TDK conference 2024

In the framework of my research conducted at the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, within the Institute for Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science, I examined the perception of food allergy in dogs from the perspectives of dog owners and veterinarians. The survey was based on two online questionnaires: one specifically for dog owners and the other for veterinarians. The broad accessibility of the questionnaires was ensured primarily through online platforms related to dogs and veterinary online groups. During the six-week data collection period, a total of 292 owner and 86 veterinary responses were received from various regions of the country.

Based on the research, we observed that in the studied population, that is, among dogs suffering from allergies, mixed-breed dogs were represented in a higher proportion (21.38%) than purebreds. The survey revealed that in 30.5% of cases, there was no veterinary diagnosis available concerning the food allergy, which clearly negatively impacted the effectiveness of the treatment. We also asked survey respondents what they fed their dogs before the onset of symptoms and concluded that raw feeding was associated with a lower (8.28%) likelihood of developing food allergy symptoms compared to commercially available food (6.99%). Both groups, i.e., dog owners and veterinarians, agreed that in the case of food allergies, the three most common clinical symptoms were dermatitis, pruritus, and licking or chewing of the paws. Regarding allergen sources, the most of respondents indicated hypersensitivity to chicken (76%) and other poultry species (54.8%). However, our survey confirmed that the conceptual confusion between allergy and intolerance is common among owners. Furthermore, the composition of commercially available hypoallergenic food is not always reliable. In addition to this, laboratory diagnostic methods for detecting food allergies are often inaccurate. According to 85.6% of veterinarians, the elimination diet seems to be the most reliable method currently for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

The responses indicate that dog owners have significant knowledge gaps regarding the concept and diagnosis of food allergies, and the lack of an accurate veterinary diagnosis greatly contributes to the challenges of managing food allergies. The results also highlighted the need to improve communication between veterinarians and owners, which would help avoid many misunderstandings.