribed by a veterinarian.They hold cleaning droppers. But without proper feeding, the therapeutic effect is impossible to achieve. Try to make the right diet. The task is not simple, but quite feasible. In feeding, hypoallergenic feeds are used. There is no absolute guarantee, but you can try. It is better if a specialist takes part in the preparation of the diet.

If we are talking about atopic dermatitis, then it requires long-term treatment. Sometimes it is carried out throughout life. Allergen exclusion required. Antihistamines are given by mouth. At the same time, local treatment with ointments is carried out.

If the infection joined as a result of scratching, a course of antibiotics may be prescribed.

To reduce itching, you can use special shampoos to wash the animal. The detergent should not contain fragrances or other unnecessary ingredients, which may also be allergens. Insecticides approved for use in animals are used to exterminate fleas. Deworming should be carried out regularly, since helminths can also cause the occurrence and development of allergic reactions.

Prevention

In the prevention of the onset and development of allergies in cats, a large role is given to preventive measures:

1. Regular wet cleaning with thorough dust removal.
2. Indoor plants, including flowers, must be placed as high as possible to limit access to cats.
3. Cleaning products must be stored in such a place that it is not accessible to the cat.
4. It is very responsible to approach the preparation of the diet of the animal. It is necessary to use only high-quality feed in the diet.
5. Systematic examination of the hair and ears of the animal for ticks, fleas.

In conclusion, it must be said that allergy to food in cats is a rather serious pathology, which is not as easy to cope with as we would like. If it arose in an animal, do not self-medicate. It is necessary to show the cat to the veterinarian. Only a qualified specialist will be able to prescribe the correct adequate treatment.

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