BOX 6-2 Guidelines for Determination of Specific Food Allergies

Your animal has shown improvement on the home-prepared elimination diet. We must now continue with the next phase of the program.

1. Start your pet back on all the same things he/she ate prior to the special home­made diet.

2. Now we want to try [ ] commercial “hypoallergenic” pet food for 14 days.

If your pet does not experience an increase of itching, go to step 3.

3. Now that we have established for certain that your pet has a food allergy, we must

determine what individual ingredients are causing the problem. Make a list with two columns—one column “safe” food and the other column “unsafe” food. Each week add a new ingredient to the above commercial pet food as directed below. If no increase in itching is noted after 1 week, list this food in the column labeled “safe.” You may immediately start on the next food mixture on the list, following the same procedure. If your pet's itching increases, list the new food in the “unsafe” column. Stop that food and resume feeding [ ] commercial pet

food (only) until the animal is as itch-free as prior to adding the offending food. Once the itching has subsided, resume feeding as directed below. When you have completed the list, schedule a follow-up examination and evaluation (please bring your list of “safe” and “unsafe” foods), and one of the following (depending on the week):

Weeks 1 & 2 Ground beef

Weeks 3 & 4 Chicken

Weeks 4 & 5 Pork

Weeks 5 & 6 Cottage cheese

Weeks 6 & 7 Boiled eggs (one egg per 25 pounds)

Weeks 7 & 8 Ground whole wheat flour

Weeks 9 & 10 Corn oil (half-tablespoon per 25 pounds)

Weeks 11 & 12 Soybean

When you return for your reevaluation, please do not forget to bring your list of safe and unsafe foods.

References

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