Dog Food To Help With Allergies

Types Of Hypoallergenic Dog Food

Hypoallergenic dog food could be misleading since an ingredient that triggers food allergies in dogs varies from one dog to another.

For example, for a dog that’s allergic to chicken, any food that does not contain this common allergen can be considered hypoallergenic dog food.

But that’s not the case for dogs that are allergic to various ingredients other than chicken, like rice or beef, pork, and others.

A vet typically recommends this type of dog food once your dog’s food allergies are determined. Though hypoallergenic dog foods are often regarded as prescription dog foods, some are readily available over-the-counter and online.

Here are the common types of hypoallergenic food for dogs: Limited Ingredient Diet, Hydrolyzed Dog Food, and Grain-Free Diet.

Limited Ingredient Diet

Limited ingredient dog food, otherwise known as limited ingredient diets , refers to dog foods with fewer ingredients. This diet helps eliminate and identify food ingredients that trigger dog food allergies.

Generally, limited ingredient diets include a novel protein and a different carbohydrate source.

A novel protein is a new protein that is not usually present in common dog foods. Examples of sources include kangaroo, venison, duck, venison, turkey, and ostrich.

Usual novel carbohydrate sources for limited ingredients diet are brown rice, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal.

Hydrolyzed Formula

Grain-Free Formula

Whats Causing My Dogs Food Allergies Or Intolerance

A food allergy is a reaction that involves the immune system while a food intolerance does not involve the immune system. Both allergies and intolerances may cause severe symptoms but are physiologically different.The exact cause of food allergies and sensitivities is poorly understood. However, it is believed that genetics and the integrity of the intestines may play a role in the development of food allergies in dogs. Rotational diets have been thought to decrease 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 become intolerant of any one protein. This theory has not been proven with any scientific evidence.

How Can I Tell If My Dog Has A Food Allergy Or Just A Food Intolerance

Unfortunately theres not a definitive test that can determine if your dog has a food allergy. Many of the symptoms overlap with food intolerance or with other ailments. In general, a food intolerance only involves tummy upset, whereas an allergy will also cause skin issues.

The good news is that both can be effectively treated with the right dog food. As with all concerns though, its best to consult your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis before you take any steps for treatment.

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Does Your Dog Really Need Lamb Bison And Other ‘hypoallergenic’ Dog Food Proteins

In order to identify what is the best dog food for dogs with food allergies you must first understand what are food allergies and what causes them.

Many different terms are used to describe abnormal reactions to food. The terms allergy and hypersensitivity describe an immunologic reaction to food allergens and requires previous exposure to the allergen to bring about symptoms. In contrast, a food intolerance does not involve the immune system and can occur with the first exposure to a certain food. Both reactions produce similar symptoms and may be difficult to tell apart without veterinary guidance.

In fact, according to Dr. Adam Patterson, clinical assistant professor and Chief of Dermatology at the Texas A& M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Small Animal Clinic, Food allergies in dogs present themselves quite differently than food allergies in humans. For instance, a person who is allergic to shellfish may experience throat swelling and possibly a critical or fatal reaction, but in dogs, the allergy is expressed through the skin and seen most often as itch.

Can Dogs Have Food Allergies

Your dog can have food allergies just like you can. 1 to 2 percent of all dogs presenting to primary care veterinarians are diagnosed with food allergies, Dr. Burch told The Dodo.

Food allergies happen when your dogs immune system reacts to proteins in certain foods.

The immune system will then target the skin, gastrointestinal system and other organs during the inflammatory response, Dr. Burch said.

Your dog can develop a food allergy at pretty much any age, even if youve never changed his diet.

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Go Solutions Carnivore Grain

Image courtesy Go! Solutions

With Go! Solutions Carnivore Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck Recipe, you can provide your dog with high-quality food tailored to his specific nutritional needs.

This healthy, grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and potato-free recipe is ideal for dogs on a diet. Go! Solutions’ natural and wilderness-inspired recipes utilize ingredients like wild boar, salmon, duck, lamb, ocean fish, turkey, and chicken to bring out the dog’s taste buds.

How Are Food Allergies Triggered

Food allergies are passed on genetically and are activated by exposure. The more ingredients your dog has eaten in their food, the more theyve been exposed to things that may trigger an allergy.

After theyve been exposed to various ingredients, dogs with allergies will have a hyperactive immune response. This reaction causes inflammatory substances, such as histamine, to be released that cause the allergy symptoms.

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Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain

Image courtesy Instinct Raw

The Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Lamb is perfect for dogs with allergies or sensitivities. It is made with lamb, peas, and tapioca, and is free of grains, soy, wheat, artificial flavors, and preservatives.

This formula provides your dog with all the essential nutrients he needs while being easy on his stomach. The Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Recipe with Real Lamb is a great option for dogs with itchy skin as it contains omega fatty acids to help soothe and nourish the skin.

