Allergies seem to be increasingly common in pets, especially in dogs. Food allergies, environmental allergies, autoimmune diseases, or a combination of all, it can be very discouraging for pet owners watching their pets be itchy or in pain. Nobody likes to see their dog in distress and not being able to help them.
An easy first step when trying to attain some relief from allergy symptoms is to do an allergy test with the help of a veterinary professional. Always remember, your veterinarian is the only professional who can diagnose if your pet is truly suffering from an allergy. Having your pet see a vet should always be the first step when your pet is suffering from skin or digestive issues. There are two types of tests that can be done, a blood or a skin test. The skin test is the most reliable and the costliest as it must be done by a dermatologist. Be wary of home allergy testing kits that test saliva or hair. They can sometimes be a good first step, but there have been studies done that indicate they are often inaccurate – in one instance this test diagnosed a stuffed toy with a food allergy! Especially if the dog is at a peak of symptoms, these tests commonly create false positive results.
If an allergy test is not an option, there are other ways you can help your dog. A great first step would be to take note of when the allergic reaction occurs – after a specific meal or treat, or during a specific time of year. From April to June, and August to October, environmental allergies are at all-time highs with symptoms ranging from simple itching to severe digestive issues.
Allergies environnementales
Environmental allergies can’t be prevented with, or relieved through diet. These allergens live among us – in the air we breathe and the things we touch, and unfortunately, we have no control over them. What we can do though, is try to strengthen the immune system which allows it to react in the right way. Having a good, strong and healthy microbiome (good gut bacteria) all year long is an essential first step in the modulation of immune response. Healthy, fresh food and regular supplementation with prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics is beneficial. Studies have been done on Bovine Colostrum supplementation, and its positive impact on modulating immune reaction. Based on testimonials from those using this supplement, starting BEFORE the allergy symptoms kick in is the best way to prevent a big reaction. But do not feel guilty if medication provided by your veterinarian is the only way to offer your pet some relief from environmental allergies, a comfortable pet is the top priority.
Allergies alimentaires
Food allergies, on the other hand, we do have some control over, and can make some relatively simple changes to offer relief without requiring medication. The first step is to determine whether we’re dealing with an allergy or an intolerance. An allergic reaction is the immune system overreacting to an allergen in the food, while an intolerance is the inability of the digestive system to properly digest a certain food or nutrient. Allergies present as a dog being very itchy, and having skin issues, while the intolerance will often result in digestive issues, like loose stool or vomiting. The two can be linked, and environmental allergies could also result in developing food intolerance. If the immune system is in constant battle against an allergen, the digestive system can create an association with a particular food and become intolerant to it.
When food allergy or intolerance is suspected, an elimination diet is a perfect first step to get some relief. It is very simple, yet it can require a lot of perseverance. The elimination diet will determine rather quickly if it’s a food intolerance with symptoms resolving once the suspected food is removed from the diet. For an allergy though, it can take up to 12 weeks or more for the allergen to be out of the system and see a reduction in symptoms. It is very important to follow a strict diet: choose a novel protein source – one that your pet likely hasn’t been exposed to before, for example duck, and feed strictly this source, for as long as allergy symptoms are evident. During this time, even treats must be 100% duck. No exception! It can take weeks for all allergies to go away, but improvement should be noticeable within 1-2 weeks. If there is no improvement at all after 3-4 weeks, you can try another protein, or it might mean it is environmental allergies – it could also be an autoimmune response, as some dogs are allergic to their own dead skin cells. In this case, the dog should be seen by a dermatologist.
An elimination diet is not a complete and balanced diet and in the long term we do not recommend feeding strictly one source of protein for nutrition. Worse than an incomplete diet in the short term, is a weakened and compromised immune system from constantly battling against a food allergen. Once the symptoms are all gone, then it is possible to start reintroducing food, one ingredient at a time, to create a complete and balanced diet. One new ingredient every 1-2 weeks, then wait to see if symptoms return. If they do, it means the new ingredient is considered an allergen and must be kept out of the diet.
If you would like more information about how to do an elimination diet, and how to reintroduce protein variety, specific to your pet, send a meal plan request to our expert team : https://bigcountryraw.ca/getting-started/customized-meal-planning/
References:
Bovine colostrum study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23773360/
Toy diagnosed with allergies: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/vde.12716