Food Allergies in Dogs: Signs, Common Triggers & Treatment

Is your dog throwing up, having diarrhea or excessively licking their perianal area? It may be time to get them checked for a food allergy.

While not as common as environmental allergies, food allergies can be just as detrimental to dogs’ health and overall well-being. This makes it important for pet owners to be on the lookout for their symptoms and seek professional help as soon as possible.

But, how do you know which symptoms to look for? And, how do you manage them to give your furry friend some comfort? Read on to find out.

Dog food allergies are an immune response to certain food ingredients that typically manifest in the form of severe gastrointestinal (GI) distress. They’re a lot like human allergies, such as peanut or gluten allergies. For example, just as eating gluten causes gastrointestinal issues for someone with celiac disease, eating something they’re allergic to can cause similar issues in your dog.

While sometimes confused with food intolerances, food allergies are different. Intolerances tend to cause milder symptoms, such as gas, loose stools or minor skin irritation, while allergies can cause severe symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea.

Further, just like people with sensitivities like lactose intolerance, dogs with intolerances can handle small amounts of the foods they’re sensitive to. However, even trace amounts of foods they’re allergic to could cause serious GI problems.

Compared to environmental allergies, food allergies are pretty uncommon in dogs. In fact, only roughly 0.2% of dogs have food allergies.

What many pet parents assume to be food allergies are actually sensitivities to allergens like pollen, dust mites and grasses. For example, some assume atopic dermatitis is caused by food, but it’s actually a manifestation of what’s in their pets’ environments. In such cases, home remedies for dog skin allergies, such as regular vacuuming, using HEPA filters, minimizing walks when there’s a high pollen count and getting rid of old, dirty carpets, may be more effective than changing your dog’s diet.

Don’t get us wrong. Environmental allergies and food allergies may share somewhat similar symptoms; hotspots and skin itching could also point to a food allergen. However, food sensitivities tend to be more distinct. For instance, if they manifest through the skin, they’ll appear in specific areas, such as the perianal region or feet.

However, a symptom like hotspots on the neck and belly area is more likely to be a result of environmental factors than food. Still, it’s always a good idea to check with your vet — especially if it’s a recurring problem that flares up in controlled environments.

As mentioned before, this type of allergy typically results in GI upset. Some common signs of food allergies include:

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting

• Low energy

• Lack of appetite

• Excessive flatulence

It’s worth noting that gas can indicate food intolerance, especially when it shows up on its own. But combined with other GI symptoms, it could potentially mean your furry friend is allergic to something in their food.

Food allergies may also manifest in chronic ear infections, skin itching and hotspots. However, not all skin issues point to a food allergy: Itching and hotspots around the back and belly may result from environmental allergens. On the other hand, skin issues around the feet and perianal area could mean a food allergy.

While blood and saliva tests are the go-to for diagnosing many pets’ illnesses, they aren’t the most reliable for food allergies. For a reliable diagnosis, your vet will likely recommend an elimination diet trial.

An elimination food trial is the gold standard for diagnosing food allergies, as it’s GI-focused. It involves introducing different foods or ingredients to your pet’s diet and observing their reactions to determine what they’re allergic to.

In some cases, your vet may also recommend a biopsy of the stomach or the intestine. However, this is only an option in advanced cases, if the elimination diet trial doesn’t provide conclusive results.

There are two main ways to conduct an elimination or hypoallergenic diet trial. The first approach is to feed your furry friend novel protein sources (foods they’ve never eaten before) and observe how their immune system responds for around 8 to 12 weeks.

For example, you could feed them kangaroo or rabbit if they’ve never had it before. Because these proteins are novel, they’re less likely to trigger an allergic reaction, and your pet’s symptoms may start to resolve by the 8- or 12-week mark.

Once the symptoms clear, reintroduce a food you suspect they’re allergic to and monitor for any reactions to confirm the allergy. So if you suspect chicken, you would reintroduce it and observe their response over several days.

