All About Allergies
If you know; you know…. BUT do you know why, how or what could be the cause of your pets “allergies”? In this blog entry, we’re going to take a deep dive into all of your most pressing questions while also keeping it short and sweet!
More often than not, the “allergies” people are talking about are actually sensitivities or intolerances. TRUE allergies are what industry professionals would consider instant hives, swelling of the face, neck and throat, difficulty breathing, etc. The average pet experiences recurring ear infections, licking/biting, itchy skin (pruritus), secondary skin infections, rashes, digestive troubles, and even frequent vomiting/diarrhea. These are sensitivities.
It’s important to note that some “symptoms” or clinical signs may actually be indication of a more serious medical concern so it is always recommended that you visit your veterinarian to rule things out with routine blood work and urinalysis.
The problem with intolerances is that you might never figure out what your individual pets triggers are if you’ve never been suggested to do an elimination diet before! More vets are warming up to the idea of whole food nutrition (mostly gently cooked, but hey! We’re here for it!) being superior to commercially available highly processed pet feeds. An elimination diet is a thoughtfully planned approach to pinpointing what proteins, vegetables, seafoods or other ingredients mesh with your pets individual needs. Every body is different. The requirements to maintain good health are the same, but each body will respond differently to different additions; just like people who have celiac disease and cannot tolerate gluten! The side effects for them include painful swelling, bloating, rashes, headaches etc…. Very similar to what your pets might be experiencing from long term exposure to an ingredient they can’t tell you they’re intolerant to!
During an elimination diet you will choose one single protein that they preferably have never had or have been seldomly exposed to. You will stick to that one protein for upwards of 3 weeks to allow the body and the gut time to “reset”. If you notice negative signs in your pet within the first few days or weeks, you would subsequently cease feeding that protein and move onto another while observing the response. This process of elimination will allow you the opportunity to monitor stools for consistency, observe any changes in itchiness, inflammation etc… Ideally, you want to build up to a healthy rotation of at least 2-4 proteins and include a whole food source of omegas. Check out the Feed Real Calculator for more information on how to build a “balanced bowl”.
While we realize not everyone wants to feed raw, this is the surefire way to get your pet back on track and on the road to balance and vitality. You may not even need to feed a fully raw diet every day of the week once you figure out what ingredients work best for you pets bowl! There is no reason why you can’t offer different types of food. Read more about mixed diets.
It’s also super important to support your pets immune system during this time. There are several herbal remedies and plant medicine alternatives you can utilize to benefit organ functions, toxin removal and reduction of systemic inflammation. Our Holistic Detox E-book is a great resource for this. When your pets body is in a high histamine state for an extended period of time it’s also undergoing oxidative stress (that’s bad) and overall stressed out. This can affect mood/behaviour, cognitive skill, sleeping patterns, and more! If you’ve ever had a cold linger on for one too many days, you know that achy, sniffly, poor appetite feeling is no fun….
Now, environmental allergies are a whole different ball game. We won’t delve too deeply into this topic here, but they are (for obvious reasons) much more difficult to figure out and oftentimes avoid! We suggest doing a Glacier Peak Holistics Intolerance Test to help you determine possible triggers for your individual pet. We also advocate for removing seemingly harmless items from your homes like scented candles, air fresheners, febreez, fabric softeners, chemical cleaning products and more. You can learn more about these VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) in our blog. Don’t be fooled by the word Organic in that acronym. Many of these items are linked to asthma, skin rashes, hormone disruption, and even increased risks for cancer!
Back to the allergies…. Of course we all want our pets to live long, healthy and happy lives. Which is why it’s incredibly important now more than ever to zero in on your pets individual needs so you can offer them the very best in life on a cellular level! If you think you may require one-on-one intensive support for your situation, please visit our programs page for more information on how to become a part of the many healed and happy members of the Jennuine Family!