Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar

Cass Veterinary Services

217-452-7171

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
    • Veterinary Resources
    • Payment Options
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Services
      • Small Animal Services
      • Large Animal Services
      • Boarding
      • Grooming
  • Contact Us
  • Testimonials
  • Pet Memorials
  • Blog
  • Veterinary Topics
    • Pet Health
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Digestive and Oral Health
      • Diseases and Viruses
      • Pests and Parasites
      • Orthopedics
    • Today's Veterinarian
    • Choosing Your Pet
      • Cats
      • Dogs
      • Finding Your Pet
      • Exotics
        • Birds
        • Amphibians
        • Reptiles
          • Lizards
          • Turtles
      • Small Mammals
        • Ferrets
        • Rabbits
        • Domesticated Animals
          • Prairie Dogs
        • Pocket Pets
          • Hedgehogs
          • Chinchillas
          • Guinea Pigs
          • Rats
          • Hamsters
      • Livestock
        • Poultry
        • Goats
        • Pigs
        • Sheep
        • Cows
        • Donkeys, Horses & Mules
    • Living With Your Pet
      • Bringing Your Pet Home
      • Providing Care
      • Travel
      • Saying Goodbye
      • Children and Pets
    • Newsletter Library
      • Equine
      • Nutrition & Food
      • Cats
      • Keeping Pets Healthy
      • Fleas & Parasites
      • Pet Dangers
      • Seasonal Topics
      • Visiting the Vet
      • Tips for Pet Owners
      • Recognizing Illness
      • Behavior & Training
      • Newsletter Archive
        • Unbelievable Pets
        • Fun with Pets
    • Video Newsroom
      • Health Topics
      • Technology and Science
      • Other Interests
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Nutrition & Food >
  • Food Allergies

Food Allergies

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Image of a dog and cat scratching.

Food allergies occasionally occur in dogs and cats. They usually manifest themselves as itchy skin, ear infections, chronic vomiting, or diarrhea. If you suspect that your pet may have a food allergy, you can investigate by performing a food trial. There are three rules for a food trial:

1. Pick a new food that is different from any food fed in the past. This does not mean to just choose a different brand. You need to check the fine print on the ingredient list on each food label and pick a new food that is totally different in ingredients. Often the large label on the front of the bag mentions only two ingredients but in reality the food has many ingredients.
For animals fed many foods in the past, it may be difficult to find an appropriate food in the pet food store. There are new foods with "exotic" ingredients made for pets with allergies that are now available through veterinarians. For example, Venison and Potato, Rabbit and Potato, Duck and Potato, and Kangaroo and Oats are available for dogs. Duck and Green Pea, Rabbit and Green Pea, and Venison and Green Pea are available for cats. Preferably, the new food should have just one protein and one carbohydrate source.

2. You should feed the new food for 12 weeks to dogs and 8 weeks to cats before you decide whether it works or not.

3. You cannot feed another food, treats, table scraps, chewable vitamins or chewable Heartworm preventative. Dogs cannot have rawhide chew toys, pig's ears, cow hooves, etc. Heartworm prevention during this time can be provided by a non-chewable tablet or the topical liquid.

Once the trial period is over and if there was a positive response, you can determine the ingredient(s) that caused the allergy by adding, one at a time, the previously fed ingredients to the trial food for 14 days per ingredient. The pet should show an allergic response in this time period if that ingredient is an allergen.

Sugarless Gum Toxic to Dogs

Products safe for people are not necessarily safe for pets. For example, Xylitol is used as a sugar substitute in food products; it can be found in sugar-free candy, gum, and other products. In people, Xylitol has no effect on blood insulin or glucose levels, but in dogs, Xylitol causes a strong, rapid insulin release that causes the blood glucose to go decrease dramatically. This hypoglycemia causes the dog to be weak, wobbly, collapse, or even seizures. This effect can occur within 20-60 minutes of eating the gum or candy.

Another adverse effect of Xylitol is liver problems, even liver failure. This occurs hours to a couple of days after ingestion. This can occur without signs of earlier hypoglycemia. Liver problems can have symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, poor appetite, and blood clotting problems.
Small amounts of Xylitol can have these effects. Only one or two pieces of sugarless gum can be toxic to a twenty-pound dog. Recently, veterinarians discovered that some liquid human medicines are sweetened with Xylitol. If you get a prescription liquid medicine from a human pharmacy, be sure to confirm with the pharmacist that it doesn't contain Xylitol.

Obesity

Excess weight is a serious health problem for dogs and cats. In the U.S., nearly 50% of middle-aged pets are overweight. The two main causes of obesity are too much food and too little exercise. Other contributing factors can be due to hormonal influences, certain genetic factors, and other disease processes.

If you pet is carrying extra weight, it can:

1. Increase the risk of heart disease by forcing the heart to work harder.
2. Increase the risk of arthritis as extra weight can stress the joints, cause joint pain, and make it harder for your pet to move around comfortably.
3. Obesity can cause breathing problems, skin and hair coat problems.
4. Obesity frequently leads to diabetes, especially in cats.

