The Dog Food Comparison Blog

A dog can get allergies from different sources including: flea allergies, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, and inhalant allergies. The dog food allergy would typically not depend on the season, whereas the other allergies would typically come and go when it gets cold and insects and pollen are fewer in numbers. Allergies indicate that there is a disruption in the immune system. Sometime it can take real detective work to discover the reasons for it.

However, here are a couple of cautions to be aware of to avoid potential problems.

First, use ceramic or stainless-steel food and water bowls and clean them regularly. Avoid using plastic bowls or containers.

Second, make sure that the water you give your dog is clean and free from contaminants that may end up in your yard, hose, etc.

Third, pay attention to the foods you are giving your dog. Ingredients that are more likely to cause food allergies in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, chicken eggs, corn, and soy. Unfortunately, these items are very common ingredients in dog foods. You may have to switch to a hypoallergenic dog food.

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Dog food is becoming a common cause of ailments in many dogs.  These ailments can be caused by a dog food allergy which is an immunologically based reaction to food or by a dog food intolerance, which is a general term describing any adverse reaction to food that does not have an immunologic basis (such as food poisoning).

Dog food allergies seem to affect both male and female dogs alike, but in two recent studies is was found that certain dog breeds may have a risk for the development of dog food allergy.

The breeds noted included: Springer Spaniel, Miniature Schnauzer, Labrador Retriever, Soft-Coated Wheaton Terrier, Dalmatian, West-Highland White Terrier, Collie, Chinese Shar Pei, Llasa Apsa, Cocker Spaniel, Dachshund and the Boxer.  Data from a Colorado State University sudy shows that retrievers may be at greater risk to develop food allergy than other breeds. Reports also show that animals less than one year old may have a greater chance of developing a dog food allergy.

Clinical Signs of Dog Food Allergy

The most common symptom of a dog food allergy is non-seasonal pruritus (chronic itching), which is usually generalized but may also be primarily focused at the feet or ears. The most common skin problems are papules (a small, solid and usually conical elevation of the skin) and erythema (reddening of the skin) common secondary problems are epidermal collarettes (a circular lesion with a circular rim of scale and or a peeling edge), pyotraumatic dermatitis (hot spots), hyperpigmentation, and seborrhea (the accumulation of scales of greasy skin).

Gastrointestinal (GI) signs caused by dog food allergies seem to be rare; although, a recent report documented 20 dogs with both pruritus and GI signs typical of colitis (inflammation of the large intestine which usually leads to abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea with blood and mucus). Both the skin problems and intestinal signs resolved after the dogs started on an elimination diet.

Neurologic signs such as malaise and seizures rarely have been reported. The author feels that malaise may be under-reported, as an increase in energy level (“acting like a puppy, feeling better”) is often noted upon feeding the dog a diet without the offending allergen; this may occur before cessation of pruritus. Respiratory signs, such as asthma, have also been reported, but seem to be quite rare.

Concurrent hypersensitivities have been reported in dogs and include atopy, flea allergy dermatitis, intestinal parasite allergy, and even an allergy to bovine insulin. Concurrent pyoderma and/or Malassezia pachydermatis infection is also common. Dogs may have pyoderma (infection of the skin) as the only clinical sign of a dog food allergy. These dogs are often clinically normal while receiving antibiotics. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and treat secondary infections, as persistence of pruritus due to these infections may confound the ability of the veterinarian to diagnose the underlying dog food allergy.

Source: Stephen White www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00093.htm

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If your dog is constantly scratching, tail-chasing, coughing and wheezing, or has eye and nose discharges – chances are that he/she is suffering from an allergy or allergies.

Roughly 20% of the dogs suffer from some allergy type. Major allergies found in dogs include atopic dermatitis, flea allergy, food allergy and inhalant allergy.

Dog Food Allergy

A dog food allergy is probably the most tedious of dog allergies to diagnose because dog food allergies can mimic the symptoms of any of the other allergies mentioned above.

Other symptoms of food allergies are stomach problems, gas, vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing, ear infections and sometimes, even changes in behavior.

To find the food or foods that your dog is allergic to you must first remove all the possible allergy causing ingredients from your dog’s diet. The easiest way to do this is by using a homemade meal of a protein and starch source that your dog has not had before. Then gradually add more ingredients into it over time (every 2-3 weeks). The most common allergens tend to be protiens, such as meats and grains. If your dog’s symptoms return after adding a particular ingredient, then you may have identified the possible allergen.

Allergic reactions may not appear for about a week after consuming the allergen so confirm your findings with your vet. Obviously, once you have determined the offending ingredient you will need to avoid it in the dog foods you feed your pet.

View a video of other dog food issues here

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I just found out my yellow lab has a food allergy to the Purina food she eats. I was just wondering if anyone knew if there was a cheaper hypoallergenic dog food on the market. Money is kinda tight and I can’t afford $40 for a bag of dog food Thanks for any help!

