Common Food Intolerances in Dogs: What You Need to Know

As a dog owner, it's essential to know what common food intolerances your furry friend might be dealing with. According to research, lactose intolerance affects up to 20% of dogs worldwide.

Dogs with lactose intolerance struggle to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products, leading to uncomfortable symptoms.

Beef can be a common allergen for some dogs, causing an immune system reaction that leads to symptoms like itching, scratching, and digestive issues.

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Dogs can develop intolerances to certain foods, which can lead to uncomfortable symptoms and even health problems.

Lactose intolerance is a common food intolerance in dogs, particularly those of certain breeds such as Bulldogs and Pugs.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance in dogs can include diarrhea, vomiting, and gas.

Some dogs may also be intolerant to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

Beef is a staple food for dogs and a key ingredient in many dog foods. However, consistent feeding of beef can lead to a beef allergy in some dogs.

Expand your knowledge: Beef Food for Dogs

Feeding your dog a varied and balanced diet is essential to avoid an allergic reaction. This means not feeding the same meat, like beef, every week.

Here's a simple rotation plan to follow: feed beef, chicken, and lamb alternatively each week. For example, one week you can feed beef, the next week chicken, and the following week lamb.

Suggestion: Alternative Food for Dogs Instead of Dog Food

Dairy can be a culprit for some dogs. Some dogs can be allergic to the lactose in milk, which manifests as itchy skin and rashes. A dairy allergy is more serious than lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance in dogs causes gastrointestinal problems such as gas, vomiting, or diarrhea. If your dog develops itchy skin or rashes, it's best to quit feeding them dairy products.

Soy can be a problematic food for dogs, causing health issues such as liver disease and a dysfunctional reproductive system.

Some people may not realize that soy is not suitable for canine consumption, and it's essential to be aware of this to ensure our furry friends stay healthy.

Dogs may also experience allergic reactions to soy, which can be a serious issue.

If you're a dog owner, it's crucial to avoid feeding your pet soy or soy-based products to prevent these health problems.

If you're considering adding soy to your diet, be aware that it can cause various health issues in dogs and take necessary precautions to keep them safe.

Symptoms of food intolerance in dogs can be tricky to spot, but common signs include persistent itching, especially on the paws, face, ears, belly, and under the tail.

Itching can lead to secondary infections with bacteria and yeast, which can worsen the itch. This can happen at any age, even if your dog has eaten the same food their whole life.

Vomiting and diarrhea can also be symptoms of food intolerance in dogs, affecting up to 20% of dogs with food allergies.

Other signs include conjunctivitis (red eyes), hives, sneezing, and increased frequency of bowel movements.

Additional reading: Food Intolerance Dogs

Here are the common symptoms of food intolerance in dogs:

To diagnose food intolerance in dogs, your veterinarian may recommend an elimination diet trial, which involves feeding a specific diet for at least two months to see if symptoms improve.

During this trial, all other treats, supplements, and edible products must be eliminated to ensure accurate results.

The most reliable method for diagnosing food intolerance in dogs is an elimination diet trial, which involves feeding a diet that doesn't contain any proteins your dog has been previously exposed to.

Consider reading: Pros and Cons of Feeding Dogs Human Food

An elimination diet trial is a crucial step in determining if your dog has a food intolerance. It involves removing all potential allergens from your dog's diet and reintroducing them one at a time to identify the culprit.

The goal of an elimination diet trial is to isolate the specific ingredient causing the reaction. Unfortunately, over-the-counter diets can't be relied upon for this process, as up to 83% of them contain unlabeled ingredients.

Consider reading: Dog Food Trial

To ensure a successful elimination diet trial, you'll need to work closely with your veterinarian. They'll guide you on how to administer the trial and provide a prescribed diet for your dog. This diet should only include the prescribed food and water, with no treats or supplements.

Monthly preventatives like heartworm and flea medication should also be used without flavoring. It's essential to separate your dog from other pets during feeding time to prevent cross-contamination.

