Allergies & Intolerances

Allergies

Dogs can suffer from problems with their food such as adverse reactions, intolerances
and allergies and this is something that we as owners are starting to become more
aware of. Chudleys Nutritional Advisor, Nicki Rowe BSc Dip CNC, looks at how they
can affect our dogs.

What is an allergy?

The dog’s immune system is designed to protect the body from any
undesirable outside invaders, for example an infection. When the dog encounters these the immune system rushes into action to attack them. An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to something that should normally be harmless. The compound that the immune system reacts to is called an allergen. An allergen can be anything that the dog comes into contact with in daily life and can induce a response in one dog but can be
completely harmless to another. There are numerous allergens than can cause reactions in dogs, including house dust, pollen, flea bites and food. It is thought that up to 20% of dogs could suffer from some form of allergy, although only 10% of this number is down to food, therefore something less than 2% of the total population are thought to suffer from food allergies. It should also be mentioned that dogs do not suffer from allergies in exactly the same way as humans, in that they do not suffer from anaphylactic shock.


Food Allergy versus Food Intolerance

Whilst it is accepted that some dogs do suffer from food allergies it is also worth noting that a lot of feed related problems that dogs may suffer are down to a food intolerance rather than an allergy. A dog suffering from a food intolerance may display similar symptoms to an allergic reaction, however this response does not involve the immune system but is the result of an abnormal physiological response to food. It can therefore be difficult to determine which the dog is suffering from by the symptoms alone, although this can be ascertained by measuring immune system indicators. Food intolerances can be caused by several factors which include:

• Dietary indiscretion – where the dog has eaten a foreign object eg the contents of your rubbish bin or has eaten something unpleasant out on a walk.

• Toxic Reaction -where the dog has eatensomething toxic, such as chocolate.

• Metabolic Reaction – where the dog has anadverse reaction to food as a result of a metabolic defect, such as lactose intolerance.

What ingredients are most likely to
trigger an allergic reaction?

One common misconception is that allergies are caused by excess protein,
this however is not strictly true. Protein as a necessary part of the dog’s diet as it provides the essential amino acids which are required for muscle development, cell regeneration and tissue renewal, amongst other functions. What actually happens is that the dog is allergic to a particular type of protein eg wheat protein (often referred to as wheat gluten) or oat protein. In a normal dog this type of “protein” is broken down by enzymes in the stomach, into smaller molecules and can then be absorbed through the gut wall. In the allergic dog this type of “protein” is only partially broken down and the larger molecules are unable to pass through the gut wall. This results in an allergic reaction. Dogs can be allergic to the “protein” in one type of cereal, ie wheat, without being allergic to any others.

It is possible for a dog to be allergic to any of the ingredients in his food but the
most common allergens seem to be wheat


.What are the symptoms?

Food allergies can affect your dog in different ways. In most dogs a food allergy will manifest
itself as a skin problem (allergic dermatosis) ie dry and itchy skin, but this may not be
the only symptom and may not occur in every dog. Other symptoms may include:


Intense itching (pruritis) as a result of the skin problems, can lead to redness, hair loss and possibly secondary infection or injury as the dog scratches and maybe even bites itself to try and stop the itching. Areas of the body that are commonly affected are: feet, armpits, ears and groin area.
Persistent ear infections (otitis externa) – sometimes this may be the only symptom. Bowel movements may be increased of the dog could suffer from diarrhoea or vomiting.


With a food allergy the symptoms would occur all year round and not seasonally.


A food allergy can occur at any time and any age. It is not necessarily linked to a change of feed, as the dog can have been eating a particular food for years with no problems and then suddenly develop an allergy to one or more of the ingredients.


What should you do if you think your dog is
suffering from an allergy?

The first step is to visit your vet, who should be able to confirm
whether or not your dog is suffering from an allergy. He may also be able to prescribe medication to help ease some of the symptoms and make your dog more comfortable. As mentioned earlier, allergies can be caused by anything that your dog comes into contact with in his daily environment from food to the washing powder that you wash his bed with, so you will need to explore all aspects of his life to identify the allergen.


Elimination Diets

The most effective way of identifying a food allergen is to use an elimination diet. This means taking your dog off his normal feed, including any treats, supplements and table scraps, and introducing the elimination diet, which can be either commercially or home made and should ideally consist of one protein source and one carbohydrate source. It is important that your dog has never eaten either of these before. Your vet should be able to
advise you on a suitable elimination diet for your dog.
Your dog should stay on an elimination diet for approximately 8-12 weeks to allow time for the symptoms to disappear and his original diet can then be re-introduced. If the symptoms reoccur this would indicate that the allergen is one of the ingredients in this food. To identify which ingredient, the process above should be repeated, challenging the do with the individual ingredients until you find which is causing the problem. You can then look for an alternative diet that does not contain that ingredient.


Suitable feeds

Using an elimination diet is quite a lengthy process so some owners will look at using a hypo-allergenic diet first. It is important not to confuse an elimination diet with a hypo-allergenic diet. No feed can truly be classed as hypo-allergenic for all dogs, as each dog can be allergic to different things. What these feeds do is that they are free from the most common allergens, so could be beneficial to sensitive dogs. The feeds within the Chudleys range which may be suitable include:

• Chudleys Choice – available in 4 flavours: Chicken, Liver & Veg, Salmon & Veg,
• Beef & Veg and Lamb & Veg.
• Chudleys Sensitive – a Lamb, Rice & Veg based ration, which is also ideal for dogs with delicate tummies.

All of these feeds are wheat gluten and soya free and contain good levels of omega 3 & oils for healthy skin and coat. They are fully balanced with all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your do needs for a healthy life and also contain Chudleys patented antioxidant package, QLC (Quality Life Care), which helps to support your dog’s own natural defence system.


Herbs

Dogs suffering from dry, itchy skin may benefit from using a herbal supplement, such as Chudleys Nettle, as this is thought to provide useful dietary support for skin and coat condition. Chudleys Delicate can be used for dogs suffering
from a sensitive tummy. This is a blend of herbs, including Chamomile, Scullcap, Comfrey, Aniseed and Mint, which has been formulated to help
nutritionally support the digestive system.

For further information about these feeds and a full list of ingredients or to discuss your dog’s feed in more detail, please contact;


Chudleys Nutritional Helpline

0845 345 2627


www.chudleys.co.uk