Effect of an insect protein-based diet on clinical signs of dogs with cutaneous adverse food reactions.

OBJECTIVE: Edible insects (like mealworms, locusts and crickets) contain energy, protein, fatty acids, minerals and trace elements and have been found to be high quality food sources. They could provide a new food source for patients with adverse food reactions, as well as being of ecological and ethical interest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a new commercially available, insect protein-based diet on the clinical signs in those dogs via Canine Atopic Dermatitis Lesion Index (CADLI), Pruritus Visual Analogue Scale (PVAS) and coat quality score.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 dogs with atopic dermatitis due to previously diagnosed adverse food reaction were included in this study. This food was the only food fed to the patients for 2 weeks.

RESULTS: The lesion score improved in 12 out of 20 dogs in. Only two dogs out of 15, which completed the study, showed mild deterioration of their lesions (on average by 1.5 CADLI points). One dog's skin lesions were unchanged. Pruritus could be reduced in eight patients but remained unchanged in four dogs. Two further patients deteriorated minimally (on average by 1.5 pruritus score points) and one dramatically (8 pruritus score points). The coat quality was only evaluated in 14 dogs. Six of 14 dogs showed an improvement in coat quality. The improvement of the lesion scores (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.007) and coat quality (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.01) was significant, there was no significant change in pruritus scores (p = 0.53). The palatability was very good the compatibility was except for one patient very good.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Based on these results, the investigated insect protein-based diet is an interesting alternative for dogs with food intolerance.