Food Allergies in Pets

Food Allergies in Pets

What is a food allergy?

Just like people, animals can have allergies to certain types of food. Food allergies are one of the most common types of allergies in dogs and cats. If a pet has a food allergy, the immune system will overreact and produce antibodies to substances that it would not normally tolerate. This excessive response is called an allergy, or hypersensitivity reaction.

How do you know if your pet has a food allergy?

In dogs, the most common signs of a food allergy are itchy skin, chronic ear infections, anal gland problems and digestive upset. For cats, the most common signs are itchy skin, hair loss, ear infections and digestive upset. However, it's important to remember that not all food allergic pets will have all of the clinical signs, they may only have one or two. 

In true food allergies, the antibodies are produced against some part of the food, usually a protein or complex carbohydrate. Since antibody production is required for an allergy to develop, pets usually develop a food allergy after being on the same type of food for a long duration of time. 

The most common forms of allergens in dogs and cats are proteins from beef, chicken, lamb, dairy products and eggs. Every time that the pet eats a food that contains these substances, the antibodies react with the antigens and then the symptoms occur. To avoid these uncomfortable symptoms, the animal is usually placed on a special type of food. 

How can you treat a food allergy?

Once your veterinarian has identified the food source that is most likely causing the allergic reactions in your pet, a new diet that does not contain any of these substances is chosen for a food trial. While on the trial, your pet will eat a single protein, single carbohydrate diet or a hydrolyzed protein diet, depending on what your veterinarian recommends. The food trial takes twelve weeks of ONLY feeding your pet the prescribed diet. No other treats, chews, bones, flavored toys or supplements of any kind are to be given to your pet during this time. This gives your veterinarian the ability to determine if your pet does indeed have an allergy to a certain food source.

The purpose of the food trial is to help your pet recover from their current symptoms but also to help your veterinarian rule out any other diseases that can cause similar clinical signs. After the food trial is over, you and your veterinarian can decide what food and treats will be most appropriate for your pet for the rest of their life. 

There is no cure for food allergies in pets, but in most cases just finding the right hypoallergenic food to feed them allows them to live a happy, comfortable life without any clinical signs.

What types of hypoallergenic diets does Creedmoor Road Animal Hospital have to offer?

For dogs, there are two different diets that we offer and one of our veterinarians will help you to determine which of these is best for your pet:

• "d/d Canine Skin Support Potato & Venison Formula" made by Hill's  Prescription Diets. This food contains a highly digestible single intact animal protein source and single carbohydrate source to help avoid common food sensitivities. We offer this diet in a dry and canned form.
• "HA Hypoallergenic Canine Formula" made by Purina Veterinary Diets. This food contains a single hydrolyzed protein source and a low allergen carbohydrate source. We offer a dry form, as well a treat that compliments this diet, "Gentle Snackers Hypoallergenic Dog Treats".

For cats, we carry three different diets to help your pet with their food allergies:

• "d/d Feline Skin Support Venison & Green Pea Formula" made by Hill's Prescription Diets. This food contains a highly digestible single intact animal protein source and single carbohydrate source to help avoid common food sensitivities. We offer this diet in a dry form.
• "z/d Feline Low Sensitivity" made by Hill's Prescription Diets. This food contains a single hydrolyzed protein and a single, highly digestible carbohydrate source to help avoid adverse reactions to food. We offer this diet in a dry and canned form.
• "HA Hypoallergenic Feline Formula" made by Purina Veterinary Diets. This food contains a hydrolyzed protein and a low allergen carbohydrate source. We offer this in a dry form.