Is Kangaroo Right For Your Dog?

Itching, scratching, patches of hair missing, digestive upset, recurrent ear infections, oily fur, chewing on paws..what do all of these have in common?  They all can be signs of a food allergy or a food intolerance.  If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, one of the easiest ways to fix things is to try a food with a novel protein.  A novel protein is any protein that is relatively uncommon.  Novel proteins range from the more common venison meat to highly unusual meats like wild brushtail and kangaroo.  Dogs who have not eaten these meats before often do really well on them because their systems have not developed an intolerance or an allergy to them.

We don’t just want to talk about novel proteins though, we want to talk about kangaroo.  Besides being a novel protein, what is it about kangaroo that makes it so special?  Kangaroo really is a very special meat and worth the time to look into, especially if you have a dog that hasn’t been able to thrive on any other proteins.   One of the best things about kangaroo meat is the presence of conjugated linoleic acids, also known as CLAs.  Conjugated linoleic acid is a naturally occurring free fatty acid. It is a potent antioxidant, which may improve lipid profiles and enhance total health.  CLA has been credited with improving cholesterol, aiding weight loss, improving the immune system and even aiding the body in the fight against cancer.  Wild kangaroo meat has the highest naturally occuring CLAs.  Dog with chronic troubles can benefit from all this extra immune support.  CLAs also help reduce inflammation in the body which can greatly reduce inflammatory allergic reactions like colitis, dry itchy skin and numerous other conditions.

Kangaroo meat is also high in protein but low in fat.  Dogs with digestive troubles may see improvement switching to this meat since the low fat meat is easy to digest.  Our Wild Kangaroo and Apples dog food uses wild kangaroo from Australia.  We’ve also added apples for added benefit.  Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that is an excellent intestinal regulator.  Pectin helps enhance the digestive process by cleansing the intestinal tract. Pectin is also great for lowering cholesterol levels.

We are offering our Wild Kangaroo and Apples food at a great discount of 15% off every bag at our online store for United States customers.  Just go to usa.addictionfoods.com to order a bag today!  If you want to talk to us more about how kangaroo could be helpful for your dog, send us an email at info@addictionfoods.com.

What causes canine and feline food allergy

Now that we know what a food allergy IS, let’s talk about what CAUSES a food allergy.

To date, common food ingredients responsible for allergies are chicken, beef, dairy products, pork, lamb, fish, eggs, corn, soy, oats and grains (wheat, whey). In addition, corn and wheat allergies are now showing up as common allergens the same way they’re showing up for human. They are often used as cheap fillers in pet foods and can accumulate and cause an allergic reaction in your pet’s body. Always read the label on your pet’s food to see if corn or wheat is listed as one of the first few (primary) ingredients in the list.

Contrary to popular belief, feeding the same food to a dog everyday and year after year is exactly the reason why dog allergies develop, especially allergies to meat proteins. If an animal repeatedly eats the same type of food, its system begins to reject those ingredients as it’s body has been overexposed to them. Providing a varied diet for your animal, just as with humans contributes to their optimal health.  This is why we recommend a rotation diet, where you switch your pet’s food often.  It helps maintain friendly bacteria in the gut and overall digestive health.

 

 Usual remedies

Switching foods to one with a different source of protein other than the one you have been feeding is one feasible solution. This is to avoid the usual meat protein that is triggering the immune response. Usually, a high quality meat source which you have never fed your pet before could be used as a primary ingredient. Diets containing venison, kangaroo, duck, fish, rabbit, lamb, modified soy or modified chicken livers etc. as the novel protein sources are all commercially available. Many of these diets use limited ingredients so as to reduce antigenicity.  In addition, many of the commercial hypo-allergenic diets may contain an increased amount of omega 3 fatty acids or decreased omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acid ratios to decrease the formation of inflammatory mediators in the skin.

Let’s talk for a quick second about omega fatty acids.  Essential fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fat that are necessary for all pets’ good health. However these cannot be synthesised by dogs and cats and must therefore be supplied in their diet.

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids have been found time and again to play a vital role in the management of allergies and inflammatory skin conditions by building up a healthy skin barrier, maintaining healthy coat and skin, supporting the proper development of the nervous system and visual acuity, regulating the blood flow to body tissues, aiding in clotting after an injury, and helping your pets’ immune system respond to injury and infection.  The ratio between omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids can be important as well.

