Dogs and cats can also suffer from food allergies, and one of the most effective solutions to relieve their symptoms is hypoallergenic food. In this post, we will explore everything you need to know about this type of food.
What is a hypoallergenic feed?
Hypoallergenic food is a food designed especially for dogs and cats with food sensitivities or allergies. It is formulated with carefully selected and processed ingredients in a way that minimizes allergic reactions.
These feeds are usually free of the most common ingredients that trigger allergies, such as wheat, corn, soy and dairy.
There are feeds that can be considered hypoallergenic, even if they do not expressly indicate this on their bag.
How do you know if a dog has a food allergy?
Food allergies in pets are more common than you might imagine.
Some food allergy symptoms in dogs include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Intense itchy skin
- Redness of the skin, paws, snout...
- Inflammation
- Difficulty breathing
- More abundant runny nose or tearing
- Loss of hair
- Infections may occur due to a weakened immune system.
If you see any of these signs after your dog has eaten, he may have an allergy to the food.
It is possible that your dog has some mild symptoms and you have not given it any importance. In that case, we recommend that you try giving your dog good quality food , it is very likely that his digestion will improve.
If the case is more serious, your trusted veterinarian will help you in the best way they can to solve the problem. Listen to him and inform yourself.
There are allergy tests for dogs, but they are very expensive and the results may not find the allergen that your friend does not tolerate.
What types of hypoallergenic feed exist?
As we have seen in the previous point, a hypoallergenic feed does not have to have been prescribed by a veterinarian nor does there only exist Royal Canin's hypoallergenic feed.
There are different variants of hypoallergenic feed on the market that can be grouped into two large groups:
- Commercial brands : when we talk about commercial brands we are referring to those that manufacture natural and quality feed such as custom diet , ownat , satisfaction , dibaq…
- “Veterinary” brands : within this group a very clear distinction could be made, between large brands such as Hills or Royal Canin versus others whose quality standards are higher, such as Farmina.
What dogs need hypoallergenic food?
If, after changing feed several times and trying different quality brands, your pet still cannot have adequate digestion, it is very likely that it has an allergy or intolerance. Here you can learn about allergies and intolerances in dogs .
In that case, we would have to follow a discard diet until we find which foods our dog has an allergy or intolerance to.
To start, we recommend choosing a hypoallergenic feed with a single protein source, that is, monoprotein, such as satisfaction nature salmon or lamb feed.
If after trying these feeds or those with the same characteristics your pet is still not well, you can try hypoallergenic veterinary feeds that are made with ingredients such as egg protein.
How long does it take for a hypoallergenic feed to take effect?
The time it takes for a hypoallergenic food to take effect may vary depending on the pet and the severity of the allergy.
In general, it is recommended to feed the dog or cat exclusively with the new food for at least 2 to 3 months. In principle the changes should be observable in the first weeks, although sometimes it is difficult to adapt to the new food.
During this period, other foods and treats that may interfere with the hypoallergenic diet should be avoided.
If no improvement is seen after this time, it is important to consult with a veterinarian to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms.
What is the best hypoallergenic food for dogs?
The answer to this question is very subjective. There is no best food for all dogs. There is a wide variety of high-quality hypoallergenic food made with natural ingredients. You will have to try which ones suit your furry best, discarding those that contain ingredients that do not.
From Paraíso Mascota we recommend the following:
- Satisfaction Nature salmon feed : mono-protein and grain-free is an almost certain success.
- Satisfaction Nature lamb feed : mono-protein and grain-free is an almost certain success.
- Custom Diet : any feed from the brand is made with natural ingredients and does not contain grains. It would be a good option as a hypoallergenic feed as well.
- Ownat Just Grain Free: this range from the Ownat brand is not completely hypoallergenic, but it is a grain-free feed and cheaper than the other recommendations.
We hope that after reading this article you are a little clearer about what hypoallergenic food is and the different types that can be found on the market.
