A retrospective study of canine cutaneous food allergy at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital from Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil/Estudo retrospectivo da dermatite trofoalergica canina em um Hospital Veterinario de Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brasil

Cutaneous food allergy is an adverse immunological response, triggered by antigenic dietary components that may escape the digestion process and are absorbed intact through the gastrointestinal mucosa. In Brazil, there are only a few reports on cutaneous food allergy and antigenicity of food components used in pet food production. Thus, the aim of this report was to assess and describe data from medical records of canine patients diagnosed with cutaneous food allergy at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital from Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil, in order to evaluate epidemiological and clinical aspects related to this skin problem. From 2007 to 2012, 29 dogs received the diagnosis of cutaneous food allergy after an eight-week hypoallergenic elimination trial. Among them, purebred dogs were more frequent, as well as females, and their mean age was 50.4 months old. Pruritus was reported in all cases, especially in interdigital areas. In order to establish the diagnosis, most patients received home-cooked elimination diet, based on potato and lamb in approximately 80% of the cases. Besides, it was highlighted the importance of the hypoallergenic elimination diet being rigorously followed by dogs' owners, aiming the adequate control of the clinical signs related to cutaneous food allergy. Key words: dogs, food allergy, hypoallergenic diet. A dermatite trofoalergica e uma resposta imunologica adversa, desencadeada por componentes dieteticos antigenicos, que escapam do processo de digestao e sao absorvidos intactos pela mucosa gastrointestinal. No Brasil, ha poucos relatos acerca da dermatite trofoalergica e da antigenicidade dos componentes utilizados na producao de alimentos para animais. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar e relatar dados de prontuarios de pacientes caninos diagnosticados com dermatite trofoalergica em um Hospital Veterinario de Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil, a fim de analisar os aspectos epidemiologicos e clinicos relacionados a este problema de pele. De 2007 a 2012, 29 caes receberam o diagnostico de dermatite trofoalergica apos oito semanas de dieta de eliminacao hipoalergenica. Dentre eles, destacam-se os caes de raca definida e as femeas como mais frequentes, com idade media de 50,4 meses. Prurido foi a queixa relatada em todos os casos, especialmente na regiao interdigital Para fins diagnosticos, a maioria dos animais recebeu dieta caseira de eliminacao, a base de batata e carneiro em aproximadamente 80% dos casos. Ademais, destacase a importancia d