Pet Food Allergy or Sensitivity?

When your pet is chronically – or becomes – uncomfortable in some way, you just want to help them feel better. You might simultaneously dread the vet expense if funds are tight, even though you feel wrenched with guilt and would never admit it out loud.

But what if a simple diet change could fix it? What if better food is the only medicine they need?

Many pet owners and vets use the term “food allergy” to describe the cause of pets' food-related discomfort, but a true allergy is an immune response, such as a person with a peanut allergy might have when they eat a peanut. While this does occur in pets, it's not very common. Many pets do, however, have legitimate food sensitivities or intolerances that can make them super uncomfortable or even promote disease. Signs of a sensitivity might include:

• Feet-chewing
• Ear infections
• Excessive itching
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Hot spots
• Hair loss

It makes sense to first verify that your pet's discomfort is not due to fleas, pollen, flowers, new detergent or cleaner in your home, eating something spoiled, non-food-related disease, etc. Once you've ruled out those factors, taking a good look at their food is a logical next step.

Now, we're not promising any magical transformations. And we also aren't vets and don't presume to offer medical advice. So instead of ending with a disclaimer, maybe we'll start with one: this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease!

Since that's out of the way...you just never know. A diet change has radically helped countless pets whose owners had no idea it could be that simple. Sometimes pets can even come off medications they've been taking for years.

Specific Ingredients Might be to Blame

You might have been hearing a lot about going grain-free for your pets' food or seen it on the labels of many of our products in the shop. It's become a trend in pet food and for good reason. Many pets have sensitivities to certain grains and gluten, which can cause itching, ear infections, and tummy troubles. But don't just go grain-free on a whim. They might simply have sensitivities to cheap grains or gluten but not whole grains. And some pets actually need grains in their diets to promote healthy weight management. In some, going grain-free can actually cause, not cure, dry skin.

Another speculated problem is GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in pet food, which we talked about in a previous article. Some studies show that GMOs can cause sensitivities and adverse reactions. And we just don't know that much about their long-term effects anyway, so it's enough to make you wonder.

Other common culprits include sugar beet pulp, by-products, preservatives, dyes, and cheap fillers.

Same Ole, Same Ole

According to The Honest Kitchen, a brand of freeze-dried raw food we carry, “Food sensitivities are abundant in almost every breed, possibly due to genetics or the fact that many animals are fed the same food for months or even years on end, with no variety in ingredients or alternative sources of nutrition, such as fresh, real food to supply a broader array of amino acids and other important nutritional compounds.”

Sensitivities aside, would you want to eat the same exact thing every single day for 15 years? Not so much. Variety in your pet's diet is just as good for their soul as for their body.

Time Might Not be on Their Side

Sensitivities can develop over time as your pet grows and ages, just like in people. Just as many children and animals outgrow allergies or sensitivities as they get older, the reverse is also possible for humans and animals to develop an intolerance to something they were previously always fine with.

Where to Go From Here

What to do when you don't know where to start in pinpointing the culprit?

Start a conversation with your vet to see if they can help you narrow down the possibilities based on your pet's symptoms and past history. They might have you try the elimination diet, which is a process that can help shine the light on the offending ingredient. Please try a holistic diet rather than a prescription diet if at all possible; while they might have a “limited ingredient” recipe designed to help solve the mystery, many prescription diets don't contain ingredients that are any better than what you'd find at the grocery store.

It's important not to radically change your pet's diet suddenly, or it could contribute to even more intestinal upset and not provide you with accurate information to work from. It's advisable to mix in some of their current diet with the new one to ease the transition over a period of time.

Dr. Jean Dodds also offers the Nutriscan test for twenty of the most common ingredients in pet foods to help you determine what's bugging your specific pet. It’s convenient and non-invasive for your pet. 

Remember that, just like people, every animal is different. What works for your friend's dog or even your dog's littermate might not work for your dog.

Bottom Line

As The Honest Kitchen points out, even if your pet doesn't show any signs of sensitivities, “bad quality food in itself may deplete the immune system over time, because it’s laden with toxins and other substances that place unnecessary burden on the body’s organs and immune system.” High-quality, more expensive pet food is not an advertising gimmick; it's simply better for your pets' health and well-being. A more natural diet is an immune system booster, which can help stave off sensitivities from developing in the first place.

It's true that a higher-quality diet, whether you're talking for people or animals, is more costly than eating crap. But you also have to weigh in the cost (to your pet and your credit card) of excess vet testing and treatment versus spending a little bit more on food as you go along, not to mention the happiness your pets feel when they get to eat the good stuff! Whatever care and happiness you give to your pet, they give back to you tenfold.

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Victoria Park is the owner of Park Pet Supply in East Atlanta Village, established in 1999. Park Pet's goal is to help your pet live the healthiest and happiest life possible, with affordable prices and incomparable customer service for you.

Sources:

The Honest Kitchen

Nutriscan