Restricted Protein Diets For Pets With Food Allergies

When fed the same food for long periods of times many dogs and cats will develop signs of intolerance to the foods protein source.  Some of these signs may include itchy skin and paws, chronic digestive issues such as gas, loose stools or frequent vomiting.  Of course prevention is the best medicine and one way to avoid the development of protein intolerance is by rotating between three or four different foods with different protein sources. For example, feed a food with beef as the protein source and then switch to chicken, then to fish.  This will provide a wide variety of amino acids as well as a more nutritionally complete diet.

If your veterinarian has diagnosed a food allergy they will most likely place your pet on a diet with a unique protein and carbohydrate. These are sometime referred to as “novel” proteins or carbohydrates. A unique protein is one that your pet has never been exposed to. Originally Lamb and rice diets were the common choice but over time this formula gained popularity to such a degree that many of the pet food manufacturers began introducing it into their product lines. The result is that most dogs and cats have been fed lamb as a protein source at some point.

The pet food companies understand a need for and see a growing market for these unique formulations in pet foods and are producing more and more “allergy formula” types of foods with an incredibly wide variety of different and even exotic sources of protein. Some of these protein sources include duck, rabbit, herring, venison and even kangaroo. This is helpful when a pet owner is required to find a unique protein source for their pet. A word of caution though, do not feed your pet every different type of protein offered as this will limit your options should you find yourself in need of placing your pet on a restricted protein type of diet.

If as a pet owner, you find the need to search out a new protein source for your pet be certain to read labels very carefully. Many pet foods are labeled in such a way as to suggest a unique protein such as venison but may also contain other protein sources as well such as eggs or chicken.  It is best to look for foods formulated especially for pets with sensitivities. Some good examples of this would be California Natural, Wellness Simple Foods, Natural Balance Allergy Formulas or Wysong Anergen.  Many companies also offer 95% to 100% meat in canned formulas with a variety of unique protein sources; for example, Innova EVO offers Duck and Venison. Another thing to look for in the premix formulas are ingredients such as alfalfa or other grains as these may also contribute food allergies.

Once you have placed your pet on a restricted protein diet it will take some time to determine whether it is of benefit or not, possibly up to 12 weeks although it is quite possible to see improvement in as little as 4 to 8 weeks.  Once you have found a protein source that your pet is able to tolerate it is advisable to search out at least one more unique protein that they can handle in order to rotate protein sources in their diet. This is advisable since most pets that have demonstrated the tendency towards food intolerance are more likely to develop additional sensitivities making the rotation of the protein source in their diet all the more important.

Just because a pet may have a food allergy that requires a restricted diet doesn’t mean that treats have to fall to the wayside. There are many products designed especially for pets with food sensitivities so that as a pet owner you are still able to reward your companion with a tasty treat.  Plato Smart Strips are an excellent choice; they offer treats made with duck, salmon and kangaroo meat.  Another great option is Only Natural Pet Venison Jerky Bites or their Bison Strips. Also any of the freeze-dried meat treats work very well.

Another common cause for pet food allergies is grains. Some pets may have a grain allergy instead of, or as well as a protein allergy. For pet owners with pets with grain related allergies in addition to protein allergies the increase in grain free foods may seem a blessing. The problem arises in that while many of the grain free foods offer some very unique protein sources such as duck, bison, venison and salmon they are often combined with each other, exposing your pet to more than one protein source. While your pet may tolerate these unique proteins quite well it limits your choices if at some later time you must place your pet on a more restrictive diet. Also these more exotic protein sources are often combined with more common sources such as turkey, chicken or beef so be sure to read the labels carefully.

Having a pet with food allergies does require a bit more research and diligence on the part of the pet owner. However with the wide variety of unique protein sources as well as “allergy formulas” available it should be relatively easy to find two or three protein sources the pet can tolerate.

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Perilous Preservatives in Pet Food

Have you ever opened a bag or can of your pet’s food and been hit in the olfactory senses with an unpleasant odor? What you smell is almost certain to be rancid fat. It is not a secret that many of the ingredients in pet foods are by products of our own meat processing plants that are deemed unsuitable for human consumption. To be honest some of these by products should be deemed unsuitable for animals to consume as well.

Pet food manufacturers use animal and poultry fats to provide oils essential for healthy skin and coats. The problem arises in the fact that many of these fats have already begun to turn rancid. They are then preserved with chemicals such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), which are phenolic compounds added to foods to preserve fat. Another common chemical used as a preservative is ethoxyquin.

Fat becomes rancid for several reasons but the end result is the same, as the fat breaks down free radicals are formed which creates a health issue in itself. When the preservatives BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are added this compounds the health problems.

There are studies that have linked BHA and BHT to conditions such as dry skin, dental disease, allergies, liver disease, kidney damage and tumors in pets. In the United States BHT has been banned from use in baby food. In Romania, Sweden, and Germany it is not allowed for use at all in human food and Japan has forbidden the use of both BHA and BHT. It is difficult to understand why theses chemicals, which have demonstrated known carcinogenic properties, are still permitted for use in pet foods.

In my research concerning the preservative ethoxyquin I was able to find only limited information. This much is known about this chemical. Monsanto originally developed it in the 1950’s. It was registered with the EPA as a pesticide in 1965. I have also seen some documentation listing it as an herbicide. You can read the EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) document concerning ethoxyquin here, http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/fac...s/0003fact.pdf. Please take a moment to read this information. I did note, according to this document, the EPA has not tested ethoxyquin for its carcinogenic properties.

Although the EPA has not conducted these studies many other organizations have. Several studies, including a recent one at the Nagoya City University Medical School in Japan, have linked this chemical to kidney and bladder carcinogenesis. Cell Carcinogenesis, is the process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells. This study also linked ethoxyquin to a higher incidence of stomach tumors.

While the studies on these chemical preservatives may be incomplete the question that begs to be asked is, why use them at all? Certainly the fats need to be protected from oxidation and rancidity; however, there are several natural preservatives available that would serve that purpose. Two examples of these would be tocopherols, which contain vitamin E and ascorbic acid or vitamin C.

The biggest drawback to natural preservatives is shelf life. This is the reason some pet food manufacturers have chosen the synthetic preservatives. Chemical preservatives are less expensive as well. If, as a pet owner you wish to feed your dog or cat foods that only use natural preservatives you should be sure that the food is used in 4 to 6 months from the date of manufacture. There should be a code on the packaging, if the code is difficult to read or is listed as code number with no clear delineation of the manufacture date call the manufacturer with your questions.

Ultimately, no matter what you choose to feed you pet, as a responsible pet owner you should perform you due diligence to make certain that your companion’s nutritional needs are being met on every level.

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