DogtorJ.com's Elimination Diet

Food allergies are on the rise in veterinary medicine in both dogs and cats. These are manifested mainly as dermatological (skin and ears) and gastrointestinal problems. Chronic ear problems in the dog and chronic vomiting in the cat are big red flags for food allergies and intolerances. However, many immune-mediated diseases (those caused by or triggered by the immune system) have been linked recently to food intolerance. Such things as hypothyroidism, diabetes, lupus, coronary artery disease, epilepsy, asthma( cow milk and corn), hyperthyroidism (Graves disease), and rheumatoid arthritis as well as many psychological disorders (such as autism and ADHD in people) have been tied to food intolerance in the recent past.

It has been known for years that the primary allergens in pets and people have been dairy (cow milk products) and wheat. According to the FDA, cow milk is the number one childhood allergen, followed in order by wheat, eggs, and soy. Eggs are actually a secondary allergen, meaning that we become allergic to them only after the intestine has been damaged by the first two early in childhood. This concept is explained in The Answer. The fourth most common allergen is soy. This is a primary allergen but has an interesting story behind it. Once again, The Answer goes into detail here, but suffice it to say that it would become number one if: one, we continue to eat it and do so in the quantity that is planned for us, and two, if it were as likely to elicit allergy antibodies as readily as the top two. Soy will be a "stealth" problem in that it is the least likely of the big three primary allergens to cause overt allergy symptoms.

The phenomenal thing is that we are about to repeat history in the pet food industry. When I graduated from veterinary school 24 years ago, most foods were corn-based. Even then, we were having allergy problems in ceratin breeds of dogs such as the Westie, Dalmatian, German Shepherd, and Cocker spaniel. My dermatology textbook at the time stated that food allergies were "uncommon" but when they did occur, the primary allergens were dairy products and wheat. So, why then did we start making nearly all dog and cat foods out of wheat about 8-10 years into my career... 15 years after that book came into print?

It was actually a political phenomenon. Suddenly we had a wheat glut in this country. China became the number one wheat grower in the world and we stopped exporting as much of it as in the past. Therefore, we had a wheat surplus that ended up in the pet food...despite current knowledge that wheat was the number two food allergen in dogs and cats. The "root of all evil" had kicked in, I'm afraid.

Veterinarians found themselves talking about the health of pets and the demise of the dog's immune system instead of golf at their weekly lunch meetings. Allergies were consuming all breeds rather than just the usual suspects. Autoimmne diseases were skyrocketing and pet owners who had dogs for years were longing for their pets of yesteryear. We had made a horrible, but predictable, blunder by making the number two food allergen the number one ingredient in their food.

Things improved a bit when the manufacturers removed all dairy from the pet foods. In the following years, the milk coated puppy and kitten chows went the way of the buffalo and some amazing things happened. Suddenly, there was a noticeable drop (to me, anyway) in the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and diabetes in the dog. I have not had a case of rheumatoid arthritis in forever. I see very few diabetic dogs while asthma and immune-related arthritis have been relegated almost exclusively to the cat. Why is that? Well, what is the classic treat for a cat? Uh huh...a saucer of milk.

The pet food industry has recently realized that the addition of these ingredients to dog and cat foods was a huge mistake. Although it has been known for years that wheat and dairy products were the main allergens in pets, the incidence of food allergies has been horribly underestimated. In the past, veterinarians were taught that food allergies were uncommon, even rare. However, the newest research tells us that at least 33% of pets with any allergies are now food allergic. I personally believe that this is also a major underestimation. In fact, I am not alone in the belief that inhalant allergies come only AFTER food allergies and intolerances have occurred. This rather novel idea is explained in The Answer. 

Fortunately for allergy sufferers, many pet food manufacturers are in the process of reformulating their diets to exclude wheat, barley, and dairy products. Many of the well known brands now have "sensitive skin" and "sensitive stomach" formulas, the benefits being derived from the elimination of these offending ingredients. Potato-based diets are more available and there is a new breed of foods...the BARF diets...that are becoming very popular. More manufacturers are focusing on eliminating the grains and focusing on the addition of vegetables. This is certainly the right direction to be headed. More on them later.

