Just like humans, dogs can have food intolerances or allergies. A food intolerance is when a pet does not tolerate an ingredient, such as dietary fat or fiber. A food allergy is an immune reaction to a specific dietary protein or antigen. The signs of a food intolerance and a food allergy can be similar, with both potentially causing gastrointestinal disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. True food allergies can also manifest in the skin, as itching or irritation.
If your dog has never been exposed to an ingredient, I suggest starting with a simple recipe that has few ingredients.
1. Give your dog a small piece of the treat — less than half — and wait a few hours, watching the dog for any sign of food intolerance or allergic reaction. This can be as simple as scratching more than usual or as dramatic as vomiting, swelling of face and/or throat, and diarrhea. If any of these more dramatic symptoms develop, contact your veterinarian immediately.
2. If no reaction occurs, give your dog the rest of the treat and wait a few hours, watching for a reaction. If one does occur, do not give your dog any more of that particular treat. Make note of which ingredients were used in the treat, and try making and testing different versions, keeping track of which ingredients are used and which recipes cause a negative response.
Some allergic reactions may not manifest immediately. Therefore, don’t introduce more than one new ingredient in a week. With time and patience, you should be able to isolate the ingredients to which your dog is intolerant or allergic.
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