To minimize stomach upset, the trial diet should be introduced gradually over 3-7 days. This can be done by mixing the new diet with your dog's original food and gradually reducing the amount of original food.

A diagnostic food trial typically lasts for 8 weeks, with 4 weeks for the immune system to adjust to the new diet and 4 weeks to see an improvement. If your dog's symptoms persist, a rechallenge may be necessary to pinpoint the specific allergen causing the reaction.

Here's a list of potential allergens to avoid during the elimination diet trial:

The most likely food allergens contributing to canine CAFRs are beef, dairy products, chicken, and wheat, while in cats, the most common food allergens are beef, fish, and chicken.

Diagnosing a food allergy can take time, typically 8 to 12 weeks, so your veterinarian may recommend anti-itch treatments to keep your pet comfortable during this period.

Anti-itch medications commonly used for the treatment of itch associated with allergies include Cytopoint, Apoquel, Atopica, Glucocorticoids, and Anti-histamines.

Here are some common anti-itch medications and their characteristics:

The best treatment for food allergies is avoidance, working with your veterinarian to diagnose a food allergy and figure out exactly what your pet is allergic to will help minimize the number of medications your pet will need throughout its life to be comfortable.

Treating food allergies in pets requires a multi-faceted approach. To manage symptoms, your veterinarian may prescribe medications like Cytopoint, Apoquel, or glucocorticoids. These medications can provide relief from itching and inflammation, but they may have side effects.

Some common medications used to treat itch associated with allergies include Cytopoint, which blocks an itch mediator, and Apoquel, which blocks the body's production of immune messengers involved in itch and inflammation. These medications can be effective, but may not be suitable for all pets.

In addition to medications, your veterinarian may recommend anti-itch treatments to keep your pet comfortable while working to diagnose a food allergy. These treatments can include anti-histamines, which block histamine, but may not be effective for all pets due to variability in oral absorption.

To minimize the number of medications your pet needs, it's essential to work with your veterinarian to diagnose a food allergy and figure out exactly what your pet is allergic to. The best treatment for food allergies is avoidance, so it's crucial to identify the allergen and avoid it.

If your pet has a food allergy, your veterinarian may recommend dividing the bag of pet food into one-week portions and storing them in airtight containers in a cool, dry environment to prevent mite contamination. This can be especially helpful if your pet is allergic to storage mites in kibble.

Here are some steps you can take to reduce exposure to storage mites:

Based on the latest research up to January 16, 2015, the most likely food allergens causing Canine Atopic Food Reactivity (CAFR) in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, and wheat.

The review of evidence suggests that beef, dairy products, chicken, and wheat are the top culprits behind CAFR in dogs.

In cats, beef, fish, and chicken are the most common food allergens.

After a period of dietary restriction, food challenges to diagnose CAFR should start with beef and dairy products, as they are the most commonly recognized food allergens in dogs and cats.

Our search for relevant information on common food intolerances in dogs identified a significant number of citations in scientific databases. We found 140 and 1534 citations in CAB Abstracts and Web of Science respectively.

The citations were carefully selected to ensure they specifically identified offending allergens in dogs exhibiting clinical signs of food intolerance. We excluded articles that didn't meet this criterion.

A total of 18 relevant citations were identified, including 15 from Web of Science and 3 from CAB Abstracts. Six more relevant citations were found in the bibliography of articles from the electronic search.

Offending allergens were reported in case reports and case series of dogs with clinical evidence of adverse food reaction. These reports were crucial in identifying the specific food items that caused the reaction.

A positive rechallenge was considered the only solid evidence for identifying an offending allergen. This involved re-exposing the dog to the suspected food item and observing the reaction.

In the selected studies, at least one offending food allergen source was reported in each of the 297 dogs. This suggests that food intolerance is a common issue in dogs.

The most frequently reported food allergens involved in food intolerances in dogs were beef, dairy products, and chicken. These three food items accounted for over 50% of the reported cases.

Other less commonly reported offending food sources included soy, corn, and egg. These food items were identified as allergens in a smaller number of cases.