However, because of the soy glut in this country, this troublesome protein is making its way into many of the pet foods, including some that have been "safe" for years. I personally am shocked to see this move by some of the most well-known manufacturers. In addition, most of the pet treats are loaded with soy. This serious mistake on the part of the pet food industry will give rise to a number of horrible consequences, including sky-rocketing rates of epilepsy, pain syndromes, and gastrointestinal disturbances. The problem again is that, of the major food intolerances, soy is the least likely to produce typical allergy symptoms. Therefore, it will be a "stealth plague", as I like to refer to it. This is better described in The Answer. We are about to repeat history, it appears.

Which ingredients to eliminate is determined by the goal to be accomplished. If it is epilepsy, for example, then strict elimination of all grains including wheat, barley, corn, rice, and oats should be done initially to halt the seizures quickly. This leaves potato-based diets or those free of all complex carbohydrates. If the owner wants to then try a food that is less expensive and more readily available, I recommend that they move into a rice based diet like the Nutro Lamb and Rice. Seizures could begin immediately or be delayed for months if they are going to return. I have seen both extremes. If they recur, then remaining on a potato-based diet like the IVD Diet or using the home-cooked or BARF diet is required.

If allergy control is the goal, then there are three approaches. The best in my opinion is to test for food allergies and feed accordingly. However, I recommend strict elimination of all wheat, barley, dairy, and soy no matter what the tests show. These are the food that are involved in the food intolerances and are not always going show up as allergies, either in the tests or in the symptoms of the pet. Corn should also be eliminated in all cases when possible or practical due to its contribution to the malabsorption syndrome described in each of the major papers on this suet.

The second approach is to use a strict elimination diet, such as the IVD Duck and Potato or BARFdiet to halt the food allergies and then do a similar progression into other foods as described for epilepsy if the cost or availablility of the "cadillac"  food is an issue. I recommend transitioning from the Duck and potato to a pure rice-based diet, such as the Nutro Lamb and Rice. If all remains well and the owner absolutely must use a grocery store food, then they can transition into the Purina One Lamb and Rice.

The third approach is simply to do the above approach backwards. I have a difficult time getting many of my clients to even consider changing their pets food. "He's been eatin' this stuff all of his life, Doc. You expect us to change now?" they often say. For these more difficult clients, I simply say to pick up the Purina One Lamb and Rice instead of dogfood X with all of the wheat and soy and see how "Bowser" likes it. I have many pets on this food that are doing well. Getting them off of the wheat, barley, dairy, and soy has made a world of difference in many cases.

So, below are some of the "safe" foods for your pets which leave out most or all of the above ingredients. But, ALWAYS READ LABELS. Not every flavor variety is safe. Also, the pet food industry is in transition, so check the bags regularly. Remember: Soy is coming, and it is coming in a big way.

Summary: Dog foods and treats many times contain the food ingredients that have been most often incriminated in food allergies and intolerances. Historically, the main allergens have been dairy products, and cereal grains (wheat and barley) and beef in the dog. In the cat, the primary allergens are dairy products, cereal grains, and fish. So, when deciding which foods to buy for your pet, especially for the allergic pet, try to follow these basic guidelines first:

1) Wheat, barley, rye - ALL of these grains. (including bread, snack crackers, treats, etc.) Oats are the safest grains from an immunlogical standpoint (least allergy-producing) but they do have high levels of glutamate in them and will contribute to pain and epilepsy.(See my paper Pain, Pain, Go Away on this site)

2) Dairy products - ALL of them. (including milk, cheese, whey, casein, dried skim milk, etc.)

3) Soy - ALL of it. (This is also a HUGE problem in people)

4) Corn- (including corn gluten meal)- Try to eliminate as much of this as possbible. This is especailly important in asthma, pain syndromes, lower gastrointestinal problems, and epilepsy. Eliminate ALL of this whenever possible.

By eliminating the above items, you will be taking care of at least 80% of all food allergens and all four of the major sources of food intolerance (gluten in grains, casein in dairy, soy protein, and corn.)

