Adverse food reactions often happen when a dog's body reacts abnormally to an ingredient in their diet. These can be broken down into two categories.
Food Allergies - These are immune system drive reactions. Basically, their immune system overreacts to a specific ingredient. The immune system ends up treating the ingredient as a threat and triggers inflammation and a host of symptoms. Some of the common triggers are chicken, diary, wheat (gluten), eggs, beef and soy.
Food intolerances - These are digestive system drive. This usually happens when the dog's digestive system can't break down or process a specific ingredient. Some examples of this would include:
- Difficulty digesting fat
- Sensitivity to additives or fillers
- Reactions to lactose
- GI upset from certain grains or proteins
So, why do dogs develop these issues? Sometimes it's genetics, as some breeds are more prone to allergies and sensitivities. It can also be the quality of proteins in their diet, imbalances in the gut microbiome or immune system dysregulation.
How can these reactions show up?
- Itching
- Ear infections
- Paw licking
- Gas or bloating
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Skin irritation
Allergies and intolerances can overlap, so it's important to discuss with your vet.
Our treats avoid many of the triggers that cause this, since we bake our treats at the time they're ordered, and we don't add fillers, preservatives, additives, or sugars. We also use the highest quality proteins available. We bake our treats at a low temperature with whole, human quality ingredients, which helps avoid the oxidation and degradation of the ingredients. Oxidation and ingredient degradation can worsen sensitivities over time.