NO, CHICKEN DOES NOT CAUSE ALLERGIES IN DOGS AND CATS!
Chicken is a very commonly used meat in food for our pets, thanks to its easy availability on the market. In fact, many foods either contain only chicken, or at least include a significant portion of it.
Food intolerances and allergies in our pets are quite common these days, but it is wrong to blame chicken meat right from the start, as this is an opinion with no scientific basis that comes from common belief.
THE BENEFITS OF CHICKEN MEAT
In reality, chicken is an excellent food, mainly due to its composition which provides:
- High protein content. The protein in chicken meat is a high-quality protein with an excellent amino acid profile, as it contains all essential amino acids in sufficient quantities.
- Low fat content. This trait can be beneficial in various physiological situations, such as for overweight dogs, or in pathological cases like pancreatitis, cholecystitis/biliary sludge or gallstones, and gastroenteric conditions
Even so-called “offal” has positive features. For example, liver is rich in vitamins (especially A, B complex and D) and minerals like zinc and selenium. Stomachs on the other hand have high protein content of high biological quality.
BEWARE OF LEFTOVERS AND RAW MEAT
When we give our pet commercial food, we know it is rigorously controlled. But if we decide to give our furry friend chicken at home, there are a few things we need to know:
- Raw chicken meat may have a high microbial load, and cooking is always recommended.
- Debone the meat, as chicken bones could be dangerous if ingested. Splinters can cause damage along the way from the mouth, through the esophagus, and into the gastrointestinal tract.
- Chicken skin, unlike the meat, is very high in fat, so it should be avoided in certain pathological conditions.
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
But what does science tell us about chicken meat? Various studies on food intolerances and allergies do not list chicken among the top causes. For example, in Mueller’s study*, chicken was involved in only 15% of samples after beef and dairy, while in cats it was involved in just 5% of samples… So, we should trust less in rumors and more in science!
Dr Simone Falci
Veterinarian expert in nutrition
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
*Mueller et al. in 2016