Skin problems, recurring diarrhea or constant ear scratches – if dogs suffer from such symptoms, a feed allergy is often suspected.
Allergy or intolerance? When the immune system overreact
In fact, feed allergies are among the most common forms of allergy in the dog after environmental allergies. This is an overreaction of the immune system to certain components of food, mostly proteins. In contrast to feed intolerance, in which the immune system is not involved, an allergy has a misguided defense reaction to certain feed components.
However, the diagnosis of feed allergy is not easy. Classic allergy tests only deliver usable results in dogs. Also because the symptoms can overlap with those of other diseases – such as parasitic infections or chronic intestinal inflammation, careful clarification is necessary. Also read our article Feed allergy to the dog: Symptoms, causes & test
The most reliable path to diagnosis leads via the so -called exclusion diet. As a dog owner, they are particularly in demand – because consistent implementation is crucial for success. But how exactly does it work and what does it matter?
Why allergy tests are not enough
Many dog owners initially have an allergy test carried out in the form of a blood or skin test, hoping for a quick diagnosis.
Such tests are often offered because they appear uncomplicated and give the impression that the problem can be solved with a simple result. However, it is not that simple, because the meaningfulness of such tests is limited. A positive finding-i.e. a reaction to a certain feed component-does not necessarily mean that this substance actually triggers symptoms, because false-positive results occur quite often.
On the other hand, negative tested components are considered comparatively reliable. This means that if the test does not indicate any reaction in certain ingredients, it is rather unlikely that the dog will react allergic to these components.
However, these test results do not play a decisive role in choosing the ingredients of an exclusion diet. Rather, it is important to choose feed components that the dog has never received with a high level of security – regardless of the test result. This is the only way to avoid that there is already a sensitization.
Because only under controlled conditions in everyday life can it be seen whether the dog actually reacts to certain feed components. The exclusion diet remains the most reliable method to safely diagnose feed allergy.