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Figuring out why your dog is itchy and what to do about it can be very complicated and frustrating.
Food allergies — and therefore, canine skin allergies — in dogs are increasingly common. The foods commonly reported to cause allergy symptoms in dogs are beef, chicken, lamb, wheat, soy, walnuts, and corn. However, dogs can be allergic to any food that contains small amounts of protein including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Most cases of food allergies can be successfully controlled with a change in diet. Changing the source of meat in your dog’s food, introducing a new meat to your dog, or feeding a diet with hydrolyzed protein may help ease your dog’s symptoms.
How do I know if my dog is allergic to his food?
Food allergies and sensitivities can have many symptoms but often manifest as itchy skin. Environmental allergens can cause similar skin symptoms. Dogs with food allergies are also often allergic to the environment. Without treatment, these symptoms can get worse over time.
Food allergy symptoms include:
- Repeated ear infections
- Rash around mouth and anus
- Infections and leaky anal glands
- Repeated skin infections (hot spots)
- Itchy skin
- Licking/chewing feet and legs
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Return
What is causing my dog’s food allergy?
The exact causes of food allergies and sensitivities are still poorly understood. However, it is believed that genetics and gut integrity may play a role in the development of food allergies in dogs. Alternate diet has been shown to reduce the likelihood of developing food allergies. The rationale is that by rotating proteins daily, weekly, monthly or even seasonally, the body may not have time to tolerate any type of protein. This theory has not been proven with any scientific evidence.
If I treat my dog’s food allergies, will it also treat skin allergies?
The best treatment for dogs with food allergies is to identify the offending foods and eliminate them from the diet. A small number of dogs will be able to continue eating those allergenic foods after several months of removal. Dogs who are allergic to only one source of meat may have immediate success with dietary changes. However, dogs with allergies to certain foods may need a more advanced dietary strategy to successfully diagnose and treat their symptoms.
Work with your veterinarian to make sure that your dog’s skin allergy symptoms are not caused by other factors such as: parasites, environmental allergies, stress or other illnesses. Adding a veterinary dermatologist to your veterinary team can expand your pet’s treatment options. You can Find a dermatologist near you.
Management of food allergies in dogs through diet
The following are some dietary strategies that may be successful in treating dogs with food allergies:
New meat source diet
If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, the easiest change is to switch sources of protein in your dog’s diet. For example, if you’re feeding a chicken-based diet, switch to a beef or fish-based diet. Read ingredient labels carefully to make sure there’s only one source of protein. For example, many pet food companies will add chicken to recipes that are advertised as having fish as the main ingredient in the recipe. When you decide to choose a new protein source, check the ingredients in snacks and supplements to make sure your dog is getting only one source of protein from meat.
Limited ingredients diet
This diet limits the total number of ingredients, usually one source of protein and one source of carbohydrates; for example, lamb and rice. These diets are available over-the-counter or with a veterinarian’s prescription. The advantage of a limited-ingredient diet is that the production line is more controlled, which helps prevent cross-contamination from other formulas, which is very important for extremely demanding dogs. sensitive. These diets can also be prepared at home as long as they are balanced. There are tools available to help. For example, Balanceit.com is a website that helps pet owners design and balance a limited-ingredient diet.
Novel protein diet
A new protein is defined as a protein your dog has never eaten before. This can reduce the chances of your dog having a reaction. However, some foods are cross-reactive. For example, a dog who is allergic to beef may also be allergic to lamb, even if he has never eaten lamb. Proteins that are often unfamiliar to dogs include duck, alligator, venison, and kangaroo. These diets can also double as ingredient-restricted diets, as many of them are designed for dogs with allergies.
Hydrolyzed Protein Diet
These diets are frequently prescribed by veterinarians to diagnose and treat food allergies. To understand how these diets work, you need to understand the structure of a protein. Think of a protein like a thread of pearls. Each pearl is an amino acid. The longer the pearl fiber, the more inclined the body is to perceive it as an allergen. Hydrolyzed diets are made up of proteins that are cut into smaller pearl strands. This makes each protein less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Soy, chicken, and fish are commonly used to make these diets. Although soy and chicken are common allergens, they become less allergenic when hydrolyzed into smaller proteins. Feed this diet only with food that has been hydrolyzed – adding other non-hydrolysed foods may trigger allergy symptoms in your dog. There are several different formulations and prescription brands of the hydrolyzed diet. If your dog doesn’t like the taste or has symptoms when eating a food, try a different brand or recipe. Find examples of hydrolyzed diet is here.
Diet based on amino acids
An amino acid-based diet is like a hydrolysed diet, but is broken down even further into individual amino acids. This is like taking a pearl thread and cutting it into individual pearls. This virtually eliminates the possibility of your dog being allergic to this diet. This type of diet is only made by a prescription dog food brand. Like the hydrolyzed diet, this diet should be fed alone and without food and other foods. If this diet is effective in controlling your dog’s symptoms, it should be continued for at least 14 weeks. At that point, you can start adding one ingredient per week to your amino acid-based diet. When adding food back into your dog’s diet, start with foods that are less reactive, such as fruits and vegetables. This method will help you determine which foods are causing your dog’s symptoms. It is safe for your dog to continue eating an amino acid-based diet for life. You can also switch to a home-cooked or commercial diet that contains the foods you’ve tried without causing symptoms. Amino acid-based diets are less palatable than other diets. If your dog refuses to eat this diet, try switching to a hydrolyzed diet, which tends to be more palatable. Amino acid-based diets tend to be prescription-only. An example is Royal Canin’s Ultamino dog’s food.
Finding the right diet to help treat your dog’s food allergies can be a process. Each time you change your dog’s diet, take time to add in the new diet while slowly eliminating the old one. Conversion will take four to seven days. You may need to try a few different diets before you find one that works. These diets can take 4 to 6 weeks for pain relief. Avoid foods and supplements that are not included in the diet plan. No matter what type of diet you’re on, never stop giving your dog its prescription medication. Patience is very important! It can take up to six months to find a diet that is not only right for your dog’s allergies but also has an enjoyable taste and consistency.
