How do you know if your dog has a skin allergy?

Allergies in dogs can be tricky to identify as such, and even harder to get to the bottom of. They can present in various ways, and not always fit the pattern that you expect.

One of the most common ways that allergies in dogs present are with skin symptoms. Allergic skin disease can vary, from a slight itch, to chewing paws, rubbing bums, ear problems, and patchy coat, to severe hairloss and sores. However, some of these symptoms can be caused by other issues too, which need to be ruled out, so it’s important to check in with your vet to make sure there’s not something else going on.

Allergies that present with skin signs can be caused by triggers found in the environment, and due to allergens within food.

Environmental allergies are difficult to deal with, because we are only able to control so much. Some environmental allergens can be seasonal (such as grass and tree pollens), while others can persist continuously throughout the year (such as household dust mites, which are in every home, no matter how clean). If an allergy is seasonal, you may notice your dog showing issues at particular times of the year, however if it is a year-round issue, it may become more obvious if your dog’s irritation clears up when they are staying elsewhere.

Omni’s skin supplement can help support your dog’s sensitive skin by providing Beta glucans and omegas, which can help to protect and hydrate the skin, improving the barrier so that environmental allergens are less impactful. They also contain Vitamin E which helps to ease skin irritation.

Food allergies can also be challenging to work out. Lots of dogs have a lot of variety in their diets, and are fed lots of different treats, leftovers, and have multiple ingredients in their dog foods - which can mean it’s hard to work out what is causing the problem. One of the best ways to establish if skin issues are caused by something in their food is to try a hypoallergenic diet. These diets are specially formulated to be low in ingredients that tend to be triggers. When feeding a hypoallergenic diet as a trial, your vet will recommend avoiding all other foods for several weeks - including treats and table scraps, as even a small amount can cause a reaction. The reason for this is that it can take a long time for the signs of a reaction to settle down after the time of exposure, so all potential triggers should be removed for an extended period to allow the symptoms to subside. This can be really tough to do, but very helpful in establishing what the problematic ingredient(s) might be.

The most common allergens for dogs are protein based, particularly those of animal origin. Although our lifestage diets (for puppies, adults and senior dogs) are not hypoallergenic, many dogs show improvements with their allergies because they have an issue with the animal protein, so our plant-based option has major benefits. However there are still some dogs who have more extensive allergies - and for these sensitive souls, we have a new diet, which is hypoallergenic - not only is it plant-based, but it also is grain-free, gluten-free, and soy free. This can be an absolute game-changer for many dogs who would otherwise struggle.

Allergies aren’t always the reason for skin issues, so it’s always sensible to discuss any health concerns with your vet. At Omni, you are able to access free consultations with our experienced vet team for advice.

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FAQs

But aren’t dog’s carnivores?

Dogs are in fact nutritional omnivores as demonstrated by a robust scientific study published in the reputable journal Nature (1,2) in which it was shown that they have 30 copies of the AMY2B gene responsible for digesting plant-based foods.

They have also evolved relatively long intestines (21) (almost as long as humans) and relatively flat surfaces on their molars (31, 22) which they use for digesting and chewing a whole range of foods.

The common misconception that dogs are carnivores probably arises from the fact that they are classified in the order Carnivora but so are plenty of other species like bears, skunks, racoons who are omnivores and even the giant panda who thrives on a plant-based diet (20).

Is plant protein digestible to dogs?

Absolutely yes, studies which have looked at how much protein dogs can absorb from plant-based and fungi-based foods like soya and yeast demonstrated over 75% digestibility which is on par with meat-based foods (23, 24, 34, 35 & 25).

Both these protein sources also contain all 10 essential amino acids (36, 37) that dogs need to thrive.

Isn't there too much fibre in plant-based food?

The average amount of fibre in a commercial dog food diet is between 2-4%. omni’s plant-powered recipe has a fibre content of 3% which is on par with meat- based diets.

In our survey with over 200 dog owners, 100% reported that their dog’s stool consistency was either ‘normal’ or ‘perfect’ and there were no reports of any digestive upsets (data on file).

Can I mix omni with other meat-based diets?

We are proud that our recipes are nutritionally complete and so include everything your dog needs to thrive. This means omni can be fed as a sole ration. We also fully support a 'flexitarian approach' like meat free lunches or using omni as a mixer.

Every little helps to bring some of the health and environmental benefits of plant-power to meal times. Mixing omni with meat/fish will help to add variety into your dog’s diet whilst adding in healthy ingredients with a relatively low carbon footprint.

Can plant-based food provide the essential fatty acids dogs need?

All the essential fats and oils that dogs need, including omegas 3 and 6 are found in a variety of both meat and plant-based foods (31, 28).

omni’s recipe is rich in plant-based sources of these nutrients so your dog will get all the essentials they need.

I hear a lot about feeding raw meat, isn’t that better?

Feeding raw meat to dogs has become a very popular trend in recent years, but most vets will warn against this practise. This is because the cooking process is vital to help kill off dangerous bacteria like E coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter (9) that have necessitated several food recalls from the market and caused serious illness and even death in both dogs and their owners (40, 41, & 42).

There are also several worms and parasites that are only killed off when raw meat is cooked. Dogs are dogs, not wolves and thanks to their domestication over thousands of years, thankfully don’t need to hunt to get their grub nor do they need to eat raw meat, it's just not worth the risk.

References

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