How can I tell if my dog is allergic to her food?

Answer 1

There is a distinction that needs to be made between food allergies and food intolerances. Food allergies are true allergies and show the characteristic symptoms of itching and skin problems associated with canine and feline allergies. Food intolerances can result in diarrhea or vomiting and do not create a typical allergic response. Food intolerances in pets would be similar to people that get diarrhea or an upset stomach from eating spicy or fried foods. Fortunately, both food intolerances and allergies can be eliminated with a diet free from offending agents.Common food culprits

Several studies have shown that some ingredients are more likely to cause food allergies than others. In order of the most common offenders in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, chicken eggs, corn, and soy. As you may have noticed, the most common offenders are the most common ingredients in dog foods. This correlation is not a coincidence. While some proteins might be slightly more antigenic than others, many proteins are similar in form and the incidence of allergic reactions are probably associated with the amount of exposure. For example, pet foods have historically been made up of beef, chicken, corn, and wheat. In an effort to combat food allergies, several companies produced a diet made of lamb and rice. There was nothing special about lamb and rice diets except those two ingredients were normally not present in pet foods. Animals had not eaten lamb or rice before, and therefore, had not developed an allergy to it yet. If the main ingredients in pet food become lamb and rice, then it would stand to reason that the most common problem foods could become lamb and rice. The determinant of whether a food is likely to cause a food allergy or not is based on the structure and size of the glycoprotein in the food. In addition, many lamb and rice-based foods contain many other ingredients, and if the animal has a food allergy to any of them, this lamb and rice food will do nothing to treat the food allergy. In addition, while many people criticized and blamed preservatives and flavorings as a source of food allergies, studies have shown that they are not the causes, and while we may not have justifiable health concerns about preservatives, food allergies is not one of them.

Symptoms

The symptoms of food allergies are similar to those of most allergies seen in dogs and cats. The primary symptom is itchy skin. Symptoms may also include chronic or recurrent ear infections, hair loss, excessive scratching, hot spots, and skin infections that respond to antibiotics but reoccur after antibiotics are discontinued. There is evidence that dogs with food allergies may sometimes have an increased incidence of bowel movements. One study showed that non-allergic dogs have around 1.5 bowel movements per day where some dogs with food allergies may have 3 or more per day.

It is difficult to distinguish an animal suffering from food allergies from an animal suffering from atopy or other allergies based on physical signs. However, there are a few signs that always make me suspect food allergies. One of these, is a dog with recurrent ear problems, particularly yeast infections. Another, is a very young dog with moderate or severe skin problems. A third tip off, is if a dog suffers from allergies year-round or if the symptoms begin in the winter. And the final clue, is a dog that has very itchy skin but does not respond to antihistamines or steroid treatment.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis for food allergies is very straightforward. But due to the fact that many other problems can cause similar symptoms and that many times animals are suffering from more problems than just food allergies, it is very important that all other problems are properly identified and treated prior to undergoing diagnosis for food allergies. Atopy, flea bite allergies, intestinal parasite hypersensitivities, sarcoptic mange, and yeast or bacterial infections can all cause similar symptoms as food allergies. Once all other causes have been ruled out or treated, then it is time to perform a food trial.

Elimination diets and provocative testing: A food trial consists of feeding an animal a novel food source of protein and carbohydrate for 12 weeks. A novel food source would be a protein and carbohydrate that the animal had never eaten before. An example would be rabbit and rice, or venison and potato, or duck and rutabagas. These are homemade diets but there are several commercial diets available on the market. Special Foods produced by Hill's and Purina, and a food named EXclude are used by many dermatologists. Regardless of the diet used, it must be the only thing the animal eats for 12 weeks. This means no treats; absolutely nothing but the special food and water. Young growing pets have special dietary needs and a homemade diet that only contains one protein and one carbohydrate with no multivitamin or fatty acid may not be suitable even for only twelve weeks. For puppies undergoing a food trial, a balanced commercial diet like the ones listed above is recommended.

