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Understanding Food Intolerance & Allergies in Dogs


Our dogs are members of the family. And just like us, most of them really enjoy mealtimes! But what happens when they don’t? 


Pets of all kinds can experience the same allergies or intolerances to certain foods in a very similar way to humans. Pup’s suffering from an intolerance or allergy can experience a variety of symptoms, some more serious than others, but all will most likely be feeling pretty uncomfortable and unhappy. 


This article will provide information on what dog food intolerance is, how you can tell if your pet has an allergy or intolerance, as well as tips for treating these problems - to get Fido back to feeling themselves again!

First off, let’s clarify the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. 


  • Intolerance means that a certain food (or multiple foods) are very poorly digested
  • An allergy means your dog’s immune system fights against that food (or foods), releasing chemicals in the body


Sharing common symptoms, they are often discussed together as ‘adverse food responses.’ 


What causes them?


Often, dogs have a genetic predisposition to develop certain intolerances or allergies. 


Some believe that if a puppy has to take antibiotics at a young age or for an extended period of time, the immune system can be affected in a way to cause allergies. Similarly, their gut bacteria may be affected, leading to the likelihood of intolerances. 

First off, let’s clarify the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. 


  • Intolerance means that a certain food (or multiple foods) are very poorly digested
  • An allergy means your dog’s immune system fights against that food (or foods), releasing chemicals in the body


Sharing common symptoms, they are often discussed together as ‘adverse food responses.’ 


What causes them?


Often, dogs have a genetic predisposition to develop certain intolerances or allergies. 


Some believe that if a puppy has to take antibiotics at a young age or for an extended period of time, the immune system can be affected in a way to cause allergies. Similarly, their gut bacteria may be affected, leading to the likelihood of intolerances. 

So how do you know if your dog has an issue with something they are eating?


Dog food intolerance symptoms and dog food allergy signs include:


If you notice any combination of the following, your dog might be feeling a little unhappy in their stomach:


  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea 
  • Loss of appetite
  • Excessive itching or redness of the skin
  • Excessive gas
  • Weight loss
  • Pain or discomfort (especially around their stomach)
  • Ear problems or recurrent infections
  • Coughing or sneezing excessively 


So how do you know if your dog has an issue with something they are eating?


Dog food intolerance symptoms and dog food allergy signs include:


If you notice any combination of the following, your dog might be feeling a little unhappy in their stomach:


  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea 
  • Loss of appetite
  • Excessive itching or redness of the skin
  • Excessive gas
  • Weight loss
  • Pain or discomfort (especially around their stomach)
  • Ear problems or recurrent infections
  • Coughing or sneezing excessively 

What dog food ingredients cause allergies and intolerance in dogs?


Some of the most common causes of a dog food allergy or intolerance include:


  • Beef
  • Dairy
  • Fish
  • Corn
  • Wheat
  • Egg
  • Chicken
  • Lamb
  • Soy


How do you treat dog food intolerance or a dog food allergy?


It’s best to visit your vet if you notice any of the above symptoms, to rule out any other potential causes for the discomfort. 


What dog food ingredients cause allergies and intolerance in dogs?


Some of the most common causes of a dog food allergy or intolerance include:


  • Beef
  • Dairy
  • Fish
  • Corn
  • Wheat
  • Egg
  • Chicken
  • Lamb
  • Soy


How do you treat dog food intolerance or a dog food allergy?


It’s best to visit your vet if you notice any of the above symptoms, to rule out any other potential causes for the discomfort. 

Take time to study what seems to trigger their allergies or intolerances and when. If it’s fairly soon after eating, as opposed to just after a walk, the allergy or intolerance is most likely food-related as opposed to any environmental factors. Bring these notes with you to your vets, and they may be able to help you narrow down the cause too. 

Your vet will most likely recommend an elimination diet. A useful way to try to identify problem foods, the aim is to remove the ingredient that is believed to be the problem from your dog’s diet. This can be tricky and take some time and a lot of patience, but soon you should be able to pin down the culprit of your dog’s stomach issues. Your vet can guide you on how to approach this process safely, ensuring your dog is still receiving all the goodness they need. 


As one specific protein is often the culprit, many brands now offer pet foods that contain only one animal protein. These can be really helpful in the elimination process. 


You should expect to see an improvement in a matter of weeks once the tricky ingredient is removed from your dog’s diet.


Is there a food allergy test for dogs?


Sadly, saliva and blood tests for food allergies in dogs have not shown promising results in scientific studies.

They ‘do not reliably distinguish between healthy and allergic dogs’ as Veterinarian Cailin R. Heinze suggests, in her analysis of the most current research. 


So keep working on the elimination, and we hope your pup feels more their usual bouncy self before too long. 


Your vet will most likely recommend an elimination diet. A useful way to try to identify problem foods, the aim is to remove the ingredient that is believed to be the problem from your dog’s diet. This can be tricky and take some time and a lot of patience, but soon you should be able to pin down the culprit of your dog’s stomach issues. Your vet can guide you on how to approach this process safely, ensuring your dog is still receiving all the goodness they need. 


As one specific protein is often the culprit, many brands now offer pet foods that contain only one animal protein. These can be really helpful in the elimination process. 


You should expect to see an improvement in a matter of weeks once the tricky ingredient is removed from your dog’s diet.


Is there a food allergy test for dogs?


Sadly, saliva and blood tests for food allergies in dogs have not shown promising results in scientific studies. They ‘do not reliably distinguish between healthy and allergic dogs’ as Veterinarian Cailin R. Heinze suggests, in her analysis of the most current research. 


So keep working on the elimination, and we hope your pup feels more their usual bouncy self before too long.