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 

Reverse Sneezing

A reverse sneeze  is an alarming thing to hear the first time you hear it!

Normally, when a dog sneezes, air is being expelled out.  A dog's head will move in a downward motion, and the air being expelled helps to remove the irritant from the dog's body.

But in a reverse sneeze, or paroxysmal respiration, a dog's head will often move up, and your dog will be sucking in air instead of expelling it.  It sounds terrible and the first time one of my dogs did it, I was scared something was really wrong with him!  The sound is usually like a loud snorting and gasping, and your dog may stand still while reverse sneezing.  Though it sounds awful, reverse sneezing doesn't hurt your dog or cause any long term effects.

Some dogs are more like to experience reverse sneezing, like those with pushed in faces or who have other respiratory issues.  Dogs with dental disease or who have mites in the nose may also experience reverse sneezing.  It's actually fairly common.

Treatment usually isn't required, but if the reverse sneezing keeps occurring, you should take your dog to the vet to rule out things like mites, collapsed trachea, nasal tumors, polyps, or infections, etc.  Treatment usually consists of soothing your dog, but for some cases, it's worsened by allergies and a medication such as benedryl or zyrtec may help.  Check with your vet before giving any medication.


Sources:
PetMD
VCA Hospitals

Do You Brush Fido's Teeth?

Many pet owners (myself included for awhile) don't give much thought to their dogs teeth.  My vet recommends that I brush my dogs teeth everyday.  I mean to, but I often collapse in bed without brushing their teeth.  I figure it's a good week if they get brushed three times.  I know it's not enough and am trying to get in the habit of doing it daily.

I've purchased toothbrushes and toothpaste.  I seem to have better luck using the finger brushes on my smaller dogs Otis and Lil' Bit, but I can use the regular toothbrush with Remy.
I tried a vanilla mint flavor, but unsurprisingly, it wasn't really enjoyed by my mutts.  So, I also bought a beef flavored toothpaste made by Arm & Hammer.  So far, all three dogs at least tolerate it.




Another thing I've been doing is giving my dogs dental treats that are supposed to help (at least a little) improve dental health.  I was giving them Virbac CET Veggiedent treats because they are VOHC accepted, which means the Veterinary Oral Health Council accepts the claim that the company makes.  Virbac CET Veggiedent treats claim to reduce tartar.  Having the VOHC accepted label means that this product has proven (in at least two trials) to help reduce tartar by 15-20%.  Unfortunately, though, these treats are also 3.4 kcal (calories) per gram, which for the size small treats (25g) means 85 calories per treat and for the large treats (35g) 105 calories per treat.  My dogs love these, and I highly recommend them if your dog isn't overweight.  In fact, I will likely still give these to my dogs, but less often or will break them in half so they get a smaller treat.  We are also going to try a couple of other dental treats that are VOHC approved such as Get Naked Low Calorie and Greenies Weight Management.  I am going to have my dogs try a dental treat that isn't necessarily low calorie or VOHC approved, but might help with their teeth, called Nutrident Complete, by Nylabone.  After they've tried them for awhile, I'll post a product review.



Some vets (especially a certain national chain) promotes annual teeth cleaning.  Depending on your dogs health, age, and tooth condition, you may actually need this.  I've never had a dog that needed it more than every other or every three years.  I am not a fan of annual cleanings for dogs unless the dog actually needs it, because your dog will need to be put under general anesthesia, and this should be done sparingly.  There are some vets who don't use general anesthesia, but this is not recommended by the AAHA or AVDC. This is because the teeth will not get properly cleaned if the dog is awake, and also your dog is more likely to be injured.  As I like to say, prevention is key, so do what you can to prevent or reduce the need for dental cleaning.  That being said, it is important for your vet to check your dog's teeth and gums for abnormalities or gum disease, which may then require treatment, including dental cleaning.  I'm not against dental cleanings for dogs, I just think they should only be done when they are actually needed.

Older dogs, as well as those that are smaller breed often need more cleanings than their younger or larger counterparts.  Older dogs naturally have had longer for plaque and tartar to build up, and gum disease to set in.  Smaller breeds often have crowded teeth, which leads to normal methods like dental treats and brushing to not be as effective.

3 yr old Remy with femur

8 yr old Lil' Bit with femur

Most experts don't suggest you give your dog animal bones, because your dog can chip or break her teeth on them.  I give my dogs bones, but they are supervised while they have them and the bones are taken away if the dogs chew too aggressively or if I start hearing sounds like they might crack the bones.  I am not a expert, but am not opposed to them as the chewing and rubbing does help keep my dog's teeth clean.  It also keeps all three of them occupied for awhile, which is a rarity!

5.5 yr old Otis with bovine femur

 So the takeaway is that your vet should examine your dog's teeth and gums annually, and you should follow their recommendation regarding dental cleanings.  You can lessen the frequency of cleanings by working to reduce the buildup of plaque and tartar by brushing your dog's teeth at least once a day and giving them dental treats designed to help.

Sources:
Pet WebMD
AVDC
VetStreet