Is My Pet Allergic to Fish? / Flexcin Blog | Flexcin.com

Dr. Mahaney received a question wondering what kind of joint supplement a Rottweiler allergic to fish could use.

Customer: Every time my?8 year old Rottweiler has fish (which she loves ? but doesn?t get any more), she gets a bladder infection and irritation. I would love to have her on a supplement for her joint health. What can I do?

Dr. Mahaney:?With the clinical signs you describe being ?bladder infection and irritation?, I cannot speak of these health concerns being directly associated with consumption of fish due to the many variables, including:

1. The format of fish that was consumed (fish-based dry and/or canned dog food or human grade fish)
2. How long it took for your dog to show clinical signs after eating fish
3. If diagnostic tests (urinalysis, urine culture, ultrasound, etc.) were done that showed no other underlying problems in the bladder at the time you were seeing her clinical signs
4. Medications, supplements, and other foods that were being consumed at the time of the clinical signs
5. If the clinical signs resolved and how long it took them to do so when the fish-based food was stopped

It?s really challenging to determine if your dogs bladder problems were related to a fish-based diet.? Although, we cannot 100% rule out the potential that fish contributed to the clinical signs you witnessed.

I have not seen nor do I know of any canine or feline patients of mine that have developed urinary problems in association with eating fish.? Fish protein is less commonly used in pet foods as compared to much more widely used chicken, beef, and lamb.? Therefore, it is a proteins source which is less likely to cause allergic responses such as those seen in the skin (allergic skin disease, etc.) or digestive tract (inflammatory bowel disease, etc.); these are collectively termed food allergies and typically occur after a particular food has been consumed for weeks, months, or years.

FlexPet is a joint supplement made with glucosamine that comes from shellfish.? Glucosamine is a combination of a carbohydrate (glucos-) and protein (-amine).? The structural components of cartilage are made from proteoglycans and glucosamine is one of the proteoglycans? basic building blocks.

Shellfish are the most common source of glucosamine used in human and pet joint supplements. Shellfish are not fish, but are actually animals having a hard exoskeleton made of chitin.? Inside the exoskeleton are the remaining soft tissue structures (often those which we humans and most pets love to consume).

FlexPet has a unique formulation called Glucosamine Sulfate Potassium, which removes the protein component while keeping the carbohydrate.??Without the protein component, an allergic state is less likely to develop in people and pets having shellfish sensitivities.

Unfortunately, there is no 100% guarantee that a supplement or medication will have no side effects. If your pet has proven to show illness after consuming fish or other water borne creatures, then you may need to reconsider using a supplement that has any component of these creatures.? I would also check with your veterinarian to see if he/she feels that the glucosamine components in FlexPet would contribute to your dog?s health concerns.

Source: http://www.flexcin.com/blog/is-my-pet-allergic-to-fish

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