Are you treating food allergies correctly?

There sure are a lot pet food manufacturers out there marketing their products for food allergies.

The latest tagline du jour seems to be "Limited Ingredient Diet" or "L.I.D." (Natural Balance is probably the most recognizable brand name in this space.)

Unfortunately, many pet owners (and even veterinarians, sadly) are not being educated on what causes allergies, what constitutes a food allergy and not merely an environmental reaction, and (particularly when it comes to food allergies and so-called hypoallergenic diets) what food ingredients are most likely to cause problems, and how to treat them.

Speaking of vets: as if it weren't bad enough that many of them grasp at straws with their clients, buying foods with the most exotic (and sometimes flat out ridiculous...kangaroo?...really?) ingredients they can find, they often recommend prescription diets that claim to treat allergies.

I suppose that would be true if they weren't full of ingredients which are the most common allergens for pets, let alone endless other sugary, starchy, inflammatory grains and carbohydrates.

Many over-the-counter and prescription L.I.D.'s contain large amounts of potato--often the predominant ingredient in fact. And while that's not as bad as feeding your dog corn and wheat all their life, it's not so good either. (Natural Balance foods are an example of potato-first foods, as well as most prescription offerings.)

Simply put, dogs are carnivores, and they ought to be eating meat. At Joey's, we help you select a food with as much meat as possible, and if allergies are a problem we then find a food that eliminates the offending ingredients.

The biggest culprits? Corn, wheat, and soy. That's why we don't carry a single food that includes them.

Beyond that, if there are protein sources or other grains or carbs that must be eliminated, we can handle that too.

In that vein, we've recently introduced Canine Caviar's line of grain free limited ingredient diets. They're some of the best options we've seen yet for dogs (and cats too) that really do seem to be allergic to just about everything.

If you're struggling with the treatment of food allergies, we hope you'll stop by and visit with us. The right diet can make all the difference in your dog or cat's quality of life.