# Common Food Allergy



## mistletoe (Mar 4, 2018)

Hello SM, I am a new maltese lover, and I would really like to know what are the most common food allergies a Maltese is known to have. Also, how do I know if my furbaby is allergic to a certain thing?

I am kind of paranoid in buying her snacks because I really don't know what allergy reactions could happen to dogs and if they could have it as bad as humans do.

Thank you very much in advance


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

My 2 don't do well w/any food that has chicken or chicken-by-products so we use Fromm Hasendruckenpfeffer---or something like that--google it---a kibble, but they only get a tiny portion for brekkie. I also give them oatmeal--again tiny portion & scrambled eggs. About mid-day they get a tsp. of full fat Greek johgurt. Snacks are cherrioes, unsweetened coconut flakes, carrotts (raw in small bites---not the ones you buy already for consumption but the fresh ones cut into sticks, celery same way, arugula or lettuce, Lisi likes blueberries & most fruit but K not so much, & other bits & bobs). Dinner is S & Chewys Absolute Rabbit or Absolute Venison rehydrated w/veggies (steamed). These are easy to travel w/as they are light until rehydrated, if you do much traveling. Just don't try to bring them back in the country if you exit.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

Since Chrissy has pancreatitis, she only eats Solid Gold Blendz and loves it. For a treat, she gets some Yogurt (With as little sugar content as possible) as well as some Cheerios.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

One of my girls has a bad sensitivity to chicken. Many dogs also have issues with grains. I’ve recently switched from Addiction dehydrated raw to The Honest Kitchen Kindly base mix and rotate proteins. For treats, I actually use Fromm Salmon Tunalini or their Rabbit kibble.


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## lonewolf (Dec 23, 2017)

I think this is basically a question of trial and error. What some dogs don't do well on, others are just fine with. I don't think you can really know until they are exposed to these foods. Then you can decide which ones they do best on and which ones they don't.
I see chicken mentioned twice in this thread. My dog loves chicken and it has been a mainstay in his diet all of his life. He's 17 years old. I'll bet hundreds of chickens have laid down they're lives, unwillingly I'm sure, to satisfy his love of chicken. High in protein and low in fat, it has always been his meat of choice. Eats it most every day. So what's good for one dog may not be good for another. Same as people. Some people suffer terribly from allergies. I'm allergic to nothing that I know of. Food or drugs. It all depends on the dog.


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## mistletoe (Mar 4, 2018)

Thank you, but how do I know if my Maltese is allergic to something?


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

mistletoe said:


> Thank you, but how do I know if my Maltese is allergic to something?


. Scratching, skin irritation, watery eyes, up to problrms breathing and throat swelling. It depends on the severity of the allergy. Typically, veggies like carrots, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, sweet red peppers are safe, broccoli, cauliflower can cause gas and stomach issues, dairy and peanut butter can be great but some dogs can have allergies. We are a no-meat house, but chicken is the most common allergen.


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## lonewolf (Dec 23, 2017)

Interesting. Not wanting to start a chicken war, but I looked up the top 10 dog foods recommended for Maltese dogs and Maltese puppies. and they all list chicken as the main protein source. I wonder why that would be if it's such a common allergen as proposed here?


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Dr. Jean Dodds (well known vet out of CA) has an allergy projection test (Hemopet--google her) has an allergy test kit you can order & send back to her lab for testing. I know April (on SM) has used it w/maybe some others w/good results. If you are concerned that would be your best investment. Good luck & let us know how things evolve.
edit: she also has a great thyroid test for dogs that projects earlier than most tests in its' category. She was (along w/her lab) amazing to work w/when we lived in Austria & Lisi was so sick w/vasculitis. She answers emails very quickly too. She is in a category all by herself---top dog vet!


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## mistletoe (Mar 4, 2018)

edelweiss said:


> Dr. Jean Dodds (well known vet out of CA) has an allergy projection test (Hemopet--google her) has an allergy test kit you can order & send back to her lab for testing. I know April (on SM) has used it w/maybe some others w/good results. If you are concerned that would be your best investment. Good luck & let us know how things evolve.
> edit: she also has a great thyroid test for dogs that projects earlier than most tests in its' category. She was (along w/her lab) amazing to work w/when we lived in Austria & Lisi was so sick w/vasculitis. She answers emails very quickly too. She is in a category all by herself---top dog vet!


Ah I wish I can do it but I live in Bali without such privilege to those diagnostic tests. Hence, the question. Thank you very nuch for the info, though!


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

lonewolf said:


> Interesting. Not wanting to start a chicken war, but I looked up the top 10 dog foods recommended for Maltese dogs and Maltese puppies. and they all list chicken as the main protein source. I wonder why that would be if it's such a common allergen as proposed here?


