Understanding Food Intolerances In Dogs
What Is A Food Intolerance
A food intolerance is a non-allergic adverse reaction to certain foods, ingredients, processed foods, combinations of foods, or synthetic ingredients. Unlike food allergies, which involve the immune system, food intolerances do not trigger an immune response. Instead, they arise from difficulties in digesting or processing certain components of food, often due to enzyme deficiencies or sensitivity to specific substances. Food intolerances can lead to various gastrointestinal symptoms and discomfort, vitamin mineral deficiencies, or skin conditions and itching.
Food allergies, on the other hand, involve the immune system's response to a particular protein in a food item. These reactions can range from mild to severe, and in extreme cases, they can cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that requires immediate medical attention.
Common Symptoms of Food Intolerances include:
Gastrointestinal Issues: Dogs might experience diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, gas, or constipation.
Skin Problems: Skin issues like itching, redness, rashes, and hot spots could be indicative of a food intolerance. And though a food intolerance isn’t an allergy per se, it sure does present like one.
Ear Infections: Recurrent ear infections could be a sign of an underlying food intolerance.
Behavioral Changes: Some dogs might exhibit behavioral changes like restlessness, anxiety, or irritability.
Chronic Health Problems: Long-term food intolerances could lead to chronic health problems like weight loss or a general decline in health.
Resolving A Food Intolerance
Resolving a food intolerance in dogs typically involves identifying the specific food or ingredient that is causing the intolerance and eliminating it from the dog's diet. This can be achieved through a process of elimination, where potential trigger foods are removed from the diet and then reintroduced one at a time to identify the culprit.
Elimination Diets for Dogs
An elimination diet is a systematic approach to identifying food intolerances or sensitivities in humans or animals by temporarily removing specific foods or ingredients from the diet and then gradually reintroducing them while closely monitoring for adverse reactions. This method helps pinpoint which particular foods might be causing unwanted symptoms or discomfort.
Here's how an elimination diet typically works:
Consult with a Certified Pet Health Coach, Canine Nutritionist or a Veterinarian well-studied in nutrition to develop a strategic set of recipes.
Restrictive Recipes: A base diet is chosen as a starting point. During this phase, all potential trigger foods are eliminated from the dog's diet.. Because common triggers are Chicken and Beef, they are the first to go. I also suggest eliminating any hot proteins like Lamb, Venison, Farm-Raised Salmon).
Build a Base Recipe: It often includes a single protein source, one vegetable, a single fat source, and appropriate supplements. It’s important to note while troubleshooting, there may be a short, strategic period of time the diet is not fully balanced. All other foods, treats and supplements are eliminated during this phase.
Rotation Phase: This typically involves feeding a different protein and vegetable source each day for 3 days. Meaning no two days are the same! This phase is done for about 6 weeks.
Observation & Journaling: While the dog is on the elimination diet, pet owners closely observe their dog for any improvement in symptoms. Common symptoms that might be alleviated during this phase include digestive issues, skin problems, or other discomfort. Journal your observations.
Reintroduction Phase: After a period of time (usually 6-8 weeks) on the elimination and rotation diet, individual foods are systematically reintroduced, one at a time, in small portions. This is done to identify which specific food or ingredient might be causing the adverse reactions.
Monitoring for Reactions: As each food is reintroduced, the dog is closely monitored for any adverse reactions or symptoms for about 72 hours. If a reaction occurs, it may indicate that the reintroduced food is a trigger for the dog's intolerance.
Journaling & Identifying Triggers: By carefully tracking which foods lead to symptoms, pet owners and veterinarians can identify the specific trigger foods that are causing the intolerances or sensitivities. You may find patterns in the seasons, environment, stressors, or other non-food triggers as well.
Creating a Long-Term Diet Plan: Based on the results of the elimination diet, a long-term diet plan can be developed for the dog. This plan aims to exclude the identified trigger foods while providing a balanced and nutritious diet.
It's important to note that elimination diets require patience and diligence. Be patient with your dog and with the process.
Testing For Food Intolerances
If you have been trying to identify the triggers for more than 3 months but haven’t had success, it worth getting a food intolerance test or microbiome test to better target your efforts vs the trial and error approach.
"Glacier Peaks Testing" and "Doggie Biome Testing" are two examples of companies that offer specialized testing for dogs to help identify food sensitivities and other health issues.
Glacier Peaks Testing: Glacier Peaks Testing provides hair analysis testing for dogs. The company claims that their tests can identify sensitivities and imbalances that may contribute to various health issues in dogs, including food intolerances. The hair sample is sent to their lab, where it is analyzed to detect potential triggers. However, the accuracy and reliability of hair analysis testing for food sensitivities are debated within the scientific and veterinary communities.
Doggie Biome Testing: Doggie Biome Testing focuses on analyzing the gut microbiome of dogs. The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in digestion and overall health. By analyzing the composition of the gut bacteria, this type of testing aims to provide insights into a dog's digestive health and potential food sensitivities. It's important to note that while gut microbiome testing can offer valuable information, it may not solely pinpoint food intolerances.
Both tests are available at the Dr. Ruth Store. Once you have your results we can review them together and create custom recipes for your dog.