The safety of your pet is, of course, the highest priority. However, the number of foods to avoid for your pets is increasing due to both pet toxicity and food allergies. Cats and dogs can develop food allergies to a variety of things just like humans. Common food sensitivities include gluten, soy, fish (for cats), eggs, chicken, dairy, corn, and even beef. Let’s take a more detailed look at common food allergies in cats and dogs:

1. Cat allergies
Cats can be allergic to both environmental allergies (i.e., dust or fragrances) as well as certain foods. When a cat develops a food allergy they will often display the following symptoms:

• Chronic itching
• Inflamed skin inflammation
• Hives or abrasions around the mouth and chin, as well as on the legs, paws, face, ears, belly, and groin area
• Patchy hair loss from over grooming or scratching/biting these areas
• Skin rashes or infections in affected areas
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Scooting

The most common food allergy triggers in felines include the following culprits:

• Beef
• Fish
• Chicken
• Dairy products
• Soy
• Wheat

2. Dog allergies
When dogs experience a food allergy, much like cats and humans, they’re immune system mistakenly deems a particular food source a threat, resulting in a series of immunological symptoms that may include:

• Hot spots
• Itchy skin and pws
• Changes in skin texture (i.e., pigmented, inflammation, rash)
• Sneezing
• Red eyes with watery discharge
• Scratching at ears (bacterial ear infection or pyoderma)
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Hair loss due to biting and scratching

Dogs are primarily allergic to these food triggers:

• Egg
• Lamb
• Soy
• Pork
• Beef
• Dairy
• Wheat
• Chicken
• Fish