Dog Food Allergies: The Struggle Is Real

Food Allergies.  When I hear that, I usually think about human food allergies.  You hear stories about kids that are allergic to peanuts or strawberries.  I knew that dogs could also have food allergies, but didn't have any personal experience dealing with it.

That was before, and this is now. Now, I have a little experience because my newest adoption, eight year old Lil Bit, is allergic to chicken.  When I adopted him, he had a skin condition that appeared to be a fungal infection, but he had also chewed his feet so much that they were infected.  He was given prednisone, OTC antihistamines like benedryl and zyrtec (not together!), antibiotics, and an antifungal.  He had a small amount of improvement, but the condition and his misery persisted.  I took him back to the vet and we discussed his environment and food.  

Grains are usually a culprit of food allergies, and when I first adopted him, he was eating a food that contained grains.  I had transitioned him over to a food that was grain free though, because my other two dogs eat grain free food.  His skin improved a little, but not much.  Since he was eating a high quality grain free food, we decided to see if the protein, or meat source was the issue.  He was eating a chicken based food.  I normally rotate feed different brands and proteins, so my dogs usually get a rotation of beef, chicken, and fish proteins.  The vet suggested we switch to a fished based diet.  

Wow, did I find there is chicken in EVERYTHING! My vet said to avoid all chicken including chicken meal, chicken fats, chicken organs (liver), and eggs.  I did a lot of research and tried to find a fish based  kibble that wasn't terribly high in fat (under 12% is ideal since I have an overweight dog).  I compared reviews on sites like www.chewy.com (where I tend to buy dog food) and also reviews on DogFoodAdvisor.  To make my life easier for a few weeks, I decided to switch all of my dogs to the same fish based food.  it would help to make sure my chicken-allergic dog wasn't accidentally fed food with chicken.

Ultimately, I chose a food that contained 8% fat, 26% protein, and 394 calories per cup.  Since this food is much higher in calories than my dogs normally eat (they are usually 320-345 per cup), I reduced the amount of kibble, but did add in some extra veggies to help them feel full and get some extra nutrition.  I posted about the kind of veggies I use as food toppers, but pretty much any fruit or vegetable that is safe for them to eat works pretty well.  In order to find a food with no chicken that met my other requirements, I ended up getting a limited ingredient kibble, so the extra veggies help supply some important nutrients.

I also had to check the labels on treats because while many of theirs are homemade, like my three ingredient cookies, some treats like their dental treats, I do buy.  I found that even the beef flavored treats had at least chicken broth in them.  I finally found a vegetarian dental treat made by Blue Buffalo that didn't have any kind of chicken product.

My tips for finding a food and/or treats for food allergic dogs:

• The most common ingredients for dogs to be allergic to (in order of likelihood) are beef, dairy products, chicken, lamb, fish, chicken eggs, corn, wheat, and soy. 
• Check the ingredients! Even if the main protein is different, you may find the many foods will use more than one, especially in the form of meal (i.e. chicken meal).
• Consider Grain Free, since many allergies are related to grains.
• You may need to even consider vegetarian, if your dog is allergic to multiple proteins.
• Consider an unusual protein source, like rabbit or kangaroo.  Dogs seem to be allergic to the most common proteins, chicken and beef.
• You have to keep your dog on the new food and avoid the suspected allergy for several weeks to see real improvement.
• Common signs of allergy are itchy skin, recurrent ear infections, hair loss, paw biting, and excessive licking.  Keep an eye on your dog whenever switching foods and watch for these symptoms.
• Keep in mind, medicines like heartworm preventatives may contain the ingredient your pet is allergic to.
• If you end up feeding a limited ingredient diet, you may also need to supplement with a variety of fruits and veggies, and/or with a canine vitamin supplement to ensure proper nutrition.

Share your struggles with dog food allergies - and share how you found relief for your dog!

Please either share here by posting a comment or on our facebook page!

Sources:
Pet Education
DFA 

Food Toppers: What are they and why use them?

