🐾 The Allergy Epidemic – Why It’s NOT What You Think!

Every week, we chat with loving dog owners who are sure their dog has allergies. Itching, ear infections, flaky skin, tummy troubles. It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that your dog is allergic to something in their food or environment. And while that can be the case… here’s the truth 👇

👉 Most of the time, it’s not an allergy at all! 😲

Yep, you read that right. The majority of dogs showing “allergy symptoms” aren’t actually allergic. So what is going on?

 

🥩 One Meat, Big Problem

Let’s start with what many owners don’t realise: feeding your dog the same protein every day can do more harm than good.

Dogs need a variety of nutrients, not just a full bowl. If they’re being fed one single meat (like chicken or beef) for months or years, here’s what’s really happening:

🔸 They’re getting too much of certain nutrients
🔸 And not enough (or none at all) of others

Over time, this creates nutritional imbalances and those imbalances start to show up in the body. The symptoms? They look exactly like allergies.

• Itchy skin
• Runny eyes
• Sore ears
• Loose poos
• Behaviour changes
• Dull coat or dandruff

Sound familiar? 😬

 

🧬 It’s All About the Basics

Let’s rewind a bit. Dogs need specific nutrition to thrive, not just survive. Here’s what every dog needs with no exceptions:

✅ 22 amino acids
✅ 13 essential vitamins
✅ 14 minerals

These aren’t marketing numbers. They’re not trends. They’re not opinions.
👉 This is biological fact. 📚 SCIENCE🔬

It’s pure, proven science, the basic building blocks that every dog’s body is designed to run on. Without these, the body can’t function properly, full stop.

Think of it like building a house. If you have too many bricks but no cement, the whole thing falls apart. Same with dogs, if just one nutrient is missing or out of balance, everything else starts to suffer.

That’s why I say this again and again:

If your dog’s nutrition isn’t right, NOTHING else will help in the long run. NOTHING!
No supplements, no medicated baths, no prescription creams.
They might mask the symptoms, but they won’t fix the root cause.

 

⚔️ The Immune System Is Under Attack

A healthy immune system is your dog’s internal superhero. 💪
It fights off infections, repairs cells, and keeps everything ticking.

But when your dog’s being fed a poor quality diet, lacking essential nutrients or overloaded with one single meat, the immune system gets overwhelmed. Add in environmental toxins or unnecessary additives and you’ve got the perfect storm.

Over time, this constant overload wears the immune system down. Then when something more serious comes along the body’s just too tired to fight back.

 

🌾 Let’s Talk Wheat

Wheat is one of the biggest culprits behind allergy like symptoms. It’s a grain, and within it is gluten, another ingredient that can cause issues for many dogs.

The problem? Many mass-produced dog foods are packed with wheat as a filler. It’s cheap, it bulks out the food, and it’s not remotely natural for dogs in large quantities.

Wheat-related symptoms can include:

• Itchy skin
• Red or inflamed ears
• Recurring ear infections
• Runny eyes
• Sneezing or nasal congestion
• Loose or messy poos
• Vomiting
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness or “slowing down”
• Weight loss
• Poor coat condition
• Behavioural changes
• Dandruff or flaky skin
• Hives or swelling
• Even epilepsy in some extreme cases 😢

And remember, your dog can’t tell you they’re feeling rough. That’s why it’s on us to pay attention.

 

🎨 Beware of Colourful Foods

It might be tempting to pick a dog food that looks or smells good, but the truth is:

👉 The simpler the food, the better.

Brightly coloured kibble and strong smelling tins are usually full of artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and other horrible ingredients. These are not helping your dog, they’re just more for the immune system to deal with.

 

🐶 “Why Is My Dog Itching?”

Itching isn’t just a skin issue. If you’ve ruled out fleas, parasites or obvious external causes, then itching is usually the body’s way of saying:

“I’m trying to get rid of something inside me.”

Sometimes, when the body can't clear toxins out through the usual routes (like the gut or kidneys), it pushes them out through the skin. That’s why you see:

• Red patches
• Constant licking or chewing
• Flaky skin or hot spots
• Hair loss
• General discomfort

But here’s the really important bit...

❌ Creams Are Just Covering It Up

Slapping on a medicated cream might stop the itching, but it’s only masking the problem.
It doesn’t fix the root cause. In fact, it can make things worse. Why?

Because when you block the skin from releasing toxins, you push the problem back inside the body, towards the organs, where you can’t see it. That toxin doesn’t disappear, it just hides somewhere more dangerous.

We have seen countless dogs who were treated with creams or anti-itch pills, only to develop liver or kidney issues months later. It’s no coincidence. It’s a warning sign. ⚠️

 

😟 The Role of Stress

Let’s not forget emotional health. Dogs get stressed too, and stress messes up everything from digestion to immunity.

When a dog is constantly stressed, their body releases cortisol and adrenaline, two hormones that basically say, “emergency mode!”

But the downside is that this switches off digestion, reproduction, and immune function. So even the best food in the world won’t be absorbed properly.

Common stress triggers:

• Loud noises
• Loneliness
• Poor socialisation
• Inconsistent training
• Household chemicals (cleaning sprays, air fresheners etc.)
• Boredom or frustration
• Poor diet (yep, food can stress the body out too!)

If your dog is eating a good diet but still having problems, stress could be the missing piece.

 

🧡 Let’s Wrap It Up

Here’s the no-nonsense version:

✨ Most “allergies” in dogs are really signs of poor or imbalanced nutrition.
✨ Feeding the same meat long term causes nutritional overloads and deficiencies.
✨ Your dog needs 22 amino acids, 13 vitamins and 14 minerals, this is biological, scientific fact. Its where nutrition starts.
✨ Topical treatments might hide symptoms, but they push toxins deeper, making things worse.
✨ Itching, ear issues, loose poos and behavioural changes are warning signs. Don’t ignore them.
✨ Get the nutrition right first. Only then can everything else fall into place.

 

Got an itchy dog? One that’s just “not quite right”? Don’t panic, but do take a serious look at what’s in their bowl. That’s usually where the real healing begins, as it’s also probably where the problem started 🌱

Need help reviewing your dog’s food or figuring out where to start? You know where we are. Contact Us Today. 🐾💬