Intolerance To Certain Foods In Dogs

There is the misconception that dogs can eat anything. This is not true and, in fact, like many people, they can also suffer from intolerance to certain foods. It is important that you make sure your dog suffers from any type of intolerance. In this article we’ll tell you about the most common foods and the signs that your dog has an intolerance to them.

First, we must know what intolerance is, as there are often people who confuse it with an allergy. What is certain is that there is a big difference: an intolerance can kill you, whereas an allergy cannot.

What is intolerance?

Intolerance is the body’s rejection of certain foods or any of its components, causing discomfort in our bodies. This malaise can be:

• Headache
• vomiting
• overweight
• Diarrhea
• Joint inflammation
• chronic fatigue
• Skin changes

Sometimes we can suffer an intolerance to a certain food that we are consuming without even knowing it.  This can bring great risks to our health, so it is recommended to do an intolerance test and this we should also do in our pet.

The difference between allergy and intolerance is that the latter is located in the intestinal system, whereas allergies produce an immune system reaction. Now, which foods cause intolerance in dogs?

Most Common Foods That Can Cause Intolerance

There may be exceptions; not all dogs will show intolerance to the foods we are going to mention, and it is possible that there are some others that can also cause it:

• Milk and all its derivatives. Its derivatives are cheese, yogurt, cream and anything else that contains milk; everyone can produce intolerance in their dogs, as many people do.

• Salt. Food prepared for dogs has a very controlled level of salt substitutes, since the salt itself is expelled through diarrhea and vomiting by the dog’s body, thus showing its intolerance to it.
• Yeast dough. Any type of product that contains yeast can cause intolerance in your dog, so you should avoid giving him foods like bread, for example.

Knowing that there are foods that can cause intolerance in your pet, how can you determine which are causing your dog and what to do?

How to Discover Food Intolerance in Dogs

The first thing the veterinarian will suggest is a blood test, although this may not always show food intolerance, so other tests will be needed.

Other tests consist of feeding the dog for 8 weeks with a hypoallergenic diet to eliminate foods that could harm him. This exam will also be carried out in dogs that have some type of allergy to certain foods.

Can intolerance be prevented?

Author: Miss Chien

The answer is simple, unfortunately not. There are certain breeds of dogs that are more likely to suffer from this, but no dog is exempt from it.

The most exposed are the French Bulldog and the Boxer, but even so, it is not possible to know if a dog suffers from intolerance until some symptoms are present and the tests are done.

Although there is no magic formula to prevent intolerance, it is important that dogs, when they are puppies, are fed with breast milk and that as they accept another type of food, that they are given a good quality ration. Both actions will improve and strengthen your dog’s immune system. This will make him less at risk of suffering from food intolerance.

However, our recommendation is that you consult the veterinarian about what type of food is most suitable for your dog and that you follow their indications. It is not recommended to give our furry friends food that is not specific for dogs, as these, in addition to harming the digestive system, may cause allergies or even intolerances.

Image credits: Leuntjens.