Food Allergy Causes

[i am a giraffe]

What is the cause of food allergies in dogs? If a dog presents symptoms of chicken allergies, does that mean that they have always been allergic to the protein structure found in chickens, or did they develop the allergy later on?

Also, I've heard that once a dog displays symptoms of food allergies, they have to be given a protein source that they've never had before. Why is this? Do they become allergic to every kind of protein that they've previously encountered? Can an owner just try to isolate the particular protein source that is causing the problem?

 

[Buddy'sParents]

The purpose of finding a protein and carb source they've not been introduced to before IS to find out what previous protein source they may be allergic to.

I've fed Buddy: Innova, Canidae, California Natural, Natural Balance and Kirkland

Innova alone has turkey, chicken, chicken fat, herring, barley, brown rice, potatoes. Not to mention what the other foods had as far as protein and carb sources.

So, his current Elimination Diet is pheasant and buckwheat. He has NEVER had these before. After three months on this and (hopefully) getting better, we can start to introduce other protein sources, one at a time, in order to gage his reactions to them (red tummy, biting feet, the normal allergy responses, etc).

After reading and researching, it makes perfect sense to me... I just wish the results were quicker.

 

[Herschel]

What is the cause of food allergies in dogs? If a dog presents symptoms of chicken allergies, does that mean that they have always been allergic to the protein structure found in chickens, or did they develop the allergy later on?

Also, I've heard that once a dog displays symptoms of food allergies, they have to be given a protein source that they've never had before. Why is this? Do they become allergic to every kind of protein that they've previously encountered? Can an owner just try to isolate the particular protein source that is causing the problem?

Allergies are kind of a by-product of an under-active immune system. People (and dogs) have developed all sorts of sophisticated machinery to deal with pathogens, but when the system gets bored, it fights back.

Proteins (sometimes carbohydrates) are the stimulus for most allergic reactions . It's a matter of the right type of cell with the right type of receptor finding something specific to each protein source. If it sounds random, it is. But that is the basis for immunity. Our bodies make all sorts of receptors to anything that could possibly be bad, and unfortunately, sometimes that includes things that aren't bad. Allergies can start young and then fade with age, or they can start at an older age. It doesn't mean the dog was always allergic, but it just started developing an immune response to that specific protein at a certain age.

The goal is to isolate the specific protein that is causing the problem. As BP said, start with something novel and then started including familiar protein sources.

 

[Magriet]

From my experience I agree with the proses of elimination is the only way to get at the reason for an allergy in animals as well as in humans. Sorry, no short cuts here!

 

[i am a giraffe]

Thanks for all the replies. My dog doesn't have allergies yet, but I know a lot of dogs do, and I'm just doing some early research to see if there's any way to prevent the food allergy before it starts.