Can chicken fat in dog food cause allergies

Chicken Fat In Dog Food

What Is Chicken Fat?

While it may seem obvious, it is important to properly explain what Chicken Fat is as it is not quite the same as the fat you may cut off your chicken at home.

Instead of being removed by hand, Chicken Fat is a highly processed ingredient and is the fatty acids that have been extracted from a Chickens tissues and flesh.

This Chicken Fat is almost always a by-product of the production of meat meals such as Chicken Meal. Thousands of Chickens would be processed daily, and the products most commonly used are the less desirable cuts and leftovers from a Chicken carcass.

Meat meals such as Chicken Meal are common ingredients in dog food recipes and are a concentrated form of meat that has had the majority of its moisture and fat removed.

Many consumers are cautious and concerned about the use of by-products in pet food recipes. However,the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association mentionsChicken Fat as an example in their attempt to break the myth that by-products are an inferior ingredient.

Why Is Chicken Fat Used In Dog Food?

Chicken Fat is included in dog food recipes for a number of reasons, one of which is to improve the taste and consistency of dog food.

Much like humans, dogs enjoy the taste of animal fat, and adding Chicken Fat can improve the palatability of a kibble recipe significantly.

Many dog food brands carry out feeding trials of their food to see which ingredient combinations make their food appealing to dogs, and time and time again, Chicken Fat has proven effective.

Another reason that Chicken Fat is included in dog food is that it is a relatively low-cost ingredient. Many whole meat and fish ingredients have a considerably higher cost than others like Chicken Fat.

If pet food manufacturers chose to use whole meat ingredients instead, this would have the knock-on effect of increasing the price of the product.

Therefore, Chicken Fat allows dog food manufacturers to add essential animal-based fat without pushing up their costs significantly.

Chicken Fat Nutrition

While it may seem obvious to most, we will reiterate that the vast majority of nutrition provided by Chicken fat is conventional fat. Animal-based fat such as Chicken Fat is vital for a number of bodily functions for dogs.

In addition, fat can be used as a concentrated energy source for dogs. This concentrated energy source can be particularly important to dogs that take part in a large amount of exercise or exertion, such as working dogs or high-activity breeds.

Many dog food brands load up their formulas with carbohydrates to provide the bulk of their calories, but some would argue that ingredients like Chicken Fat are a better source of energy and more closely reflects a dogs natural diet.

Also, fat is more than twice as calorie-dense as protein or carbohydrates, which means far less of it is required to provide the same calories.

Lastly, not all fat is equal, and Chicken Fat could be advantageous as it is high in the Omega 6 Fatty Acids.While not entirely as well known or beneficial as the famous Omega 3 Fatty Acids, the Omega 6 Fatty Acids can still provide several health benefits to dogs.

The Omega 6 Fatty Acids can provide benefits such as an improvement in heart health, lower cholesterol levels, and a reduction in the risk of some cancer.

Can Chicken Fat Trigger A Chicken Allergy?

Many allergies that dogs experience are poorly understood by their owners, and Chicken is a prime example of this.

Most dogs who suffer from a Chicken allergy are actually allergic to the protein found in Chicken meat rather than Chicken as a whole.

Therefore, one could argue that a dog would most likely not be allergic to Chicken Fat as it should not contain any Chicken Protein.

This is a valid argument, and many dogs who can not tolerate Chicken will cope just fine with a dog food formula that uses a portion of Chicken Fat.

However, all dogs are different, and some dogs who react poorly to Chicken may also react poorly to Chicken Fat. For this reason, it is incredibly important to be aware of what ingredients are present in your dogs food.

Chicken Fat is an ingredient that can feature very far down the ingredient list way beyond the top five or ten ingredients.

Most pet owners and consumers are taught to only focus on these main ingredients and may miss the inclusion of Chicken Fat when it features further down.

For more information on Chicken allergies and the best alternatives for dogs who can not consume Chicken, we recommend checking out our articleBest Dog Food Without Chicken.

Dog Food Brands That Use Chicken Fat

Chicken Fat is one of the most widely used animal-based ingredients in dog food, and as such, there are dozens of well-known dog food brands that utilize it.

This includes many premium dog food brands, as well as lower and more economical brands.

Some of the best examples of dog food brands that utilize Chicken Fat includeHills Science Diet,Royal Canin,Blue Buffalo,Taste of the Wild,Diamond,Wellness,American Journey,Iams,Rachael Ray Nutrish, Nutro, andVictor.

You can see an example of the use of Chicken Fat in a dog food recipe in the below ingredient list of Taste of the Wilds Ancient Prairie dry dog food recipe.

As you can see above, there is a substantial portion of Chicken Fat present in this recipe, and it is the 6th most abundant ingredient and helps the recipe provide a minimum level of 18% crude fat.

As discussed earlier in this article, some of the brands that use Chicken Fat do so as a cost-effective addition to provide supplementary animal fat, while others say it is included to boost the level of the Omega Fatty Acids.

Chicken Allergies in Dogs Are the Most Common Pet Allergy

Chances are youve met a dog who cant eat chicken (yes, even the chicken in that yummy treat youre holding).