So, what is a food topper anyway? Food toppers are either homemade or commercially prepared concoctions that you add to your dog's dry kibble.  It can be anything from warm water, to fruits/veggies, homemade or commercially prepared gravies, or canned dog food.  Sometimes they are called "mixers" or "additions".

Why bother using them? There are about as many reasons to use food toppers as there are different kinds of food toppers.  Some people use them on their dog's kibble to enhance the flavor, to change things up to keep the dog from getting bored by the kibble, to add missing nutrients, to boost protein levels, as a supplement for a dog that maybe doesn't eat enough kibble, to provide a lower-calorie or lower fat replacement for some of the kibble, etc.

I can't tell you what the best toppers are or why you should use them, but I can tell you what I use, and why I choose not to use commercially prepared toppers except for occasionally store bought canned dog food (though they are definitely time savers).

I have three dogs that are prone to weight gain (hello, beagles!), and one of those, Otis,  was noticeably obese when I adopted him.  I discussed some of the reasons this is a serious health issue in my post about Obesity in Dogs.  One of the things I am doing to help him lose weight is I switched to a lower calorie and lower fat kibble, and also cut back on the amount of kibble I give him.  I don't want the adjustment to be hard on him, or for him to always be hungry and looking for food.  I've dieted before, and being hungry is miserable. So, I started replacing some of the kibble with a food topper, and in his case, it's fresh or steamed fruits and veggies.  It's super easy to make, and I usually steam up the veggies while I'm catching up on reading news articles or checking Facebook.

But food toppers can be a nice change of pace even for dogs who don't need to watch their weight.  Using different kinds of toppers can help keep food interesting and can also help fill any gaps in nutrition.  For example, my basset has decided she doesn't like the salmon food that my smallest beagle must eat due to an allergy to chicken.  To help make her food more palatable, I add some steamed or fresh veggies and fruits and she gobbles up all of the food.

Homemade vs. Commercial toppers 
There is nothing inherently wrong with using commercial toppers, and I have been known to occasionally use canned dog food to make a slurry (more on that below!).  As a rule, though, I prefer to make my own because then I know exactly what's in it (no chemicals or questionable ingredients) and it's less expensive.  I tend to use vegetables that are in season (and sometimes no salt added canned vegetables) and just buy a little extra to use for the pups.  Some vegetables, like butternut squash, produce way more food than what the humans need, so the pups get some, too.

I don't want to endorse any of the commercially made toppers because I just don't have a ton of experience with them, other than some canned foods.  I have found that "stew" type canned foods work better than "casserole" type, and it really only takes a spoonful or two - just enough to cover the kibble or be mixed with it.  If you have the casserole type, you can add water to make a slurry - which will result in fewer extra calories and the can lasting longer since it will take less caned food to cover the kibble.

For commercial toppers, I suggest looking for brands and flavors that have ingredients you recognize and can pronounce., and make sure meat or veggies are the first ingredients.  I've not used any the the available gravies or other toppers, so feel free to let me know in the comments (either on this blog or on FB) about what you think of any that you try.

Homemade toppers are easier and less time consuming than you think.  I frequently add either a single ingredient or a medley of ingredients to my pup's food, including beets, green beans, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potato, green pepper, apples, and strawberries.  Sometimes, if I have bits or scraps of uncooked meat, I will throw it in, too.

Several days ago, I roasted some butternut squash and sweet potatoes for my family.  I like to cut them both up into chunks for quicker roasting, so I just cut extra and set aside for the dogs.  We only eat half of the squash, and the other half becomes a food topper.  I chopped up the half of a butternut squash and a small sweet potato and steamed them together for maybe 10 minutes. Once it cooled, I put it in a container in the fridge.  Sometimes I warm a few tablespoons of vegetables with a little water before adding it to their food, but sometimes I just add it cold (especially on hot days!).

