Hypoallergenic dog food is suitable for dogs that suffer from food allergies or intolerances. With a dog food for allergy sufferers you remove possible allergens from the diet of your four-legged friend. The immune system calms down and the symptoms of the allergy recede.

What is hypoallergenic dog food?

Hypoallergenic dog food is suitable for dogs with suspected food intolerance or allergy. Intolerances or allergies to ingredients in dog food can manifest as skin symptoms or gastrointestinal distress. Every time your dog comes into contact with a certain food ingredient, the symptoms appear. Over time, they get worse. Repeated contact with the allergen triggers the immune system and severe gastrointestinal irritation and skin inflammation can result.

It is not always possible to determine which food ingredient triggers the intolerance or allergy. Your veterinarian will usually diagnose the problem by feeding a dog food for allergy sufferers as part of an elimination diet. In an elimination diet, your dog is fed a hypoallergenic dog food for six to eight weeks. Snacks and supplemental foods must also be adapted to the hypoallergenic diet. If your dog’s symptoms disappear, the suspicion of a food intolerance or allergy is confirmed.

Hypoallergenic dog food contains only high-quality ingredients. Typical feed ingredients known to trigger allergies in dogs are not processed. Often, a hypoallergenic dog food contains a single protein source. For the elimination diet, it is critical that it is a type of meat that your dog has not been exposed to before. For this reason, many dog foods for allergy sufferers contain exotic meats such as horse, rabbit, ostrich, kangaroo or water buffalo, as well as new sources of carbohydrates (such as brown rice or sweet potato).

In a food called a hypoallergenic food for dogs, the proteins are also broken down in a special way. As a result, they no longer act as allergens and do not trigger a reaction from the immune system. These diets are also called hydrolyzed diets.

Dog foods for allergy sufferers also often contain ingredients that support the immune system, reduce inflammation and promote tissue regeneration. These include:

• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin A
• Zinc

Allergies in dogs

Allergies in dogs often develop due to environmental factors or allergens in the food. Environmental allerg ies include, for example, allergies to grass, house dust or food mites. By having an allergy test done by your veterinarian, you can determine which environmental allergens are bothering your dog. Treatment usually consists of avoiding the allergen and symptomatic therapy. You can also have your dog desensitized. For this, your dog is injected with low concentrations of the allergy provoking substance over a longer period of time until the body no longer reacts to it.

Your vet can also test your dog for certain food allergens by means of a blood test. However, these tests are not very reliable, so the exclusion diet is usually chosen for diagnosis. For dogs with food allergies, typical ingredients in commercial dog foods are often identified as allergens. Therefore, feeding a dog food for allergy sufferers that contains a reduced number of ingredients and only selected components often brings the desired success already in the diagnosis phase. In dogs that no longer come into contact with the allergen during a strict exclusion diet, the symptoms usually disappear within two to three weeks.

Which food ingredients trigger food allergies in dogs?

Common feed allergens in dogs are substances that are processed in many commercial dog foods. These include:

• Beef protein
• Poultry protein
• Eggs
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Soy
• Rice
• Wheat
• Corn

In addition, additives in feed can lead to intolerance reactions. If you suspect that feeding is the reason for your dog’s clinical symptoms, make sure to buy a high-quality hypoallergenic dog food that does not contain chemicals.

Symptoms of food intolerances or food allergies in dogs

Whether it’s food intolerance or food allergy, if the body reacts to an ingredient or substance in dog food, one or more of the following symptoms usually occur:

• Itching
• inflammatory skin changes and hair loss
• Digestive problems with abdominal pain, mushy feces or diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Mouth odor

In the case of an allergy, even the smallest amounts are often enough to cause the clinical appearance. In cases of intolerance, the severity of symptoms often increases with the amount of the substance ingested. However, the symptoms mentioned are not specific to reactions to feed. They can also occur with other diseases. Therefore, it is important that you have your dog examined by a veterinarian if you notice any abnormalities.

Therapy of food allergy with hypoallergenic dog food

If the suspicion of a food allergy in your dog is confirmed, he must no longer be given the allergy-causing substance. Many dog owners choose to continue feeding the elimination diet if it has provided symptom relief. However, an elimination diet can be extended by feeding provocations. This means that while feeding the hypoallergenic dog food, individual components of the original food are gradually added until it is known which ingredient caused the symptoms.

Once the allergen is identified, dog owners know exactly what to look for and which components should not be in the food. This provides more freedom when choosing a dog food for allergy sufferers. For example, if you know that your dog cannot tolerate poultry proteins, you can switch to a food with an exotic type of meat or fish. There are a variety of high-quality wet and dry foods on the market for this purpose, which are in the medium price range. In contrast to the hypoallergenic feeds or hydrolyzed diets, this means a cost saving for you.

Hypoallergenic food for dogs: what to consider when feeding?

However, hypoallergenic dog food only brings the desired success if you completely change the dog’s diet. If your dog is allergic to wheat or rice, for example, you must not feed him any dog snacks containing these components. Likewise, allergy sufferers must not be given leftovers from human meals. All family members as well as friends and acquaintances should be informed about the allergy and adhere to the dog’s diet regime.

FAQ – frequently asked questions about hypoallergenic dog food

In which dogs do food allergies often occur?

In principle, any dog can develop an allergy to food components that it ingests frequently. However, certain breeds such as the Cocker Spaniel, West Highland White Terrier, Irish Setter, Dalmatian or Labrador Retriever are more commonly diagnosed with food allergies or intolerances.

Hypoallergenic dog food and elimination diet: what can jeopardize success?

With an elimination diet, it is essential that the dog is fed only the food assigned by the veterinarian and nothing else. Treats, table scraps, certain medications or food supplements, and dog toys with additives can jeopardize the success of the therapy. In the case of an allergy, even tiny amounts of a substance are enough to provoke symptoms such as diarrhea or itching.

Sources

www.royalcanin.com/de//dogs/products/vet-products/hypoallergenic-drywww.josera.de/ratgeber/ratgeber-hunde/hundefutter-allergie