Just like people, dogs can have times when their digestive tracts are upset. They may vomit, have diarrhea, lose their appetite or have abdominal discomfort or gas.<\/p>\n
Because a number of medical conditions (such as a food allergy, pancreatitis, internal parasites, toxins or a gastrointestinal obstruction) can cause those signs and symptoms, it\u2019s important to have your dog examined by your veterinarian before changing their diet.<\/p>\n
If your veterinarian has ruled out other medical causes, it could be that your dog has a food intolerance or an abnormal response to an ingredient in the food. Unlike a food allergy, which involves the immune system, a food intolerance just means that something in the diet doesn\u2019t agree with your dog, whether it\u2019s a flavoring, a spice or a preservative. It could also mean that your dog doesn\u2019t have the enzymes to digest a particular protein, such as the rare gluten sensitivity seen in some Irish setters.<\/p>\n
Your dog may also develop digestive issues if their diet is abruptly changed or if they eat out of the garbage. This can upset the natural balance of bacteria in the digestive tract, allowing harmful bacteria to outnumber the beneficial ones, resulting in vomiting and\/or diarrhea.<\/p>\n
While dietary intolerance and food allergies can have similar signs, the latter is relatively uncommon and tends to also manifest in dermatological signs, such as itchy skin. Typically, these dogs have an allergic reaction to a protein in the diet, so they need a therapeutic food with a unique protein source they haven\u2019t been exposed to in the past, or a hydrolyzed protein that has been broken into such small pieces that it isn’t recognized by the immune system.<\/p>\n