After eating this for a couple of days, my pups had gone through a bit of it, and I added a can of no salt added green beans.  After another couple of days, there wasn't much left, so I chopped up some apples, carrots, and fresh green beans and lightly steamed them while I checked Facebook and ate my breakfast.  Once cooled, I mixed these in with the sweet potato and squash.  Once that mixture got low, I added in a can of no salt added beets - which turned everything in the bowl pink, but my dogs didn't mind!  In another day or so, I will likely add in some raw fruits and veggies like chopped strawberries, chopped raw carrots, and chopped green pepper.  I like to use up the last of something that would otherwise probably not get used.  I also sometimes add raw chopped apples.

homemade veggie topper: sweet potatoes, butternut squash, canned green beans, steamed green beans, carrots, and steamed grannysmith apple.

I also will sometimes just add warm water, and will stir the kibble in the water to create a gravy.  The extra water helps to fill a dieting dog's stomach, and makes the food smell better to your pup, too.  Adding water doesn't add any calories, so it's a win-win for those watching their dog's weight.  

So, what's a slurry you ask? It's a semi-liquid mixture.  In the case of dog food, it's like a runny stew.  You can mix stewed or casserole canned food with water to make a slurry, or you can even mash up some sweet potatoes/squash and add water to make that into a slurry.  The water helps to thin out the food and will help to cover the kibble with it.  It's a great way to stretch a little bit of veggies or a little bit of canned food, but only as a topper and never as a meal replacement.

I have also been known to take one of the 3 Ingredient Cookies and crumble it over a bowl of kibble when I'm in a hurry.  I make the cookies in batches and usually end up freezing at least half, since unfortunately, they will mold after a few days left at room temperature.  My dogs will eat them either frozen or thawed, and I usually have some at room temp.  I just crumbled one (or half of one for the smaller dogs) over the food and Voila! The kibble becomes undeniably tasty to my pups.

If your dog doesn't have allergies to foods like chicken, you can add in a little low sodium chicken broth.  Many dogs like a little plain yogurt (greek yogurt seems to work best) or cottage cheese.  My dogs love scrambled eggs, though after finding out one of the dogs is allergic to chicken, I have stopped making that.  It was great though - I could split one (or sometimes two) scrambled eggs between the three dogs and they were in heaven.

Just make sure the foods you are using as toppers are safe for dogs. This means NO grapes or raisins!  Dogs can have fruits that have a pit like peaches, but the pit itself is toxic.  Apples are a great choice, but be aware that the seeds are toxic to dogs.

((Graphic courtesy thatpetplace.com)

 



(Dangerous Foods graphic courtesy thatpetplace.com)
(Healthy Dog Snacks graphic courtesy Enlightened By A Dog)



SOURCES:
Personal Experience :)

4 Ingredient K9 Ice Cream Recipe

This is super easy and takes about 20-25 minutes to make (not counting cooling and freezing time).
I threw it together yesterday in between doing laundry and cleaning up the breakfast mess in the kitchen.

Easy 4 Ingredient K9 Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (can substitute butternut squash, too).  Should be about 2 cups when cooked.
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (can substitute sunflower butter if your dog is allergic to peanut)
• 2-3 Tbsp. Low Sodium chicken or beef broth (can substitute water if you don't have broth)
• 2 containers plain greek yogurt (can also use vanilla, but plain is best and is less likely to contain toxic artificial sweeteners)

plain greek yogurt

steamed and lightly mashed sweet potato

natural peanut butter.

Directions:

1. If you have a saucepan with a steamer bowl, fill pan enough to steam veggies.  This is usually a couple of inches of water.  Set it on the stove and turn it on. If you don't have a steamer, you can also boil the veggies for a few minutes to soften.
2. Meanwhile, cut the sweet potato into small chunks, about 1/2 inch (or smaller if you want them to steam faster) and add to the steamer.
3. Steam chunks for about 10-15 minutes, or until pretty soft (but not totally mushy).
4. After the sweet potatoes are steamed, lightly mash them.  You don't want to puree them, you want there to still be very small chunks.
5. Let them cool.  This can take around 20 minutes (this time doesn't count against the time it takes to make the ice cream, since you can leave the sweet potatoes and go attend to something else while they cool).
6. In a medium bowl, mix the two containers of greek yogurt, sweet potatoes, and peanut butter.  Add in the broth or water to thin it slightly.
7. Scoop into single serve size containers and freeze.  This makes a pretty good amount so make sure you have plenty of small containers.  I got a bunch at my local dollar store. It does take several hours to freeze and these should be only an occasional treat.

