Food Allergies and Intolerances in Dogs: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
If your beloved four-legged friend is increasingly scratching, their coat is already covered with bald spots, and digestion is troubling your dog, you may be facing a →allergy or intolerance to one or more ingredients that your dog cannot tolerate in their food.
Allergies are →not a rare condition: About one in five dogs is allergic or intolerant to food. Such an allergy does not always show the exact symptoms one might expect, so a closer look is worthwhile. Learn how to recognize a food allergy and help your dog.
Allergie- oder Unverträglichkeit?
Jetzt passendes Futter für deinen Hund finden!
Definition: What is a Food Allergy in Dogs?
The term intolerance is often confused with the term allergy. When people talk about an allergy to food in everyday life, most are actually referring to an intolerance, as true allergies occur very rarely. The differentiation is complicated by the fact that both show similar symptoms.
Allergy vs. Intolerance: An allergy is less common and can be quickly confirmed through testing. Intolerance requires a longer diagnosis.
However, it is crucial that a true food allergy requires an initial contact without symptoms, as the immune system only reacts upon the second contact with the ingredient. Antibodies formed during the first contact then signal to your furry friend's body: "Hey, something dangerous is coming, we need to fight back!"
In the case of an intolerance, your dog's body shows symptoms upon first contact. Since these symptoms, as mentioned, are similar, it is worthwhile to take a look at the symptoms of food allergies and intolerances.
Diarrhea, Itching, Lethargy: The Symptoms of a Food Allergy
The symptoms of allergies and intolerances are extensive. Most dogs show significant changes in skin and coat as well as in the digestive system. Signs include:
- →Itching and hair loss
- open sores on the skin (→licking eczema and →hot spots)
- licking affected skin areas
- gastrointestinal issues such as →diarrhea, →abdominal pain, and →vomiting
- ear infections, especially of the outer ear canals
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Wenn das Fell juckt: Viele Vierbeiner reagieren auf ein Futter, indem sie unerträglichen Juckreiz haben und sich ständig kratzen müssen. Die Folge sind offene, entzündliche Stellen auf der Haut.
When Do Dogs Show a Food Allergy?
Typically, your dog does not immediately react with all symptoms when they cannot tolerate a food. It usually takes several weeks for you to clearly notice if an ingredient is causing your dog abdominal pain. On average, the immune system or the gastrointestinal tract takes one to two weeks to develop symptoms.
What Food Components Are Dogs Allergic To?
If an allergy or intolerance is present, protein sources are often the focus. Why? The compounds in protein trigger a reaction in the body. Often, the allergy-inducing ingredients are types of meat such as chicken or beef, which have a higher likelihood of causing allergies or intolerances in dogs.
Wheat, soy, and corn belong to the group that most frequently triggers intolerances in dogs: →Grains. Lactose also causes symptoms in many dogs.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Übeltäter Getreide? Immerhin bilden die verschiedenen Körner mit ca. 30% den größten Anteil im Spektrum der Unverträglichkeiten.
What Food for a Food Allergy in Dogs?
As part of the treatment, the veterinarian may already prescribe a hypoallergenic food. Hypoallergenic means that certain ingredients carry a lower risk of dogs developing or already having an allergy or intolerance. The →hypoallergenic meat types (protein sources) include:
- Kangaroo
- Horse
- Goat
- Deer
- Water buffalo
The hypoallergenic, plant-based carbohydrate and protein sources include:
- Sweet potato
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat (caution, pseudocereal and therefore well tolerated!)
- Amaranth
Sensitive and without abdominal pain through life: With our hypoallergenic food, we ensure joy in the bowl - because enjoyment should not be neglected even for sensitive four-legged friends!
Bauchgrummeln ade: Unsere unwiderstehlichen Sensitiv-Sorten
The Elimination Diet as an Allergy Test: Diagnosis and Treatment of a Food Allergy
The diagnosis and treatment of food allergies and intolerances in dogs are a unified process. But why? The method of choice for diagnosis and treatment is the so-called elimination diet. But why a diet for your dog if they do not have →overweight?
In the elimination diet, - you can guess - certain components of the food are excluded. Together with your trusted veterinarian, the ingredients of the food are analyzed. Then certain ingredients are completely banned from your dog's diet for several months (about 2-4).
Typically, after about 3-4 weeks during the elimination diet, an improvement in symptoms occurs. Gastrointestinal disturbances usually improve after about 2 weeks, while itching and open skin lesions take about 4-6 weeks to improve. Therefore, it is also necessary to have a sufficiently long period in which your dog only receives the food prescribed by the veterinarian. No unauthorized snacks outside the plan, no treats from the kitchen table, as such actions can distort the results of the diet.
No snacks? Not quite - because if it is exactly the type of meat in its pure form that your dog is fed as part of the →dietary change, snacks are allowed. Your four-legged friend can therefore indulge in our hypoallergenic snacks that are tailored to the meat they receive as hypoallergenic food.
Allergiefrei snacken: Monoprotein & hypoallergen
After a successful elimination diet, some veterinarians recommend a provocation test, where the old food is fed again for a short period to confirm the suspicion. Many dogs then show reactions again, which clarifies that there is indeed an allergy or intolerance to the food. In the case of a true allergy, for example, a blood test can provide quicker insights, but in most cases, the diagnosis and treatment revolve around intolerance or sensitivity.
