Did you know that food intolerance has been listed as the THIRD most common sensitivity in cats and dogs? I can believe it. Why you ask? Because our Mia suffers from multiple food intolerances and sensitivities. A food intolerance can manifest itself in a number of ways that often seem unrelated. For instance, Mia often had bouts of vomiting and sometimes exhibited loose stool. However, she also often suffered from ear infections, skin infections, itchiness, paw chewing, and anal glande problems. I had long suspected issues with food and connected it with the vomiting a loose stool, but I never considered it could be the cause of the rest of the issues. So how did we figure out the problem and remedy it? We did a NutriScan test at the suggestion of our holistic vet (CHAI)!
What is Food Intolerance?
The NutriScan website defines a food intolerance as " a response to a particular food or compound found in a range of foods. It can result from a variety of reasons including the absence of specific chemicals or enzymes needed to digest a food substance. It may also happen from an abnormality in the ability to absorb certain nutrients. Gastrointestinal reactions such as an irritable bowel (also called “leaky gut”) syndrome can be due to malabsorption or other abnormalities."
What are the Symptoms of a Food Intolerance?
Anything from:
- chronic ear inflammation
- gastrointestinal problems
- chronic diarrhea
- chronic gas
- licking their feet
- itchiness
The NutriScan test was developed by Dr. Jean Dodds who is a world renowned veterinarian. This test checks for 24 of the most common foods that are known to cause intolerances or sensitivities. The test is completed by obtaining a saliva sample from your pet. You can do this yourself at home, or you can have it completed in a vets office. You then send it off and get the results in two weeks.
| Beef | Corn | Wheat |
| Soy | Cow's Milk | Lamb |
| Venison/Deer | Chicken | Turkey |
| White Fish | Pork | Duck |
| Chicken Eggs | Barley | Millet |
| Oatmeal | Salmon | Rabbit |
| Rice | Quinoa | Potato |
| Lentil | Sweet Potato | Peanut/Peanut Butter |
The NutriScan website states that the "test measures the IgA and IgM antibodies to certain foods in dog or cat saliva. High antibody levels indicate that the dog has a food sensitivity and intolerance to that food or foods. These antibodies are critical to determining food sensitivity and intolerance in saliva -- not in serum. No one else does this. NutriScan's focused salivary testing -- using the clinically relevant antibodies -- provides scientifically proven, novel veterinary diagnostics."
So, Does it Work?
In July 2014, we elected to have the Nutriscan test completed for Mia. We felt like it was our last hope. The saliva sample was collected in our vets office and sent off. We received our results in about a week (sooner than the two week wait time that was given). Mia had a reaction to 22 of the 24 items tested.
Below you can see her test results:
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
*NOTE: I WAS NOT PAID TO ENDORSE THIS PRODUCT. THE REVIEW IS BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND RESULTS.
I've been wondering and Googling about NutriScan since first hearing about it yesterday. My poor little guy is pink as a piglet and scratches all the livelong day; food elim trials are getting us nowhere. I like our vet, but clearly, her methods aren't working. I'm willing to give this a try - I hope we have the same eventual success you've achieved!
ReplyDeleteWe were on our 4th vet (holistic) before we got any results. All the others just wanted to treat the symptoms and not fix the problem, which is not the way to go. That usually leads to more problems. So it never hurts to get multiple opinions. The great thing about this test is that you can do it in your own at home. So you don't have to rely on a vet if you can't find one that will do it. I highly recommend it. If you decide to give it a try, please let us know how it goes! I would be happy to help with any diet questions you may have. We learned a lot during this process and know how overwhelming it can be. Support always helps! I hope you get your little guy sorted out! Keep us updated!
DeleteAlso, if you would be interested in some home remedies to help with the itching until you get the problem figured out, I would be happy to share those as well.
We just got our Nutriscan results back yesterday and are quite surprised by the different foods that our dog is sensitive to.
ReplyDeleteHis nose has been dry for the past 8 months, it has improved with change to raw diet about 2 months ago. He doesn't really have any itching or skin issues. Physical and blood work including thyroid panel are normal so allergies are suspected as the cause.
My questions are, in the search of new diet, did you eliminated all the recommended foods? How about the ones shown weak responses?
And what remedies have you found helpful in itching or inflammation?
Thank you!
Hi there! Sorry for the delayed response. The email notice went to my junk box! I suppose I need to check it more often.