Depending on the size of your containers (and dogs!) you can get anywhere between 2-10 servings.

I would advise to use smaller containers - OR use one large container (takes longer to freeze) and then scoop out a tablespoon or two at a time for your pups.  Mine don't eat the containers, so this is a handy way to serve the ice cream.  Two of them pick up the containers and carry them out into the yard to enjoy.

a few of the containers ready for their lids and to be frozen.

Does your dog have allergies? This recipe is easy to change up and add substitutions!  I recently disocvered one of my dogs is allergic to chicken, so I can't use chicken broth.

Now, I made a version of the ice cream with 1 container greek yogurt, 1 very ripe banana, 1/2 cup peanut butter (substitute sunflower butter if allergic), and 2 cups of mashed steamed veggies (I usually use sweet potato, butternut squash, or pumpkin) but have also used beets, apples, or a mixture!  This one I just mix, pour into small containers, and freeze!

Heat Stroke: Would You Recognize It? (Prevention & Treatment)

You've probably heard not to leave your dog in the car, and even heard of the many stories of owners who have done that and had their dogs die.  Sometimes, the dogs are rescued in time.  You should never leave your dog in the car, even if you leave the windows down or leave the car running with the A/C on, or you're parked in the shade.    There have been several reports of citizens or police rescuing dogs left in hot cars, and these dogs survived, but many don't.
Pensacola Florida, July 1, 2016
Wrentham, Massachusetts, June 27, 2016
Merriam, Kansas, July 11, 2016

If you can't take your dogs with you into every store or place you plan to visit, then leave your dog at home!

In addition to being careful about not leaving your dog in a car, there are other dangers to dogs related to heat.

Some areas are very humid, particularly in the southeast and mid-atlantic regions of the US.  Humidity affects pets just like it does humans, and can lead to heat stroke.  When dogs pant, it helps to remove moisture from their lungs to help take heat away from their body.  When humidity is too high, dogs aren't able to effectively remove the moisture and heat.

Exercise is very important, but on hot/humid days, limit or reduce the amount of exercise and also try to limit it to the early morning or late evening hours, when it is cooler.  Not only will both you and Rover enjoy your walk or game much more, but it will help reduce the chances of your dog overheating.  If you walk on pavement, be aware that if it's too hot for you to put the back of your hand on the pavement for seven full seconds, it's too hot for your dog to walk on.

Fans can help, but they aren't ideal because a dog sweats through his feet!  While the breeze will feel good to your dog, it may not actually cool him off much.  That being said, when we are outside I do have an outdoor fan running and my dogs do like to lay in front of it - often with their feet towards it.  There's nothing wrong with using a fan, but don't count on it to be enough to keep your dog cool by itself.

When your dogs are outside, make sure they have water and shade.  If possible, think about putting ice cubes in their water.  I like to use cubes made from frozen broth as well, because the flavor helps encourage my dogs to drink more.  Shade from tarps, trees, awnings, or open air tents are the best because they allow air flow.  Dog houses actually trap the heat and won't do anything to cool your dog.   Water loving dogs may love to run through a sprinkler (you can make a soft one using a pool noodle!) or in a plastic wading pool filled with cool water.