Here is a site that will show you which dog foods are the best and the worst. I suggest that you get any one of the dog foods that are top rated.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
Most of grocery store dog food formulas, like IAMS, Pedigree, Science Diet, Purina,and etc contain “meat and bone meal” which has been known to contain dead dogs and cats that were euthanized in animal shelters. Their bodies are picked up and bought by the truck load by “rendering plants” , that also pick up road kill, dead live stock, and etc. They are shredded, and boiled. They skim off the fat on the top of the “soup” and collected it and sell it to pet food companies as “animal fat”, the rest of the animals’ remains are crushed up, dried and sold to dog and cat food companies as meat and bone meal.
You can read more about it here.
http://earthislandprojects.org/eijournal/fall97/fe_fall97petfood.html
Here is an article where the owner of a rendering plant talks about it. He says that cremating the dead shelter animals would cause pollution, and that rendering them is good.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_12_26/ai_115041999
Here is further information on what you shouldn’t see in the ingredients list in your dog’s food.
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients
Top rated dog foods like Canidae contain good healthy ingredients.

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The trend towards more natural whole foods seems to finally be expanding to our pets.  According to the Market Wire, a new store will be opening in the Redmond, WA area called Paws Café.  This will be the area’s first pet food store to offer all natural dog and cat food made fresh daily.

According to store owner Shelly Fuller, Paws Cafe’s pet food recipes are rich in natural, whole food nutrients.  The store’s freshly-made meals are formulated to meet the nutrient requirements recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).   This is a departure from most of the frozen or raw pet foods available today,

The Cafe uses a combination of ground muscle and organ meat from healthy, sustainably-raised animals.  They also use a blend of nutrient rich organic fruits and vegetables, human-grade bone meal, and unrefined cold-pressed oils to create fresh balanced meals without the need for additional supplements or fillers.

“Most of the commercial foods available today contain questionable meat and by-product sources — many of them from meat not suitable for human consumption,” said Paws Cafe owner Shelly Fuller. “They also contain cheap grain fillers, which are common allergens, as a means to bulk up their meals. Cheap filler ingredients introduce safety issues, such as the widely publicized melamine poisoning in 2007. The effects of commercial foods on our cats and dogs is staggering. The obesity rates are now said to be around 50 percent and with that comes a host of chronic health issues such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.”

The store has also incorporated many features designed to be more earth-friendly, including the use of recycled building materials, recycled tires for the Paws Corral area mats, bamboo flooring in the retail area, energy efficient refrigeration units and freezers, LED sign lighting, the use of retail bags and boxes made from 100 percent recycled paper products, and food packaging using clear, deli-style containers made from a corn-based material called PLA, which composts in about 30 days.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/paws-cafe-areas-first-store/story.aspx?guid=%7B6BECA7FA-8A2C-44C2-A502-AB4267D0D0BC%7D&dist=hppr

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Is Your Dog Having Health Problems or Acting Strange? It Could Be A Food Allergy and your pup may need a hypoallergenic dog food.

Like the rest of us, dogs can suffer from all types of allergies. In fact, 1 in 5 dogs suffer from some type of allergy, such as flea allergy, food allergy, atopic dermatitis, and inhalant allergy.

Let’s focus on food allergies.

The more common symptoms are discharges from the eyes and nose, constant scratching, tail-chasing, coughing and wheezing. If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, chances are that he/she is suffering from an allergy or allergies. Other symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and sometimes, even changes in behavior.

Food allergies are probably the most difficult to diagnose because they can mimic any of the other allergies such as fleas, pollen from trees, grass, and flowers, dust mites and molds.

How to determine the problem food

First, remove all possible allergy causing ingredients from your dog’s diet. You can do this by using homemade meals of a protein and starch source your dog has never had before. Check the ingredients of any dog foods you have been using and make a list of the home made foods you feed your dog.

You may be able to use foods such as lamb and rice, assuming your dog has not had these items before. Gradually add more ingredients to your dog’s diet (one at a time for about a week for each new ingredient). This is why you will need to make this food yourself – so that you can add one ingredient at a time. If your dog’s symptoms return after adding a particular ingredient, there is a good possibility that you have identified the allergen.

Allergic reactions may take a week to appear so be sure to confirm your findings with your vet. Of course, once the offending ingredient has been verified, you will need to keep your dog from consuming that item.

Main Problem Foods

According to several studies some of the main ingredients that are more likely to cause food allergies in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, chicken eggs, corn, and soy. These items are typically the most common ingredients in dog foods, unfortunately. This correlation is not coincidental since many proteins are similar in form and it is likely that the incidence of allergic reactions is related with the amount of exposure (the greater the exposure, the greater that chance of reaction).

Figuring out what allergies your dog has and what is causing them may be a tedious, pain-staking process, but it is worth the effort especially as you see the relief you give your dog translate to a better disposition and mood.

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