While often effective, this approach may not work in all cases. If your dog has eaten a wide range of foods and treats, it could be difficult to find novel ingredients. Additionally, some dogs can cross-react to some novel ingredients. For example, dogs with a beef allergy can experience flare-ups after eating deer meat, even if they’ve never had it before.

Luckily, there’s a second option: prescription hydrolyzed foods.

These foods contain ingredients that are broken down into such small fragments that they’re unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction. As with the novel protein diet, you’ll need to keep your furry friend on hydrolyzed proteins for 8 to 12 weeks and only reintroduce a food ingredient you suspect they’re allergic to once their initial symptoms clear up.

Before making any major changes to your dog’s diet, be sure to check with your vet. They’ll be able to give specific guidance on an elimination diet trial that may work best for your pet. During this time, keep a food journal and track what you feed your dog, when you feed them and how they react.

Contrary to common belief, chicken is not the most common allergen. However, itis the most common ingredient in dog foods, so it’s easy to see why some pet parents assume it’s their dogs’ greatest enemy.

In reality, beef and dairy are the most common culprits: 34% and 17% of dogs with food allergies are allergic to beef and dairy. Other common allergens include wheat, soy, eggs and lamb.

The best way to manage your dog’s food allergy long-term is to permanently avoid their trigger food and maintain a balanced, appropriate diet. Here are some tips to help you avoid flare-ups:

• Avoid rotating foods, especially if you’re unsure whether they’ll trigger reactions.

• Keep a symptom journal to track potential allergen exposures and quickly identify any new offending foods.

• Read every food item’s ingredient label to make sure they don’t contain known allergens.

• Make sure everyone who interacts with your pet knows what your furry friend is allergic to (dog walkers, groomers and care-givers).

The best foods for dogs with allergies typically have limited ingredients. The fewer the ingredients, the fewer the components that could irritate your pet’s digestive tract. Further, limited-ingredient food options could be easier to digest, which is ideal for pups with sensitive stomachs.

The Honest Kitchen’s dog foods and treats are great options for pets with allergies because they contain fewer (and higher-quality) ingredients than many commercial brands. As a human grade pet food brand, The Honest Kitchen recipes use fresh, whole-food ingredients that are minimally processed and thus retain most of their nutrients.

Ideally, you should talk to a vet as soon as you notice any concerning symptoms in your furry friend. Schedule a checkup before starting an elimination diet trial. Your vet can rule out other potential causes and help determine whether food allergies are really to blame. Many conditions share similar symptoms, so expert guidance is key.

It’s especially important to consult your vet before making any changes to your pet’s diet. They can help design a tailored elimination plan based on your dog’s history, symptoms and nutritional needs. With their input, you’ll have a clearer idea of where to start, which ingredients to avoid and what foods are safest to try.

Also reach out if your dog’s symptoms keep coming back, even after switching foods. In those cases, your vet might suggest more advanced testing (like biopsies or bloodwork) to pinpoint the underlying issue. They may also recommend supplements or medications to support your pet’s gut health and reduce allergic or inflammatory reactions.

While rare, dog food allergies can cause significant discomfort, making it important to find solutions as quickly as possible.

The best way to diagnose a food allergy is to run an elimination diet trial and closely monitor your pet for symptoms. Once you identify their triggers, eliminate them from their meal rotation — but be sure they continue to maintain a balanced diet.

The Honest Kitchen can support you as you work with your pet’s food allergy. Our recipes contain high-quality human grade ingredients with no artificial preservatives or fillers. With several pet-approved limited ingredient foods to choose from, you’re sure to find one that fits your dog’s needs and tastes great!

Shop our line of limited ingredient dog food today!

*Health Disclaimer: This post is educational in nature and doesn’t constitute health advice. Please consult your pet's veterinarian or other healthcare professional for specific guidance on this topic.