Elimination Diets

An elimination diet is often recommended as a way to identify food intolerances. It involves the introduction of a new diet and the elimination of all treats and titbits for 8-12 weeks. During an elimination diet it is recommended that a novel protein or carbohydrate source be used. Duck, pork and egg are examples of a novel protein and potato is an example of a novel carbohydrate. The new food is introduced and then nothing but this food is fed for the duration of the trial. If there are improvements, then other food items can be reintroduced one at a time to see how the body reacts. When choosing a diet for an elimination trial it is important to use one with a single protein source (one source of meat) and that the ingredients list should be short with as few ingredients as possible. If there are no improvements after an elimination diet, then one of the following could be the issue; The dog or cat is intolerant to one of the ingredients The dog or cat managed to scavenge food from another source There are other factors other than just food involved The owner did not comply fully with the diet and fed other food and/or treats. If the dog or cat manages to eat something other than the food used for the elimination diet, then the trial should be started again. Elimination diets can take time and many owners find it difficult, however, they are a very effective means of identifying food intolerances in our pets.