Can chicken cause allergies in dogs

Chicken allergy in dogs: Vet reveals everything you need to know

While still fairly uncommon, a chicken allergy in dogs can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms, including skin rashes and stomach upsets. If your pup is unlucky enough to be among the small percentage of pups with a digestive system that can't tolerate poultry, you're likely wondering what can be done about it.

However, before you go swapping your canine companion over to the best dog food for allergies, it's important to get a proper diagnosis from a vet.

That's because changing dog food needs to be done slowly and carefully to avoid upsetting the balance of bacteria in your dog's intestines. Once you know for sure that a chicken allergy is causing your pup's health complaints you can work with your vet to formulate a plan.

Below, Dr. Catherine Barnette explains the main symptoms of a chicken allergy and shares her favorite prescription foods for dogs who can't eat chicken. Plus, Dr. Hannah Godfrey outlines exactly how your vet will go about testing your fur friend for a chicken allergy so you know what to expect.

Dr. Catherine Barnette

Dr. Barnette graduated from the University of Florida in 2006 where she received both her B.S. in Zoology and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). She has 15 years of clinical experience as a small animal veterinarian, treating dogs, cats, and occasional exotic patients. When shes not writing content as a freelance veterinary writer, Dr. Barnette lives in southwest Florida with her husband and daughter (plus two cats, a dog, and a rescued dove!) and enjoys kayaking, biking, and hiking.

Dr Hannah Godfrey studied Veterinary Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College London. After graduating in 2011, Dr Godfrey went on to become a veterinary surgeon, conducting surgery consultations on a range of animals at a small independent practice in Cardiff, South Wales, UK. Dr Godfrey has a strong interest in soft tissue surgery. When shes not helping animals back on their feet, Dr Godfrey writes a number of veterinary and animal-focussed articles.

What causes allergies in dogs?

"Allergies in dogs occur when their immune system overreacts to a substance, recognizing it as a threat when it is actually harmless," explains Godfrey. "The cells within the immune system will remember this substance and will continue to react if exposed to it in the future. Dogs can be allergic to almost any substance, but pollen, food allergies, and parasites are reasonably common."

Can dogs be allergic to chicken?

"Dogs can be allergic to chicken," Godfrey says. "Chicken is one of the most common food allergies in dogs, alongside beef and dairy products. However, to be allergic to chicken, their immune system must be familiar with the protein, so a dog must have eaten it at least once before."

Symptoms of chicken allergy in dogs

If you've been asking the question 'why is my dog itching, scratching, and biting himself constantly?', a food allergy may well be to blame.

Food allergies are often clinically indistinguishable from other types of canine allergies. There are four common allergies in dogs: dust mite allergy, environmental allergies (tree, weed, and grass pollen), flea allergy, and food allergy.

While there may be slight differences in the signs between these different types of allergies (for example, you may see visible fleas in a dog with flea allergies or you may notice seasonal signs in a dog with pollen allergies), it is nearly impossible to distinguish the cause of your dogs allergies based on appearance alone.

In dogs, nearly all allergies manifest as irritation of the skin and ears (check out our guide to skin allergies in dogs for more on how a food allergy can affect the skin and coat). Common signs of dog allergies include:

• Generalized redness of the skin
• Itching
• Chewing at the paws
• Hair loss (generalized or patchy)
• Frequent hot spots or skin infections
• Scratching at the ears
• Recurrent ear infections
• Less commonly, food allergies may trigger gastrointestinal signs, such as vomiting and diarrhea.

If your vet suspects your dog has allergies, they will recommend an appropriate diagnostic workup to determine the cause of your pets allergies. This workup may include the consistent use of the best flea treatment for dogs (to rule out flea allergies), intradermal or blood allergy testing (to rule out environmental allergies), and a food trial (to look for evidence of food allergies).

In a food trial, you will be asked to feed your dog a hypoallergenic prescription diet for a period of 2-3 months. During that time, you will need to avoid all treats and table food, to ensure that your dog is not being exposed to any potential food allergens. If your dogs signs resolve during the food trial, you and your veterinarian can safely assume that your dogs allergies are caused by something in your dogs diet.

Next, you will begin gradually reintroducing different food items, in an effort to determine which ingredients trigger an allergic response in your dog. If you feed chicken, for example, and your dog begins itching within 24 hours, you can safely assume that your dog is allergic to chicken.

Why are so many dogs allergic to chicken?

A chicken allergy is one of the three common food allergies in pets. Beef and dairy are the most common food allergy triggers in dogs, with chicken coming in at number three on that list.

Dogs can develop an allergy to any protein that they have eaten. Historically, most dog foods were made with beef as the primary protein source. Therefore, most canine food allergies were associated with beef, because thats the protein that the immune system had seen the most often.