Probably because most allergies are mild, resulting in scratching and some inflammation, rather than more life threatening symptoms of other allergens. 
Chicken is inexpensive, readily available and is darker meats can cause serious issues for dogs with MVD or other liver issues.

https://www.petcarerx.com/article/is-my-dog-allergic-to-chicken/1586


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

mistletoe said:


> Ah I wish I can do it but I live in Bali without such privilege to those diagnostic tests. Hence, the question. Thank you very nuch for the info, though!


Actually when Lisi was very ill I had my vet in Austria draw blood & send the serum to California for a diagnosis. The allergy kit (I am not sure of this so look at the web-site I gave you) is a swab for the mouth, w/some other compenent so maybe it would work from Bali---it doesn't hurt to try. but i would only do this if i suspected something serious.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

lonewolf said:


> Interesting. Not wanting to start a chicken war, but I looked up the top 10 dog foods recommended for Maltese dogs and Maltese puppies. and they all list chicken as the main protein source. I wonder why that would be if it's such a common allergen as proposed here?


I’m curious what list you’re using because the reviews cited here most often (Dog Food Advisor and Whole Dog Journal) list far more than 10and have a wide variety of proteins on their lists, not just chicken.

Many companies use chicken because it’s cheap.


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## lonewolf (Dec 23, 2017)

maggieh said:


> I’m curious what list you’re using because the reviews cited here most often (Dog Food Advisor and Whole Dog Journal) list far more than 10and have a wide variety of proteins on their lists, not just chicken.
> 
> Many companies use chicken because it’s cheap.


Actually, I believe the site was called Dog food Guru. I probably wouldn't have stuck my nose into this thread if it weren't for my dogs fanatical love of chicken and the fact that he's lived so long and healthy eating it. You guys know far more than I do when it comes to Maltese in general and I trust that you are right. Meanwhile, Robby will continue to enjoy his favorite food, which just happens to be chicken. His main food consists of lamb and rice. The chicken I give him is freshly baked chicken breast. It certainly hasn't hurt him any. He's spoiled beyond belief. Right now he's barking at me because he wants up on my lap. I pretty much do his bidding. Cheers!


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Sensitivity and allergy are two different things. 
A food allergy is the immune system reacting which affects different organs in the body, can be life threatening, ex: IBD

A sensitivity to a food is less serious and causes GI upset, soft stools, ect.

Common sensitivities are chicken, beef and I believe lamb because they are overused, in everything, toothpaste, treats ect.

To avoid an immune response (allergy) best to rotate your protein every 3-4 months, little vaccination, no chemicals and your less likely to have a dog react...of course, unless you have my dogs who did develop an immune mediated disease, no matter what I did.


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## lonewolf (Dec 23, 2017)

I probably should mention that I don't feed Robby cheap food consisting of chicken as a main source. He eats a wide variety of foods. I doubt that he is allergic to anything or he wouldn't have lived this long. He gets 3 meals per day. All are mixes of various foods. here is an example of his daily diet.
Breakfast-Iams lamb and rice meal with bits of home cooked chicken and chicken liver with small bits of cooked carrots and other veggies. Treat-Pup-Peroni snacks. 

Lunch-Mighty dog egg, chicken, lamb and rice with mixed peas and carrots. Treat-About 1/4 of a windmill cookie.

Dinner-Freshly baked white or dark meat chicken. Most of the dinner. Bits of fresh liver and a little Iams lamb and rice meal. Treat-Pup-peroni treats and about another 1/4 of a windmill cookie. 

Do I recommend this diet for anyone else's dog. Not a chance. But he loves it and is very happy and healthy. He weights 11.4 lbs. and is 17 years and 19 days old. As I've stated before, he has good genes and has never had any medical problems other than being as deaf as a doornail.

That being said, I think I have way too much time on my hands!


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

lonewolf said:


> I probably should mention that I don't feed Robby cheap food consisting of chicken as a main source. He eats a wide variety of foods. I doubt that he is allergic to anything or he wouldn't have lived this long. He gets 3 meals per day. All are mixes of various foods. here is an example of his daily diet.
> Breakfast-Iams lamb and rice meal with bits of home cooked chicken and chicken liver with small bits of cooked carrots and other veggies. Treat-Pup-Peroni snacks.
> 
> Lunch-Mighty dog egg, chicken, lamb and rice with mixed peas and carrots. Treat-About 1/4 of a windmill cookie.
> ...


Greg...if it works for you, than I wouldn't change a thing!
Many, many years ago, I got my first maltese. I fed him Mighty dog can food from the supermarket, gave flea/heartworm from petco, fed him junk for treats and he lived until he was 18 without a problem, until he was 17 and went deaf and blind.
Now, I follow every holistic approach regarding food, don't vaccinate, don't use heartworm and flea meds and 2 out of 3 dogs got mediated immune diseases.
So...if what your doing works, leave it be! Your obviously doing something right.


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