Abrupt Changes In Diet
No matter how quality the food your feeding your dog is, changing it up suddenly can cause serious gastric distress for your pooch.
Abruptly changing from one type or brand of food to another is likely to cause some stomach problems with most dogs and serious diarrhea in those that are more sensitive. If you need to switch your dogs food, you need to do so slowly.
Even the most enthusiastic eaters can get an upset stomach if their diet is changed up too abruptly. Always change your dogs food gradually to give their stomach time to adjust.
The recommended process for gradually switching your dog to a new diet is to slowly increase the ratio of new to old food over the course of about four days.
Day 1: 25% new food mixed with 75% original food
Day 2: 50% new food mixed with 50% original food
Day 3: 74% new food mixed with 25% original food
Day 4: 100% new food
If your dog is especially sensitive, even this schedule may be too abrupt. If thats the case, start with about 10% new food and raise the ratio more gradually over the course of a couple of weeks.
Many dog owners mistakenly blame loose stool on the new food itself, rather than the change in diet. This leads many pet parents to throw out a higher-quality food and return to the original, lower-quality food. The truth is, switching abruptly to any food will cause issues, but switching from one very low in protein to one very high in protein will cause even more issues.
What Are The Symptoms Of Food Allergy
Allergic symptoms may begin within minutes to an hour after ingesting thefood. The following are the most common symptoms of food allergy. However,each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
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Vomiting
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Wheezing
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Lowered blood pressure
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, itdoes not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highlyallergic people. In fact, as little as 1/44,000 of a peanut kernel cancause an allergic reaction for severely allergic individuals.
The symptoms of food allergy may resemble other problems or medicalconditions. Always consult your child’s doctor for a diagnosis.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Seasonal Dog Allergies
Your veterinarian will rule out other causes for your dogs allergy first. Be prepared to have a conversation with them about your pets history, any recent incidents, and when you first noticed the symptoms.
Your veterinarian has a variety of methods they can use to determine if your dog is experiencing a seasonal allergy. They will likely begin with a physical examination and check for any fleas, mites, or bugs that could be causing the problem. If your dog isnt already on flea and tick medication, vets will likely recommend one for you. Your vet may consult specialists to perform laboratory tests.
They may recommend that you take your dog to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist for skin testing. Skin testing will determine what your dog is allergic to by testing their reaction to different allergens.
Your veterinarian may choose to do allergy testing to discover the specific allergen causing the reaction. Vets wont typically choose to run an allergy test to confirm that your dog is experiencing seasonal allergies. Allergy testing is usuallya method used to narrow down the specific thing your dog is allergic to.
Your vet may attempt immunotherapy to help your dog better tolerate environmental allergens. They may give your precious pup an allergy shot through either injections or drops. Allergy vaccine shots help, but dont cure allergies so youll still need to deal with the occasional outburst of symptoms.
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Diagnosis Of Food Intolerances
Food intolerances can often be difficult to diagnose. Some substances within foods, and the quantity of foods eaten, can increase the frequency and severity of symptoms. These include stomach pain, bloating, gas/flatulence, diarrhoea, IBS, rashes, hives or headaches,
Diagnosis of adverse reactions to foods should be based on clinical history, response to treatment and testing. Skin prick tests or blood tests for allergen specific IgE are negative for food intolerances. However, they are useful if the history suggests that food allergy , is the problem.
The best approach is to first see your doctor to:
- Make a diagnosis, such as migraine headaches, hives, IBS, recurrent mouth ulcers.
- Check for other conditions that may be causing symptoms.
- Determine if diet or other factors play a role in causing symptoms.
- Identify individual triggers to be avoided.
How Do Food Allergies Affect Digestion
True food allergies are relatively rare, but food sensitivities and celiac disease are on the rise.
Thinkstock
Everyday Health: The rates of food allergies continue to rise. What are the most common food allergies, and how do they affect digestion?
Food allergies are estimated to affect 6 to 8 percent of children in the United States and 3 to 4 percent of adults. Many children who demonstrate allergy to milk protein outgrow them. In adults, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and egg are the most common. Of note, those with peanut and tree nut allergies are unlikely to outgrow them, including the recently increasingly prevalent sesame allergy. Symptoms are usually acute, but can be chronic and include the gamut of allergic responses in the entire body. In the digestive tract, symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, odynophagia , diarrhea, or any combination of these symptoms.
Kenneth Brown, MD
More commonly, people have intolerances to foods, rather than allergies. An example of food intolerance is when someone has bloating and diarrhea after consuming lactose. These people have low levels of the enzyme lactase, which prevents the lactose sugar from being broken down.