If food allergies persist after the strict elimination of the "big 4" above, then I highly recommend a food allergy blood test, such as the one offered by VARL (Veterinary Allergy Reference Labs) in California.

But please NOTE: I use this test strictly to determine the foods to which the pet has become secondarily allergic. The "big 4" above are the primary allergens as they damage the lining of the intestine and thereby elicit the allergic reaction. Unfortunately, any food passing through this damaged gut is subject to becoming an allergen due to the disruption of the natural barriers in the intestine.

As an example, I now see a lot of lamb and rice allergies. This is due to the fact that most commercial lamb and rice diets are not pure lamb and rice but rather contain one or more of the "big 4", any of which can damage the intestinal lining and promote these secondary allergies.

So, no matter what the food allergy test may show in the way of specific allergies, I always eliminate all of the "big 4" foods above. These are unnatural and harmful to all pets (and people, for that matter). Again, I use the blood tests purely to identify the secondary foods to eliminate, which ends the guess work that so many clients and doctors are doing in an attempt to control these all-important food allergies.

And, this strict elimination of allergenic foods must be considered in all foods, including TREATS and TABLE FOOD. Most grocery store dog and cat treats are loaded with wheat, artificial preservatives, and many of the animal proteins to which pets may be allergic. In the cat, these treats are a major problem in that they are a whos who of artificial preservatives and colors in addition to the fact that the main proteins are wheat and soy in most cases. I have had numerous cats that have recovered from chronic vomiting by the simple elimination of these treats from their diet.

Below are some of the safe foods for your pets that leave out most or all of the above ingredients. ALWAYS READ LABELS. Not every flavor variety is safe.

And please note: I am not saying that any of the below are ideal diets when fed alone. There is no way that the average commercial pet food can be complete is every nutrient with the extreme processing that these foods endure.

The first order of business is to make sure that the foods do not contain any harmful ingredients (e.g. the "big 4"). The next is to attempt to make the foods nutritionally complete. This is accomplished through the addition of fresh vegetables, fruits, and safe protein sources, such as meats and eggs. In allergy cases, one may need to determine through food allergy tests which of these proteins can be safely fed but some fresh source of protein really needs to be added to most commercial diets in my opinion, as does some source of omega three fatty acids.

What to Feed, What to Feed???

Dogtor J.s  Recommended Pet Foods

Note: This is only a partial list of foods that I routinely recommend to my clients in the exam room based on availability, price, and ingredient content. Which foods I suggest depends somewhat on what condition(s) I am trying to improve. Again, please keep in mind that these recommendations are based on what the average veterinary client is willing to do, not on those who are to do whatever it takes to feed their pet the ideal diet. For the latter, there is no doubt that home-cooked and/or raw diets would be more ideal.

For allergies, I always eliminate the "big four"...gluten (wheat, barley, rye), dairy, soy, and corn.  The next is rice. If we have to remove rice, then that leaves only the "cure in a bag"...duck and potato...and The Eukanuba Response KO (Kangaroo and oats).

For epilepsy, I follow the same progression as above if the seizures are mild or far apart and if the owner is reluctant to go straight to the potato-based diet. For severe seizures, the first choice is the IVD Duck and Potato (or their venison, fish or rabbit formulas). However, at this time, I have a number of dogs on th Nutro Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice, a number of the Nutro Lamb and Rice, and the rest on the IVD Duck and Potato. I have them avoid ALL commercial treats and give fruits and veggies as snacks.

Here are the most readily available foods again:

* Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice Adult formula (available at pet shops)-  One of the best available kibbled dog foods at the pet shop as of this writing. Comes in regular, growth, and reduced calorie. Not all lines of Nutro are "safe", however. Read labels.

* Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Duck and Potato dog food- Like the I.V.D. above, this potato-based diet is ideal for allergic, epileptic, and chronically painful dogs because of it being hypoallergenic and low in the neuroactive amino acids glutamate and asparate. It is now available at select pet shops. Here is their site, where you can find the distributor nearest you- http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/.

