If you suspect that your dog may have a food allergy, then you’re probably already familiar with specific vet diets such as hypoallergenic dog food. However, with so many different options on the market, it can be confusing to understand exactly what your dog needs and when to start feeding them.
In this blog, we’ll recap what hypoallergenic dog food is, when it’s recommended for use and how to start incorporating it into your dog's diet.
What is Hypoallergenic Dog Food?
Because we’ve gone into depth in our blog ‘What is Hypoallergenic Dog Food’, we’ll just lightly touch on this one. In a nutshell, hypoallergenic dog food is formulated to minimise the most common allergies that dogs may experience.
This is achieved by using a special recipe formulated without common ingredients that may irritate dogs, including wheat, wheat gluten, dairy, and soy.
What do Dog Food Allergies Look Like?
Dog food allergies can cause a variety of symptoms, and can present in the following ways:
· Itching and scratching of the skin
· Red or inflamed skin
· Changes to the appearance of the fur, including thinning or bald patches
· Recurring skin or ear infections
· Nausea and vomiting
· Diarrhoea
While some symptoms may appear milder than others, it’s important to monitor your dog closely if you suspect they may be suffering from an allergy.
What are the Differences Between Intolerances and Allergies?
Identifying whether your dog has an intolerance or allergy can help you choose an appropriate treatment plan, so it’s important to understand the differences to get the best care for your pooch.
Essentially, the difference between allergies and intolerances is how the body reacts to a particular substance.
Allergies – When it comes to allergies, these predominantly involve the immune system. As the body identifies a normally harmless substance (allergen) as a threat, it then mounts an immune response. This includes itchy skin, ear infections and hair loss and/or skin infections and in some cases vomiting and diarrhoea.
These allergies can be triggered through a range of factors, including:
- The Environment - i.e. mould from being in a damp environment, airborne pollen from the trees and grasses.
- Contact Allergies – your dog may react to specific products such as cleaning products used on your floors or certain plants in your home.
- Food Allergies – triggered through the foods they eat, whether that’s their typical dog biscuits containing wheat or other allergens, or table scraps containing ingredients that trigger a response. Our detailed blog can help determine whether your dog has a food allergy in more detail.
- Flea Bites (or Flea Allergy Dermatitis) – some dogs can have an allergic reaction to flea saliva, causing a reaction from one single flea bite.
Intolerances – While some symptoms may present the same in intolerances as allergies (vomiting and diarrhoea), intolerances do not involve the immune system and primarily affect the digestive system.
If your dog is suffering from digestive issues but isn’t presenting signs of any skin irritations or infections, it may be that they are suffering from an intolerance, rather than an allergy.
While hypoallergenic dog food can help alleviate symptoms for both allergies and intolerances in dogs, it’s important to identify the problem and discuss any concerns with your vet before starting them on any new diets.
Switching to Hypoallergenic Dog Food
While you may be tempted to switch your dog straight over to their new diet for quicker results and alleviate your dog's discomfort sooner, it’s important to transition your dog slowly to their new diet.
Below is a recommended 7–10-day plan for transitioning your dog over to their new food:
· Days 1-2: Fill the bowl with ¾ the amount of the current food and add ¼ of the hypoallergenic dog food
· Days 3-4: Mix half of the current dog food with half of the hypoallergenic dog food
· Days 5-7: Fill the bowl with ¾ of the hypoallergenic dog food and add ¼ of the old food
· Days 8-10: Only serve the hypoallergenic dog food.
If your dog is experiencing digestive issues due to the change in food or is struggling to adapt to the taste, we suggest extending the transition period by a few more days. Your vet will also be able to provide any further advice or tips on moving your dog over to hypoallergenic dog food.
Finding Your Dog's Perfect Food With Calibra
At Calibra, we offer a wide selection of dog food to help alleviate any food allergies or sensitivities. From puppy food right through to junior and senior dog food, to support dogs at all ages, as well as accommodating for personal tastes, including Chicken, Salmon and Lamb.
For advice on our range of dog food, please get in touch with our team, who would be happy to hear from you.
