Chicken

While true food allergies only account for about 10% of all allergies in dogs, these reactions and intolerances are usually in response to a protein source, such as chicken, beef, pork, and soy. The severity of chicken intolerances differs from one dog to another and can range from mild to severe.

Chicken is one of the most popular protein sources in both commercial and homecooked dog foods. Sometimes it seems like chicken can be found in more pet foods than not!

Chicken is quite versatile and is used in a variety of forms when it comes to pet food. You might see ingredients such as real chicken, chicken breast, de-boned chicken, chicken broth, chicken meal, and chicken by-product meal.

It's important to check the ingredients in your dog's food very carefully since chicken organs, meat, and broth are often included in both wet food and kibble, even if they aren't listed as primary ingredients.

The good news is that if your dog is reacting to chicken, there are plenty of dietary options available to them. Your vet may suggest a hydrolyzed diet if your pup is reacting to a common protein such as chicken.

Hydrolyzed diets include a common protein, such as chicken, that has been broken down on a molecular level so that your dog's immune system no longer recognizes it as a threat. Simply put, hydrolyzed diets help “disguise” the protein in chicken, preventing an adverse response by your pup's immune system.

Did you know...

If my dog is reacting to chicken, will they react to other poultry foods too?

Not necessarily! Simply put, the answer depends on the sensitivity of your pup's immune system. Some dogs may experience adverse reactions to all manner of poultry products while others may experience a reaction to chicken but remain totally unphased by duck, turkey, chicken eggs, etc.

If your pup is reacting to chicken, your vet may suggest a food trial or elimination diet using completely unrelated proteins, such as venison, bison, or rabbit.