Lisa Ganjhu, DO
Lisa Pichney, MD
The eight most common food allergens are milk, wheat, soy, shellfish, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, and eggs. Celiac disease involves an allergy or sensitivity to gluten, which is found in wheat. Patients with celiac disease may malabsorb macronutrients and become ill.
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Other Adverse Reactions To Food
There are many other adverse reactions to foods, apart from allergy and intolerance, including:
- Feeling unwell after eating from other causes such as heartburn after a fatty or spicy meal or a hangover after too much red wine.
- Coeliac disease is not an allergy, but does involve an immune system response to foods containing gluten. When gluten-containing cereals are eaten, inflammation of the gut occurs, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients. Major symptoms are gut upset, fatigue, anaemia or weight loss.
- Non-coeliac gluten intolerance is a recently recognised condition which can cause symptoms such as abdominal disturbance and occasionally malaise and tiredness. It appears to be genuine as proven by blinded challenge studies but the mechanism is not known.
- Food aversion is a condition where a person not only dislikes a food, but also experiences unpleasant physical symptoms when they see or smell the food. Symptoms are triggered by emotions associated with food rather than the food itself. This does not usually occur if the food is disguised.
- Underlying anxiety can result in unconscious over-breathing or hyperventilation. The symptoms that result can be very distressing, and can sometimes resemble food allergy.
ASCIA is the peak professional body of clinical immunology/allergy specialists in Australia and New Zealand.
For more information go to www.allergy.org.au
To donate to immunology/allergy research go to www.allergyimmunology.org.au
Can Allergies Cause Fever In Dogs
In humans, common hay fever signs include itchy eyes, a runny nose, and sneezing, but in dogs pollen allergy signs usually affect the skin. If your dog is itching, nibbling or rubbing any of the following spots during the spring and/or summer, there’s a possibility they have hay fever: paws. eyes, ears, mouth and …
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Could Be Food Intolerance And Allergies
Even if youve been serving your dog the same food for years, they may suddenly develop a sensitivity to the food.
Dogs are just like us they can have intolerances to certain kinds of food too!
Our pups can suffer from gluten intolerance, allergies to fat, dairy sensitivities, etc.
A sign of food intolerance is excessive gas after eating which is accompanied by stinky farts!
Researching the best diet for your dogs breed and age can help to alleviate dietary issues.
If you think your dog might be showing signs of food intolerance or allergies, visit the vet to figure out exactly what you should be feeding them.
Food allergies are common causes of nighttime diarrhea. A sign that your dog is allergic to the diet is that they scratch or lick their paws excessively.
If your dog is suffering from diarrhea, its important to keep an eye on what theyre eating.
Your pup might need something special just for them. And if youre not sure which food is the best one for their breed, visit a vet!
Could My Symptoms Be Something Else
If you regularly have diarrhoea, bloating, tummy pain or skin rashes but you’re not certain of the cause, see a GP.
A GP may be able to diagnose the cause from your symptoms and medical history. If necessary, they’ll order tests, such as blood tests.
You can also do some research yourself. It may help to find out about other conditions that cause similar symptoms. For example, find out about:
The bowel is a sensitive organ and it’s common to have bowel symptoms when you have been ill or feel run down or stressed.
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What Causes Food Allergy
Before having a food allergy reaction, a sensitive child must have beenexposed to the food at least once before, or could also be sensitizedthrough breast milk. It is the second time your child eats the food thatthe allergic symptoms happen. At that time, when IgE antibodies react withthe food, histamines are released, which can cause your child to experiencehives, asthma, itching in the mouth, trouble breathing, stomach pains,vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
Food Additives And Intolerance
Many people are concerned that they may have an intolerance to food additives. However, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, most studies show that few additives cause problems and that these problems affect relatively few people.
Food producers often use additives to enhance flavors, make foods look more appealing, and increase their shelf life. Examples of food additives include:
- preservatives
- sweeteners
Of the thousands of additives that the food industry uses, experts believe that only a relatively small number cause problems. The following food additives can cause adverse reactions in some people:
- Nitrates: These preservatives are common in processed meats, and the symptoms of an intolerance can include headaches and hives.
- Monosodium glutamate : This flavor enhancer can cause headaches, chest tightness, nausea, and diarrhea in those with an intolerance.
- Sulfites: Common sources of these preservatives include wine, dried fruits, fresh shrimp, and some jams and jellies. People with an intolerance may experience chest tightness, hives, diarrhea, and sometimes, anaphylaxis.
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Most Common Dog Food Allergens
“Meat, dairy, and eggs are often thought to be the most common dog food allergens,” says Shmalberg. “Yet generally, it’s the protein part of those foods that tend to be problematic, rather than, say, the meat itself.” Keep in mind, veggies can contain protein, so they’re not automatically safe.
