Interestingly, the more we learn about human food allergies and food intolerances, the more we learn about how certain cat and dog food ingredients can also affect their health.
Even a decade or so ago, there was still only limited information about why certain types of foods affected certain types of humans poorly. But over time we learned more about celiac and other autoimmune health conditions, where certain ingredients were good for the body and others led to negative reactions.
The same thing has been seen with pets, where “one size fits all” doesn’t work anymore and can even be damaging to a pet.
In some cases, the food that a pet may have been eating all their life may now begin causing discomfort or irritation, requiring pet owners to start looking for different diets and sources.
Sometimes, even common “alternative” diets may be a better solution while others don’t necessarily solve the problem and may even continue to cause digestive issues.
For pet owners wanting to know more about dog food for allergies or food to avoid, here’s information about current types. IF you want to try something new, consider talking to your veterinarian for advice.
Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Allergic reactions take place when a body’s immune takes action when it notices something that doesn’t belong. The body tries to get rid of the threat and alert its other defenses, including the digestive system, skin and ears. Dogs can be seen itching or with areas of irritation.
(Allergies are different from intolerances, where certain substances aren’t welcome at all)
In pets, sources of animal protein may cause allergic reactions over time, such as chicken, beef, egg products and certain grains.
After allergens or intolerances are identified, research is needed to find food products that don’t trigger these reactions. This can lead many pet owners to seek out hypoallergenic dog food, which lacks certain types of ingredients and proteins but still provides important items for growth and good health.
One example is Jiminy’s which provides alternative protein sources.
Raw Dog Food
Some pet owners have been taught that many common dog food brands contain too many preservatives or ingredients that trigger allergies or other reactions. So to avoid this, they turn to raw food.
There’s nothing wrong with a pet owner taking time to buy special food and prepare meals by hand, but switching to an all-raw diet can get expensive. A greater concern is health: though we know that dogs will eat just about anything and they love meat, they potentially could be susceptible to risks that humans would face if we ate something uncooked such as salmonella, e coli and other bacterial infections.
Instead, Jiminy’s can provide healthier options that have been cooked and are safe for consumption.
Grain-Free
Although it’s common to look at meat ingredients first when trying to solve why a pet is beginning to show negative reactions to food, sometimes the grains are a culprit. Wheat- or corn-based foods could lead to intolerance which can even grow worse if you switch away from a meat based dog food thinking you’re helping make things better.
Food Allergies
Like humans, it isn’t always simple to identify what raw ingredients negatively affect a pet. This can include different types of experiments and blood panels, which have the benefit of determining whether a reaction is due to an allergic response or a matter of intolerance.
In pets, certain proteins are in certain types of food, which means you may find them eliminating one type but not a related type, such as chicken and egg proteins, or chicken and duck.
There are many types of pet allergies, and some are more common with certain breeds. Signs of allergic reactions from food can include irritation, scratching, and skin diseases.
Overall, a smarter option is to avoid the complexity of trying to eliminate certain grains and meat type is to look for alternative protein sources. Jiminy’s can offer an alternative protein source as a viable option. Take a look at our lines of dog food and dog treats made using insect-based protein.