We get many questions about whether our food is a suitable choice for an allergic dog. In this article we go through some basics about allergies, and explain whether an insect-based food could work for food-allergic dogs. Remember that if you have a confirmed allergic dog, a dog with a suspected allergy or a dog with a particular health condition, you should always consult your vet before making changes to the dog's food.
In this article we go through:
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What are the most common allergies?
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What symptoms can allergy cause?
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What are the diagnostic methods?
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How does an elimination diet work?
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What is the difference between hydrolysed and hypoallergenic protein?
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Can petgood's insect-based food help?
What are the most common allergies?
Allergies in dogs can, put simply, be divided into two categories: food allergy or atopy. Atopy is an allergy to factors in the environment, such as pollen, grass, mites or mould. We will only cover food allergy in this article, but remember that the dog can have both food allergy and atopy at the same time, or just one of them. When it comes to food allergies, the most common allergen is a protein source. According to a study by Mueller et al (2016) the most common food allergens for dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat and lamb.
What symptoms can allergy cause?
Allergies can show up either through dermatological symptoms, such as itching, rashes, skin irritations, red paws and recurring ear infections. The dog can also have symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
What are the diagnostic methods?
If you suspect that your dog is allergic, it is recommended that you start an allergy investigation with a vet. The investigation follows several steps according to the exclusion method, where you try to find out what is causing the allergy, and find a treatment method that works. There are many treatment methods, but it can take a little time to find the one that works best for your particular dog.
How does an elimination diet work?
If it is suspected that your dog has a food allergy, an elimination diet is a step in the investigation towards finding out what your dog is allergic to. These diets often use food with hydrolysed protein. The purpose is to find out whether your dog has a food allergy, and if so, which allergens your dog reacts to. If your dog is undergoing an allergy investigation and is specifically put on an elimination diet, do not change food without first consulting your vet!
What is the difference between hydrolysed and hypoallergenic protein?
A hydrolysed protein is a protein that is broken down into tiny pieces. Thanks to this, the allergic dog's immune system does not overreact to it, since it does not recognise it as a protein. This means that allergic dogs can often tolerate different types of hydrolysed food, and they are therefore used in elimination diets.
The term hypoallergenic has no established definition and is used for different purposes, and can therefore be a little confusing for the customer. Most often it means that the protein comes from a more unusual source, and therefore has a lower risk of causing allergic symptoms. It can mean that the protein is hydrolysed, but there is no guarantee. Some manufacturers also use the term hypoallergenic in the sense that their product contains only one protein source, which can also be called single protein.
Can petgood's insect-based food help?
If a food allergy has been established with an elimination diet, the next step is usually to try to introduce a new protein source to evaluate whether the dog tolerates it. Insect protein is a new, unusual protein source that most dogs have not been exposed to. Because of this, there is a lower risk that the immune system reacts to the protein. Insects are the only animal ingredient in petgood's food. Our food is not hydrolysed.
A study by Lee et al evaluated insect protein in clinical studies, where food-allergic dogs were divided into groups that were fed different types of diets for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, a significant improvement in dermatological symptoms was seen in the group fed the insect-based diet, that is, the dogs had a lower incidence of rashes, redness and skin irritations compared to the control group. You can find the study here.
There is no food that works for all allergic dogs, since every dog is unique and their needs are different. According to current research, there is a risk of cross-reaction between insects and crustaceans, which means that dogs with a known allergy to shellfish, for example shrimp, or insects, for example mites, can also react to insect protein. This is an area that is still being researched, but dog owners of mite-allergic dogs should be aware that there is a risk that they also react to an insect-based food.
Now we have sorted out some basic allergy concepts and explained why insect protein could work. And once again - we always recommend you with an allergic dog to consult your vet before making any changes to the dog's treatment, feeding or routines. 🐶❤
If you want to read some stories from food-allergic dogs that have switched to our food, you can read more about, for example, Hank, Stella and Barbie here.