That same review BMC Veterinary Research identified some of the most frequently reported dog food allergens involved in adverse food reactions. Here’s a look, from most-reported to least-reported.
Top Dog Food Allergens
| Dog Food Allergen |
|---|
Shmalberg calls out two important caveats to keep in mind here.
More facts about dog food allergens that are helpful to know:
Causes Of Diarrhea After Eating
Diarrhea immediately after eating can occur with just about any bowel disease where diarrhea is a symptom. Often these conditions are acute. However, not all people who experience this symptom has a diarrheal illness. Some of these conditions may even be chronic and a part of daily life for many people. This can be inconvenient and even debilitating as a person is not unable to eat a meal without being close to a toilet.
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Underlying Illness Or Disease
Occasionally, diarrhea is a symptom of a much larger problem that needs to be addressed.
If your dog suffers from chronic diarrhea that diet changes have not affected, there may be an underlying gut issue such as inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, pancreatitis, or Addisons disease. Special diets and sometimes medication may be needed to reduce the frequency of loose stools.
Dogs who show symptoms in addition to loose stools may be suffering from a more serious illness like cancer or digestive disorders.
Loose stool can also be a sign of cancer, especially in the kidneys, liver, and bowel. If diarrhea comes on suddenly and isnt affected by changes in diet or over-the-counter medications, your vet may want to run blood work.
If your dogs upset stomach is accompanied by dark blood in the stool, weight loss, or lethargy, it is best to bring them to the vet to be checked for underlying diseases.
Prevention Of Food Allergies
The development of food allergies cannot be prevented, but can often bedelayed in infants by following these recommendations:
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If possible, breastfeed your infant for the first six months.
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Do not give solid foods until your child is 6 months of age or older.
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Avoid cow’s milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, and fish during your child’s first year of life.
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Treatment For Asthma From Pollen Allergies
If you have asthma caused by pollens, your doctor will prescribe the correct medication and help you to develop a plan to manage your asthma. Make sure you follow your asthma action plan.Asthma can be well controlled with the appropriate medication in almost all people. The main types of medication are:
- relievers that act quickly to relax the muscles around the airways this is the medication used during an asthma attack
- preventers that slowly make the airways less sensitive to allergy triggers and reduce inflammation inside the airways these are taken daily
- combination therapies with preventers containing two different medications.
If you have an asthma attack, follow your asthma action plan. In case of emergency, call triple zero and ask for an ambulance. Tell the operator that someone is having an asthma attack.The signs of an emergency include when the person:
- finds it very difficult to breathe
- is unable to speak comfortably or if their lips are turning blue
- has symptoms that get worse very quickly
- is getting little or no relief from their reliever inhaler.
While waiting for the ambulance, give four puffs of reliever medication every four minutes.
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How Can You Tell The Difference Between An Allergy And Intolerance To Food
Food allergies can be triggered by even a small amount of the food and occur every time the food is consumed. People with food allergies are generally advised to avoid the offending foods completely. On the other hand, food intolerances often are dose related people with food intolerance may not have symptoms unless they eat a large portion of the food or eat the food frequently. For example, a person with lactose intolerance may be able to drink milk in coffee or a single glass of milk, but becomes sick if he or she drinks several glasses of milk. Food allergies and intolerances also are different from food poisoning, which generally results from spoiled or tainted food and affects more than one person eating the food. Your health care provider can help determine if you have an allergy or intolerance, and establish a plan to help control symptoms.
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What Causes Food Allergies And Intolerances
Food allergies arise from sensitivity to chemical compounds in food, even compounds that are found naturally in food. Food allergies are more common in people whose family members have allergies, suggesting a genetic or hereditary factor may be involved with the development of food allergies.
Food allergies develop after you are exposed to a food protein that your body thinks is harmful. The first time you eat the food containing the protein, your immune system responds by creating specific disease-fighting antibodies . When you eat the food again, it triggers the release of IgE antibodies and other chemicals, including histamine, in an effort to expel the protein “invader” from your body. Histamine is a powerful chemical that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin or cardiovascular system.
The allergy symptoms you have depend on where in the body the histamine is released. If it is released in the ears, nose and throat, you may have an itchy nose and mouth, or trouble breathing or swallowing. If histamine is released in the skin, you may develop hives or a rash. If histamine is released in the gastrointestinal tract, you likely will develop stomach pains, cramps or diarrhea. Many people experience a combination of symptoms as the food is eaten and digested.
Food Allergy May Cause Diarrhea
Diarrhea may occur when bowel movements or stools are loose and watery, and it is a common health problem and is usually not dangerous. In this report, we learn about the causes of diarrhea, according to webmd, where many people have diarrhea several times a year, and it usually takes from 2 to 3 days.
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