Food Intolerances in Dogs and Cats: How to Overcome the Problem

Food intolerances in dogs and cats have become an increasingly common issue.

By reading this article, you will learn how to recognize the symptoms, how to prevent and/or diagnose food allergies in dogs and cats, and how to manage them effectively if they are already present.

Food Intolerances in Dogs and Cats: Causes

Food sensitivities in dogs and cats can have different origins and lead to different consequences.

For this reason, we distinguish between:

• Food allergies in dogs and cats: adverse reactions mediated by the immune system to a food or one of its components, triggering the production of specific antibodies and causing intestinal and/or dermatological inflammation. These are most commonly caused by animal or plant proteins.
• Food intolerances in dogs and cats: less common than allergies, they do not involve an immune and/or inflammatory response and may also be caused by non-protein ingredients (e.g. colorants, preservatives, cereals, etc.).

Food intolerances in dogs and cats can further be classified into:

• Metabolic intolerances, caused by an enzymatic deficiency;
• Pharmacological-like reactions, due to vasoactive amines contained in certain foods;
• Food intoxications, caused by toxins present in the food offered to the animal. This occurs most often when pets are fed foods that are toxic to them (e.g. chocolate, coffee, onion, garlic, etc.).

For your dog’s or cat’s health, it is essential to be able to recognize the symptoms of a possible food intolerance early on.

Food Intolerance in Dogs and Cats: Symptoms

The symptoms of food allergies in dogs and cats largely overlap with those of food intolerances.

Warning signs include:

• Erythema, pyoderma, or dermatitis in dogs or cats;
• Pruritus and/or self-induced alopecia;
• Otitis;
• Diarrhea;
• Excessive or uneven hair loss;
• Borborygmi and abdominal pain.

Cutaneous Symptoms and Food Allergy in Dogs and Cats

Sometimes, when a dog or cat presents only with dermatitis or pruritus, a diagnosis of food intolerance is made when in fact the issue is an environmental allergy.

It is important to remember that environmental allergies rarely cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, if GI signs are present, there is a high likelihood that your pet is dealing with a food-related problem rather than an environmental one.

Conversely, red eyes in dogs and cats as the sole symptom are unlikely to be food-related and are more commonly due to conjunctivitis.

Allergy Testing in Dogs and Cats

Allergy tests for animals may be performed on the skin and/or on blood samples, depending on the case.

Blood testing is generally more accurate, as it assesses the presence of antibodies against suspected allergens.

However, there is no single definitive test to diagnose food allergies or intolerances in dogs and cats.

Your trusted veterinarian will be able to perform the most appropriate diagnostic work-up and refer you to a veterinary nutritionist in order to:

• Place your dog or cat on a temporary monoprotein diet to identify the offending protein;
• Receive guidance on healthy feeding and natural diets, eliminating additives to which your pet may be intolerant;
• Learn, if desired, which home-prepared diet is suitable for your allergic dog or cat.

Preventing Allergies in Dogs and Cats: Ingredients to Avoid

As you may have gathered, animals—just like people—can become allergic or intolerant to virtually any food, and even to multiple foods at once.

For this reason, speaking in absolute terms about “hypoallergenic” foods for dogs and cats can be misleading.

That said, respecting their natural dietary needs from the earliest months of life can help reduce the risk.

Which ingredients should be avoided to maintain good health in your dog or cat?

Clearly, all those they would not normally consume in nature, such as:

• Table scraps;
• Bones;
• Cured meats;
• Sugars;
• Cheese and milk;
• Fruit pits;
• Avocado;
• Raw potatoes;
• Tomatoes;
• Eggplant;
• Mushrooms;
• Gluten;
• Plant proteins;
• Artificial preservatives and colorants.

In cats, particular attention must be paid to ensuring an adequate protein intake. For this reason, we invite you to read our in-depth article on dry cat food.

Another useful tip is to provide—whenever possible—a multi-protein diet, to stimulate your pet’s sense of taste, ensure dietary variety, and help their body adapt to digesting different animal protein sources.

Finally, pay attention to household cleaning products, many of which can be toxic to dogs and cats.

Monoprotein Food for Dogs and Cats: When Is It Needed?

The main reason a veterinarian prescribes monoprotein food in the presence of an allergic reaction is that it contains protein from a single source.

Monoprotein diets for dogs and cats should, in fact, be used only temporarily to identify the protein to which your pet is allergic or intolerant.

Once identified, you can then rotate among the protein sources that your pet tolerates.

Food Intolerances in Dogs and Cats: The Benefits of Naxos Monoprotein Diets

For dogs or cats suffering from dermatitis or other intolerance-related symptoms, we at Naxos have developed formulas designed to fully meet their nutritional needs—without compromising palatability.

For dogs, we offer gluten-free monoprotein foods based on lamb and citrus fruits, buffalo and prickly pear, pork and pomegranate, or blue fish and citrus fruits.

Each formula is tailored to your dog’s specific needs in terms of size, age, and caloric requirements. With the addition of superfoods such as citrus fruits, pomegranate, and spirulina algae, you can support your dog’s immune system throughout every stage of life.

We offer the same quality for cats. Naxos monoprotein cat food, based on pork and prickly pear or blue fish and pomegranate, is designed to satisfy even the most discerning palates of kittens and adult cats.

Our hydrolyzed proteins for dogs and cats are sourced exclusively from Made in Italy raw materials, ensuring maximum quality and digestibility for your pet.

Would you like to try them? Purchase online or find the nearest store to you!

Food Intolerances in Dogs and Cats: FAQs

Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about food allergies and intolerances in dogs and cats.