Food Allergies

Itchy and Scratchy

Is your pet allergic to his food?

By Jennifer Martin

Lorri Collins was worried. Her 3- month-old Westie, a little puffball named Spooky, was just not thriving. Even before she had brought him home, he had been skinny; now that she had adopted him and could observe him day to day, she noticed that he vomited frequently, scratched himself constantly, and had blood in his stool. “Every once in awhile, he would stare at his food,” remembers the San Francisco-area resident. “He needed to eat, but he just wouldn’t.”

Collins took him to the vet, who diagnosed a food allergy. It took another three years before she hit on a combination of foods Spooky could tolerate: a hypoallergenic prescription food plus homemade chicken and cottage cheese. He still gets sick once in awhile, but most days he’s happy, healthy, and bouncy. To say Collins and her husband are relieved is an understatement. “I’m sure Spooky wouldn’t be alive right now if I hadn’t found the right combination of foods,” she says.

Collins is among thousands of pet-lovers nationwide who have encountered the bizarre symptoms associated with food allergies. The combination of scratching, sore spots, weight loss, ear infections, and/or gastrointestinal problems is often puzzling to the pet parent, who usually looks around the house or yard for a trigger. When a vet diagnoses a food allergy, it can be extremely disturbing to realize that the well-balanced, vitamin-enriched pet food you thought was great for your furry companion is actually causing him great distress.

It’s important to remember that this reaction is impossible to predict, vets say. Dogs and cats vary even among individuals within the same breed. For example, Collins has another Westie who has always gobbled up the normal pet food she gives him (“He would eat his own food and then go eat Spooky’s,” she says). Her second dog not only keeps the food down, but tends to get pudgy on it. The lesson is simple: Watch your pet. Where one animal might be perfectly healthy on a commercial pet food, another might get sick on even a costly prescription food and need a homemade diet. Work with your vet to set a diet that will help your pet thrive.

That said, there are a range of “premium” foods that may help relieve food allergy symptoms. If your dog or cat is showing signs, take her to the vet right away. Then consider these tips as you work to pinpoint the right diet:

• The most common allergy-causing foods for pets are beef, milk, wheat, soybean, chicken, eggs, and corn. Your pet may be best off eating a pet food made of duck and potatoes or another meat-and-grain alternative. Your vet will use a food trial to determine what’s causing the allergy. During the trial, keep your pet strictly on the prescribed food; do not give him treats or table food, which may aggravate the allergy and give false results.

• Look for foods that contain as few additives as possible, which cause gastrointestinal problems or allergic reactions in some pets. These include preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), as well as propyl gallate, propylene glycol, and ethoxyquin. Seek out a pet food that has more natural preservatives such as vitamin C (ascorbate), vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), and oils of clove, rosemary, or other spices. Remember that artificial colors and flavors can also cause problems. Most foods containing fish meal also have chemical preservatives.

• In general, the best foods contain as few ingredients as possible. Good things to look for are simple meats like venison, chicken, or turkey combined with carbohydrates like potatoes or peas. Other good ingredients are fish or flaxseed oils for a healthy coat and skin, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements. After consulting with your vet, head to your local pet store (one that doesn’t sell puppies or kittens!) Generally, the premium foods are available at the smaller, boutique pet stores. The staff should also be helpful in guiding you toward a food that is suited for your pet’s needs.

• If nothing works, consider asking your vet for a prescription pet food with hydrolyzed protein. The protein molecules are altered so that the pet’s immune system won’t react to them.

Some Great Local Alternatives

Two Chicago pet “moms” took matters into their own hands when their dogs started showing signs of food sensitivity. Little did they know their cooking would grow into business enterprises. Martha Paulson, founder of Pooch Bowls, and Judy Goodman, founder of KC Goodies, both use human-grade ingredients in their meals, which have earned enthusiastic wags from the pet community.

Pooch Bowls are microwaveable containers of beef or chicken with rice. The vacuum-sealed meals can be frozen for up to nine months. Paulson started making the meals in 2002 for her dog, Bandit. “He was throwing up and having diarrhea (while eating) regular dog food,” she says. Now, not only is Paulson’s dog thriving, she has a regular list of customers in both the city and suburbs. “I think people are choosing to feed their dogs a higher quality of food,” she says.

KC Goodies are a line of homemade cookies with flavors like gingerbread, peanut butter, and carob. Company owner Judy Goodman uses gentle ingredients like potato flour and unsweetened low-fat applesauce. Like Paulson, she has a wide variety of clients. “It’s so rewarding to me when people say, ‘I can’t believe it; this is the first time my dog didn’t get sick on a treat,’” says Goodman. Her dog, Kusho Champo, who has serious food allergies, is her biggest fan.

What’s in YOUR Pet Food?

Generally, the cheaper the pet food, the lower the quality of the ingredients. And cheap ingredients can be pretty foul in the pet food world. Material that’s not suitable for human consumption is legally allowed in pet food, including livestock carrying diseases like salmonella and E. coli. “While the cooking process may kill bacteria, it does not eliminate the endotoxins some bacteria produce...(that) are released when they die,” the Animal Protection Institute reports. “These toxins can cause sickness and disease. Pet food manufacturers do not test their products for endotoxins.”

Ann Martin, author of “Food Pets Die For,” notes that some chemicals can survive the cooking process, including barbiturates used to euthanize animals. “Meat meal legally can contain anything from cancerous tissue to lungs filled with pneumonia to stick marks (injection sites on the skin),” she says. “Dog and cat food is at the very bottom of the scale.” Even livestock food is more well-regulated, she says, because livestock are part of the human food chain.

It’s hard to tell exactly what’s in pet food. A federal law requires that the package state the manufacturer’s name and address, the weight of the food, and the percentage of ingredients like crude protein, ash, and carbohydrates. However, the source of the ingredients doesn’t have to be revealed. Under the moniker of “by-products,” some companies include brains, feet, spleens, and even livers infested with worms (liver flukes). The Association of Animal Feed

Control Officials (AAFCO) reports that the following ingredients also can go into pet food: food garbage from hospitals and restaurants; hydrolyzed hair; animal blood; and animal waste, including poultry and swine excrement.

Meal is a little more complicated. “Meal” simply means the food has been rendered, or processed, rather than coming fresh from the animal. It can contain a few nutritious ingredients or a long list of animal parts that have little nutritional value. So how can you know if a product containing meat meal is OK for your pet? As a general rule, choose a company that discloses exactly what’s inside its meat meal. A higher- quality food might include only fresh meat, skin, and perhaps a little bone product. A lower-quality one will probably not reveal what goes into its meat meal.

Most veterinarians are quick to point out that pet food ingredients are heated to extremely high temperatures, and there have been no studies indicating that meal or by-products are unhealthy for animals. “I don’t think there’s any scientific evidence that shows (these ingredients) can cause hypersensitivity reaction in pets, not even food intolerance,” says Dr. Sheila Torres, assistant professor of veterinary dermatology at the University of Minnesota. “I try to respect the client’s point of view. My only concern, when they really don’t want to feed their pets a commercial diet…is that they’re preparing a balanced diet (as an alternative).”

If your pet is reacting to his food, or you’re just concerned about the quality of his diet, switch to a pet food with human-grade ingredients (you can find one through an Internet search) or with better cuts of meat. “The higherquality companies may even reject meat that’s sold to another (pet food) company,” says Dr. Merle. “They’re looking for meat that is nutritious and has the highest digestibility.”

If you want to prepare a homemade diet, you’ll need to give your pet supplements. Consult your vet for guidance.