*Lamaderm by NaturaLife- This is one of the original pure lamb and rice diets formulated back in the 1980's. It is now available at WalMart. But, don't let that fool you. I spoke at length to the CEO of this company and they know what's what when it comes to making this formula. I have now had many clients feed this food with great success.

*Canidae and Felidae Pet Foods- Once again, these are only available at select pet shops as of this writing and that is too bad. They have none of the "big 4" and have performed miracles in some of my patients, including my own cat. They do have a number of different proteins present to which cats and dogs could have become sensitized while on the diets with the big 4 in them. But, for those without significant allergies, this food is my new first choice for a commercially available cat food.

*Diamond Naturals- The Naturals line of Diamond food meets my criteria. I was pleasnatly surprised to see that these were available at our local feed and seed store.

*Wellness- The new CORE grain-free cat food is now available at pet shops and meets these strict criteria. Their fish and fowl is for kittens and adult cats. They also have a new CORE dog formula.

* I.V.D. and Nutro RICE-based Treats- Available here and at pet shops.These are here if you must feel compelled to give your dog a cookie of some kind. I prefer that people think outside the box and give fruits and veggies are treats. 

Premium Special-Order Foods:

These are "the Cadillacs" of the pet foods. For those that have the philosophy that price is no object or those that simply see the value in feeding the best, these are your guys. I would like to point out to the reader what I tell my clients. Think of what you spend in medication, supplements, and veterinary bills before you write these foods off as being "too expensive". The difference in a twenty pound bag of one of these foods versus the grocey food may seem to be a significant amount at first glance. However, that difference rarely approaches the cost of multiple monthly prescriptions and too many vet visits. You do the math. Certainly, multi-pet households get expensive, but the same principle applies, doesn't it. Think of these as "health insurance" in many cases. Here they are:

* Life's Abundance Premium Health Food for Dogs and Cats- This is the newest pet food manufacturer that I have come across. They are clearly dedicated to feeding the pet as correctly as possible. It is available in cat and dog food formulas. Here is their site link: http://www.healthypetnet.com/home.asp?realname=40057943

* The BARF diet- This is an up and coming food available through local distributors. It was developed by Dr. Billinghurst of Australia. This has the greatest potential of any of the foods, in my opinion. I'm sure it will be a forerunner in the "cure in a bag" category as it has none of the offending ingredients while being loaded with vegetables and natural nutrients. Read more about it on my Raw Diet section (under construction).Here is the link to his site (Distributors are also listed):  www.barfworld.com . 

* Oma's Pride- http://www.omaspride.com/

* Canidae and Felidae - Check the internet for availability of these newer foods. Their formulations are very much in line with the recommendations on this site. Many contain rice, which is fine for most epileptics and allergy sufferers in my experience. Here is the link to their site: www.canidae.com

Then, look into these food-related links:

These were the real pioneers in the area of food intolerance and how it was affecting our health so badly...and so commonly.They deserve your attention and your "thanks", really. They have braved the storm of deception that has overtaken us and stood alone many times to point out the truth about certain foods that have been considered "health foods" for years. A little time spent on their sites will give the reader serious insight into why they and I have developed such a passion for this topic. Our lives depend upon it.  

www.mercola.com - One of the best medical sites on the web. He has over 15,000 pages of information on his site. His search engine can be used to find information on just about any medical condition imaginable. Be sure to read all about his Optimal Eating Plan.

www.mercola.com/article/soy/- Antisoy articles- VERY GOOD!!!

www.celiac.com - THE reference site for the gluten intolerance sufferer.  

www.dldewey.com/hydroil.htm - Print out and read Hydrogenated oils- The Silent Killers". Also, his article on aspartame. These are both  MUST READS.    

www.gfcfdiet.com - Read about autism here. You will be enlightened and amazed. 

www.soyonlineservice.co.nz - Soy is not a health food.

www.afpafitness.com/MILKDOC.HTM- Print this out. Its 15 pages, but well worth it.

 www.nomilk.com - Dairy has met its match. 

 www.notmilk.com - an eye-opening anti-dairy site.