Common Food Allergies In Dogs

Common Food Allergies In Dogs


Harmless to some, while a major problem for others, allergies happen when the immune system confuses a normally harmless substance for a threat. A dog can develop allergies at any point in their life. However, food allergies often take some time before they are seen, as repeated exposure to a substance is often the culprit behind the development. This means that your dog may go years completely fine eating the same meal day-in and day-out, then seemingly overnight the food is making them severely sick.  

Let’s explore the most common food allergies in dogs, and how we can give them a diet that avoids them. 

Helpful Allergy Tip #1: Food Tolerance vs. Food Allergy - While similar, a food tolerance should not be confused with a food allergy. Where food allergies affect the entire body, a food intolerance often only affects the digestive system, causing less serious symptoms. 




Most Common Food Allergies In Dogs

A common misconception is that wheat and grains are the biggest causes of food allergies in dogs, but animal proteins easily dwarf wheat allergies, which only make up about 13% of the total cases (Mueller et al., 2016).

Food Item

% of Dogs With Food Allergies 

Beef

34%

Dairy

17%

Chicken

15%

Wheat

13%

Lamb

5%

Less common allergens include soy, corn, egg, pork, fish, and rice

16%

You might be wondering why beef is so much more of a culprit behind allergies in dogs than lamb. One of the main reasons for this is due to how common beef is in dog food vs. lamb. Repeated exposure to the same single animal protein in meals lacking diversity is a great way to trigger an allergy. This is why novel proteins such as bison and turkey are commonly seen in homemade diets. 

Now, none of this should scare you away from using beef, dairy, or chicken when making your dog’s food. However, switching your dog’s meals up is the spice of life. This also lets you better take advantage of grocery store deals, e.g., one week chicken is on sale, and you use it for your dog’s weekly food, the next week beef is on sale, and you use it instead. 

Helpful Allergy Tip #2: Proper Food Storage - In some cases, a dog may not be allergic to the food itself but storage mites, commonly found in kibble. So, make sure you are properly storing your dog’s food in airtight containers in a cool and dry place while checking the expiration date. 



Is My Dog Allergic To Their Food: What Are The Symptoms? 

Without a doubt, the hallmark symptom that defines allergies is itching that’s most often seen around the face, ears, belly, tail, and paws. These areas become prone to bacterial infections as well and should be regularly monitored. 




All dogs, no matter their age or breed, can develop food allergies, and there are several symptoms you should always be on the lookout for.

  • Excessive itching
  • Loss of fur and bald patches 
  • Redness
  • Sneezing and runny nose 
  • Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
  • Bumps and hives
  • More frequent bowel movements 
  • Swelling, especially around the face
  • Personality changes (aggression, lack of energy, avoidance, etc.)
  • Breathing difficulties and wheezing 
  • Nausea (in rare cases, vomiting can result) 

Helpful Allergy Tip #3: Avoid Excessive Bathing - Different breeds and lifestyles determine how frequently you should be bathing your dog. Too frequent, and you can exacerbate allergy symptoms, but too infrequent can leave them exposed to parasites and grime that can also aggravate allergy symptoms. 



Diagnosing Food Allergies In Dogs

The elimination diet is the best method for diagnosing a food allergy in a dog. There are several diets that can be explored. Your vet may suggest a hydrolyzed protein diet where proteins are broken up into small amino acid chains with the hopes the immune system doesn’t recognize the allergen if it’s protein-related. 

Then there are novel protein diets that can be easily created at home. These diets involve using less common meats the dog hasn’t been previously exposed to, such as bison, as the main protein source. Another advantage of this diet is by creating it at home, you can additionally eliminate wheat, soy, or other plant-based food items in the rare case they are behind your dog’s allergies. 

Helpful Allergy Tip #4: Environmental and Skin Allergies - Dogs with food allergies are more likely to develop other allergies. As such, it’s important to learn how environmental and skin allergies occur, along with learning how to diagnose and treat them. 

Exploring The Elimination Diet 

Currently, the elimination diet is the only reliable and accurate method for diagnosing food allergies. When it comes to picking a diet to carry out the elimination diet, there are two ideal options: novel and hydrolyzed. 

At its core, the novel elimination diet is very simple. During the trial, a dog is placed on a diet that eliminates the most common proteins and carbohydrates used to create commercial dog foods, e.g., beef, rice, etc. Instead, novel protein and carbohydrate sources such as bison and potato are used. 

Once allergic reactions no longer occur, the allergen has successfully been eliminated, but we still need to know which ingredient was causing the issue. That’s why the next step involves reintroducing each of the eliminated ingredients slowly one at a time. The novel elimination diet is traditionally carried out for 6 to 16 weeks. 

