Pleeeease Scratch Me! About Allergies.
A recent question on the Pet Health Central Facebook page about seasonal inhaled allergies got me thinking about all the things that are out there that can make a pet itchy – and itch they do! Millions of pets see their trusted family veterinarian every year due to itching caused by allergies. It is one of the most common reasons that pet owners bring their pets to the veterinarian’s office. I’ll be going a little more in-depth on the topic of allergies in my next few posts. Today’s post is all about food allergy.
Itchy skin in our pets is often more than just a minor annoyance – it can really make pets miserable, and make owners (and veterinarians) feel helpless. We hate to see our pets suffer, and allergies – including food allergy – cause quite a bit of animal suffering. When our pets have oozing, inflamed skin and scratch like crazy, we very naturally feel bad for them and want to seek relief. Food allergy is a common and really itchy condition that can cause this in both cats and dogs.
Proteins in pet food (any pet food – from store bought to home-cooked) can be recognized by the immune system as foreign invaders, provoking a response from the body’s immune system. The cost and nutritional lineup of a pet food have nothing to do with the chances that a pet will develop allergies while eating it! Similarly, any protein source (including the much-maligned corn) can trigger an allergy. (As a side note: corn is a perfectly fine and highly nutritious ingredient if fed in the right amount.) The inflammation that results from an allergy can target any organ system, but it is the skin that most often suffers and causes the signs that we see.
Signs of food allergy can include:
- Foot chewing
- Repeated ear infections
- Face itching
- Belly itching
- Diarrhea and vomiting
Many people think that a food allergy is caused by a recent change in their pet’s diet – in fact, the opposite is usually true: food allergies take time to develop. Most animals suffering from this itchy problem have been eating the offending food for years with no trouble until an allergy develops. The reason why one pet may develop an allergy while another does not is unknown, but is an area of active research.
Stay tuned for Part II and Part III in the next two weeks. Next week in Part II, I will discuss how other things trigger or work with food allergies (like fleas and inhaled pollen), and how to diagnose a food allergy. In Part III, we will explore what to do if your pet has food allergy issues.
Photo credits: Huey by wsilver
Tags: cat, dog, healthcare, Index, petcare, Veterinarians
Dr. Tony, excellent post! Can”t wait to read the next two installments.
I had no idea, Dr. Tony. That”s why you”re the expert and not me. You”re a very great writer. Keep the blogs coming!
o.O two of my dogs are very itchy and can”t figure out why.They get baths often, I didn”t know that they could develop allergies to the same food over time!? So is it best to change their food every couple of years?
Hi Bonnie! I was also really surprised by that! I have a 12-year-old dog and it never occurred to me that he might be allergic to his food after all this time. I”m interested to know what Dr. Tony has to say about this as well – should you change the food up every couple of years to avoid developing an allergy?
Hi Bonnie and Kelly. Glad you liked the post and found it useful. On the question of changing foods – I would not switch food just to switch. Only if food allergy is strongly suspected, and on the advice of a veterinarian, would I do it. Switching it up won”t necessarily help the pet ”avoid” later allergy.
Great information Dr. Tony! My Maltese gets brown paws during certain times of the year. Would this be from allergies?
I have been seeing a lot of write ups saying that corn is really bad for your dogs but its in so many dog foods. Is it really that bad for them? I know meat-by-products are not good though. Thank you for your reply to my earlier question 🙂
Hi everyone – thanks for the great interaction and level of interest! I think this is going to be a great blog! We are all very excited!
Patsy, the brown paws are due to licking, and can definitely be a sign of allergies. Along with licking at the feet, repeated ear infections can be a sign of allergies to pollens or food. Hopefully this article gave you some good pointers on how to deal with allergies, and your family veterinarian can help you and your dog out as well.
Bonnie – I am not sure why people are so down on corn! I eat it, my kids eat it, and my dogs eat it. It is a totally fine nutrient for for dogs. Along with other ingredients, corn is a fine source of nutrition, so don”t be alarmed if you see it on a package. If you want something meat based, that is fine, but people tend to worry too much about corn. I think the middle-ground pet store brands of food are 100% ok to feed – you don”t need to break the bank to get good nutrition. I caution people to avoid the super cheap grocery store brands, but the major names that are in the middle/upper price ranges are all quite good!
MY DOG VET IN FLORIDA TOLD ME THAT HE(SHAGGY) WAS ALLERGIC TO THE GRASS AT FLORIDA. NOW WE ARE LIVING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND THE VET SAID THAT WILL STOP WHEN WE MOVE, BUT HE STILL WITH ALLERGY HERE IN vIRGINIA; IS NOT SOOO BAD LIKE BEFORE. WE STOP GIVING HIM BEEF SEE IF IT WAS THAT GIVING HIM THE ALLERGIES. DR I SAW ALL THE SYMTOMS AND HE HAS ALL OF THOSE, BUT THE DIARRHEA &VOMITING. WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMEND!!! THANK YOU!
cool article
that was what happened 2 my friends dog it died cause vet would not help
Facts you should know about allergies, from an expert! Dr. Tony, tell us what we need to know, Pleeeeeeeeeeeease! http://t.co/omgonBRG
Guinness starts scratching end of summer early fall without fail. The vet after 3 yrs of prednisone and benadryl came to the conclusion that she has seasonal allergies. Now at the end of August we are prepared. watch for the itch before it gets out of control and start her on a mild dose of prednisone and Benadryl. this yr it worked. No terrible biting down to the skin, no shots, no head gear and no Prednisone titrate for a month. God i felt so bad that in yrs past i did not catch it in time.
I have a dog that seems to have allergies. I am beside myself.