Managing Food Allergies In Dogs Through Diet

The following are several diet 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 to make is switching the protein source in your dogs diet. For example, if you are feeding a chicken-based diet, switch to a beef- or fish-based diet. Read the ingredient label carefully to ensure that there is only one protein source. For example, many pet food companies will add chicken to formulas that are advertised as having primarily fish in the recipe. Once you decide on a new protein source, check the ingredients in treats and supplements to ensure that your pup only gets one source of meat protein.

Limited ingredient diet

This diet limits the total number of ingredients, typically to one source of protein and one source of carbohydrate for example, lamb and rice. These diets are commercially available over the counter or by prescription from a veterinarian. The advantage of prescription limited ingredient diets is that the manufacturing lines are more controlled, helping to prevent cross contamination from other formulas, which is important for extremely sensitive dogs. These diets can also be prepared at home as long as they are balanced. There are tools out there to help. For example, Balanceit.com is a website that helps pet owners design and balance a limited ingredient diet.

Hydrolyzed Protein Diet

Amino Acid Based Diet

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Protein For Dogs With Allergies: Signs Your Dog Is Having Too Much Protein

When it comes to your dog, protein is something that we typically think of wanting to have a lot of in their diet. However, too much of a good thing can also have consequences. According to PetMD:

Protein is a calorie dense nutrient and many of the high protein diets are extremely high in calories and can quickly lead to weight gain. With over 50% of dogs in the U.S. considered overweight or obese, dog owners need to be aware of where those extra calories are hiding. If a dog has kidney or liver issues consuming too much protein can increase the workload on these organs and upset the balance of nutrients leading to exacerbation of disease.

That being said, they go on to say that you should look for a food formulated for your dogs lifestylesome dogs should have more protein in their diet! This is yet another reason why you should take your dog to the vet often, as your vet will be able to recommend a diet that works for your dogs size, breed, and energy level.

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach And Sensitive Skin Dry Dog Food

• This adult dry dog food promotes digestive health while nourishing skin
• Vitamin E, omega-6 fatty acids and other nutrients in smaller kibble help nourish skin and promote a lustrous coat
• This dog food is formulated to be highly digestible for optimal nutrient absorption and easier stool pick-up

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How Can I Tell If My Dog Has An Allergy

There are a few signs that may indicate your dog has an allergy, such as excessive licking, chewing, or scratching of the skin. Dogs with allergies may also have hot spots, hair loss, or scaly patches of skin. If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to take your dog to the vet for an evaluation.

At-home allergy tests are available, but they are not always accurate. The best way to determine if your dog has allergies is to work with a veterinarian.

Grain Free Chickpea Dog Treats

• Yield:2 dozen medium cookies 1x
• Category:Limited ingredient dog treats

• 1 cup chickpea flour plus more to flour board
• 1/2 cup plain unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter
• optional: a dusting of stone ground oats for visual appeal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix the chickpea flour, applesauce, and peanut butter together in a large bowl

Roll to a 1/4 thickness, dusting the board with additional flour or a sprinkle of steel cut oats for visual contrast

Cut out your dog biscuits with your favorite cookie cutters and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet

Bake cookies for 22 minute or until just golden brown around the edges

When done, you can turn off the oven but leave your baking sheets inside for a crunchier cookie, just keep an eye out that they dont over brown

When cool, store your dog cookies in an airtight container for longer shelf life.

A post shared by Kikis Canine Kitchen on Apr 19, 2019 at 11:45am PDT

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Treatment For Your Dogs Food Allergies

Your dogs food allergies cant be cured. The best form of food allergy treatment in dogs is just to identify the food that causes a reaction through a food trial and then avoid feeding it to your pup.

While you cant exactly treat the underlying food allergy, there are ways to reduce your dogs symptoms from an allergic reaction.

Along with diagnosing the underlying cause and treatment, your allergy dog will need supportive care to stop the itch, prevent irritation and treat any secondary bacterial infection, Dr. Burch said.

Two popular prescription allergy medications are Cytopoint and Apoquel.

Cytopoint is an injection that works to reduce your pups itching. One injection can last four to six weeks.

Apoquel, on the other hand, is an oral tablet youd give your dog daily for his allergy symptoms. It works by suppressing your pups immune system so he doesnt have such a strong reaction to the things hes allergic to.

Lucy Pet Products Formulas For Life Grain

Lucy Pet Products Formulas For Life Duck, Pumpkin & Quinoa Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a wholesome and delicious way to provide complete nourishment with minimal allergies. It contains no by-products or artificial ingredients. Utilizes potato-free carbs like chickpeas, and prebiotics and pumpkin for aiding digestion.

• Balanced and complete nutrition for all life stages.
• Blend of superfood supports healthy immune system.
• Duck is the first ingredient and packs the food full of protein.

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Diets For Dog Food Allergies

Here are a couple of different approaches to treating food allergies in dogs.

