Successful nutritional control of scratching and clinical signs associated with adverse food reaction: A randomized controlled COSCAD'18 adherent clinical trial in dogs in the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND: Adverse reactions to food are a common dermatological condition in dogs, requiring nutritional intervention using novel or hydrolysate protein‐based foods. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a therapeutic food containing egg and phytonutrients in dogs with food allergies using an activity monitor and core outcome set for canine atopic dermatitis (COSCAD'18) in a controlled double‐masked, multicenter, prospective clinical trial. ANIMALS: Adult dogs with a history of adverse food reaction as diagnosed by a food elimination trial were recruited from general practices. METHODS: After a 21‐day baseline period, dogs were randomized to test or positive control (hydrolyzed protein) food for 21 days. Owner (pruritus visual analog score [PVAS], coat quality, food acceptance, and satisfaction) and veterinarian (canine atopic dermatitis lesion index [CADLI], physical examination) assessments were completed on days 0, 21, and 42. Dogs wore a collar‐mounted activity monitor to record sleep, scratching, and shaking behavior throughout the study. Statistical analysis included within‐group comparison to baseline and between‐group comparison at study end using a significance threshold of alpha = 0.05. RESULTS: At the end of the treatment period, all results were similar between groups for CADLI, PVAS, owner satisfaction, activity, and questionnaire data. Scores for hair dullness, brittleness, amount of dandruff, feces quality, and food acceptance were positive and were not statistically different between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The therapeutic test food was well‐accepted and efficacious in managing signs of adverse reactions to food compared to baseline as well as compared to the positive control food.