In recent years, however, an increasing number of chicken-based diets have been created, often marketed as sensitive skin or sensitive stomach foods. Therefore, veterinarians are seeing an increase in the number of dogs with chicken allergies. If kangaroo meat were to suddenly become a common ingredient in dog food, we would likely see an increasing number of dogs with kangaroo allergies. Dogs can develop a food allergy to any protein they have been fed.

If a dog is allergic to chicken, are they allergic to turkey?

Chicken and turkey are both poultry. There are enough similarities between these birds that some dogs with chicken allergies will also react to turkey. In fact, some dogs with chicken allergies will even react to duck.

However, this isnt always the case. Some chicken-allergic dogs can eat turkey or duck with no problems. Therefore, you may need to experiment with a bit of trial-and-error in order to determine whether your dog can tolerate a turkey-based diet.

If you want to be on the safe side and minimize the risk of an allergic reaction, it is probably best to avoid feeding turkey to a dog that is allergic to chicken.

Diagnosing a chicken allergy

"Blood and skin prick tests can help diagnose a chicken allergy in your dog, but these tests can be costly and take some time," Godfrey explains. "They may also show inconclusive results, which can be frustrating. Eliminating chicken from your dog's diet completely for eight weeks (known as an elimination diet) can allow you to see whether your dog's symptoms improve, but this will only work if you check the ingredients on all of their food and treats."

Best food for dogs with chicken allergies

If your dog has chicken allergies, you will need to find a nutritious, balanced dog food that does not include chicken meat, chicken meal, or chicken by-products. You may opt to feed a prescription diet (under the guidance of your veterinarian) or search for an over-the-counter diet.

The most highly-restricted diets will be prescription diets as opposed to the best dry dog food and the best wet dog food that you can buy off the shelf. These include products like Hill's Prescription Diet d/d Skin/Food Sensitivities Potato & Venison Formula Dry Dog Food or Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein HP Dry Dog Food. Prescription allergy diets are manufactured on dedicated manufacturing lines, reducing the risk of cross-contamination, and careful attention to ingredients. Your veterinarian can help you select the most appropriate prescription diet for your pet.

You can also attempt to use an over-the-counter diet that does not contain any chicken, such as Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food. Over-the-counter diets are often less expensive than prescription diets, which may make this an appealing option for some dog owners. Be aware, however, that these diets may be made on the same manufacturing lines that are used to create chicken-based diets. (This is why they are often less expensive.) Depending on the severity of your dogs chicken allergies, even a small amount of cross-contamination may be enough to trigger an allergic reaction.

How common are food allergies in dogs?

"Its much more common for dogs to experience allergy symptoms due to environmental allergens like pollen from trees and plants, or parasites like fleas and mites than food allergens," Godfrey says. "While its not easy to control the symptoms caused by any allergy, it's easier to keep your dog away from food allergens than pollen and other environmental allergens."

A chicken allergy in dogs can be a frustrating condition, but there are ways to manage it successfully. Work with your veterinarian to accurately diagnose the underlying cause of your dogs skin issues, then come up with an appropriate plan to minimize your dogs exposure to foods that trigger an allergic response. With long-term efforts and maintenance, you can minimize the frequency of flare-ups and successfully reduce your dogs signs of allergic dermatitis.

For more on what foods are safe for your canine companion to consume, check out our guide to what human food can dogs eat where a vet explains which foods you can share with your pooch.

Chicken Allergy in Dogs: Vet Approved Causes & Signs

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Have you noticed your dog behaving differently? Maybe theyre scratching themselves more or seem to be having stomach upset issues. This can potentially indicate an allergy. But it can be difficult to distinguish between a food and environmental allergy, and its even more tricky to diagnose.

Chicken tends to be one of the most common ingredients thattriggers allergies in dogs, with beef and dairy taking the top spots.

Whether your dog has been recently diagnosed or you are just looking for more information, lets take a closer look at chicken allergies in dogs.

What Are Chicken Allergies?

Cats and dogs can both be allergic to chicken. This is tricky for pet owners because chicken is a primary ingredient used in many pet foods, including wet and dry food and treats.

Allergies are a pronounced immune response to something in a food or the environment that normally shouldnt be triggered. The body treats the item as a danger to the body, and the reaction to the invader is an allergic reaction.

What Are the Signs of Food Allergies, Including Chicken Allergies, in Dogs?

Food allergies most commonly affect dogs in the form of skin signs.