Using novel ingredients to carry out the elimination diet is a fantastic way to diagnose allergies. However, there is one issue with it. And that’s when you rely on commercial brands. Research has found that up to 83% of over-the-counter foods that claim to have a single protein were found to have hidden ingredients not on the label. Yikes! 

But this is why the homemade diet, where you control all the ingredients, is one, if not the best, diet for diagnosing and treating food allergies. Due to inaccuracies in homemade recipes for dog food on the internet, we highly recommend you stick with ChefPaw’s suggested recipes for allergies. Additionally, you should eliminate all treats, dental chews, etc. 

Alternatively, you can work with your dog’s veterinarian, who will likely place them on a prescription hydrolyzed diet where they will be supervised for about 2 months. 




Helpful Allergy Tip #5: Pros of a Homemade Diet - By having control over every single ingredient, with proper care and veterinarian supervision, homemade diets may help promote a faster diagnosis than any other type of diet. 



Why Over-Counter Specialty Foods Often Fail

If your dog truly has an allergy to one or more food items, due to hidden ingredients, over-the-counter commercial dog foods are pretty much off the table. 

Even if the commercial food doesn’t have a hidden ingredient — very unlikely — the food may be processed in a facility that uses the machines used to create other food items like candy. Thanks to regulations for our foods, we are warned about this e.g., candy bars that don’t have nuts will warn you if they were created in a facility that uses nuts for another product. These regulatory practices don’t exist in dog food.   

This leaves you with two options: prescription dog food and homemade diets. 

Helpful Allergy Tip #6: Environmental Allergens - If your dog only sees allergies when they go outside or only during certain parts of the year, they may be experiencing environmental allergens which are commonly caused by pollen, molds, grass, trees, and dust mites. Make sure your dog is up-to-date on their flea and worm preventive medication, as flea saliva can cause flea allergy dermatitis.



Medication For Allergies

Even when you correctly diagnose the cause of the allergies and eliminate it, itching and other allergy symptoms can persist for up to 12 weeks. Thankfully, there are a handful of medications your dog’s veterinarian may recommend.




Medication 

Safety 

Misc

Anti-histamines (Benadryl, Zyrtec, etc)

Very Safe

May not combat the majority of allergy symptoms. 

Cytopoint (Lokivetmab)

Very Safe

Typically stops itching in a few weeks.

Apoquel (Oclacitinib) 

Safe

Blocks itching quickly for up to 24 hours. Not for dogs younger than 1 year of age.

Atopica (Cyclosporine) 

Mild

Does not usually achieve its maximum effects on itching for about four weeks.

Glucocorticoids (Prednisone, Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone, Triamcinolone, Dexamethasone)

Mild to severe side effects (dose dependent)

Suppress virtually every component of the inflammatory process.

Helpful Allergy Tip #7: Other Allergies - Some research shows that 20% of dogs struggle with allergies at various points. Besides food allergies, common allergens include dust mites, skin cells, insect proteins, and some medications. Even small chemical molecules, such as perfumes and dyes, can cause allergies.



Other Medications 

From cuts due to excessive scratching to the allergen suppressing the immune system, infections due to allergies are often seen. To help, your vet can prescribe various antibiotics, antifungals, and antimicrobial topicals, along with ear medications and cleaners. 

Helpful Allergy Tip #8: Prescription Medication - It’s very common for dogs with allergies to be prescribed medication that can help with the symptoms. When allergies are left unchecked, skin and coat issues are commonly seen. 



Avoiding Food Allergies With ChefPaw

Using the ChefPaw Homemade Pet Food Maker provides pet owners with unmatched control over their dog’s diet, especially for pets dealing with food allergies. With ChefPaw, you can precisely manage the ingredients your dog consumes, ensuring that allergens are completely avoided. This level of control is crucial for pets with food sensitivities, as even trace amounts of allergens in commercial foods can trigger severe reactions.


The ChefPaw App offers over 30 suggested recipes, including multiple allergy-free options specifically curated to help pets with food allergies. These recipes are designed with allergen-free ingredients, allowing you to provide your dog with nutritious, safe meals without the worry of triggering their allergies.

By using ChefPaw, you can embark on an elimination diet to identify and eliminate specific allergens from your dog's meals. This process is vital for diagnosing food allergies and ensuring your pet's well-being. The diverse recipes in the ChefPaw App make it easy to rotate proteins and avoid common allergens like beef, dairy, and chicken, which are responsible for a significant percentage of food allergy cases in dogs.

Ultimately, ChefPaw empowers you to take full control of your dog's nutrition, offering a healthier, allergy-free diet that can significantly improve their quality of life.

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