This study evaluated four over the counter venison dry dog foods available from one on-line retail vendor for potential contamination with common known food allergens: soy, poultry or beef. An ...amplified, double sandwich type enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test of soy, poultry and beef proteins were performed by an independent accredited food laboratory. The ELISA test for poultry protein was found to be unreliable when testing in dry dog foods because false negatives occurred. ELISA testing of control diets for both soy and beef proteins performed as expected and could be useful in antigen testing in dry dog foods. Three of the four over the counter (OTC) venison canine dry foods with no soy products named in the ingredient list were ELISA positive for soy; additionally one OTC diet tested positive for beef protein with no beef products listed as an ingredient list. One OTC venison diet was not found to be positive for soy, poultry or beef proteins. However, none of the four OTC venison diets could be considered suitable for a diagnostic elimination trial as they all contained common pet food proteins, some of which were readily identifiable on the label and some that were only detected by ELISA. Therefore, if the four OTC venison products selected in this study are representative of OTC products in general, then the use of OTC venison dry dog foods should not be used during elimination trials in suspected food allergy patients.
Integrative veterinary medicine (IVM) describes the combination of complementary and
alternative therapies with conventional care and is guided by the best available
evidence. Veterinarians ...frequently encounter questions about complementary and
alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) in practice, and the general public has
demonstrated increased interest in these areas for both human and animal health.
Consequently, veterinary students should receive adequate exposure to the principles,
theories, and current knowledge supporting or refuting such techniques. A proposed
curriculum guideline would broadly introduce students to the objective evaluation of
new veterinary treatments while increasing their preparation for responding to
questions about IVM in clinical practice. Such a course should be evidence-based,
unbiased, and unaffiliated with any particular CAVM advocacy or training group. All
IVM courses require routine updating as new information becomes available.
Controversies regarding IVM and CAVM must be addressed within the course and
throughout the entire curriculum. Instructional honesty regarding the uncertainties
in this emerging field is critical. Increased training of future veterinary
professionals in IVM may produce an openness to new ideas that characterizes the
scientific method and a willingness to pursue and incorporate evidence-based medicine
in clinical practice with all therapies, including those presently regarded as
integrative, complementary, or alternative.
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