Hello Friends!
Since
a number of my clients have noticed their dogs scratching or biting
because of an itchiness, I decided to conduct more research concerning
food allergies.
In general, I have hearing about an increase in the number of dogs with health problems that are caused by a food allergy, or, in any case, that’s what the health problems are being blamed on. With a food allergy, the immune system reacts too strongly to certain proteins (“allergens”) that occur in food. Anti-bodies are produced to deal with the allergens, anti-bodies that non-allergic dogs do not produce. It is the reaction of the anti-bodies that eventually causes the symptoms.
There is evidence, backed by experience,
that the intestinal bacteria may also be out of balance in the case of a
food allergy. Some even wonder if it is not the out-of-balance
intestinal bacteria that is chief cause of most allergies, leading to
the diagnosis of “false allergies” that actually have nothing to do with
a real hereditary specific allergy.
How can “false allergies” come about?
Imagine that your dog suffered from certain real, hereditary food allergies.
Because
our dogs descend from wolves, it would be fair to assume that certain
wolves also suffered from food allergies. Otherwise, the food allergries
could never have been passed on in the genes of our dogs.
Assuming that this is the case, we then
have to answer the question how were wolves able to survive? All members
of the wolf pack depended on the seasons and their environment and were
strongly dependent on the prey animals at hand (from large ruminants to
mice) and other seasonally available foods (nuts, roots, excrement,
etc.). Consequently, all wolves in the pack had access to a wide variety
of proteins. Through vomiting, the same proteins were passed on to the
cubs.
In
the world of the wolf pack it is – and always has been – “you eat
what’s going as that’s all you’re gonna get”. Imagine that a part of
the pack was
allergic to proteins derived from cattle or reindeer. Those wolves would
have had a serious problem in the “grass season”. Another group would
have had problems in the same period if they were allergic to, for
example, mouflon, etc. Imagine that another part of the pack was
allergic to lemming and mouse-derived proteins. This group would then
have had a serious problem in the winter.
If the above had actually been reality,
wolves would have died out long ago or evolved into a species whose
genes no longer had these hereditary and life-threatening defects. Since
our dogs are descended from wolves and carry the same genes, it would
seem highly probably that most allergies should be placed in the
category “false”. Since allergies are usually caused by proteins that
have not been digested fully, it is essential that we find out why
digestion is incomplete.
A major cause of food allergies is when a
dog develops an oversensitivity (intolerance) for certain chemical
additives in the feed, such as antioxidants, preservatives, colorants,
etc. This type of “feed intolerance” often concerns products that the
dog had no problems with initially. By accumulating in mostly body fat,
liver and/or skin, “regular” quantities of these feeds can result in
adverse reactions over time. Reactions in the intestines, for example,
means that proteins, too, are not broken down properly, resulting in
"allergic" reactions (mostly skin and intestinal problems).
Another cause of allergies can be found
in modern dog food production methods involving so-called extruding and
expanding which overheat the ingredients to such an extent that
undesirable changes take place in the ingredients themselves. Fats,
especially, are affected (modified) by overheating. For example, these
modified fats disrupt the digestion in the small intestine to such an
extent that the proteins are not broken down properly, resulting in
allergies.
A number of studies have shown that
where allergies appear, the intestinal bacteria are often out of
balance. This imbalance usually manifests itself in the form of gas in
the stomach, flatulence, diarrhoea or runny stools. If the intestinal
bacteria are not only too few but also contain too few different groups
of bacteria, proteins cannot be digested properly and “food allergies”
are practically inevitable.
What to do if a food allergy appears?
Obviously, we first need to establish
whether we are dealing with a real allergy or a "false" allergy. As is
the case with humans, this can be determined by a skin prick test. If it
is a true hereditary allergy, the test will reveal the nutrient that is
responsible for the allergic reaction and you can make the necessary
changes to your dog's diet.
However, the skin prick test is often
inconclusive regarding the nutrient responsible, in which case there’s a
good chance that your dog has a so-called “false allergy”. If this is
the case, follow the steps below.
1. Since an allergy often involves an
imbalance in the intestinal bacteria, it is essential to start by
returning your dog’s intestinal bacteria to a stable state of balance.
You can promote stable balanced
intestinal bacteria by feeding your dog at least 3 times a day (dogs
younger than 2 years 4 times a day) only Complete Fresh Meat Feed
(frozen) over a period of several days. It is important that this fresh
meat feed mainly contains (at least 60%) raw (i.e. unprocessed) tripe.
(We also advise this type of fresh meat feed in cases of a suspected
allergy to beef as this allergy appears to be very rare). This fresh
meat feed must be given to the dog raw and at room temperature. It goes
without saying that the feed must not be defrosted/warmed up in a
microwave as this kitchen appliance will zap all the bacteria your dog
really needs to restore balance to his intestinal bacteria.
In the case of serious diarrhea, give
your dog fresh meat that has “been plunged in boiling water” the first
2-3 days, after which you can give it to him raw. Give your dog this
tripe-rich feed for at least 7 days or, in any case, at least until his
stools are again dark in color and have a firm consistency. Once his
bowel movements have returned to normal, change to a natural holistic
alternative dog food recommended by your veterinarian and animal
nutritionist.
As a food allergy affects the entire
metabolism, which can take a long time to fully recover, it is important
that in the first few months you give your dog, in addition to Farm
Food HE, complete fresh meat feed (with raw tripe) at least once a week.
When the allergic symptoms have passed, you can change to at least
twice a month. Alternatively, you can mix some raw tripe every day
through your dog's natural holistic alternative dog food.
If your dog already has healthy,
balanced intestinal bacteria, natural holistic alternative dog food will ensure that these
bacteria remain varied. For dogs that are sensitive to allergies, it is
important that the intestinal bacteria are given a "tune up" every so
often by regularly mixing some raw tripe through his natural holistic alternative dog food.
2. To ensure that your dog is not eating
any modified or transformed ingredients, it is best avoid
extruded/expanded feed and fried products. You can identify these
products as they tend to float in water.
3. In any case, do not give your dog any
snacks such as pizzle or pig's ears until the problem has been
resolved. Try giving him instead a tripe stick to chew on.
Important!
It is often the case that the problems
temporarily get worse during the course of the “therapy” outlined above.
This so-called “homoeopathic reaction” is due to the fact that the
metabolism begins by “detoxifying” the entire organism. This reaction is
mostly visible on the skin (loss of hair, itching, boils on soft issue,
etc.).
Should
you have any questions or need clarification in the area of dog food
allergies, I encourage you to consult your veterinarian and animal
nutritionist. I am always available to you as a resource as I care
about you and the health, well-being of your pets.
Warmly,
Paul
Paul F. Flotron
Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC
"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"
www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com
314-200-8561
Cell: 314-775-7107
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