This approach involves feeding proteins that your dog has likely never been exposed to in an effort to avoid an allergic reaction. Rabbit, venison, and other novel ingredients are used in place of more common protein sources. Allergy-friendly foods must be completely free of your dogs triggers.

Hydrolyzed Proteins

Rather than changing which proteins are used, hydrolyzed protein prescription diets break proteins down so that the immune system no longer recognizes them as a threat.

How Is A Food Allergy Diagnosed

The best and most accurate method of diagnosing a food allergy is to feed a hypoallergenic diet for eight to twelve weeks as a food trial called an elimination trial. To be a true elimination trial for your dog, this special diet must not contain any ingredients that it has eaten in the past. It also requires that no other foods, treats, or supplements are fed during the trial period, including flavored vitamins and certain parasite preventives.

If your dog’s allergy symptoms resolve while on the food trial, the next step is to perform a food challenge by re-introducing your dog’s old food. If your dog’s symptoms resolve with the food trial AND return within one week of a food challenge, your dog has been definitively diagnosed with a food allergy.

There are blood tests that may indicate whether the dog is allergic to specific foods. These are called serum IgE tests, and your veterinarian will discuss whether they would be of benefit in diagnosing your pet’s condition. There is some evidence suggesting that this blood testing is not as effective as food elimination trials.

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How We Make Our Raw Dog Food

We formulate ProDog Raw food meals to meet the extreme demands placed on the bodies of working dogs this means for domestic dogs, our meals provide an abundance of nutrients, fuelling them to thrive too. Our quality, frozen raw foods contain the healthy fats and species-appropriate proteins a dog requires, regardless of their role in life. Plus, we ensure grains, fillers or any ingredient that does not support the canine digestive system are NOT included.

What Other Foods Can You Use In Homemade Dog Food

• You can interchange all the ingredients.
• I buy the meat that is on sale such as hamburger, turkey, and chicken. Whatever you choose, choose very lean cuts and no skin. Your dog cannot eat very fatty protein.
• You change out the vegetables from time to time also. I sometime switch out the butternut squash with pumpkin or sweet potato.
• You can add in apples or apple sauce for a variety in flavor.
• Instead of the kidney beans, you can use lentils or pinto beans.
• You can also add in chicken livers. Chicken livers are really good for your dog, but also very rich. You want to add in small amounts.
• The egg shells are also very good for dogs. This adds in calcium. Most dogs won’t eat the shells unless they are really broken up or crushed. You can crush the shells in a coffee grinder, food processor, or with a mortar and pestle.
• Salmon, salmon oil, and fish oil also helps with skin allergies and inflammation.
• I use white rice because it is easier on sensitive stomachs than brown rice. You can use brown rice if your dog does not have a sensitive stomach.

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What Is The Best Dog Food For Allergies

• Best Omega-Rich Dog Food for Allergies: AvoDerm Natural Dry & Wet Dog Food For Skin & CoatThis food features a rich mixture of avocado and fish oil to provide omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and combat skin allergy symptoms.
• Best Limited Ingredient Dog Food for Allergies: NUTRO Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Dry DogMade with ten or fewer key ingredients, this is a limited ingredient food that is made with the fewest ingredients on this list.

Other Things That Cause Skin Problems

Itching and skin infections most often come from:

• Allergies to fleas
• Allergies to things in the air or in the petâs surroundings, like dust mites, pollen, or grasses

When fleas or a flea allergy are behind your petâs skin condition, thatâs usually the easiest thing to figure out. If you see fleas, your vet will fix you up with a product that kills them, and possibly also a medication to stop the allergic reaction to fleas. If the symptoms clear up, thatâs it.

Itâs harder to nail down if your dog or cat is allergic to things like pollen. Your vet will examine your pet, ask you about its health history, and do skin tests.

Once you know what your pet is allergic to, your vet can work out how to handle it. You may have to:

• Keep your pet away from whatever itâs allergic to, if thatâs possible.
• Help your pet keep its coat clean.
• See that your pet gets regular allergy shots or whatever medicine your vet prescribes.

Whatever the solution is, youâll have to make a long-term commitment to stick with it. Your pet will depend on you.

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Our Recommendation For You

Although the exclusion diet is laborious, it is the most effective method of identifying a food allergy. Responsibility for adhering to this diet rests with the owner and his/her family. Only strict adherence to the diet plan can help to effectively identify allergy potential. Dog owners tend to be reluctant to perform the provocation test often associated with this diet because it triggers symptoms to which they would rather not subject their dog. However, it does make sense for making a definitive diagnosis. The allergy test in the large intestine mucous membrane must be carried out under anaesthetic, which is something many dog owners donât wish to put their dog through. However, this also is an extremely reliable method of pinpointing the allergy-triggering proteins, which makes food selection considerably easier. The blood test is less suitable for diagnosing a food allergy.