What are allergies?

Food allergy in dogs is a problem frequently encountered by owners. It is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to normally harmless proteins. It is to be differentiated from a food intolerance, which does not involve immunity and only concerns a difficulty in digesting a particular food. Dogs with allergies usually suffer from skin and digestive problems. The origin of allergies is difficult to pinpoint, but it is possible to say that the quality of the diet, the combination of a variety of foods and genetics are largely responsible.

The impact of industrial food

Some veterinarians and other pet professionals agree that allergies have increased in recent years. It is probable that food plays an important role in their appearance, and in particular the foods that are mostly marketed nowadays. These can give rise to:

• strong presence of allergenic and poorly digestible plants such as wheat, soya and legumes (peas, lentils etc.)

• the inclusion of by-products, processed products and other components that are not of first quality

• the intestinal flora bring depleted by a dry and inadequate diet composed mainly of hydrolyzed proteins, i.e. proteins that undergo a transformation which makes them almost invisible to the immune system.

How BARF can help dogs with food allergies

The BARF diet makes it possible to control the quantity of each ingredient in the dog’s diet, but also to ensure its quality. To commence the BARF diet, each food is introduced little by little over a short period of time. This helps accustom the animal’s digestive system to the diet and to detect any possible allergic reaction or intolerance.

Compared to those present in foods cooked, hydrolyzed, the components of a BARF diet are less numerous, but their nutritional value and quality are much higher – making them much more assimilable. The diversity of the meals and the right proportion of each ingredient allows for a sufficient intake to cover the dog’s needs for a long time.

Recent studies reveal that the intestinal flora (microbiota) plays a major role in the performance of the immune system. A poor quality and unsuitable diet leads to a depletion of microbiota. Thus, the immune system is weakened and dysfunctional. A natural diet, such as Babarf, will be perfectly adapted to the balance of microbiota and will thus reduce the risk of allergies.

Babarf subscriptions offer you the felixibility to request removal of ingredients that cause problems for your dog. This way, they will benefit from a complete diet tailored to their condition.

Sources:

– Raw Meaty Bones – Dr. T. Lonsdale
– Toxic kibble – Dr. Jutta Ziegler
– I feed my dog naturally – Swanie Simon
– medpets.com
– Food allergies in dogs, a man-made problem – Dana Scott
– Allergies in dogs and cats – Tribu Carnivore
– Pet allergies: Remedies for an Epidemic – Dr. A. Plechner
– Professional nutrition courses in the Professional Breeders and Animal Care Assistants (PBCA) program