Spot the signs of allergies or intolerances in your dog, and what to do about it

April 24, 2025

Worried your dog might have an allergy or intolerance? Pet nutritionist Chloe Fuller gives her top tips for spotting symptoms and how you can help your dog.

Allergies & Intolerances, What’s the S-itch-uation?

If you’ve ever watched your dog constantly nibble at their paws, or had to face the shame of your dog’s farting clearing an entire room, again, your dog might have allergies. The thing is, allergies and intolerances are far more common than people realise. When most people think about dog’s suffering with allergies and food intolerances, they think of the age old dry and itchy skin, but there’s much more to it than you might think!

Here’s some of the common and uncommon signs that your dog might be struggling with a food intolerance/allergy - and why a single-source protein diet, such as Wilsons cold pressed natural dry dog food, is often my top recommendation for dogs who are struggling.

Signs Your Dog Might Have an Allergy or Intolerance

Allergies can be a bit of a chameleon, masquerading as many different health problems! Some dogs will be plagued with itchy skin and ear infections, while others might show changes in behaviour – hyperactivity, reactivity, or just seeming uncomfortable in their own skin. Some of the most common red flags I see in my nutrition consultations are:

Constant Itching, Licking, Nibbling & Chewing
Dry Coat or Knotty Coats
Frequent Ear Infections
Excess Gas or Bloating
Runny Stools
Anal Gland Issues
Hyperactivity
Irritability

Yes, even behaviour! Have you ever felt under the weather, and it makes you grouchy? The same thing happens to our dogs too!

So…what’s causing it?

That’s not such a straightforward question to answer! The most common allergens and intolerances for dogs are chicken, beef, dairy and wheat. But we can also see signs of intolerance for other reasons too. Many allergy symptoms are rooted in the gut, and the immune system lives in the gut, so when that’s out of whack, everything from digestion through to skin and even mood can take a hit.

So…what now?

Wilsons Cold Pressed is perfect for dogs with allergies or intolerances

When I’m dealing with a dog that has suspected food allergies, the first thing I tell the caregiver to do is stop. Often, in desperation to help their dog, they try lots of different things all at once, with the hope of making their dog better. But the first thing we need to do is make it simpler. I advise writing down every protein your dog has ever eaten, and rule those out temporarily. From there, choose one ‘sacrificial’ protein, something your dog hasn’t had before, and feed that exclusively for a few weeks. This helps us calm the system before introducing a new, long-term protein choice, which is known as our novel protein.

This is where Wilsons Premium Cold Pressed dry food gains a superhero status. The single-source protein recipes make it incredibly easy to isolate what you’re feeding your dog – and just as importantly, what is not in the diet too. Plus, there are no nasties - no junk, or fillers, just wholesome goodness. It is quite easy to avoid proteins you’ve fed before, find a sacrificial protein AND a novel protein.

Ok, but WHY Cold Pressed?

While cooking traditional kibble, temperatures of up to 200 degrees are used repeatedly. During this process, protein structures and nutrients can be altered and even damaged, impacting digestibility. Cold pressed, as the name would suggest, is processed at lower temperatures, keeping the natural structure of the nutrients intact. This produces an easier to digest, and kinder on the gut type of food, both aspects being key for dogs with allergies and intolerances.

When you have an inflamed gut, literally every bite matters! With Wilsons single protein formulas and gentle formulation, the cold pressed food supports that healing process by being as non-inflammatory and easy going on the gut as possible.

What would I pick from Wilsons?

Within the cold pressed range, Wilsons has a variety of gentle recipes; Salmon, Chicken, Lamb, Turkey & Duck, Venison & Trout, White Fish, Haggis, Insect and a Vegan formula too. But, I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you I had a few favourites! My top choices when looking for a dog with allergies are;

White Fish – you’ll no doubt have heard me talking about this for my dog, Mr Ted! It’s our go to. No legumes, low fat, gentle on everything.

Venison & Trout – for most pet owners, they’ll never have fed either of these proteins making it a great choice when starting your exclusion diet.

Insect – for some dogs, digesting meat just becomes too hard, and the palatability of prescription hydrolysed diets isn’t exactly enthralling for most dogs. Wilsons Insect formula can be an excellent suggestion while your dog’s gut heals.

And if you have a fussy dog, Wilsons new Sample Packs can be a great way of figuring out which natural recipe will take your dog’s fancy, before committing to the larger bag sizes of 2kg or 10kg. These Premium Cold Pressed Sample Packs make life so much easier – and more affordable too. The packs include each of the seven recipes available to try, in a handy 100g pouch at just £7.99, or £6.99 for six of the Insect and Vegan options.

In Summary

Managing a dog with allergies can feel overwhelming at times, but the key is not to panic. Don’t frantically cycle through every different option. With the best intentions in the world, it’s just not what our dogs gut needs. If you suspect your dog is struggling with allergies or intolerances, keep things simple, go slow, and be kind to both them and you along the way. You're not alone – and there’s a whole lot of support and great natural dietary options, such as Wilsons Pet Food, to help.