ReplyDeleteOn to your question. The vet suggested we eliminate everything that Mia had a reaction to in the beginning. Then, after about 8 weeks you can slowly start to reintroduce the items that there was a weak reaction to one by one. If the food isn't going to agree with them, you will see signs of a reaction within 72 hours. It is similar to the elimination diet except you already kind of have an idea of what may or may not be a problem. If the newly introduce ingredient doesn't seem to have any affects, it will most likely be ok to add that ingredient back into their diet.
I have found raw frozen goats milk to be helpful for many different things. It is great for allergies! It also provides lots of essential enzymes, probiotics, and nutrients. All of those things help keep the gut healthy. A healthy gut equals a healthy pet. We use Answers brand because it can be found locally. Primal also has their own version of it. Both are great. I HIGHLY recommend these.
Organic virgin coconut oil is also great for allergies. I can't get Mia to eat it in the oil form (I have to use coconut chips mixed with her food), but I do use the oil topically on her dry skin areas. Do a quick Google search on the benefits of coconut oil for pets and humans. You won't be disappointed!
I have also heard that adding raw apple cider vinegar to their food or water can be helpful. It is already in the food we use, so I don't add it. I do make a 50/50 mixture with water and spray it on her feet after she goes outside. It seems to help with environmental allergies that cause the feet chewing when applied topically.
What sort of issues is your dog having? Is it more with digestion? If you would like help finding a food that may work for you, let me know. I have researched them all it seems. I can also suggest some great treat options as well.
Please keep us updated on how your pup is doing! I am curious to hear if this test was as helpful for you as it was for us!
I have used this test for my chi mix for the past few years, having to
ReplyDeleterepeat it every 4-6 months. I'll explain and maybe my experience will help
others...
My dog's food intolerances are gastric / protein related, (not
allergen-skin). When he eats foods that he has an intolerance to, he gets
quiet, has diarrhea and/or hard stool, eats grass to relieve his symptoms,
and has occasional vomiting of bile. All these symptoms go from mild to
severe depending on how intolerant he is of the food, and how much or how
often he's had it.
His symptoms were severe before we found this test. At that time he
occasionally threw up a meal after eating, not just bile. He also had
terrible, consistent yellow diarrhea (never a normal stool) and he'd pass
stool many times a day, up to 6 or more. It was obvious he didn't feel good
and something was wrong and I just about went crazy taking him to the vet
repeatedly but they would tell me, "well, he looooks fine" as if I was
over-protective. All blood work looked good and the stool was negative for
anything. I got the impression they thought I was overreacting and I felt
like I became viewed as a PITA client.
The vet also thought I was creating the gastric upset by feeding him a raw
diet. So I switched to cooking his meals so she couldn't use that as an
excuse. She told me then to put him on a mild diet of chicken/rice...
things went from bad to WAY WORSE. That's when a neighbor told me about
Nutriscan.
I got the test done and found rice and chicken were two of the worst things
I could be giving him. Beef and eggs were the only two safe proteins, and
millet was ok, so I switched to those. (I make all his meals from scratch
every day with fresh human food that includes organic veggies.)
I saw an improvement immediately but it took a few weeks for his gastric
track to settle down and really recover. His stool became normal for the
first time in years, and he was happy and alert. Now for the bad news...
It only lasted maybe 4 months, and little by little the cycle of symptoms
ReplyDeletestarted returning. He was developing an intolerance to something I was
giving him that was previously ok. I had to repeat the test and sure
enough... in this case the millet went south and I had to switch to rice,
which had then become ok.... Then after 4 more months... same thing. Tested
again and the rice went south.
Long story short, I cut out grains all together b/c it seemed like whatever
I gave him regularly, he developed an intolerance to. But he's also doing
that with the meats.
So now, a few years and 5 tests later, he has at least weak reactions to
every food tested but lamb and lentils. And lamb has been climbing and is
about to go over, and lentils has been bad in the past so if history
repeats itself, it won't stay viable long either.
My point is, while this test has been invaluable, it can't possibly tell
the whole story or be the whole solution in the final analysis. It just
doesn't make sense to me that an animal would become intolerant of ALL
foods! I'd be happy to make him a vegetarian (I have been all my life for
some 50 years) but he's intolerant of non-meat foods too! Of course they
can't test all foods… but I'm back to square one of not know WHAT he can
eat if he can't eat any of the tested foods!