A dog chicken allergy is a pretty common food intolerance. Some dogs can have small amounts of chicken, but should avoid it as part of their main diet. Others have to steer clear completely.

What do dog chicken allergy symptoms look like, exactly? Some signs to look out for are: vomiting, diarrhea, itchiness, ear infections, foot infections, obsessive licking, and other skin issues. If your dog is showing any of these signs, we recommend consulting with your veterinarian.

Because chicken is a common ingredient in many dog foods today, its important to know how your dog tolerates it in order to find the best dog food for a chicken allergy. But how do you know for sure if you have a dog allergy to chicken on your hands? And how can you best manage it?

Luckily, weve got some guidance for you below.

What Are the Symptoms of Chicken Allergy in Dogs?

Youll see the most obvious and common signs that your dog is allergic to chicken on their skin, via their digestive tract, or both. They might also experience anaphylactic symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, but this is extremely rare with food allergies in dogs.

Skin Symptoms

An allergic reaction on your dogs skin is rather similar to a reaction you (a human) might have on your own skin. Your dog might itch their skin, especially on the paws, belly, face, and ears, develop red spots, rashes or gives, or even lose fur in some areas.

With your dog potentially licking or chewing on their skin to relieve these symptoms, they might also start to develop wounds or hot spots, which are areas of red, moist, and often inflamed lesions.

Digestive Symptoms

Similar to humans, signs of a dog chicken allergy can show up in their digestive tract: diarrhea, vomiting, gas, or other gastrointestinal problems.

Unsimilar to humans, your pup could also have issues with their anal glands, which they might alleviate by scooting their butts on the floor.

Why Is My Dog Allergic to Chicken?

When your dog experiences an allergic reaction, its their immune system going into overdrive to react to a trigger, or allergen. (Think: Your body fighting off a viral or bacterial infection threatening your body.)

Because dogs and chicken allergy are typically a genetic matter and inherited from previous family members, theyre not easy to avoid. You might see that some breeds, such as Bulldogs, Retrievers, Terriers, and Shih Tzus, are more prone to food allergies than other breeds or mixes.

What to Do if You Think Your Dog Has a Chicken Allergy

As with any food allergy, pinning down a chicken allergy in your dog requires time and some detective work. If you suspect your dog is having allergic reactions to their food, start by talking to your veterinarian.

From there, your vet will likely do a physical exam, and ask about the symptoms youve noticed and what youre currently feeding your dog. If your vet has ruled out other possible reasons for your dogs symptoms, they might recommend an elimination diet.

An elimination diet requires time and patience, but in the long run itll be worth it to know youre feeding your dog whats best for them. Over the course of 1-3 months, youll feed your dog a restricted diet of very few ingredients, and slowly reintroduce a new food (like chicken) each week until a trigger is found. Your vet will provide you with a detailed plan of what, when, and how much to feed your dog, and how to keep track of your dogs process week-by-week.

Depending on how your pup does with the elimination diet, your vet will guide you to the best next step toward a happy, healthy dog.

Common Myths About Feeding Dogs Chicken

How could my dog be allergic to chicken? Ive fed them chicken their entire life.

Unfortunately, feeding the same protein over and over is exactly what can build up an intolerance or allergy in your dog's system. For this reason, we recommend rotating proteins throughout your dog's life. This can easily be accomplished by choosing a different protein for your dogs food each time you are ready to buy a new bag, or every month or two. Sticking with the same brand can be helpful to keep nutrients consistent and to reduce chances of stomach upset due to a change in food. We always recommend transitioning over a 1-2 week period when trying a new food by mixing the new food gradually into the old.

My dog is allergic or has an intolerance to chicken, so he cant have eggs or chicken fat.

Thankfully, this isnt true for most dogs! Eggs are a separate allergen than chicken, so most dogs who are allergic to chicken can enjoy eggs without issue. As for chicken fat, most chicken allergies are to the protein of chicken, not the fat. Chicken fat is a very common ingredient in dog food and most dogs who are allergic to chicken can include it in their diet.

Caring For Your Dog With a Chicken Allergy

Allergies cant be cured, but knowing your dogs triggers empower you to manage the situation as best you can.

After seeing your vet to discuss a possible food allergy, your pup might need to take medication to help relieve any symptoms theyve experienced. Beyond that, your allergic dog will also need to be fed a diet that works with their body.

But, even though wed like to have everything under control all the time, it just isnt possible. Your dog might find a scrap on the street, be fed a chicken treat by a new friend, or just have an occasional allergic flare-up. Just like us, they might also develop new allergies as they get older. If these things happen, dont be discouraged. You now know the best course of action to reduce your dogs symptoms and get them back to their healthy selves!

If you discover that your dog does have a chicken sensitivity, rest easy knowing there are lots of other high-protein options that will provide them with the nutrition they need. Both our Salmon, Brown Rice & Sweet Potato Recipe and our Grain-Free Salmon, Sweet Potato and Carrot Recipe feature lean protein, patented probiotics, and nutrient-rich superfoods to support your pups healthy growth. Top their kibble off with Salmon on Top Toppers or Beef Crumbles Toppers For treat time, try our fan-favorite Beef Jerky Bites and Salmon & Pumpkin Tenders.