How do I know if my dog is allergic to beef

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.

What to do if your dog is allergic to Beef

What to do if your dog is allergic to Beef

Words by: WAG Team

Published on: February 22, 2021

Beef is one of the most popular and palatable treats out there. You can find it raw, dehydrated or freeze dried; sliced, diced or cubed; fresh, frozen or in a roll.

Natural beef treats can come in all shapes and sizes, as varied as the cows they come from. There are tough and toothsome treats like beef trachea, cow ears, cow hooves and bully sticks. There are smaller morsels like beef liver, beef jerky and beef tripe and the list goes on.

For most doggos with a need to chew, you can be sure that theres a beefy treat to suit their needs. But while beef is such a nutrient-loaded protein with tons of treat varieties, its also unfortunately one of the most common foods for dogs to be allergic to.

Well sing the praises of beef dog treats any day. But if allergies or food intolerances means beef doesnt suit, dont despair! There are tons of other delicious proteins that your doggo can indulge in without setting off an allergic reaction.

Stick around as we talk you through the basics of food allergies, the precautions to take when choosing chews, and the very best beef treat alternatives.

What is a food allergy?

If youve ever had an allergic reaction, youre probably aware that theyre not a pleasant feeling. Allergic reactions are your doggos immune system experiencing an inflammatory response when coming in contact with a particle of food. Allergic reactions can range from mild to serious, from minor skin irritations like hives to a swollen tongue, difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis.

The bad news about food allergies is that they can develop across a dogs entire lifespan. While most rear their head in puppyhood or adolescence, some can develop even when a doggo has been fed the identical diet their entire life.

Luckily, while food allergies can be serious, theyre relatively uncommon. Only 10% of allergy cases in canines are related to food, and even fewer of those reactions are serious. Just like us, your dog is much more likely to have or develop an allergy to environmental triggers like pollens, insects, grass or dust mites.

But for doggos with genuine allergies to certain foods, beef sadly tops the list along with chicken, pork and grains.

How to spot a food allergy

Allergic reactions in dogs can range in appearance and severity, but they all reflect one thing: your doggos immune system suffering from irritation and inflammation.

Chronic ear and skin inflammation are often the first and most notable symptoms; so if your dog is frequently red and itchy with no sign of fleas, it may be an indication of allergies. Persistent gastrointestinal issues are next on the list, with chronic diarrhoea, gas and a generally upset stomach potential clues to a food intolerance.

In general, the most common sign seen by veterinarians is itching. Itchy skin, ears, paws and bum can all be caused by the inflammatory effects of a food allergy, and sometimes followed by distinct hair loss, redness or skin damage.

What to do if your dog has a beef allergy

The more exposure your dog has to a protein, the more likely they are to develop an allergy or for their allergic response to worsen.

Identifying an allergic response involves some trial and error, with the assistance of a veterinarian to ensure youre actually dealing with an allergy. The only way to identify a food allergy is with a food trial: which means feeding your dog a very limited diet over a period of time, slowly reintroducing proteins until you find the one causing an allergic response.

Your next step is simple: avoid the protein entirely.

This can be done pretty easily, by steering clear of any treats, chews, kibbles or raw diets that contain the protein in question. But some companies particularly those that manufacture lower-quality and super inexpensive treats can complicate this, by concealing secret foods in the ingredients panel that you wont find on the front sticker.

Always check the ingredients label when dealing with doggo allergies, and remember: just because the bag name says chicken and rice doesnt mean there isnt beef hidden away in the formula, too!

When choosing treats, stick to single-ingredient chews and theres nothing to fear. Its much harder to include any hidden nasties in all-natural animal parts like jerky, bones and hooves.

Find your perfect protein

So your doggo is allergic to beef. First step: dont panic.

While its sad to say goodbye to all the treat options beef has to offer, variety is the spice of life and theres so much to choose from in the world of chews.

For doggos that are prone to allergies, its best to stick to novel proteins: meaning ingredients that arent commonly found in food or treats. The less exposure your dog has had to a novel protein, the less likely they are to have any pre-existing intolerances.

Some of our favourite (and most accessible) novel proteins include:

Just because beef is off your doggos nice list doesnt mean their treat options have to be limited. Theres so much out there to choose from all your doggos gotta do is chew.