It's no wonder! What's causing these darn dog food intolerance symptoms? Is it a dog food allergy (immune response) or some other kind of allergy? Or... is it a gastrointestinal sensitivity to a dog food? For example...
Adult dogs, big and small, should not drink milk...
These are just a few questions among many others below you need answered so you can help your poor doggy...
Maybe you (and your dog) are tired of going back and forth to the vet. Your dog is stressed out (and you!). Is your savings account diminishing? You've gotten so much (good and bad) advice you feel like your going in all different directions!
I think Nimble and I can help your dog and you... honestly. If you read on... you'll be asking yourself “How come nobody else told us this stuff?...
This is one of the reasons our site is "different from the rest of the pack!"
Is there a difference?
Physically? Yes. According to others? Yes. As far as we're concerned... no!
“On paper” here's the difference...
A dog food allergy is an immune reaction to a dog food “substance.” It may take days/months for dog food allergy symptoms to surface (and clear up).
Dog food intolerance symptoms are a gastrointestinal sensitivity to a dog food “substance.” Symptoms can rear their ugly head in a matter of minutes. Healing may only take a few days more or less.
Either way... your doggy's body is reacting to dog vittles in an undesirable manner. Digestion is hampered and your pooch's body cries out “Why did you put this human food into me?... Arf! So...
They're both intolerances... right? We'll just keep it at that for simplicity.
We need to accept the fact that our furry companions live in our environment and has it's consequences. As a result... your safe healthy dog food diet (well... you thought it was!) causes unfavorable reactions to our dogs' bodies.
Although this dog food pictured below is healthier than many other brands... it's impossible to duplicate a proper healthy dog food diet from a can, bottle or box...
... which can cause one of many dog food intolerance symptoms.
There's tons of reasons why our dogs' food doesn't agree with them. Dog chow causes only a small percentage of these unfavorable symptoms. The biggest percentage is caused by other toxic and non-toxic substances from our environment.
However... our article is about dog food intolerances... so we'll stick to doggy vittles, treats and chews.
One more thing...
What about impure water? It's also a “dog food.” You'll enjoy our article (we hope)... just click here. Make sure it's pure (we distill our own). I also add seeds to Nimble's water bowl for added nutrition...
Here's a list of bad dog foods, additives, alterations, etc., we feel are the culprits. You might end up asking yourself... “How come I didn't hear about some of this stuff before? It' because we're not trying to make money off your doggy's misfortune!
See... we are different from the rest of the “pack!” For example... have you ever seen a picture of daddy syringe-feeding his little furry rascal pureed fruit or veggies on another website?...
"Boy... look what I have to put up with. But... I don't mind because I'll get dog liver treats afterwards. And... I know that pureed fruit is very nutritious and I love those mangoes... arf!"
Ok... back to that checklist...
After reading the following dog food intolerance symptoms list you'll probably think “It's no wonder my dog's irritated... and so am I!”
Furthermore...
Here's more on proper dog food combining.
Talk about pure, unprocessed food that man hasn't had a chance to ruin... check out these beautiful sea perch below (of course... I caught them!).
Nimble feasts on these... just like a wild dog on an Alaskan stream full of salmon...
Have you changed your dog's food lately? I know of some dogs who had a dietary reaction after eating a new, healthy dog food. However, over time... their systems seemed to adjust to their new dog chow.
An unhealthy dog is more susceptible to dog food intolerances. It's the unhealthy dog food she's been eating that got her this way in the first place. Of course... exercise, sunshine, fresh air and a great environment are also needed.
By the way...
Don't forget to eliminate those electrical cords by her bed, all those wireless components in your house, etc!
Your dog just threw up her dinner. It's too bad you spent an hour slaving away in the kitchen... oh well. Maybe your pooch has the runs (dog diarrhea) or other dog food intolerance symptoms (check out our list of reactions below). What should you do?
It's nice to have a few ingredients around like the canned pumpkin, rice and chicken (ready to be steamed) in case mother nature needs a head start...
