A food allergy in dogs
Allergies in dogs are unfortunately very common; 15% of dogs suffer from a food allergy and/or other allergies. Just like humans, dogs can also have an allergic reaction to a particular ingredient. However, the diagnosis is often difficult to make, especially because a hypersensitivity reaction to a particular ingredient can develop suddenly. Even if a dog has been eating a particular food for years, it can develop an allergy to one of the ingredients in that food.
What exactly does a food allergy in dogs involve ?
A food allergy in dogs is an excessive response by the immune system to certain components in their food: the so-called allergens. Animals that are hypersensitive to these allergens may develop skin and/or coat problems or gastrointestinal complaints. For a food allergy to occur in dogs, the dog must have had prolonged or repeated contact with the allergen, causing the allergic reaction to develop. Food allergies can occur in dogs of all ages. However, a food allergy is more common when a dog is two years or older.
Symptoms of a food allergy in dogs
Itching is the most common symptom of a food allergy in dogs. The dog often experiences itching on its paws, in the groin, in the armpits and in the ears. In addition, your four-legged friend may also suffer from the following symptoms:
- Dull or greasy coat
- Gastrointestinal complaints, such as flatulence, vomiting and diarrhea
- Red skin/skin rash
- Inflammation of the paw pads
- Scabs
- Weight loss
- Flaky skin
- Abdominal pain
- Bald patches (often around the eyes, muzzle and chin)
- Lethargy
- Recurring ear infections
How is a food allergy diagnosed in dogs?
Diagnosing a food allergy in dogs is difficult, and it is often a long search for both the veterinarian and the owner to identify the exact cause. Itching and skin rashes, for example, can also be caused by a flea allergy.
By means of an elimination diet, you can try to determine what your dog is allergic to. With an elimination diet, you feed your dog a hypoallergenic diet for 6 weeks; a hypoallergenic diet is a diet containing ingredients your dog does not normally eat and to which dogs are rarely allergic. An elimination diet can be challenging and requires discipline on the part of the owner. For example, you must not give your dog treats in addition to its food. If you do want to give treats, make sure they contain only the same proteins/the same meat as the food.
If your dog's symptoms decrease or disappear completely during the six weeks, you know for certain that you are dealing with a food allergy. For an elimination diet, you can choose hypoallergenic food from the veterinarian, or you can look for hypoallergenic food at a specialist pet store. It is important to always check the ingredients carefully to determine whether the food is genuinely hypoallergenic.
Do you want to give your dog an elimination diet? Our Riverwood Mono Protein has been specially developed for adult dogs with a food allergy or intolerance. The wet food is particularly suitable as an elimination diet. These foods are made with protein sources that are not commonly used in pet food, making it unlikely that your dog will react to them. Would you like to try a different hypoallergenic food? You can! Did you know that all Riverwood dog foods are hypoallergenic?
What to do if the symptoms do not improve?
It is possible that the symptoms do not go away, or do not go away sufficiently, while feeding the elimination diet. There may be two causes. On the one hand, something other than the food may be causing the symptoms. For example, something in the environment such as fleas, mites or pollen.
On the other hand, your dog may still be having an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the elimination diet. In this case, you should try a new elimination diet with a different protein source.
It is also important to carefully check whether your dog had access to any other food during the period in which it was being fed an elimination diet. This could include snacks, table scraps or other food that may have contained allergens.
An allergy test
It is possible to have an allergy test performed by a veterinarian. This may sound like a good solution for immediately determining what your dog is allergic to. The disadvantage of an allergy test is its reliability: allergy tests are actually very unreliable in dogs.
