title: Western blot analysis of sera from dogs with suspected food allergy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food allergy is often suspected in dogs with clinical signs of atopic dermatitis. This diagnosis is confirmed with an elimination diet and a subsequent challenge with regular food. Laboratory tests for the diagnosis of food allergy in dogs are unreliable and/or technically difficult. Cyno-DIAL®is a Western blot method that might assist with the selection of an appropriate elimination diet.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the performance of Cyno-DIAL®for the selection of an elimination diet and diagnosis of food allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty eight dogs with atopic dermatitis completed an elimination diet. Combining the results of the diet trials and the challenges, 14 dogs were classified as food allergic (FA), 22 as nonfood-allergic and two as ambiguous cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Amongst all dogs and amongst dogs with a clinical diagnosis of FA, 3% and 7% (respectively) were positive to Royal Canin Anallergenic®, Vet-Concept Kanguru®or Vet-Concept Dog Sana®; 8% and 7% to Hill's d/d Duck and Rice®; 8% and 21% to Hill's z/d Ultra Allergen Free®; 53% and 64% to Eukanuba Dermatosis FP®; and 32% and 43% to a home-cooked diet of horse meat, potatoes and zucchini. The specificity and sensitivity of Cyno-DIAL®for diagnosing food allergy were 73% and 71%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although Cyno-DIAL®was considered potentially useful for identifying appropriate foods for elimination diet trials, it cannot be recommended for the diagnosis of food allergy. The Cyno-DIAL®test performed better than some previously evaluated ELISA-based tests.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 204, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Favrot
authors.affiliation: Tieraerztliche Spezialisten, Rodigallee 85, D-22043, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linek
authors.affiliation: Clinique Vétérinaire, 425 Brugmann Avenue, B-1180, Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.affiliation: Cabinet Vétérinaire, 104 Reine Astrid Avenue, B-4900, Spa, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beco
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 204, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rostaher
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 204, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Genclis SA, 15 rue du Bois de la Champelle, 54500, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Couturier
authors.affiliation: Genclis SA, 15 rue du Bois de la Champelle, 54500, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacquenet
authors.affiliation: Genclis SA, 15 rue du Bois de la Champelle, 54500, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Bernard E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Bihain
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E