Pet Food Allergies: What Are They and How Do They Happen?

When an animal’s immune system falsely identifies a protein in their food as an invader rather than something to be consumed, an immune response occurs, manifesting as a food allergy. As a result, your four-legged companion could experience skin or ear infections. In some instances, pets can even experience gastrointestinal (GI) issues, which could make them vomit or give them diarrhea. 

As a pet owner, you must be able to distinguish food allergies from other causes of GI and skin or ear problems.

How Food Allergies Are Diagnosed

It isn’t easy to determine if an animal has a food allergy. Even existing lab tests cannot be 100 percent accurate. Currently, the best way to figure out if your furry friend has a food allergy is by omitting specific foods from their diet and seeing if there are any changes to the symptoms after this elimination trial.

You can feed your pet a diet that was recommended by a veterinarian from your local pet store. Alternatively, you can feed them homemade meals containing only a few ingredients that your pet has not eaten before or have been hydrolyzed or purified. Some of these methods are designed to break down proteins to hide from the immune system. 

After a menu has been planned, it will be the only thing you can feed your pet for at least a month. However, if your furbaby has a history of other allergies or illnesses, you can extend the trial period. 

If you notice that your pet’s health has improved after tweaking their diet, try incorporating their old food to see any changes. If they relapse and exhibit old symptoms, you can safely assume that your pet is allergic to something from their old diet.

If your pet exhibits old symptoms after eating their former diet, you can reintroduce them to the new one until their condition improves. As time passes, try incorporating one ingredient at a time from their old diet until you can specify which ones are causing an allergic reaction in your pet.

Other Causes of Gastrointestinal Problems in Cats and Dogs

Many factors can contribute to gastrointestinal issues in your furbabies. These can include bacterial infections or if they ate something they shouldn’t have. If your pet is on a specific diet, there’s a possibility that they became sick because of a food allergy or an intolerance to something they eat. This could include too much fat or fiber. 

For a clear distinction, you should consult your local veterinarian so that you can do what’s best for your furbaby.

Causes of Skin and Ear Infections

Food allergies aren’t necessarily the primary cause of itching, skin infections, and ear infections in animals. In fact, they’re more likely to exhibit symptoms because of fleas, allergies to dust, pollen, and other environmental factors. However, you should still keep in mind that the symptoms are similar for different types of allergies.

Conclusion

Figuring out what your pet is allergic to can be tricky. After all, existing lab tests are currently not as accurate as we would want. But by utilizing the elimination method, you can slowly identify any ingredient that causes allergic reactions in your pets. 

If you’re going to plan out the best menu for your furbaby, you should consider consulting a veterinarian or certified pet dietitian from a pet store in Bentonville, AR. Earthwise Pet Supply & Grooming Bentonville provides a wide range of high-quality pet food and supplies. Our staff is highly experienced in pet grooming, and we have an in-house certified pet dietitian and pet nutrition specialists who can help you plan healthy meals. If you are interested in our services and pet supplies, contact us today.