title: Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (1): duration of elimination diets.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Restrictive (i.e. elimination)-provocation dietary trials remain the standard of care to diagnose cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFRs) in dogs and cats. There is currently no consensus on the duration of elimination diet trials that would permit the highest sensitivity of diagnosis of CAFR in companion animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The search for, and review and analysis of the best evidence available as of December 14, 2014 suggests that, by 5 weeks in dogs and 6 weeks in cats after starting an elimination diet, more than 80 % of patients had achieved a remission of clinical signs of CAFR. Increasing the diet trial duration to 8 weeks leads to a complete remission in more than 90 % of dogs and cats with CAFR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For diagnosing CAFRs in more than 90 % of dogs and cats, elimination diet trials should last at least 8 weeks.
authors: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA. tolivry@ncsu.edu.
authors: Thierry
authors: T
authors: Olivry
authors: Medizinische Kleintierklinik, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University, Veterinärstrasse 13, 80539, Munich, Germany.
authors: Ralf S
authors: RS
authors: Mueller
authors: Clinique Advetia, 5 rue Dubrunfaut, 75012, Paris, France.
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Prélaud
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*