Dog Food Allergies: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Food allergies are nothing new to humans, and more and more people have been identified as having them in the last 25 years. Now, with veterinary science following trends in human lifestyles, more dog food allergies are being accepted and understood.  

In this article, we will look at some common dog food allergies, the symptoms of dog food allergies you should look out for, and advice on finding the right hypoallergenic food for your pet.

Allergies in dogs are a common problem, especially if it's unclear what they're allergic to. Dogs may be allergic to several things, including food, dust, environmental allergies (grass, pollen, etc), and more. When your dog is in contact with or ingests an allergen, it may cause an allergic reaction. Symptoms of allergic reactions in dogs include: 

• Itchy, flaky, or dry skin. 
• Itchy ears, ear infections, runny eyes, 
• Vomiting, diarrhoea, or gas, 
• breathing problems, such as wheezing, coughing, or sneezing, 
• Behaviour changes, such as restlessness, agitation or lethargy.  

However, the above-mentioned may also be symptoms for several conditions that vary in severity. If you notice any of the above allergy symptoms in your dog, speak with your vet as soon as possible to rule out any other underlying causes. 

An allergy is bigger than a stomach upset or skin irritation and can more seriously impact your pet's health and well-being.  

An allergic reaction is the body's natural (if negative) response to what it believes to be a threat. If your dog eats something they are allergic to, their immune system can overreact and produce antibodies to tackle the allergen. This may lead to allergy symptoms or a full allergic reaction, making your dog very unwell.  

This immune response can be triggered by a number of potential allergens, including protein (or a combination of proteins) in their food or from grains such as wheat.  

As with humans, there are a wide number of food allergens that may impact your dog. The tricky part is knowing which ingredients are causing your dog's flare-ups so you can find food that doesn't include them.

While dogs can be allergic to pretty much anything in their food, we've listed some of the most common food allergens below: 

• Proteins (Such as beef, pork, chicken, lamb or fish) 
• Soy 
• Wheat gluten 
• Eggs 
• Dairy 

While these are the most common allergens in dog food, the list is not extensive, and your dog may be allergic to or have an intolerance for ingredients not currently listed.  

A number of symptoms may indicate an allergic reaction in your dog. However, these symptoms are concurrent with other health problems, making diagnosis tricky. This is why you should always contact your vet if  
The most common symptoms of dog food allergies include:  

• Itchy skin, paws or ears 
• Digestive disturbances (such as diarrhoea or vomiting)  
• Hyperactivity or lack of energy 
• Weight Loss 
• Behavioural changes (such as aggression or nervousness)

These symptoms will not appear suddenly, so it’s important to recognise changes in your dog’s behaviour or general condition over time and consult your vet if you think your dog may have an allergy.  

There are multiple ways to test if your dog has a food allergy, including altering their diet and specialist veterinary tests. Below are some of the most popular routes taken to diagnose allergies in dogs: 

Elimination trials are a popular method for isolating the allergens affecting your dog. It involves removing all potential allergens from your dog's diet (such as grains, dairy products, etc.) and seeing if their symptoms improve.  

For the elimination trial to be effective, it should last for 8-12 weeks.  

Here are some of our top tips for a successful dog food allergy elimination trial: 

• Remove all potential allergens from your dog's diet (including table scraps, treats, flavoured supplements, and chewable parasite prevention tablets) 
• Switch your dog to hypoallergenic dog food with a single protein source (such as chicken, salmon, beef, etc.) 
• If/when your dog's allergy symptoms disappear, you can reintroduce their previous food. 
• Wait a week, and if your dog's symptoms still don't return, try reintroducing treats or supplements into their diet.  
• If your dog's symptoms return after you reintroduce a particular aspect of its diet (be it food, supplements, or edible parasite preventatives), you will know where the allergens come from. 

Elimination trials can be tricky because if at any point your dog eats something they shouldn't (such as non-hypoallergenic treats, table scraps, or another pet's food), the trial needs to start all over again.  

If you want to try an elimination trial at home, keep track of what your dog eats when they eat it, and how their body responds. This will make isolating what is causing their allergic reactions far easier. You can then go forward, ensuring your dog's diet doesn't include anything that will trigger an allergic reaction.  

An elimination trial will only help you find allergens in your dog's food and will not account for any environmental or seasonal allergies. If you live in a multi-pet household, you may need to feed your pets separately to avoid cross-contamination of allergens.  

If you are struggling to complete an elimination trial at home or are unsure what hypoallergic food is best for dogs, speak with your vet for recommendations.  

Another option is to speak with your vet about A serum allergen-specific IgE (SAT) test for your dog. This is a blood test performed by a vet to identify enviromental allergens and food allergies which ca n then be used to make a spcific immunotherapy plan where nescessary. It is worth noting, however, that these tests do not always work as effectively as a food elimination trial.  

Another way of diagnosing individual allergy causes is by ‘skin testing’, where the vet can identify what causes the allergy from reactions (little lumps) on the skin after testing. 

The first step in treating dog allergies is to determine what they are allergic to. Once this is done, you can ensure that your dog's food, treats, and supplements don't contain any ingredients they are allergic to.  

In the meantime, you can ease their symptoms with our range of dog allergy treatments, including medicated shampoos for itchy or irritated skin and probiotic supplements for digestive upset. 

Unfortunately, there is no cure for a dog food allergy, but dogs can still live happy and healthy lives despite any allergies or intolerances. Monitor your dog's diet to reduce exposure to allergens and manage symptoms should a flare-up occur.  

If you think your dog may have a food allergy, or you're looking for a good hypoallergenic food to do an elimination trial at home, speak with your vet or browse our great range of hypoallergenic dog foods and gastrointestinal dog foods to find the right fit for your dog.  

This post is an opinion and should only be used as a guide. You should thoroughly discuss any change to your pet’s care or lifestyle with your vet before starting any program or treatment. 

This post was written by a human.