Is Your Dog's Pet Food Making Him Sick?

Mar 4th 2010

Your dog is scratching like crazy, or sick to his stomach. Could his food be the culprit?

Food allergies aren't extremely common in dogs, but they aren't uncommon either. Food allergies affect dogs in two primary ways, says Korinn Saker, a clinical nutritionist at the North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine who specializes in canine allergies. "We either see skin issues, or GI [gastrointestinal] issues," she says. If your dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea on a regular basis, or is itching constantly and licking or biting at his skin or fur, allergies may be to blame. (Your vet can help you rule out other ailments, like parasites or infections, that could cause similar symptoms.)

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell whether an allergic dog is having a reaction to his food or to an environmental allergen such as pollen. (Dogs can also become allergic to food they've happily eaten their entire lives making detection even more difficult.) Still, there are ways to tell if food is the foe, Sakar says. "The most definitive way to do that is to do a feeding elimination trial," she says. In other words, try removing the suspected ingredient or ingredients from the dog's diet, and see what happens.

Choose a dog food with novel ingredients the dog hasn't had before. The new food should have a single source of protein, such as fish, duck or lamb, and a single source of carbohydrates, like rice or potatoes. (And don't give him any treats or table scraps during the feeding trial!) If the allergy symptoms go away on the new diet, you can then try adding back the suspected allergens, one by one. If the symptoms come back, she explains, you'll know what ingredient (or ingredients) to avoid from now on.