You are what you eat

While performing my residency in Neurology I began to suffer from some vague health problems that my physician attributed to stress. The problems escalated and culmonated in some serious gastrointestinal upsets. Eventually, I was diagnosed with a food allergy. As long as I avoid the allergen I am sensitive to, I am no longer plagued with those health problems. Once I was on my new diet, it amazed me how much the allergy had affected not only my digestive tract, but my energy level and my general sense of well being.

Recently, I was presented with a 7 year old, Siberian Husky, Bluebear, who had a one year history of episodically vomiting blood (hemoptysis) and acting lethargic. Each time Bluebear was rushed to the ER or her general veterinarian and each time she appeared to respond to supportive care. Then 2 or 3 months later Bluebear was back in the hospital.

When Bluebear arrived in my office, she was depressed. She had been vomiting, her coat was dull and lack luster, and she had been refusing to eat for days .Her owner was at wits end. After a careful examination I explained to the owner that endoscopy (the use of a fiber optic device to visualize and collect biopsies of the interior of the esophagus, stomach and proximal duodenum) would be our next step.

I performed the endoscopy. No ulcers, no tumors, but a very red, irritated gastric mucosa (the interior of the stomach). I collected biopsies and Bluebear was discharged to her owners care the next day.

The biopsy results returned about four days later. The diagnosis was lymphocytic gastritis with an eosinophillia. One of the possible causes for the histopathologic changes would be a food allergy.

After discussing these findings with the owner, I explained that although we could use many different medications in hopes of managing Bluebears illness, it would be attractive to try to treat her with a hypoallergenic diet. Certainly, medications will be available to us in the future, but if a diet change is sufficient it would be a healthier option in the long run.

Bluebear had always been fed a high quality diet. Her problem was not the quality of her food, but the type. Finding the allergen that triggers a pets allergy is not easy, but fortunately there are a number of prescription foods as well as one commercially available diet that can provide the necessary nutrients while avoiding common allergens.

Bluebear was placed on a commercially available hypoallergenic diet. She was not allowed to eat anything, but the diet and fresh water. Not even a rawhide.

At one month post-diagnosis Bluebear returned to my office. She was energetic and her owners were extatic. They reported that they were now surprised by how much her energy had been so dramatically affected by her illness, she was a new dog