Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
An Assessment of the Impact of Insect Meal in Dry Food on a Dog with a Food Allergy: A Case Report
- Journal:
- Animals
- Year:
- 2024
- Authors:
- Cinthia Gonçalves Lenz Cesar et al.
- Affiliation:
- Pet Nutrology Research Center (CEPEN Pet), Department of Animal Nutrition and Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Pirassununga 13635-000, Brazil · CH
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This case study looked at a 5-year-old spayed beagle that had a food allergy, which can cause problems like skin issues and upset stomach. The researchers wanted to see if a diet made with black soldier fly larva (BSFL) could help, since it hasn't been linked to allergic reactions in dogs before. They compared this BSFL diet to a regular diet that contained poultry by-products. After the dog adjusted to the BSFL diet for 12 days, she showed no signs of gastrointestinal problems, but when she was given the regular diet, she had some stomach issues that went away quickly when she returned to the BSFL diet. Overall, the BSFL diet worked well in managing the dog's food allergy symptoms.
Abstract
Food allergy triggers an immune response to dietary proteins, resulting in food rejection and dermatological and gastrointestinal manifestations. The preferred therapies include diets with hydrolyzed proteins or unusual single-source proteins, with insect protein emerging as a promising option, with no reported allergic reactions in dogs with a food allergy. In this case study, the effects of including black soldier fly larva (BSFL) meal were observed in a 5-year-old spayed beagle previously diagnosed with a food allergy. The objective was to assess the potential of BSFL meal as an adjunct in treating a food allergy. As part of the protocol, two nutritionally very similar diets were used, differing only in the protein source: the control diet, with poultry by-product meal; and the BSFL diet, which completely replaced the poultry by-product meal. After a 12-day adaptation period to the BSFL diet, the dog showed no gastrointestinal changes, maintaining an adequate fecal score and no clinical signs of the disease. A challenge test with the control diet resulted in episodic gastrointestinal symptoms, which were reversed within two days by reintroducing the BSFL diet. The BSFL protein-based diet was effective in controlling the dog’s clinical signs.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14192859