There has to be something else that can be done that is as of yet
undiscovered. And btw he does get organic virgin coconut oil daily, fresh
organic veggies and home cooked, fresh organic split peas. He eats WAY
healthier than I do! But I am starting to feel at a real loss as these
tests are not helpful in finding a solution when everything starts scoring
bad! And as much as he likes his veggies he won't eat them without a
protein source mixed in, and NEEDS that, yet everything is becoming 'bad.'
I wonder if others have had this experience?
And FTR there are hydrolyzed foods for dogs with intolerances... the
protein source is broken down into its amino acids to pre-digest it so it
theoretically won't trigger the immune system's reaction... Royal Canine
makes one. Problems are: 1. It's SUPER expensive and requires a
prescription, 2. It's not fresh food. IMHO we should be able to feed out
animal companions fresh food diets which will always be healthier than
processed dog food. But even if you don't agree, here's the kicker: 3. It
includes other foods he can't have that are NOT hydrolyzed! (potatoes,
rice, chicken fat, etc) They only hydrolyze the main protein source.
Regards,
geekroad
I work with a canine nutritionist. She is always telling me to rotate proteins so that my dogs don't develop allergies to their foods. My dogs eat raw food (fresh meats,fruits and veggies) so I just buy different organic grass fed beef, bison, turkey, etc. and rotate the different proteins every four days. She says to keep it to a four day cycle because that way the body doesn't have time to "get sensitive" to it. My "regular" vet said my oldest dog wouldn't make it to two years old (she has LOTS of health issues ~ all genetic), but with our nutritionist's help, our dog will be turning NINE next month! I give credit to her diet for her long life.
DeleteMy dog seems to be allergic to everything and after reading this I'm wondering if this test is the way to go or not. She can only eat a very good dog food for a short time and then will break out in a rash, have really bad gas, itch like crazy and vomit. I'm at my wits end not knowing what to do and I hate seeing her like this. If anyone can give me any advice I'd greatly appreciate it!
DeleteHey there! Thanks for reaching out! It certainly sounds like it could be food intolerances. If you are interested, Grandma Lucy's has a deal where you can get a $50 credit toward food if you go through them to order the test. I can't recommend it enough. 3 years later and Mia has zero issues after the test. You can find the details here...
Deletewww.grandmalucys.com/products/nutriscan
If we can help with anything else such as food suggestions or with remedies for the allergies, feel free to reach out to us at thedirtypaw@hotmail.com.
Hi Geekroad,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experiences. It seems we had similar experiences with finding out exactly what the problem was. Like I said previously, we were on our 4th doctor before we figured out the problem. We were questioned about the raw diet as well. They tried to get me to switch to Science Diet (the special hydrolyzed kind). We did that for a few days and it just made things worse. I had to put my foot down on that one and say no. We went back to raw after that. We just had to find the right foods in addition to treating ulcers that had developed because of all the intolerance issues.
We did the chicken and rice thing for a while as well. Chicken turned out to be one of our biggest problems too! The rice wasn't far behind.
I have read in my research that allergies in animals can change over time (same for humans). That is why the test is recommended every 6 months. This of course will get pricey and unmanageable.
The most important thing that my holistic vet explained to me is that you have to get the immune system in check and the gut healthy. Otherwise, the allergy problems will keep happening. Have you tried adding any immune support supplements and/or probiotics? These two things are VERY important to keep the gut and immune system in check. Especially if he is on any types of medication. Mia is a big fan of Answers Raw goat milk. I highly recommend it. The owner is very helpful. She has provided me with lots of information on it. If you are interested, I can send it your way. The raw milk has all the natural probiotics they need. Mia gets it twice a day (morning/night). I think that is what made the biggest difference in her improvements. Primal also makes their own raw goat milk as well if you can’t find Answers brand near you.
You can also get Standard Process Canine Immune Support for dogs. It is a powder that you add to their food. It is made with whole foods only. That is why I love their supplements so much. No chemicals or fake stuff. Perhaps give those two things a try and let us know how it goes?
I am not a fan of the hydrolyzed foods myself. Their quality is subpar and they get a lot of their ingredients from China. Plus, in my opinion, anytime you have to “trick” the body with some altered food source, it can’t end well. It will just lead to more problems. That is how I feel anyway.
Please feel free to check back and keep us updated on how things are going.
Geekroad, How are things going for your dog? I have similiar issues with my pup.
ReplyDeleteHey friends! Check out this deal for the Nutriscan test from Grandma Lucy's!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.grandmalucys.com/product/nutriscan/
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