Nutritional management of feline chronic enteropathy

Feline chronic enteropathy covers a heterogeneous range of conditions, including food responsive enteropathies, inflammatory bowel disease and antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea. Dietary management can be extremely helpful, both as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool, when managing many of these patients. A high proportion of cats with chronic enteropathy are thought to be either food-sensitive or food-responsive, and appropriate nutritional support can help to optimise the short- and longer-term management of gastrointestinal disease. Three key dietary options exist: highly digestible gastrointestinal diets, hydrolysed diets and novel protein diets. Highly digestible diets and help to reduce exposure to dietary antigens, minimise complications associated with undigested food and aid nutrient absorption. Novel protein diets, based on a protein source a cat has not previously eaten, or a hydrolysed diet, where protein sources have been reduced in size to below the molecular weight of most food allergens, can help support cats with an underlying food sensitivity (allergy or intolerance), and may also benefit individuals in cases where a true food sensitivity does not underlie the clinical signs. Improvements with appropriate dietary intervention can be dramatic and rapid, with resolution of clinical signs within 2 weeks. This article explores the rationale for each of the three types of diet that can be considered for a diet trial, and the current evidence supporting their use. It also briefly covers recommendations for diet introduction and advice to support clients when considering a diet trial.

Individual Behavioral Reactions in the Context of Food Sensitivities in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder before and after an Oligoantigenic Diet

The influence of food intake on behavior problems of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was already described in the early 20th century. Eliminating food components by using the Oligoantigenic Diet (OD) leads to reduction of ADHD symptoms for more than two-thirds of patients. The aim of our study was to reveal how to identify foods having an impact on ADHD symptomatology. Therefore, 28 children with ADHD participating in this uncontrolled, open trial were examined before and after a restricted elimination diet. They kept a daily 24-h recall nutrition and behavior journal and filled out the abbreviated Conners’ scale (ACS) to identify foods which increased ADHD symptoms. The study was completed by 16 children (13 m/3 f). After four weeks of elimination diet the individual food sensitivities were identified in a reintroduction phase. A repetitive increase of ADHD symptoms by at least two points in ACS after food introduction hints at food sensitivity. Twenty-seven food sensitivity reactions were identified. Most of the participants were sensitive to more than one food. Food intolerances could not be identified without preceding OD. The combination of OD and subsequent food challenge appears as a valid method to identify individual food sensitivity in ADHD.

A randomized observational analysis examining the correlation between patients’ food sensitivities, micronutrient deficiencies, oxidative stress response and immune redox status

Background: Malnutrition due to insufficient intake of micronutrients, or due to impaired delivery of micronutrients to patients’ cells, is suppressing immune functions that are fundamental to host protection. Concurrently, an excessive triggering of patients’ immune reactions as the result of adverse responses to certain food antigens, can also lead to various chronic health conditions.Objective: To examine nutritional and immunological status in patients’ groups varying in age, dietary regimens and gastrointestinal condition; and explore a possible correlation between an impaired patients’ immune status and micronutrient deficiencies, food sensitivity and oxidative stress responses.Methods: This is a population-based study consisting of a American residents, age 13 and older, who completed the investigator’s provided questionnaires with application of cell-based individualized functional assays. Data for this paper were collected from 845 individuals between May and September 2019, as part of CSS CNA beta study. Micronutrient deficiencies, immune Redox status, antioxidative responses and food sensitivity profiles were assessed for each patient participating in this study.Results: The group of patients with low Redox status demonstrated significantly higher percent of immune reactivity (17%) to food antigens as compared to15% reactivity detected in the groups with the average and strong Redox response. An average number of identified micronutrient deficiencies, as well as beneficial anti-oxidative protective compounds, was also significantly higher in the group with the weak immune function as compared to other two groups.Conclusion: This study suggests that high food sensitivity is associated with a higher nutrient deficiency, a stronger oxidative stress response and a lower immune redox status.

Diagnosis of Feline Food Sensitivity and Intolerance Using Saliva: 1000 Cases

This prospective study assessed the efficacy of a novel saliva-based immunoassay of IgA- and IgM-antibodies in predicting feline food sensitivities and intolerances. Clinical samples were obtained from 1000 cats proven or suspected to have food intolerances. Most were of domestic shorthair breed type, over 10 years of age, and weighed around 5 kg; they were equally distributed between spayed females and neutered males. Saliva was collected after at least an 8-h fast with a dental cotton rope, placed in a double-sleeved saliva collection tube, and sent to the laboratory. Salivary antibodies elicited by 24 common foods were measured with goat anti-canine IgA and IgM. Low reacting foods were lamb, cow milk, pork, turkey, wheat (lowest) and white-colored fish, whereas high reacting foods were millet, white potato, rice (highest) and salmon. Thus, the novel salivary-based food sensitivity and intolerance test, described previously for canines, also provided a reliable and clinically predictive alternative to food elimination trials, serum-based food allergy testing, and skin patch testing in cats. Manufacturers of commercial cat foods and treats, as well as those making homemade diets and treats for cats, should consider avoiding the more highly reactive foods as determined by the present study.