Is your dog struggling with itchiness or a chronically upset gut? Or has your vet recommended exploring novel protein diets to tackle food allergies? It’s never nice to see your dog chronically uncomfortable. But there’s good news. If your dog’s symptoms are related to food allergies, they could be easily fixed by a change in their diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The world of dog food is extensive and finding the right one for your dog can be overwhelming. In this article, we will tackle some of the most common questions about novel protein diets: Why might your dog need it? What is a food allergy? How do you perform a food trial? And most importantly, what proteins or wording on the packaging should you be on the lookout for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Novel means new, and therefore, a novel protein is a protein which your dog has never consumed before. The terminology is often confused with “exotic” or “hypoallergenic” and these terms are often used interchangeably, however they don’t quite mean the same thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A novel protein will be unique to your dog and dependent upon the diet you have fed in the past. Whereas a hypoallergenic protein on the other hand, is a protein which is commonly novel to the average dog, and an exotic protein is a less commonly used protein in dog food, but not necessarily marketed to dogs who need novel proteins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dogs only need a novel protein diet if they react to the protein in their current diet. This is most commonly because of a food allergy<\/a>, but other health concerns may also require a novel protein diet, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog doesn’t have a health issue, there are no increased benefits for buying a novel protein diet. It’s a common misconception that feeding your dog a diet which is marketed as novel, exotic or hypoallergenic will prevent allergies. In fact, it might even reduce the list of potential foods you can feed if your dog does develop allergies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A food allergy is when the body’s immune system reacts to an allergen, which is a tiny part of the protein which the immune system recognises as either safe or a threat. An allergen most commonly an animal protein, but can also be an animal product protein, such as dairy, or plant-based food, such as wheat and soy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the body encounters an allergen which it deems a threat, it triggers mast cells<\/a> to release histamine and other inflammatory messengers. Mast cells are common in the skin and the guts, which is why allergies can lead to symptoms such as itchy skin, inflamed ear canals and diarrhoea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s important to note, a food allergy is an immune reaction and therefore different to a food intolerance, which is when the body struggles to digest an ingredient. The terminologies are often confused. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is still much unknown about food allergies, but in dogs, there certainly seems to be breed predispositions. German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, French bulldogs, and West Highland White Terriers are overrepresented. As a result, a genetic cause is generally assumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Allergies tend to arise in young adulthood (1-3 years old) and do not appear to be associated with gender. The true prevalence of food allergies is unknown, but according to Merck Veterinary Manual<\/a>, some studies have indicated up to 40% of dogs presented at the vets for itching have some form of food allergy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common food allergens<\/a> in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat and lamb, however other common food sources are occasionally implicated, such as soy, corn, egg, pork, fish and rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unsurprisingly, these are the most common ingredients in commercial pet foods and represent what most dogs will have been exposed to in their young adulthood years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Underpinning the reason for a food allergy is important, as some ingredients can be avoided resulting in an easy solution to easing your dog’s symptoms. To diagnose a food allergy, all other causes of itching will need to be first ruled out by a veterinarian (such as parasites, infections, and environmental allergies). Once narrowed down, a food elimination trial aids in confirming the diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before starting a food trial with your dog, it’s important to speak to your veterinarian. They probably will be the one who has recommended it, but if your dog has any other underlying health concerns, such as urinary or liver ailments, a change in their diet may be detrimental to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A food trial is when you feed your dog a specific diet for at least six weeks, while documenting their symptoms. It’s important to only feed this food. Treats, table scraps, or a dead rabbit which your dog found on a walk all contain other proteins, rendering the trial useless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two types of food trials which can be performed. The first is with a novel protein diet. This is known as an elimination trial. Any protein which your dog has consumed in the past cannot be in the food, which is why the diet is often formulated with limited ingredients or just a single protein source. However, the results of an elimination trial cannot always be trusted if a good quality product hasn’t been used, as at least one study<\/a> has suggested that novel protein diets, particularly over-the-counter products, can be frequently contaminated with proteins such as soy, poultry or beef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another option is a hydrolysed protein trial. Hydrolysed protein diets are where the antigens on the proteins have been hydrolysed so they are no longer recognisable to the body. This means the immune system does not react to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since it is not always easy to find a novel protein diet which is suited to your dog’s individual needs, some owners explore homemade diets. While this brings with it the benefit of knowing exactly what is in the food, it is often difficult to nutritionally balance a limited ingredient homemade diet and therefore it should always be formulated by a registered veterinary nutritionist. On the other hand, commercial novel or hydrolysed protein diets must meet certain criteria to allow them to be sold to consumers, so you can rest assured these are appropriately nutritionally balanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choosing a food can be overwhelming, as there are many choices of food marketing themselves as novel, exotic, hypoallergenic or hydrolysed protein diets. However, when performing a food trial, it is important to choose a diet which is of a very high quality and where the company invests money into research and development of their diets for dogs with food allergies. A prescription diet from your veterinarian is a good place to start, and after the six-week trial, individual ingredients can be slowly added back in, to develop a list of foods which your dog doesn’t react to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>What is a food allergy?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pathogenesis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Common allergens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diagnosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How to do a food trial<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Elimination trial versus hydrolysed protein trial<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Commercial or homemade?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choosing the right food<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n