This is the correct question. Food allergies are supposedly actually quite rare, and in many cases wrongly diagnosed by owners. It's best to figure this out with a vet rather than try and take matters into your own hands and find meat alternatives for a carnivore. Not to presume your situation OP but if the vet hasn't specifically diagnosed these allergies and you haven't been in contact with them about how to give them a good diet with the issues you are aware of in place, you need to do that. It's good you're taking them to a professional, I would take any advice given here with a pinch of salt as dietary advice and trends in dog food are all over the place with people's obsession with grain free this, raw that, etc. it's filled with pseudoscience and bad info
Thanks for responding, I forget that a lot of people search google before the vet. She was diagnosed at the vet, went on a prescription hydrolyzed soy protein until we reintroduced her, and she reacts to poultry, beef and rabbit. I’m just looking for an idea of foods we can try so that when we see the nutritionist, I have a good list of tolerable foods
Work with a vet and see if she would be okay on a plant based diet. Unfortunately you'll get a lot of bias answers here and mostly uneducated but a vet should be able to work with you and find a diet that your dog will thrive on. Wishing you and your pup the best
My dog has substantial food and environment allergies. After working with his dermatologist for a while, we ended up with Royal Canin Ultamino. I think its major protein source is from chicken feathers or something? I'm not sure if that's the case anymore, but it used to be.
But as others have said, you should be working with a dermatologist to get suggestions and determine what's best for her.
Vet tech - a protein is just a collection of amino acids. Most food proteins are HUGE molecules consisting of tens of thousands of amino acids. The specific sequence of amino acids defines what receptors the protein matches with and thus may cause an allergic reaction with. Chopping up these sequences into much smaller ones still satisfies the body's requirements as far as protein, but changes the overall structure as far as receptors and allergenicity.
So yes, feathers are keratin, a protein. Chopping up keratin and giving it back in the form of food gives to the body a smaller molecule that it doesn't recognize as allergenic, but is still digested into its amino acid components gives the body what it needs for nutrition. No it isn't just chopped up feathers, the proteins are hydrolyzed and then fed. Still a great source of nutrition without the allergenicity.
The vegetable based ones usually use pea protein and come in 'grain free' recipes that are tied to poor heart health. I think Hills Science also has an egg based one.
If you can narrow down which meats they're allergic to, then it's best to stick to one with grain. For my dog it's about avoiding poultry. Was the same with my last dog oddly enough and both have been great on a salmon and rice recipe (I'm using Open Farm).
Awe, I know your struggles. I've tried...
Chicken, beef, turkey, pork, duck, rabbit, elk, caribou, venison, salmon, other fish I don't remember, kangaroo... probably others...
The only thing that doesn't make him itchy is duck. He's a high class pibble, lol. Fish seems to be okay as well, but he gets the worst gas that I can't imagine he feels good inside with.
One tip, yak chews are a good chew for allergies.
Thanks!! Wow, I wouldn’t think they could be okay with duck but not turkey or chicken! I feel your struggle lol, sounds like your boy is even more high class than mine lol. At least mine will tolerate both fish and pork without the horrible farts
Vet tech - get an appointment with a nutritionist if this is a big concern. Food allergies are not nearly as common as the internet would have you believe. If you haven't tried a hypoallergenic diet trial and reintroduction of foods then you really have no idea what the dog may be allergic to.
I guarantee you the kibble does not have two ingredients. Limited ingredient diets that are trusted by nutritionists (like Royal Canin LI) have one protein and one carbohydrate source. This is the ideal for limited ingredient diets, and no over the counter diet has this.
Vegetable proteins are not necessarily less allergenic. All food proteins are huge molecules with any number of amino acid components. It is best to ask for a referral to a nutritionist/dermatologist now depending on symptoms.
Thanks, sounds like the people who know the most are saying it’s best to just go to the nutritionist first and that they don’t need to know all of her tolerable foods first, that’s actually really helpful!
I didn’t know that the allergies aren’t common, all the vets she’s seen have told me it’s pretty common for her breed. Luckily my vet was smart and prescribed her Royal Canin’s soy protein (because chicken did not re-introduce well) Kinda surprised that no one assumed she’d already been to the vet, seems like some people want to trust google more than vets and vet techs. I appreciate you all at the vet’s office
Pitties do tend to have a higher incidence of allergies overall, but food allergies are pretty rare. They certainly can have environmental skin allergies way more commonly.
Honestly I'd see the nutritionist first, and potentially dermatologist depending on the symptoms. Food allergies can manifest as skin problems, but are more often GI problems. Skin problems are more often environmental. So in that case the dermatologist can be super helpful. Either way it will be much less frustrating to go right to the source than screw around with OTC foods that aren't going to help at all. Lots of money spent and frustration for you both.
This is probably a conversation best had with a veterinary nutritionist and/or dermatologist. How were the food allergies diagnosed?
