Food allergies in pets refers to a condition wherein the immune system in your pet cats and dogs produce inflammatory reactions to a particular type of food. When the body misidentifies certain proteins in regular food items as a potential threat and produces a response to it, it is when a food allergy occurs.

1. Symptoms of food allergies in pets
The most common symptom of food allergies in pets are skin-related and gastrointestinal tract issues. They include, but are not restricted to:

• Constant itching, scratching, licking, or biting the skin, fur, paws (between their toes) or near their tail
• Itchy red bumps on the skin that could cause infection and hair loss
• Swelling on the face, on the lips, eyelids, or ear flaps
• Chronic ear infection
• Indigestion, flatulence, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Inability to breathe, a choking feeling or asphyxiation; however, this is relatively rare

If these symptoms repeatedly occur after consuming certain types of foods, it be confirmed as a food allergy. This is crucial to remember because skin infections can also be caused by fleas, ticks, dust, pollen, seasonal allergens, and other factors. In the same way, intestinal disorders in pets can be a result of consuming something harmful or because of bacterial or viral infections as well.

2. Foods that normally cause allergy
Surprisingly, a majority of the times it is animal proteins like beef, chicken, lamb or pork, dairy products like milk or cheese, specific grains like rice, wheat, barley, oats, soy or corn, or sometimes a vegetable or fruit like potatoes or apples could be the primary cause of food allergies in pets.

3. Treatment for food allergy
The percentage of cats and dogs that develop food allergies is comparatively less. Moreover, no particular medical test can diagnose this in pets. Figuring out what causes food allergies in pets takes time and requires patience. An elimination diet is the best and the most practical solution that pet owners can use to recognize the cause of food allergies in their pets. The pet will have to be fed only one or two types of foods in this diet. By rotating the foods every week for at least 6 to 8 weeks, the foods that trigger allergies can be identified. You, as a pet owner, can observe which foods cause negative reactions and allergy symptoms and which foods are being easily digested by your pets. Food allergies take a long time to develop but can cause great discomfort to your pets.

You should ensure that the following toxic foods are not part of your pets’ diet—mushrooms, grapes, raisins, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, onions, garlic, raw eggs, raw fish, salt, avocados, nutmeg, and macadamia nuts.