A food trial consists of feeding a dog a novel food source of protein and carbohydrate for 12 weeks.
Veterinarians used to recommend that a pet only needed to be placed on a special diet for 3 weeks, but new studies show that in dogs, only 26% of those with food allergies responded by day 21. However, the vast majority of pets responded by 12 weeks. Therefore, it is very important to keep the pet on the diet for the entire 12 weeks. If the dog shows a marked reduction or elimination of the symptoms, then the animal is placed back on the original food. This is called 'provocative testing' and is essential to confirm the diagnosis. If the symptoms return after going back on the original diet, the diagnosis of a food allergy is confirmed. If there has been no change in symptoms but a food allergy is still strongly suspected, then another food trial using a different novel food source could be tried.

We must reiterate that placing a dog on a commercial lamb and rice formula dog food is not an acceptable way to diagnose or treat food allergies. Lamb and rice are no longer considered novel food sources and most commercial lamb and rice diets also contain wheat, egg, corn, or other ingredients that can be the cause of the food allergy. Despite the implication by dog food companies to the contrary, these foods do not prevent food allergies nor are they considered adequate for diagnosis. While these diets may provide adequate nutrition, they are not a substitute for a true, novel protein source diet.

http://www.dogsonly.org/FoodAllergies.html

Answer 2

several companies make limited ingredient foods for dogs with allergies. I feel that the best is California Natural...they make 3 formulas, with protein sources being Herring, Lamb, or Chicken. Another good brand is Natural Balance (some of their formulas are considered "hypoallergenic"). Taste of the Wild has some unique protein sources, as well (duck, bison). Pinnacle and Evanger's are two others to check out. Do you know, specifically, what he is allergic to in his current food? Some common allergens: chicken, beef, soy, corn, wheat, dairy, yeast, and eggs. Check out the ingredient list on his current food (that is causing the allergy issue), and look for a food that doesn't include any of the ingredients that the offending food contains. If he's on chicken, you might try lamb. If he's on lamb, you might try duck. Lots of the "hypoallergenic" foods use rice or potatoes as a carbohydrate source, as they are not normally associated with allergies. Many of the lesser dog foods claim to be "Lamb & Rice", when the main carb source is actually corn, though the food will also contain rice. Be sure to read the labels!

Answer 3

I had a similar problem with my dog when I first got her. Depending on the dogs age you can request a blood allergy test where the blood will get sent out to a lab and tested to see what is causing a reaction. Keep in mind though that the tests
In the meantime the other way which is the one I had to take since my dog was 7mos and was not fully developed and immune to alot of items was to switch to Science Diet meal such as Venison or Lamb with rice or Potatos. (Recommended by my Vet) Science Diet is designed for all dogs but mainly for those with medical problems such as allergies. remove all food "treats" and check the ingredients of the current food, try giving bits of the main ingredients to see if there is a reaction. Then slowly give introduce treats and about a week at a time.
It is a long process but out of the entire process it turned out to be a Pigear treat that mine was allergic to, but in turn to that all pork products are out for her.

Finally If your dog is scratching alot from the allergy re-enforce no scratching and try putting baby powder on the open skin areas to keep cool and ease the erge to scratch.

Answer 4

many dogs are allergic to the corn in a lot of cheaper dog foods. my dog itched and scratched all the time. i switched her to a higher quality lamb and rice formula and the itching has stopped. you should also avoid foods with a lot of dyes in them, especially red dye. it causes diarrhea.

Answer 5

You can either take her to the vet and have tests done ($$$$$) or you can switch her food and wait to see if she gets better. We had to switch ours to a hypo-allegenic food (which is more expensive, but better than have her throwing up all the time).

Answer 6

Normally itching and chewing is a first sign. Most dogs will chew on their feet and scratch alot.

Answer 7

IF any inflammation occurs around the mouth that can be sign. Also she may stay away from the food or begin vomiting

Answer 8

Ways I tell is by excessive "smelly" flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea, crankiness, drinking water more than usual, sleeping a lot, not eating.

Answer 9

If she poops all over and pukes and like dies . haha . no offence