All of these problems can make your pet uncomfortable and limit the way they interact with you and other family members.Treatment is to rule out and treat any medical causes, such as hypothyroidism. Reducing caloric intake and increasing exercise can help your pet successfully lose weight. Lifestyle changes and a weight loss program are essential. Your veterinarian can help determine if your pet is too heavy and provide guidelines for achieving their ideal weight. Slentrol is an oral weight loss drug for obese dogs that are not able to lose weight by other means.

  • Pet Health
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Digestive and Oral Health
    • Diseases and Viruses
    • Pests and Parasites
    • Orthopedics
  • Today's Veterinarian
  • Choosing Your Pet
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Finding Your Pet
    • Exotics
      • Birds
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
        • Lizards
        • Turtles
    • Small Mammals
      • Ferrets
      • Rabbits
      • Domesticated Animals
        • Prairie Dogs
      • Pocket Pets
        • Hedgehogs
        • Chinchillas
        • Guinea Pigs
        • Rats
        • Hamsters
    • Livestock
      • Poultry
      • Goats
      • Pigs
      • Sheep
      • Cows
      • Donkeys, Horses & Mules
  • Living With Your Pet
    • Bringing Your Pet Home
    • Providing Care
    • Travel
    • Saying Goodbye
    • Children and Pets
  • Newsletter Library
    • Equine
    • Nutrition & Food
    • Cats
    • Keeping Pets Healthy
    • Fleas & Parasites
    • Pet Dangers
    • Seasonal Topics
    • Visiting the Vet
    • Tips for Pet Owners
    • Recognizing Illness
    • Behavior & Training
    • Newsletter Archive
      • Unbelievable Pets
      • Fun with Pets
  • Video Newsroom
    • Health Topics
    • Technology and Science
    • Other Interests
No form settings found. Please configure it.

Featured Services

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
  • Make An Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!
  • Online Store

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.

Office Hours by clinic

Virginia Lobby Hours:

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 PM

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:00 PM

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 PM

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:00 PM

Friday:

8:00 am-5:00 PM

Saturday:

8:00 am-2:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Jacksonville Hours

Monday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Ashland Lobby Hours:

Monday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-4:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-4:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-4:00 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Location

    No testimonials found. Please add

Featured Articles

  • Goats

    Maybe, you've heard that goats will basically eat anything they can put in their mouth. This might give you the impression that they're simple animals to take care of, but this isn't the case. Goats need proper nutrition and enough space, among other things, to grow strong and healthy. Therefore, before ...

    Read More
  • Donkeys, Horses & Mules

    There are many benefits to owning a donkey, horse, or mule. However, it is important to know that these animals (all belonging to the sub-family called equus) require special housing, feeding, and care for a healthy life. Here are a few important considerations to make before bringing a new animal home. Housing ...

    Read More
  • Cows

    Are you thinking about getting a cow? Before you do, there are a few considerations you need to make. These large and gentle animals need a considerable amount of space, have special dietary needs, and have certain health needs you’ll have to pay attention to. Plus, they can live for up to twenty-five ...

    Read More
  • Sheep

    Sheep are adorable with their naturally wooly coats. With all that wool comes responsibility, though. If you're considering raising sheep, you should know what it entails to take care of them. That way, you're prepared for their arrival and aren't overwhelmed after you adopt them. Housing What type ...

    Read More
  • Pigs

    Did you know that pigs are a lot cleaner than the reputation they have? While they do roll around in the mud, this keeps them cool. They're actually one of the cleanest animals. They, however, require care, just like any animal. Before you take on more than you can handle, you should educate yourself ...

    Read More
  • Chickens

    Choosing a Pet Chicken Maybe, you want the luxury of freshly laid eggs. Maybe, you think chickens are interesting animals and would make good pets. Before you rush out and purchase a coop and chicken feed, you should understand what's entailed in keeping them healthy and safe. General Information Make ...

    Read More
  • Turkeys

    While all animals have unique personalities, turkeys are usually docile animals. They can be interesting pets to have. However, like any pet, they require a certain level of care to remain healthy and content. Before you decide to purchase turkeys, you should understand what the care entails. Housing Keep ...

    Read More
  • Ducks

    You might enjoy feeding the ducks at the pond. When you see them interact with their environment, it may make you smile. Ultimately, this could provoke you to want to go out and buy one, so you have that feeling all the time. While you might not think that a duck takes a great deal of work, there's more ...

    Read More
  • Fish

    If you’re thinking of getting a pet fish, you should know that your veterinarian has a lot of good advice about pet ownership. Fish can be very rewarding as pets, and you just may be surprised about how much fish actually interact with their owners. Here’s more valuable information about choosing ...

    Read More
  • Snakes

    If you’re looking for a low-maintenance pet, then you might be interested in owning a snake. However, there are a few aspects of owning a snake that you need to be aware of before you make this type of commitment. Here’s what you need to know. What to Know Before Choosing a Pet Snake Before you purchase ...

    Read More
No form settings found. Please configure it.
  • Copyright © 2021 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In