Does you dog have a fever? Is she not her normal self? Has she thrown up more than 2-3 times in a day even after you discontinued giving her more of that same dog food? How about diarrhea? Also...
Is she acting like she's in pain? Take her to the vet!
On the other hand... if you can answer no to all the above... don't worry. Just let her body do it's thing... even if she's not hungry. Your canine won't starve! If you feel mother nature needs a boost... maybe try a home remedy.
Many believe eggs cause unwanted dog food reactions. What a bunch of b.s! My dogs have been eating raw, organic eggs like these for years...
Want more proof? Nimble and I accidentally scared off a coyote ready to gorge on this egg...
Ok... I feel better now. I've been wanting to get that off my chest...
Sometimes dog food allergies have the same symptoms as dog food intolerances. Digestion is affected by an intolerance. Reactions to your dog's skin (can be caused by an intolerance) or immune system are caused by allergies. By the way...
Is your dog is itching a lot? Maybe she has fleas... click here for a healthy, homemade flea relief!
Here's a list of reactions when your doggy's food doesn't agree with her...
Is it the flour?...
Could be. "But it's organic!" Organic is the best choice but it can still cause dog food intolerance symptoms.
Dog foods made with these soybeans are also said to cause problems. Sorry... I don't feed them (as well as flour) except maybe in an occasional home made dog treat so I have no proof...
... but remember... these foods are not natural to a wild dog's diet.
Before you jump in your car and rush your canine to the vet... please take a deep breath and close your eyes. Believe me... Nimble has to constantly remind me of this!
Figuring out what the culprit is can be a long, expensive process. To add to this... it can be very stressful for you and your companion.
Think about this...
Maybe the offender isn't your dog's food! As we've mentioned above... dog food only causes a small percentage of our dogs' annoying symptoms. The last thing you and your furry pal need is...
… for this to go on and on (believe me... it can!).
Do you feel your dog's food is causing havoc to her system? If so... putting your doggie on a “special” dog diet with very limited healthy dog food ingredients is a process that's frequently used.
Hopefully, your vet can design a regimen for you. Or... you can go the homemade dog food route (I would). In a nutshell... this is how it works...
Using limited ingredients that aren't known to cause gastrointestinal upsets, your dog is fed these every day. Over time... other foods are added slowly... one by one.
Eventually (hopefully), a food will be added that causes the dog food intolerance symptoms...
Be prepared. Worth saying again... this can be a long, lengthy (and expensive) process. It may take a long, long time to identify the evildoer. Or... even after the offender is found... it may not be the only one.
There's sooo many variables in play here! I'd definitely try making your own dog food and doing it at home.
Blood tests are a great tool for an occasional doggie physical. Or... is your pooch feeling under the weather? Again... blood tests have their place here.
When it comes to determining what's causing the dog food intolerance symptoms... forget it. Don't waste your money and don't stress your doggie unnecessarily!
Raw, organic chicken does not cause Nimble problems. However... when they're cooked like these home made chicken dog treats... just feed in moderation...
I've frequently read that these foods are common culprits...
Nimble & I are gon'na throw in our two cents worth...
I've been feeding these foods to my dogs for years except the dairy, wheat and soy. Why no dairy? Because milk is designed by mother nature as the only food for the first couple of months a pup is on this earth.
How come chicken, beef (lamb, etc.) and eggs agree with my canines and wild dogs? Because I feed 'em the way mother nature intended... raw! And... they're combined properly with other dog foods...
...like Nimble's raw, organic free-range lamb we just picked up...
Too simple... right? If you haven't read more about this above... you should tap here.
Furthermore...
… feeding the same food (dog food ingredient) over and over again? We think so.
In the wild... coyotes and wolves eat a good variety of dog vittles. We might tend to feed the same dog foods (ingredients) over and over again. If your dog has an intolerance to that particular food... you say “Bingo... it's the chicken!”
But...
Could it be that chicken is one of the most common dog food ingredients used (as well as beef and eggs)? Hmmm... just something to think about...
