Like people, dogs and cats can suffer from allergies. Pets could be allergic to many substances, but the most common allergens are:
- Fleas (flea bite dermatitis)
- Environmental (caused by pollens, trees, grasses, mold and mud mites)
- Food (caused by ingredients within the pet's food).
Read onto determine what causes food allergies in addition to what cat and dog food allergy symptoms seem like and just what that you can do to help.
What Causes Pet Food Allergies?
“A food allergy-food hypersensitivity-is caused when the defense mechanisms misidentifies a protein as foreign and mounts an immune response,” says Jordan Siegel, DVM, director of technical services for Central Life Sciences/Central Garden & Pet in the greater Chicago area.
A food sensitivity or food intolerance, on the other hand, refers to adverse food reactions-typically vomiting and/or diarrhea-that does not involve the immune system.
Dogs and cats aren't born with food allergies. Most pets who develop food allergies happen to be eating their normal diet of pet food for several years with no problems, Dr. Seigel says. This can come as an unexpected to pet parents who are now faced with selecting a new diet for his or her family pet.
Cat and Pet food Allergy Symptoms
Dog food hypersensitivity symptoms can vary. Based on Dr. Siegel, common signs of food allergies include:
- Itching shown by excessive facial scratching or rubbing
- Chewing or licking of the legs or feet and also the anal area
- Recurrent ear infections (sometimes)
Cat food hypersensitivity symptoms include:
- Itchy skin, especially excessive scratching or rubbing from the face and neck
- Skin scabs
Diagnosing Food Allergies
At this point, there is no simple or accurate test to diagnose food allergies in cats and dogs, Dr. Siegel says. If your pet is exhibiting family pet food hypersensitivity symptoms, your vet likely will recommend an elimination diet trial to try to pinpoint which food ingredients are causing your pet's symptoms, or at best identify which ingredients don't create problems.
This process includes feeding your pet a limited-ingredient diet that contains one protein source and something carbohydrate source that the pet never has eaten before. The purpose is to see if your canine's condition improves about this novel food diet. This process works best for cats, too.
The Best Pet food for Allergic Pups
If your pet was diagnosed with food allergies, you may wonder what is the best dog food for allergies. A lot of commercial dog foods contain a variety of ingredients, which can be problematic for pet parents who're trying to avoid particular food ingredients.
Luckily, some pet-food manufacturers offer limited-ingredient and grain-free diets to learn effectively to choose one that might work with your allergic dog. Check out AvoDerm's Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diet lamb and sweet potato recipe or its Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diet trout and pea recipe, both of which were specially designed to allow pet parents to regularly switch flavors for his or her dogs without the worry.
The Best Cat Food for Allergic Kitties
What's the very best cat food for allergies? Like dogs, cats might respond to certain proteins or grains commonly found in pet foods. Consider AvoDerm's Grain-Free Duck with Turkey Meal cat food, which contains no fish or chicken to assist minimize allergens.
Essential Fatty Acids and Food Allergies
Veterinarians recommend efa's (called EFAs) for pets who've itchy skin brought on by food allergies. Omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA can lower inflammation.
Although you can give your pet EFAs in supplement form, some dog and cats foods include efa's. For instance, AvoDerm Natural Grain-Free tuna and crab canned cat food, which supplies omega-3 and 6 fatty acids for skin and coat health.
