Understanding Food Sensitivities in Dogs (And What to Do About Them)

Food sensitivities in dogs can be confusing. Symptoms don't always present in a way that seems obvious right out of the gate. Something seems off with the dog, there's itchy skin, recurring ear infections, sometimes even digestive issues, but they all can have so many other reasons besides a problem with the dog's food. Food sensitivities aren't actually all that uncommon in dogs, but maddeningly they are different than food allergies, which makes diagnosis & treatment a bit more challenging.

Food sensitivities are different than food allergies. Allergies involve an immune response where the dog's body reacts with a vengeance to the offending food protein within a short period of time after it's eaten. Food sensitivities are a little sneakier; they build up over time and lead to an inflammatory response without that dramatic immune reaction. Dogs can eat the same food for months or even years before developing a sensitivity, making it hard to even consider food may be related to that problem itch.

What do Food Sensitivities Look Like?

Food sensitivity symptoms can be variable, which makes them kind of hard to describe. There are definitely some symptoms that seem to be more common than others, but there are quite a few. The most commonly affected systems seem to be dogs' skin problems. The dogs become itchy, often around their paws, ears, bellies and rears. They lick and chew until their skin becomes irritated and raw, sometimes even infected. Hot spots, those "what-the-heck-happened" red patches that come out of nowhere, can also show up.

But digestive issues can be pretty common too. Chronic soft stools, intermittent vomiting and gas may not be the first symptoms you think of regarding food sensitivities in dogs, but they can definitely be present. Usually, people associate this with sensitive tummies or something the dog ate out in the world, but sensitivities can be a cause as well.

Chronic recurrent ear infections can also be another big one when it comes to food sensitivities. Usually these recur even after treatment, so if it keeps coming back despite treating it, it's always best to look for the not-so-obvious answers.

Food sensitivities can also show themselves with behavioral changes in some affected dogs as well. They might seem restless, uncomfortable and irritable for no apparent reason. Their overall quality of life can suffer due to their underlying discomfort due to the inflammation caused by their sensitivities.

So What Causes Food Sensitivities?

Dogs are most commonly sensitive to protein when it comes to food sensitivities. Beef, chicken, dairy and eggs seem to be the most common culprits. This may seem surprising to dog owners because these are all common proteins found in most dog foods. There's nothing inherently "wrong" with those proteins, but repeated exposure over time can trigger sensitivities in some dogs.

Grains and fillers are often blamed for food sensitivities, but they actually may not be the problem at all in most situations. Of course, some dogs are sensitive to these ingredients as well (and gluten could definitely play a role), but the protein source is often the problem. Low-quality fillers and artificial additives, though, can give dogs an overall digestive stress level that makes existing sensitivities feel worse.

Start With Better Quality Food

Before undergoing an elimination diet and spending a lot of money on testing, switching to better quality food often does the trick. Many dogs who present with symptoms suggestive of food sensitivities are eating budget grade kibble that's loaded with unknown meat sources, fillers and even artificial dyes and preservatives. Their stomachs struggle every single day with these low-quality ingredients.

Quality is key when it comes to what goes into the food bowl. Dogs who eat Australian made and owned dry food that's high quality with proper formulas that consist of whole protein ingredients & few extras often see an improvement in symptoms simply because their bodies can digest what's being put into them instead of struggling.

Reducing digestion stress by eating quality ingredients that can be digested well also helps to reduce inflammation in the stomach and intestines which can then free up that inflammation not bothering other systems within the body.

Owners should look for dry (and wet) dog foods that have clear labels on them; the protein source should be specified ("chicken" or "lamb," for example) rather than vague sources like "poultry meal" or "meat by-products." Quality means a lot, but an ingredient list with whole ingredients rather than fillers can be trusted more than those that go the filler route.

This does not mean that switching to better foods will resolve symptoms of sensitivities, but it's a good first step before heading into complicated solutions.

The Elimination Diet Process

When switching to higher quality food does not resolve symptoms, an elimination diet may be required. This takes time and is not for the faint of heart so be prepared for quite the process, but it really is the gold standard for identifying problem ingredients.

The premise is simple: feed a dog a novel protein (one they have never eaten before) along with a single carbohydrate source for 8-12 weeks, nothing else. No table scraps. No sneaky bites.

Some examples of novel proteins include duck, venison, rabbit and fish varieties the dog has not yet eaten. The carbohydrate source does not have to be anything fancy, simple sweet potato puree from the can will do just fine! Or it can even just be the same novel protein without carbs; just make sure it's not formulated to actually have carbs in it (although most are).

When done properly, most dogs with sensitivities see a reduction in symptoms after about 4-6 weeks of being on the elimination diet. The itching goes down, the skin starts to heal, and digestive issues resolve.

Once symptoms have resolved for a while (around 8 weeks), you can slowly start to introduce ingredients back into the diet one at a time (slowly, one every couple weeks or so).

If symptoms resurface around 2 weeks after introducing anything new, you have your problem ingredient!

What About Testing?

Blood tests exist (and usually are done through the vet) for food sensitivities in dogs, but unfortunately, they aren't very reliable. Most of the time they test for sensitivities that aren't even present in most cases, but some dogs still have apparent reactions to ingredients they've never even tasted before.

Most veterinary dermatologists do not have faith in these tests as elimination diets are still considered the gold standard.

True allergy testing (the shot kind) does exist as well but it is definitely more applicable for environmental allergies rather than food allergies or sensitivities.

But this is also somewhat limited in scope and expensive so owners should think twice on whether this might apply to their dog specifically.

Chronic Management

So now that you think you've identified your ingredient(s) it should be easy to manage long-term, right? Just avoid those ingredients. In some cases, though this might be a little tricky if you've sensitized to multiple common protein sources.

It may be necessary to strictly follow limited ingredient diets that only permit a single source of protein and limit those dogs to only eating that one source, avoiding all others. These formulas exist especially for cases like this.

Also keep in mind that treats can be just as much of a problem as food. Commercial treats are loaded with multiple protein sources and fillers so finding something safe here can be tricky. Simple freeze-dried meat from a trusted source could be a solid option here (as well as simple veggies if he will tolerate it).

Some owners choose to rotate proteins (fish one month, duck another) to avoid developing a sensitivity to another source down the line though this can also be controversial.

Some say constant exposure is what causes this issue so rotating safe proteins prevents the issue from occurring.

In addition, these dogs who have chronic issues might benefit from supplemental gut health products, sometimes chronic issues means they could use a bit of extra help.

Gastrointestinal fortifiers that are approved for canine use in vet clinics can help reduce inflammation & enhance function while probiotics & digestive enzymes may also be beneficial.

At The End of The Day

Food sensitivities aren't life-threatening but they can definitely reduce quality of life. Food sensitivities in dogs require some work; they take patience and a lot of detective work! Symptoms are vague (and annoying), testing isn't that great & often solutions take time.

But most dogs who have true food sensitivities are much happier once their trigger ingredients have been eliminated.

Less yeast infections. Less itching. Less GI issues.

So, start with good quality food that lists its ingredients clearly yet has everything their bodies need to thrive, if symptoms persist however, work with your veterinarian on an elimination diet rather than just swapping foods randomly & hoping something works.

It's definitely worth it once you see your previously miserable dog feeling like themselves again!