I alternate Nimble's chicken with other meats, poultry and fish. She loves her chicken organ meat ground up!...
Also... some foods just ain't meant for bouser's stomach (for example... corn, wheat and soy)!
Dogs of any breed, gender or age can have a reaction.
“My dog seems awful healthy... she shouldn't have dietary reactions!” Then you start pondering about other dog food offenders...
As far as I know... there is no link between dog food intolerances and specific breeds. However... I've read documentation that certain breeds are affected. For example... Irish Setters are prone to gluten sensitivity. I can't confirm this.
Gender has no effect whatsoever. However... age can make a difference. Once again... take pups less than a couple months old. Mother's milk should be the only ingredient (food). Feeding your little guy or gal anything other than that compromises his or her health!
Numerous companies make an over-the-counter dog food diet that claim to work for dogs with a dietary reaction. Many of these diets contain too many ingredients.
Furthermore...
Aside from all the additives and other junk... all bad dog food ingredients are not required to be listed on the ingredients label. The same applies to other dog foods, doggie treats and dog chews. You got'ta be kidding me! Here's more if you didn't click on the link above.
You might try a healthy dog food diet designed by a vet who has a background in dog nutrition. Your best bet is a holistic vet. Here's a list of vets to choose from.
If you decide to do it yourself... make sure you don't use too many healthy dog food ingredients at one time. Even our healthy, organic fruit (below) shouldn't be feed this way during a dog food trial. Just serve one type at a time...
Let's look at some other possible causes of dog food intolerance symptoms not listed above. I'm sure there are others Nimble hasn't told me about. Even dogs aren't perfect (once in a blue moon)!
Drugs will kill your dog's friendly bacteria in her digestive system enhancing dog food intolerance symptoms. She'll need to restore them. Try a good quality probiotic supplement. Some organic yogurts contain these friendly bacteria...
... but your dog may have an unfavorable food reaction from it (we've never had a problem... moderation is the key!).
Here's a list (we're working on more articles) of annoying symptoms your pooch has to put up with!...
Throwing up Food
Throwing up Water
Bloated stomach
Watch out for recalled foods!
...not dog food! Some of the “other” things we listed above also include environmental allergies such as pollens and dust mites. Dog fleas are another nasty critter to blame.
Skin infections, ear infections and itching are all indications. To complicate things... dog food reactions can have similar symptoms.
… that doggy dinner you've spent sooo much time on (shopping, preparing, feeding, etc.)? Don't get mad at her (I need to remind myself of this). It wasn't her choice to be raised in your “human” environment...
What if you were forced to eat the way she would in the wild? I'm sure you would gag too. But... at least the food wild dogs eat is not contaminated... it hasn't had the heck cooked out of it. And... it's pure!
Barf dog food might be just the ticket if your canine has dog food intolerance symptoms...
Does your pooch have an upset tummy? Usually it's best to just let mother nature run her course. However... once in a while mother nature might need a little help. Dog indigestion remedy to the rescue!
Dog salmonella is one of those dog food intolerances you shouldn't mess around with! Here's more...
Is your canine's dog food on our dry dog food recall list? This includes other types of dog foods, treats and chews. Nimble did a good job of listing them for you...
Organic human grade dog food is the best route to take if your gonna buy your furry pal's food pre-made. A real eye opener!...
Our website is a work in progress! We'd love it (and so would your dog) if you returned regularly to check out all our new articles. We can't wait to expand on the topics above!
Also, we'll
include our highly recommended products for you and your dog to
choose from... only those we have used or would use ourselves. Also...
Be sure to check out Scott & Nimble's News Flash for monthly helpful tips and other neat stuff!
Nimble & I always reply to our visitors' comments below asap!
But... all of you who commented before April 14th, 2023 vanished and Facebook can't fix this so...
I'm "re-replying" (arf!). All comments from this moment forward will be posted forever (we love hearing from you).
Scott & Nimble.
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