Which food for nutritionally sensitive dogs?

Dogs are increasingly developing sensitivities and intolerances in the gastrointestinal tract. They sometimes react allergically to certain types of meat and lose a lot of their zest for life and energy as a result.

What can you feed your dog in such a case?

Causes of digestive disorders

Chronic digestive disorders can have various causes. If it depends on the food, it may be due to intolerance, intestinal dysbiosis or an allergy.

Intolerance

An intolerance is a non-specific reaction, e.g. to spoilt feed, toxins or specific ingredients. This is characterised by forced secretion, reduced water absorption and accelerated passage through the digestive tract.

Dietary measure: A change of food, e.g. from wet to dry food

Intestinal dysbiosis

An imbalance in the intestinal flora (intestinal dysbiosis) favours certain germs such as clostridia or lactate formers. This manifests itself in changes to the pH value in the chyme and the formation of toxins and their dangerous effects.

Dietetic measure: A short-term feed withdrawal followed by a light diet

Food allergy

An allergy is caused by specific type I/IV reactions, usually to proteins, e.g. gluten. This cascade leads to inflammatory changes in the intestinal mucosa of the small and large intestine.

Dietary measure: a hypoallergenic diet or an elimination diet

In the case of a food allergy, the organism is sensitised by ingesting antigens with the food.

About eighty per cent of the antigen-antibody reaction manifests itself on the skin and twenty per cent in the digestive tract, rarely in the lungs.

However, the animal's environment as a source of allergens (contact with the skin etc.) must also be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Types of meat for food-sensitive dogs

A definitive diagnosis can only be made with the aid of an elimination diet, i.e. the disappearance of symptoms after elimination of the allergen from the ration, i.e. from all components, including snacks etc.. The test duration for elimination is usually six to eight weeks. Common protein sources that can be used in patients are: Horse, rabbit, venison and sheep. Carbohydrates should come from potatoes or rice.

If the digestive disorder is primarily localised in the small intestine, a higher feeding frequency, hypoallergenic diets, highly digestible feed, possibly enzyme supplements, a generous supply of minerals/vitamins and rather little crude fibre are recommended.

If the disorder is increasingly located in the large intestine, a crude fibre supplement or fermentable crude fibre (pectins, guar) is recommended for microbial conversion. It is also advisable to administer pre- and probiotics and, if necessary, a hypoallergenic diet.

Products in the Sensitive Line

We recommend the products in our Liebesgut Sensitive line for nutritionally sensitive dogs. Creations such as venison with fruit and vegetables, rabbit with vegetables and fruit, horse with courgette and carrot and sheep with celery and potato are ideal for allergy sufferers. To carry out a strict elimination diet, only one type of meat should be used in order to clearly identify any intolerances.

The food in the Sensitive line is free from gluten, cereals and lactose. It is therefore particularly well tolerated and suitable for allergy sufferers and as diet food. It contains only single proteins and is therefore easily digestible. All our menus have been compiled by vets and nutritional specialists. The all-natural, organic recipes provide all the vital nutrients your pet needs. In addition to fresh muscle meat, offal and fresh vegetables, fruit and herbs guarantee important nutrients for a vital and long life. High-quality oils ensure a good balance of fatty acids.

The raw materials used for this organic feed come directly from organic farms in Austria and Germany. We attach great importance to the species-appropriate rearing and husbandry of farm animals and strictly reject factory farming and animal testing.

Our food is free from unnecessary synthetic attractants, colourings and preservatives, sugar and antibiotics. Our secret ingredient is an extra large portion of love, because love is good for your dog. As the old saying goes, the way to a dog's heart is through its stomach.

Our recommendations for your four-legged friend:

Tasting packs for dogs

BIO Sensitive wet food