Do Dogs Have Food Allergies? - A Nutrition Guide for Pet Owners

Food Allergies in Dogs

A dog food allergy can be identified with the support of a veterinarian and by consulting a dog allergies guide. Seemingly unexplained symptoms will continue to plague your pooch, a cause for concern regarding their quality of life. 

Caring for a dog with food allergies takes time and energy, however, once you understand the symptoms, triggers and treatment for dog allergies, then you can create a lifestyle for your furbaby to support their needs.  

Allergies are relatively rare and are generally a reaction to the proteins found in food. More often your furbaby will have an intolerance to certain ingredients, however, the treatment of abstaining from that food remains the same.

How Is a Food Allergy Diagnosed in Pets?

It’s important to know why not to leave your dog’s allergies undiagnosed. The longer they are exposed to an allergen, the more inflammation and discomfort can impede their quality of life. 

When it comes to diagnosing an allergy, a veterinarian will discuss the symptoms that your furbaby is experiencing and suggest, for example, the possible causes of your furbaby sneezing a lot. 

It may be that they recommend one of a few simple tests designed to diagnose an allergy, provide certainty and then outline a treatment plan moving forward. 

One such test is an elimination diet, where your furbaby is fed a hypoallergenic diet for several weeks and common ingredients are reintroduced one at a time to monitor for symptoms. This way, owners can identify specific food groups that cause an allergic reaction and move to eliminate them from their dog’s diet entirely. 

Another way to diagnose a food allergy in dogs is via a blood test, which may be recommended by your vet for any number of reasons. 

Common Food Allergy Symptoms in Dogs

Dog food allergy symptoms can vary in severity and type, however, some common symptoms of dog allergies include the following:

Hives

These red itchy bumps are easier to see on dogs who have short hair and can take anywhere from six to twenty-four hours to appear after your furbaby has been exposed to an allergen. 

Itchy skin

This can also be one of the signs your dog has pollen allergies and is a largely common symptom of an allergic reaction in dogs. Often occurs around the ears, paws, rear end and stomach, however, it can occur anywhere on your dog’s body as a symptom of an allergic reaction. 

Gastrointestinal issues

Anything from gas, bloating, vomiting or diarrhea can be a symptom of a gastrointestinal symptom of an allergic reaction, particularly associated with an allergen-causing food. 

Ear infection

If your furbaby is suffering from repeated ear infections, then it may be that its immune system is struggling with a consistent bombardment from an allergy-causing stimulus. Remove the allergen and they will quickly recover from this debilitating symptom. 

Swollen face

As a symptom of a food allergy, you may see your dog’s face, including its lips, eyelids and ear flaps, swell. Inflammation, both internal and external, is a common symptom of an allergic reaction.

List of Most Common Dog Food Allergens

The most common food allergies in dogs include a range of popular meat and dairy products that are found in most pet foods. That is why the best food for dogs with allergies is hypoallergenic a diet.

There is plenty you can do to support a dog who is allergic to common ingredients. Whether it is providing home remedies for dogs with skin allergies or feeding them the best hypoallergenic dog food, you can alleviate symptoms and be proactive with your treatment.

Here is a list of some of the common food allergens for dogs. 

Beef

Feeding a dog the same food for years can increase the instance of a food allergy. Beef is a common ingredient in many pet foods and this is the reason it is also the proteins in beef are common allergens. 

Eggs

Fortunately, it is relatively easy to avoid the egg yolk that causes allergic reactions, just check the ingredient list in your dog’s food and avoid feeding them eggs. 

Wheat

It is important to check with a veterinarian or a pet nutritionist to understand whether your furbaby has an allergy to wheat. It is possible, however meat protein allergens are far more common. 

Dairy

An intolerance to dairy is common in dogs and has the same symptom of gastrointestinal upset after exposure. You can identify the difference between an intolerance and an allergy as with the latter, itchy skin is also common. 

Chicken

This is a common ingredient in dog food and therefore it can also sometimes be an allergen - but not often. We’ve seen many customers who often think their dog has a chicken allergy - turns out feeding them plain cooked chicken is fine to test this reaction and it’s often something completely different.

Lamb

This was considered a great alternative for dogs that experience allergies to the more common chicken and beef protein, however, lamb too can be a possible cause of allergy.

Treating Food Allergies in Dogs

Once you identify your dog's allergic reaction to food and where it comes from, which can be the difficult part, you then change your furbaby’s diet to ensure it doesn’t feature that ingredient. Elimination of an allergen, to the best of your ability, is the same process as managing seasonal allergies in dogs. 

Veterinarians can either prescribe or recommend certain diets to acknowledge the common causes and solutions of why your dog is itchy. The most common food allergies in dogs are from frequently used ingredients, so using unique sources of protein can be effective. 

Hydrolyzed protein diet

This is a hypoallergenic diet where the protein molecules of commonly used meats are broken down to a size too small for your dog’s immune system to recognise and respond to. 

There are several brands available through a prescription from your veterinarian. 

Novel Protein diet

A novel protein is another way to describe a completely new form of protein that your dog has not been exposed to before. There is less of a chance that your dog will be allergic to an ingredient that its immune system hasn’t come across before. 

This can either be veterinarian prescribed in the form of dry dog food or made at home. Some forms of novel protein include fish, venison or rabbit

Final thoughts

Yes, dogs can have food allergies, however, they are less common than food intolerances. It might be worth getting an allergy properly diagnosed to work on creating an effective treatment plan for your pooch. 

By feeding your furbaby hypoallergenic food and treating their symptoms, you can improve their quality of life. An elimination diet can help you to identify the cause of the allergy, or a veterinarian may suggest a blood test to determine the allergy as well as subsequent treatment.

Make sure that you are keeping up with other care routines to ensure optimal health, such as with this flea treatment guide for pet owners.