Adding novel protein sources, such as novel meats that a dog or its ancestors have never been exposed to is one method. Novel proteins can also be created by chemically modifying well known protein sources using hydrolysis techniques, rendering proteins unrecognisable by the gastrointestinal tract. One of the possible causes of food allergies in dogs is a reaction of the dog’s immune system to the proteins in a diet. This is an attempt to improve digestion and reduce the likelihood of a reaction ensuing in dogs with sensitivities to common ingredients found in most commercial dog foods.

Dog Food from Burns Pet Nutrition Adult Dog Food from Burns Pet Nutrition

These protein sources have been shown to elicit an allergic response in some dogs with food allergies. Novel sources of protein can be used in place of these allergenic ingredients to meet the feeding requirements for a dog, while minimising or eliminating the chances of an allergic response. Vitamin E is an antioxidant which has important functions in immune health. These compounds scavenge for free radicals, protecting cell membranes from damage caused by lipid oxidation. This is beneficial to have in hypoallergenic dog food diets to help maintain cell integrity in case damage does occur due to a reaction. Vitamin E is commonly found just as a vitamin supplement in diets, but it is also present in other food ingredients such as soybean oil, corn oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil. Zinc In most cases adverse food reactions develop over time, therefore if you have a healthy dog or cat you should consider rotating between food varieties to avoid your pet being exposed to the same ingredients over and over. This should also help to identify whether or not there is an adverse food reaction (you may see your pet improve or worsen on one particular variety). However, if your pet has already had problems and is doing well on one particular variety of food it may be best to continue with this diet. Please speak to one of our nutritionists before changing diets. Most common food allergies for pets BeefIf you have some bathroom scales at home you can weigh yourself, take a note of that, and then hop on while holding your puppy. Subtract your weight from the weight of you plus your puppy and that’s how much they weigh! Alternatively you can pop into your local vets as most vets will have scales in their reception. Do I have to know the exact weight of my puppy? The primary aim of hydrolyzing proteins for specialized diets is to sufficiently disrupt the protein structure within the diet to remove any existing allergens and allergenic epitopes and thereby prevent immune recognition by patients already sensitized to the intact protein.

Natural Dog Food | Healthy Vet Recommended Dog Food by Burns Natural Dog Food | Healthy Vet Recommended Dog Food by Burns

They also help to maintain healthy skin and to maintain cell structure. These n-3 fatty acids are usually incorporated into dog food diets by using ingredients like fish oil. Vitamin AIntroducing a food that consists of limited ingredients is a common method of reducing the occurrence of food related allergic reactions in dogs. Limited ingredient diets are made up of fewer ingredients. If symptoms of food allergies persist after the introduction of this type of diet, it can also be helpful for determining the new allergen that is causing the adverse reaction due to the limited number of ingredients. These diets will avoid protein and carbohydrate sources, such as beef, dairy, poultry, barley, and wheat. Studies have shown that it is possible for dogs to have symptoms caused by more than one ingredient in a given diet, this makes the use of a limited ingredient diet relevant as a result of the inclusion of single protein and carbohydrate sources. The breeds listed above are just a small number of the dogs who are more commonly affected by food sensitivity. Help them put their best paw forward with our range of natural puppy food. This range has been developed by Veterinary Surgeon John Burns and is loaded with all the goodness a young pup needs for healthy development. Suitable for puppies and juniors. Bone appetit!