mesh sun shade

open air flow tent

basset in plastic pool

dog cooling off in pool

frozen kong

Give cool treats such as broth ice cubes in their water, or freeze mashed bananas and peanut butter in their kong.  You can try plain greek yogurt, peanut butter, and a fruit like blueberries, bananas, apples, etc frozen in a kong as well.  You can also freeze green beans and carrots and give them as a low calorie cold treat.  Frosty Paws are a nice cold treat, too.   I also help my puppes keep cool by making puppy popsicles, and I also freeze the 3 Ingredient Canine Cookies and give them to my pups frozen - they stay soft even when frozen!

puppy popsicles 

3 ingredient canine cookies

Have a plan for power outages because they do happen and sometimes it's more than for just a couple of hours.  It's just important to make sure your dog stays comfortable as it is for you.  Your plans may include having a list of pet-friendly hotel/motels outside of your immediate area (maybe the next town over), a list of friends or relatives in various nearby areas that would be willing to let you and your pet stay with them, at least two dog boarders in different nearby areas (within maybe 15 miles or so) where you would be comfortable leaving your pet as long as the boarder has power (and have your dog registered with them and preferably stay in a non-emergent situation so you will know you your dog does with boarding).  Also, consider contacting your vet when you lose power - they may have power (and likely a backup generator) and be able to board your dog.

Know the signs of canine heat stroke. I wasn't aware of all of these before writing this blog.
Signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke are:

• heavy/excessive panting
• glazed eyes
• difficulty breathing
• excessive thirst
• lethargy
• fever (over 103 degrees)
• excessive drooling
• dizziness
• lack of coordination or falling
• dark red or purple tongue
• seizure
• vomiting, including vomiting blood
• paid heart rate
• irregular heartbeat
• unconciousness
• less urine than usual or not urinating

If you think your dog is suffering from heat stroke, move your dog into the shade or if possible, and air conditioned area.  Apply ice packs or cold/frozen towels to her body, and let her drink small amounts of water or lick ice cubes.  My beagle easily overheats and most of the time, doesn't want to drink water.  I use a small syringe from the local pharmacy to squirt a little bit of water in his mouth to help him cool down and hydrate. Run cool (but not cold) water over his body. Call your vet right away if you suspect heat stroke, as your dog may need urgent medical attention including IV fluids!

Some breeds are more susceptible to heat stroke, including those with very heavy coats such as alaskan malamute, husky, sheepdog, irish wolfhound, samoyed, st. benard, newfie, and akitas.  Also,  dogs with pushed in faces such as pug, bulldog (french and english), boston terrier, boxer, chow chow, pekingeses are at an increased risk of heat stroke.  Any overweight or obese dog of almost any breed is also at an increased risk.

Sources:
Humane Society
ASPCA
PetMD
iHeartDogs

3 Ingredient Canine Cookies

What's not to love about homemade dog treats?  Especially when they are easy and fairly inexpensive to make!

I make the original recipe, but also have made a couple of other variations, which I will include.  I also have some substitutions if your dog has food allergies!  these freeze really well and stay soft even in the freezer.

(shown: pureed sweet potato, peanut butter, and brown rice flour)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup brown rice flour (you can use regular white flour as well, this is just a bit healthier)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (no salt, no added anything, just peanuts!)
1 cup canned pure pumpkin (just pumpkin, not the stuff for pies!)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or skip this step, I usually do!)
3. In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter and pumpkin.  Slowly add in the flour.
4. You can either roll the dough out between layers of parchment paper and then cut into shapes, or make drop cookies.  I tend to roll about a teaspoon into a ball, place in the cookie sheet, then flatten it with my palm.  Sometimes I roll it out and use a pizza cutter to cut into squares/rectangles.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Alternatives:
I often will make sweet potatoes or butternut squash for my family, and they make a wonderful substitution for the pumpkin, but do require some prep.  A whole butternut squash goes a long way and feeds both humans and pups, and an extra sweet potato isn't expensive. I cut the vegetable into small 1" cubes, and steam them until they can be pureed with a spoon or fork.  You will need 1 cup pureed.

Also, if your dog can not tolerate peanuts, sunflower seed butter may be an alternative.

Note: The original recipe was posted on someone else's blog and can be found here.