A remedy sometimes overlooked is “The elimination diet.  We will delve into this exclusive diet later in this article. First, here’s a quick checklist and an example of a food diary below to provide pet owners with an overview of monitoring the progress of the diet and the allergic reactions:

 

Quick Checklist for pet owners:

Use this chart to track the foods your animal is eating every day and if the symptoms change.  Make sure to include any treats, table scraps or ‘unintentional’ meals.  The butter they stole off the counter?  Write that down.  The Cheerios from your toddlers breakfast?  Yep, make sure that’s in there.  Tracking your pet’s intake can really help narrow down what your pet might be having a problem with and may save you expensive visits to the vet later.  Be very clear about your pet’s symptoms.  Where are they on their body?  How many hours after eating did this occur?  If you are treating the symptoms, put the treatment under the ‘action’ column.  This should include any bathing, topical sprays or medications.

Sample Food Diary:

 

What is a Food allergy

Dogs and cats can develop food allergies just like people.  They, unlike people, cannot share crucial information for accurate diagnosis. Therefore, with the help of a veterinarian, pet owners have to systematically rule out all other health issues before settling on a diagnosis of food allergy. The tendency to develop allergies is also genetically determined. Dogs with other allergies like inhalant allergies or atopy may be at increased risk for developing a food allergy.Food allergy is an immune response which causes itching sensations due to the consumption of a particular allergen in a diet.  In plain speak, this means if your pet eats something they are allergic to, they will itch.   This adverse reaction is believed to be associated with the Type I immune response.  Get ready for some big words and I’ll try to explain it.

Upon first exposure to the allergen, the body initiates an immune response to the allergen by producing immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. There are usually no significant external reactions.  However, when the same allergen is re-ingested, the IgE antibodies bind to the allergen and initiate an inflammatory reaction.   Clinical signs in dogs are variable, non-seasonal and may occur at any age.  In other words, your pet can develop food allergies at any time in their life with no rhyme or reason.    A primary eruption or open sore may be evident although pruritus (I’ve linked to the definition of this word which I’m pretty sure I couldn’t pronounce if I had to say it) especially of the face, ears and belly is the most obvious sign of a food allergy. Gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting or diarrhea also occur occasionally. As for cats, clinical signs are non-seasonal pruritus (There’s that word again.  Aren’t you glad you now know what it means?) usually affecting its head and neck.

Although this shows a human allergy to ragweed, the process is still the same with your animal and a food allergy.

Most importantly, do not confuse food allergies with food intolerances. Food intolerances do not cause allergic reactions such as itching and skin problems. Instead, they can result in diarrhea or vomiting, where it is the same kind of reaction that occurs when we have eaten spicy or greasy foods which are not agreeable with us. On the contrary, canine and feline food allergies are true allergies, with symptoms such as hot spots and itchy skin.

Next up we’ll dig a little deeper into food allergy.  Also, I may need to use pruritus some more…just because I can.  Thanks for reading!

Itchy and Scratchy

Now that we covered some of the basics about skin, let’s talk about itching and scratching a bit.

There are several reasons why dogs and cats itch and scratch. They can be classified into four main categories. ‘Generalized itching’ occurs when there is regular scratching but the animal does not show visible signs of a problem and does not scratch any one particular area. ‘Persistent itching’ occurs when there is persistent scratching of a particular spot while showing visible signs of minor problems. There can also be the issue of ‘Chronic localized itching’, where the area will be warm to the touch, painful to your pet and may emit pus.  These sores are known as hot spots. Hair will usually fall from the infected area.  The affected areas are often irritated and painful to your pet, which leads to biting and scratching of the infected area.  This can often cause the infection to spread, leading to more hot spots and more discomfort for your pet.  The last and most severe case of itching in animals is ‘Chronic/Severe itching’ where the itching is usually caused by microscopic mites or fungal infection. The itch is very intense and outbreaks often occur around the ears, elbows and face. The skin will be crusty, scab-like, thick and dark and requires immediate veterinary attention.

How is it that some animals spend hours romping through fields, digging holes and rolling in the grasses and are free from skin problems yet  others, kept indoors and fed an excellent diet, may have severe skin disorders. There are countless of possibilities out there so which is the best solution? Well, the type of pet foods which you have been feeding could actually play a part in the contribution of certain skin disorders and are usually underestimated by many pet owners.  From ingredient quality to choice of ingredients, what is in our your pet’s food can have a significant impact on their skin and coat.  One of the best things you can do for your furry friend is to get educated on what’s in their food.  We’ll be talking later about food allergies, elimination diets, omega fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid.  Oooh, we’re all going to be so smart when we’re done with this series!  Or at the very least, we’ll be better educated about what’s in our pet’s food and how it affects their skin and coat.

Hope you are all keeping warm and dry and giving your animals lots of love and snuggles.