These can include:

• Itchy, red skin (primarily on the abdomen, groin, paws, ears, and face)
• Scratching ears and shaking head
• Rubbing at face
• Hives
• Rashes
• Hair loss
• Hot spots
• Skin infections
• Ear infections

Food allergies can also show up as digestive issues.

These can include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Gas
• Diarrhea

Some dogs with food allergies can experience anaphylaxis, which is extraordinarily rare but possible with an allergy. Its an emergency if your dog exhibits any of the following signs and your dog needs immediate medical attention:

• Sudden and acute vomiting and diarrhea
• Facial swelling
• Difficulty breathing
• Tremors
• Collapse

What Are the Causes of Chicken Allergies?

A food allergy can be determined after a dog eats a specific food and has an immune system reaction that typically shows as skin or digestive problems. Even a tiny amount of the ingredient can trigger allergy signs. The body is having an exaggerated response to what it believes is an invader (which is chicken, in this case), and it reacts by causing various signs.

Once the sensitivity to chicken has developed, the problem usually gets worse. Every time your dog eats anything chicken related, the immune system will respond with stronger allergy signs.

How Do I Care for a Dog With Chicken Allergies?

Getting the proper diagnosis is the first thing, but its also tricky to do. Typically, veterinarians must use the process of elimination to figure out exactly what your dog is allergic to.

But once chicken is determined to be the culprit, the allergy signs can be minimized and managed through careful medication and diet planning with the help of your veterinarian.

Some dogs will need allergy medications and topical treatments like medicated shampoos to treat any secondary infections that develop due to the allergy. They might also need medication to treat any gastrointestinal issues. In the long term, though, its all about the diet, and youll work alongside your dogs veterinarian to manage the allergy.

Many dog food manufacturers make food that does not contain any chicken protein, though youll still need to become an adept reader of ingredient labels. Some foods are advertised as suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs or allergies but still have chicken in the mix.

Some dogs might also snag a piece of chicken from the table or floor, so theres always a chance of a relapse, which is why you should be careful when cooking with chicken. Additionally, some dogs with one allergy have the potential to develop a new allergy later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Can You Tell the Difference Between Environmental and Chicken Allergies?

Food allergies and environmental allergies can present with similar itchy skin signs. Diagnosing allergies in dogs is a process of elimination with no one test being diagnostic, so it is important to work with your vet to get to the bottom of the problem. There are a few clues that can help- if a dog also shows gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, along with itchy skin, there is an increased suspicion of food allergies such as chicken. Also some outdoor environmental allergies, such as pollen, will tend to come and go depending on the season, unlike food allergies which will be present all year round.

Why Do Some Dogs Become Allergic to Chicken?

No one knows for sure, but there seems to be a genetic component involved. In one study looking at data from 825 dogs with cutaneous adverse food reactions, four breeds : German Shepherds, West Highland White Terriers, Labradors and Golden Retrievers, accounted for 40% of affected dogs. Food allergies can crop up at any age but are most commonly seen in dogs under one year of age.

What Proteins Are Good Options for a Dog With Chicken Allergies?

While some dogs with chicken allergies can eat other poultry sources such as turkey with no issues, it is best to stay away from other poultry proteins in case they also trigger a reaction.

Other protein sources such as beef, lamb or rabbit can all be good options. Your vet may recommend a prescription allergy food because those manufacturers dont make their dog food in the same facility as chicken-based foods and they have other ingredients that can help calm itchy skin. Ideally, you want a food that has no chance of cross-contamination. Youll see terms like novel source protein (a protein not commonly used, like rabbit) or hydrolyzed protein (the protein is broken down into small sizes, so the body isnt as likely to recognize it as an allergen).

What Might Cause Itching Other Than Food Allergies?

There are several reasons that a dog will start itching that arent from food allergies. One of the most common causes of itching in dogs isflea allergies.

There is also:

• Environmental allergies:Pollen, mold, and dust mites are common.
• Contact allergies:When dogs come into contact with something like grass, fabric, or soap, it can set off a reaction.
• Dry skin:Some dogs become itchy because of dry skin, which is easily fixable.
• Parasites:Parasites including fleas and mites cause itching, along with hair loss.
• Infection:Bacterial and yeast infections can cause itching.

Conclusion

If your dog has been recently diagnosed with chicken allergies, dont despair! Making the diagnosis is usually the tricky part, once diagnosed food allergies, such as chicken allergy, can be well managed by avoiding the offending food. Your vet will help you find the right food that your dog will love. In general, food allergies are more manageable than environmental allergies.

Remember to always read the entire nutrition label if youre shopping for dog food or treats. Chicken has a sneaky way of showing up in many ingredient lists. Speak to your family about what not to feed your dog, and as long as you work with your vet, most dogs with chicken allergies live quite normal and happy lives.

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