Dog Food Allergies

Do You Have a Dog with Food Allergies?

The expression “eat like a dog” comes from the canines’ reputation for gulping down meals of all sorts in a matter of seconds. However, their indiscriminate palate isn’t helping their health, and veterinarians are noticing a rise in the number of dogs with food allergies.

Mimi Drew had her dog, Charlie, for a little more than a year when he got his first ear infection. She took him to the vet, who sent Charlie home with ointment and a round of antibiotics.

After many trips to the vet over nine months to treat chronic ear infections and itchy skin, Drew began to do some research. She ultimately traced Charlie’s symptoms to a rare canine food allergy: beef. “I was surprised that my vet didn’t even consider food allergies when Charlie had those symptoms,” Drew says.

“We could have spared Charlie a lot of suffering, not to mention the vet bills I could have avoided.”

Her vet was not necessarily to blame. Canine food allergies are not very common and, like human allergies, can be tricky to diagnose as dogs often do not show any immediate symptoms. A dog that’s allergic to a particular ingredient, such as soy, may remain symptom-free for years before experiencing any related problems.

Common Dog Food Allergies

A host of ingredients go into many commercial dog foods today. Most pets are OK and thrive on those foods, but a small percentage may be allergic to certain ingredients. Figuring out which ingredient is important to treating an allergic condition.

“It is often a protein source, such as chicken or beef, but it can include a carbohydrate, such as wheat, and in very rare cases corn,” says Korrin Saker, DMV, Associate Professor of Clinical Nutrition at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dogs can also be allergic to other ingredients, such as preservatives or additives. “I’ve seen dogs that were allergic to peanut butter and tomatoes,” Dr. Boord says. Peanut butter is sometimes an ingredient in dog biscuits, while tomato paste may be an ingredient in dry foods.

Veterinarians used to prescribe a diet based on lamb and rice for dogs with allergic reactions, but even those ingredients have become more common today and might be an allergen source. It’s less likely with rice, but more so with lamb, experts say.

Dog Food Allergy Symptoms

“It certainly seems like we’re seeing more dogs with food allergies, similarly to humans,” says Mona Boord, DVM, co-owner of the Animal Dermatology Clinic in San Diego.

When it comes to food allergies, it helps to know what to look for. According to Alexander Werner, DVM, of the VCA Westlake Village Animal Hospital, the signs are:  

• Chronic/recurring ear infections 
• Itchy face and paws 
• Hair loss, especially around the eyes

These symptoms can almost always be attributed to other issues. However, once you’ve ruled everything else out, consider discussing the possibility of a food allergy with your vet.

Veterinarians caution that there are two types of issues your dog may have with food.

• Food Intolerance 

The most common problem is a food intolerance, or food sensitivity, which means your dog isn’t digesting a particular type of food well. Food intolerance is a non-immunologic response that can trigger such symptoms as gassiness, vomiting, diarrhea, and borborygmus (also known as stomach growling), according to Dr. Saker.

• Food Allergy 

More immediate reactions from a dog’s immune system to an offending food are called food allergies. Symptoms may include intestinal distress but typically involve itching around the muzzle, ears, paws, and sometimes around the anus. The reason itchiness occurs in these places is probably that canines have more mast cells (which contain histamines and play a vital role in the inflammatory process) in these locations.

How Do I Know If My Dog Has a Food Allergy?

The simplest way to determine if your dog has a food allergy is to put your pup on a hypoallergenic food-elimination diet. Kimberly Carvalho, DVM, says you should “pick a novel protein source that your dog has never had before and feed it for six-to-eight weeks.” For example, a commercial lamb and rice formula works well if your dog did not previously eat this combination much before.

Carvalho advises that your dog must not have access to any other food, such as table scraps, bones, or treats during the trial period. She also recommends transitioning your dog gradually by mixing small amounts of the new flavored food with your dog’s old standby until you feed the new food exclusively.

At the end of the trial period, provided your dog’s symptoms are gone, try feeding your dog its original diet. If a food allergy is to blame, symptoms will return within two weeks. If this does happen, go back to the food that you used during the trial. If your dog’s symptoms still have not cleared up, and you have ruled out other causes, keep trying different flavors until your dog’s symptoms disappear. Usually, you can stick with your favorite pet food brand throughout the process. If your dog previously ate beef and veggies, try chicken and rice, or vice versa, depending on your dog’s prior diet.

Dr. Carvalho also points out that once you’ve successfully concluded the trial and gotten your dog’s allergies under control, it is essential to reintroduce treats one at a time. Wait six to eight weeks each time you introduce a new treat flavor to ensure it does not lead to an allergic reaction again.

How Do You Treat Food Allergies in Dogs?

There are several treatment options for dogs taken to a veterinarian with symptoms of a food allergy:

• Rule Out Other Ailments 

The first cause of the attack is to ensure that the problems aren’t being caused by something else. An intestinal parasite, for example, can cause similar symptoms. Dogs may also scratch themselves so much that they develop secondary infections. Itchiness can also develop due to allergies to environmental factors, including mold spores, pollens, and cleaners, says Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, Professor of Clinical Nutrition at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

• Elimination Diet 

Once other ailments are ruled out, veterinarians will ask you to chronicle your dog’s food history. Since common proteins like chicken and beef are frequent sources of food allergies, veterinarians will often advise that you look for foods with a “novel protein source,” something they don’t normally eat.

• Hypoallergenic Dog Food

An assortment of commercial hypoallergenic dog foods is now made for dogs with food allergies. Veterinarians advise that you look for foods with one source of protein and one source of carbohydrates, both of which should be “novel” for your pet. Kangaroo meat is one such “novel” protein, while potatoes or oats are examples of “novel” carbohydrates. Also, a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation and itching.

• Hydrolyzed Protein Dog Food

What is hydrolyzed protein dog food?  Hydrolyzed protein dog foods are prescribed to treat one of two diseases; food allergy or inflammatory bowel disease.  As assortment of commercially made hydrolyzed protein dog foods are now readily available.

• Medicines 

Lastly, there is a series of medicines that can help your dog deal with food allergies. Dogs can be given allergy shots to help build up a food tolerance, Dr. Wakshlag says. Also, small doses of steroids can be used to make the itchiness more tolerable for your dog. There are also immunosuppressive therapies, such as Cyclosporine, that can help in treatment.