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Understanding Food Allergies and Intolerances in Dogs

Posted by Marijke van de Water on 2024 Jun 10th

Understanding Food Allergies and Intolerances in Dogs

~ Take The Guesswork Out Of Your Dog’s Diet ~ 

Our dogs are going through an epidemic of food problems. It seems like the more variety of dog foods that come out on the market, and the better we try to feed them, the more reactions they are having. And food problems affect all dogs of all ages of all breeds.

What Are Food Allergies?

The word allergy is derived from two Greek words: allos (different/strange) and ergon (activity). No doubt about it, food allergies are strange activities indeed. And very destructive. 

An allergic reaction is an adverse immune response to a food protein (known as the antigen), whereby the offending food invokes the release of antibodies to destroy it or to neutralize its damaging effects. This causes a discharge of histamines and chemicals which cause inflammation and pain affecting virtually any of the body tissues, organs, or systems. 

True food allergies are actually rarer than food intolerances and only affect 1-2% of our dogs. They involve an anaphylactic reaction which can occur within minutes or a couple of hours after eating the offensive food. Food allergies are caused by a damaged immune system which may have been a result of medication reactions, antibiotics, vaccines, dewormers, injections, leaky gut, chemicals in food, and general toxicity. 

Food allergy symptoms may cause acute itching, hives, rashes, swellings, shortness of breath, vomiting, drooling, and diarrhea. Generally, the faster the reaction, the faster the symptoms disappear.

What Are Food Intolerances? 

Food intolerances are not the same as allergies and are far more common. Food allergies indicate a faulty immune system, whereas food intolerances indicate a problem with the food and affect the majority of all dogs. Food intolerances describe the body’s inability to absorb, digest, and assimilate unhealthy foods. Common examples of food intolerances can be wheat, corn, rice, sweet potatoes, chicken, and beef but virtually any food can cause problems for any dog which is why it’s so important to test for them. 

Symptoms of food intolerances usually become chronic resulting in fatigue, major skin issues, ear infections, chronic infections, kidney problems, muscle and joint pain, digestive issues, corneal ulcers, weight gain, depression, and anxiety. 

Food intolerances are often hidden and are very difficult to detect. This is complicated by delayed reactions of up to several days, and reactions which may last anywhere from an hour or up to a week or more.

Saliva Testing for Canine Food Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

Once problem foods are eliminated the impact is profound. Symptoms and long-term inflammatory responses you thought would last a life time soon disappear. Dogs experience more energy and vitality, a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation, healthier skin and fur, a calmer nervous system, and improved health all around. 

And now you no longer have to guess at which foods you dog is having problems with! With a simple saliva test, we test over 125 allergens. Obtaining the saliva sample from your dog is very easy. Then your dog’s saliva sample is extracted and analyzed in the laboratory using the ELISA method of testing. The ELISA method is the gold standard of immunosorbent assays and is a highly sensitive test which identifies food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances.

Next Steps 

Once you receive your results you will want to eliminate every food on the test where your dog is showing a food-specific IgG antibody. And then, without the stress of constant immune reactions, it is an excellent time to cleanse and detoxify the colon, liver, and kidneys; as well as improve their nutrition with wholesome high-quality human-grade foods and well selected vitamins and minerals. This will maintain a healthy digestive system, promote optimum immunity, and significantly increase your dog’s health and wellness. It will also prevent more food problems from developing in the future.


"Our dog, Siri, is doing really well and it has everything to do with the food allergy report. We were very skeptical at first and thought well, we will just have to see. But after we got the results, we eliminated the culprit foods, and all of her symptoms disappeared. No more painful, itchy and infected ears, runny eyes, or dry and itchy skin. It just made me realize that once you identify their true allergens there is no more guessing or retesting foods. We are extremely happy with the results. And no ear pain!"

Kim R. (Revelstoke, B.C.)


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For extensive information on diet, nutrition, and meal suggestions, read a copy of Healing Dogs Their Way