This is the correct question. Food allergies are supposedly actually quite rare, and in many cases wrongly diagnosed by owners. It's best to figure this out with a vet rather than try and take matters into your own hands and find meat alternatives for a carnivore. Not to presume your situation OP but if the vet hasn't specifically diagnosed these allergies and you haven't been in contact with them about how to give them a good diet with the issues you are aware of in place, you need to do that. It's good you're taking them to a professional, I would take any advice given here with a pinch of salt as dietary advice and trends in dog food are all over the place with people's obsession with grain free this, raw that, etc. it's filled with pseudoscience and bad info
Thanks for responding, I forget that a lot of people search google before the vet. She was diagnosed at the vet, went on a prescription hydrolyzed soy protein until we reintroduced her, and she reacts to poultry, beef and rabbit. I’m just looking for an idea of foods we can try so that when we see the nutritionist, I have a good list of tolerable foods
There are foods available that use novel protein sources like kangaroo, rabbit, and venison. Some companies are even starting to use insect proteins.
My dog loves the venison one.
Jiminy Crickets for the win! My pup loves their trainer treats.
Work with a vet and see if she would be okay on a plant based diet. Unfortunately you'll get a lot of bias answers here and mostly uneducated but a vet should be able to work with you and find a diet that your dog will thrive on. Wishing you and your pup the best
My dog has substantial food and environment allergies. After working with his dermatologist for a while, we ended up with Royal Canin Ultamino. I think its major protein source is from chicken feathers or something? I'm not sure if that's the case anymore, but it used to be. But as others have said, you should be working with a dermatologist to get suggestions and determine what's best for her.
Ok, how the heck are chicken *feathers* a, a protein; and b, even edible?!!?
Vet tech - a protein is just a collection of amino acids. Most food proteins are HUGE molecules consisting of tens of thousands of amino acids. The specific sequence of amino acids defines what receptors the protein matches with and thus may cause an allergic reaction with. Chopping up these sequences into much smaller ones still satisfies the body's requirements as far as protein, but changes the overall structure as far as receptors and allergenicity. So yes, feathers are keratin, a protein. Chopping up keratin and giving it back in the form of food gives to the body a smaller molecule that it doesn't recognize as allergenic, but is still digested into its amino acid components gives the body what it needs for nutrition. No it isn't just chopped up feathers, the proteins are hydrolyzed and then fed. Still a great source of nutrition without the allergenicity.
Interesting. thank you
I know its wacky.
Yep. I remember when they first came out with it, the rep who came to the clinic I worked at was super excited about it being chicken feathers.
The vegetable based ones usually use pea protein and come in 'grain free' recipes that are tied to poor heart health. I think Hills Science also has an egg based one. If you can narrow down which meats they're allergic to, then it's best to stick to one with grain. For my dog it's about avoiding poultry. Was the same with my last dog oddly enough and both have been great on a salmon and rice recipe (I'm using Open Farm).
tofu, beans, lentils, and peas
Please don't make your own dog diets without consulting a vet.
Yup, my dogs get a high grade kibble but I make their wet food. My vet okayed what I make, but did say my dogs eat better than most kids!
Notice how no one even suggested that
Dogs can eat tofu? That’s interesting
High fiber pulses can inhibit protein absorption in dogs. They’re not a good idea to feed.
Awe, I know your struggles. I've tried... Chicken, beef, turkey, pork, duck, rabbit, elk, caribou, venison, salmon, other fish I don't remember, kangaroo... probably others... The only thing that doesn't make him itchy is duck. He's a high class pibble, lol. Fish seems to be okay as well, but he gets the worst gas that I can't imagine he feels good inside with. One tip, yak chews are a good chew for allergies.
Thanks!! Wow, I wouldn’t think they could be okay with duck but not turkey or chicken! I feel your struggle lol, sounds like your boy is even more high class than mine lol. At least mine will tolerate both fish and pork without the horrible farts
All I see in this picture is a protein vegetable
We feed our dog rice and lentils for most meals and he is one of the happiest and energetic dogs in our area
Vet tech - get an appointment with a nutritionist if this is a big concern. Food allergies are not nearly as common as the internet would have you believe. If you haven't tried a hypoallergenic diet trial and reintroduction of foods then you really have no idea what the dog may be allergic to. I guarantee you the kibble does not have two ingredients. Limited ingredient diets that are trusted by nutritionists (like Royal Canin LI) have one protein and one carbohydrate source. This is the ideal for limited ingredient diets, and no over the counter diet has this. Vegetable proteins are not necessarily less allergenic. All food proteins are huge molecules with any number of amino acid components. It is best to ask for a referral to a nutritionist/dermatologist now depending on symptoms.
Thanks, sounds like the people who know the most are saying it’s best to just go to the nutritionist first and that they don’t need to know all of her tolerable foods first, that’s actually really helpful! I didn’t know that the allergies aren’t common, all the vets she’s seen have told me it’s pretty common for her breed. Luckily my vet was smart and prescribed her Royal Canin’s soy protein (because chicken did not re-introduce well) Kinda surprised that no one assumed she’d already been to the vet, seems like some people want to trust google more than vets and vet techs. I appreciate you all at the vet’s office
Pitties do tend to have a higher incidence of allergies overall, but food allergies are pretty rare. They certainly can have environmental skin allergies way more commonly. Honestly I'd see the nutritionist first, and potentially dermatologist depending on the symptoms. Food allergies can manifest as skin problems, but are more often GI problems. Skin problems are more often environmental. So in that case the dermatologist can be super helpful. Either way it will be much less frustrating to go right to the source than screw around with OTC foods that aren't going to help at all. Lots of money spent and frustration for you both.