24 Jun 2020
Company to host two-hour CPD symposium to discuss work to introduce a cat-friendly option to manage cat allergens in owners.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
A two-hour virtual CPD symposium on managing cat allergens is being organised by the Purina Institute.
Speakers at the event will include feline specialist Andy Sparkes and the immunologist who led the Purina research, Ebenezer Satyaraj.
Purina this month (June) launched LiveClear, a “feline-friendly option in the management of cat allergens” in the form of the first allergen-reducing food.
Dr Sparkes will run through the consequences of feline allergy, with many allergic existing owners having to tolerate their symptoms rather than relinquishing their cats. Dr Satyaraj will detail how he and his team identified another option.
Libby Sheridan, Purina veterinary technical affairs manager for UK and Ireland, said: “This innovation is safe for cats that continue to produce the major cat allergen, Fel d 1, which is found mainly in the cat’s saliva and sebaceous glands.
“Our researchers found that the Fel d 1 protein could be neutralised through feeding a nutritious cat food coated with an innovative egg product ingredient containing anti-Fel d 1 antibodies, which helps reduce the active allergen transferred to hair and dander during grooming, and ultimately helps reduce active Fel d 1 in the environment.”
She added: “Now the science has resulted in a commercially available product that could have a big impact on the quality of life of the cat and their owner. We’ll be sharing the research behind this at the symposium so that clinicians can evaluate the potential benefits.”
Details of how to register for the symposium, on Wednesday 8 July, are available now. Anyone who registers will enter a prize draw to win an iPad, with additional prizes of goody bags also available.
