what to know about pets and food allergies

Food allergies can cause uncomfortable skin issues and diarrhea in pets — and so can lots of other things.

Hay fever may make people sneeze, but pet allergies often manifest on their skin. If your dog is constantly itching and scratching, or has big dandery flakes in their fur, an allergy could be to blame — including an allergy to ingredients to their food. Unfortunately, diagnosing food allergies in pets can be complex. We always suggest partnering with your veterinary team to help determine the cause of your pet’s discomfort.

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Why diagnosing a food allergy in pets isn’t always simple

The difficulty with diagnosing food allergies is that they share symptoms with a lot of other skin conditions. Many, many things cause itchy-scratchy pets, including fleas and skin disease. Allergies to dust and pollen look an awful lot like allergies to food. And, while diarrhea can be a tip-off that something in your pet’s tummy isn’t right, it can also be caused by everything from parasites to bacterial infections to stress.

That’s where veterinary know-how can help. Your veterinary team can run recommended testing, provide tips on elimination diets, and provide guidelines on how to introduce new foods. We can also advise on which quality pet foods and formulations are designed to help your uncomfortable pet.

smiling vet holds dachshund dog as owner pets dog face

Signs and symptoms of allergies in pets

Dogs are 6 times more likely — and cats are 15 times more likely — to develop uncomfortable skin conditions if they have food allergies. Bring your pet in for a veterinary checkup if you spot any of these symptoms.

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Itchy skin or ears

Reddened skin

Scratching or biting their faces, necks, or tushes

Recurring ear infections

What ingredients may cause allergies in pets?

The most common food allergies are to specific proteins that may be in your pet’s food.

If you think your pet has an allergy, make sure to bring in a list of the foods your pet regularly eats to help your vet narrow down the possible suspects.

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Food items that may cause allergies:

Dogs

Beef
Chicken
Chicken eggs
Corn
Dairy products
Fish
Lamb
Soy

Cats

Beef
Lamb
Seafood
Corn
Soy
Dairy products
Wheat gluten

How to manage pet food allergies through diet

Allergies are chronic conditions that will need lifelong management. While some types of allergies can be managed by medications, food allergies usually require a strict, allergen-free diet.

crouched woman feeds brown labrador dog by hand outside

Your veterinary team can help by ruling out other health causes for your pet’s symptoms. Next, they may suggest a food elimination trial. Food elimination trials start with very basic food ingredients, then add ingredients to your pet’s meals one by one, over time. This approach can help to home in on which ingredient or ingredients may be causing a problem.

While many owners automatically blame one protein or another — like corn or grain — evidence doesn’t always bear that out. Before you cut essential nutrients from your pet’s diet, check with your veterinary team. Ingredients like corn and wheat are actually power players for nutrition in many quality diets.

See more about decoding nutrients in pet food