Orijen Allergies in Dogs

Many dog foods contain similar ingredients, some with higher qualities than others. Orijen is one of these higher quality foods you can feed your dog. However, some dogs on Orijen food develop allergy symptoms and are discovered to have an allergy to it. It may be that your dog is not allergic to the entire Orijen food itself, but an ingredient within the food. Most cases with Orijen allergies results in the dog suffering skin related allergy symptoms. Once your dog is put on the appropriate food, or on an Orijen food that does not contain the ingredient your dog is allergic to, he should make a full recovery without any long-term side effects.

Orijen is a dog food known for its high quality ingredients. Even though the company may use the best possible ingredients available, your dog may still be allergic to it. If you suspect your dog is allergic to Orijen, consult with your veterinarian.

Symptoms of allergies from Orijen will vary because each dog may be allergic to different ingredients leading to different symptoms. Allergy symptoms may include

• Runny nose
• Runny eyes
• Itchy skin
• Dry, flaky skin
• Poor skin conditions
• Poor hair coat
• Hair loss
• Bumps/rash 
• Hives
• Chronic ear infections
• Obsessive licking/chewing of feet
• Inflamed, red paw pads
• Gastrointestinal upset

Types

Orijen produces a wide variety of foods for dogs. They have foods with different protein sources, foods with and without grains, freeze dried and dry foods. While all the ingredients are of the best quality, your dog may still be allergic to one of them. Depending on which ingredient your dog is allergic to, your dog may or may not be allergic to one, some, or all of the Orijen products.

If your dog has allergies, it is his body’s way of protecting itself from something it thinks will harm it. While the item in question is actually harmless, the body doesn’t recognize it as such. The body finds it dangerous and mounts a protective response to the threat. Your dog’s body produces an immune response to the allergen ingredient. This allergic response may develop quickly or may develop over a period of years. Many food-related allergies happen after the dog suffers from an infection involving the stomach or intestines.

A discussion of your pet’s dietary habits and the type of food that you feed him will be a large part of the diagnostic process. Let your veterinarian know when you began to notice symptoms related to the allergy. The veterinarian will also want to know if your pet is on medication or supplements and whether you have travelled recently. She will check your dog’s vitals and carefully examine his nasal passages, eyes, and ears for infection or irritation.

If his skin is sore and inflamed, the veterinarian may order a skin scraping for examination under the microscope. This tool can rule out parasites, yeast, and bacteria. Blood tests and urinalysis can reveal if there is an underlying disease process in place, and will also alert the veterinarian to possible problems with the liver or kidneys.

As you can see, when it comes to diagnosis of Orijen allergies in dogs there are very few diagnostic tests you can run. A dietary trial is the most frequently used method. In a dietary trial, you must feed your dog a novel diet, meaning you feed him a diet without any suspected allergen ingredient whatsoever. You have to feed your dog the novel diet for at least 90 days before you can get a reliable diagnostic. After the 90 days, if resolution of the allergic symptoms occurs, you then must reintroduce Orijen to his diet. If a relapse in allergy symptoms occurs once the Orijen is reintroduced, then you know the source. If symptoms do not return with the reintroduction of Orijen, then it was a source other than the Orijen food your dog was reacting to.

Removal of the Allergen

Strict adherence to the new Orijen formula or alternative dog brand that is sensitive to allergies will be paramount to the recovery. All family members must be aware of the necessity to avoid treats and supplements that have not been preapproved by the veterinarian.

Medication and Shampoo

If your pet is suffering from dermatitis related to the allergy, the veterinarian may prescribe medication, a topical ointment, or a mild soothing shampoo for use once the allergen is identified. In cases where the skin is infected, the veterinarian will give a medication and ointment to be used concurrently with the food trial.

While it may be a long process, if you are able to discover the actual ingredient your dog is allergic to, you may or may not be able to keep him on Orijen food. Additionally, once you know the actual allergen, you are then able to have strict control over your dog’s diet and can keep him from ingesting it in any form.

Once you discover the exact allergen causing issues in your dog and remove it from his diet, all of his allergy symptoms should stop. While there have not been any cases of death from an allergy to Orijen, the longer your dog is eating a food that weakens his immune system, the higher his chances he may develop a more serious secondary infection. Once your dog is consuming a diet healthy for him, his immune system will return to full strength and prognosis of a full recovery is good.