Testing for Food Intolerance

Meet Grizzly, a 3-year-old mixed breed dog with a serious skin irritation issue. Last month, we talked about food intolerance vs food allergies and mentioned the HemoPet NutriScan test by Dr. Jean Dodds. We decided for our blog readers to test out Dr. Dodds’ theory.  

Grizzly was adopted from the Middletown Humane Society at roughly 4 months old. He was a healthy dog, but started developing skin conditions at about a year old. He was tested for a variety of different things, from Mange to allergies, but his skin issues, which included itching, hair loss, hotspots and open wounds, didn’t seem to improve. Grizzly was weaned off kibble and put onto a home cooked diet of chicken, vegetables and eggs. The change in his diet did start to improve his skin, however it didn’t solve everything.

Since the test for environmental allergies was negative, it was decided that Grizzly should undergo food intolerance testing. The NutriScan test by Hemopet is simple; it’s non-invasive and only requires the dog’s saliva.  The test comes with a saliva collection kit and easy to follow instructions. Once you collect your sample, you simply mail it to the testing facility and wait for the results.

Grizzly’s results came about a week after the sample was mailed out. His results came back somewhat neutral, showing he didn’t have a major intolerance to any of the foods, but he was borderline reactive for some of them including, chicken, venison, white fish and barley, and was directed to avoid these ingredients. There were three items that he was absolutely not intolerant to: lamb and rabbit as the protein sources and sweet potato.  Since Grizzly’s primary protein was chicken at the time of testing, he was switched to a lamb based diet instead.  

Since the switch, which was about a week and a half ago, Grizzly has begun to show improvement. The scratching is still present, but it has lessened. He is now eating a limited ingredient diet with lamb as the main protein. It is important to remember that it takes time for a dog to get adjusted when you switch their food, so try to keep their diet consistent.

This test is ideal for dogs who have skin issues or problems with digesting foods. Since the test is non–invasive, it is an alternative to traditional allergy testing and may provide the answers to diet based food intolerance.

Food Intolerance vs. Food Allergy – Do You Know the Difference?

Morris K9 Campus is all about training, daycare and agility, but we decided to take a slight detour to discuss a common topic that has come up a lot recently – food tolerance vs. food allergy. 

If you notice that your dog’s skin is itchy and that they have been losing hair, this could be a reaction to their diet. Although a food allergy is a possibility, this type of reaction could also be caused by a food intolerance. Like us, dogs can experience a variety of different reactions from certain types of foods. But how do you know if your dog has an allergy to a certain type of food, or if it is a food intolerance? What exactly is the difference?  

According to Dr. Jean Dodds, a renowned veterinarian specializing in nutrition, knowing whether your dog has a food allergy or food intolerance is very important. A food allergy is an immediate reaction, meaning your dog is experiences issues from it right away. Food allergies, although they may be more widely understood, are actually quite rare in dogs. 

“Food intolerance is the third most common sensitivity condition in dogs and cats,” says Dr. Dodds on her website. A food intolerance is a delayed reaction that deals with digestion issues and, according to Dr. Dodds, can begin anywhere from 2-72 hours after the dog consumes whatever food is the issue. The remedy, she says, is often as simple as a change in their diet.

Simplifying and changing your dog’s diet can be important to address the food insensitivity issues, but be sure to consult your veterinarian before you change what you feed your dog. A general suggestion from Dr. Dodds is to move the dog from a common protein diet, such as beef or chicken, and introduce them to a less-used protein such as turkey or fish. This is because dogs tend to develop an intolerance after eating the same type of food for awhile. 

Skin issues are one of the main signs of food intolerance, which can manifest and appear as different types of skin conditions. Even if your dog has tested negative for food allergies, they could test positive for food intolerance. There is a simple cheek swab that can determine the sensitivities your dog has, which could help steer you on the path to getting your dog’s food-related skin irritations under control. NutriScan is a test invented by Dr. Jean Dodds that can determine if your dog has any food intolerances.

There is no breed, age or sex that makes your dog more susceptible to food intolerance. Discuss with your vet about whether your dog could have a food allergy or intolerance, and what steps you could take in order to help solve it. Providing your dog the proper nutrition is the key in order to have a well-balanced, healthy dog.

Keep an eye on our blog as we continue our food discussion and put Dr. Jean Dodds' Nutriscan swab system to the test.