Peanut Butter and Dogs Itching, Scratching, Scooting, Food Allergies
Peanut Butter and Dogs? How Peanut Butter can Cause Food Allergies and Scratching, Itching and Scooting in Your Dog
By Susan Blake Davis, Certified Clinical Nutritionist
Peanut butter dog biscuit? Peanut butter to cover a pill? Peanut butter as a treat? Think again. Many
people commonly give their dogs peanut butter because it is a food that
they personally enjoy and want to share it with their beloved pet.
There really is no upside to doing this and there can be significant downsides, especially if your dog has allergies.
Peanut butter contains mold which can fuel yeast growth
in people and pets. Where do problems typically show up on your pet? Ear
and skin infections. Many clients report their pets have excessive
scratching, itching, redness, allergic reactions, ear infections, hot
spots, all from giving them just a small amount of peanut butter.
Moreover, there are many pet owners whose pets already have chronic
allergies and skin problems who carefully watch their diets using
hypoallergenic foods and yet their pets continue to scratch and itch
because they are coating the dog's pills with peanut butter to
administer them. Their pets continue to have chronic yeast infections in
the ears and scratch and itch. It only takes a small amount (e.g. a
teaspoon) to result in a week-long allergic episode. Think about it...some airlines stopped having peanuts on airplanes due to the allergic reaction people can have!
Peanut
butter is also very high in fat, and many times, contains sugar,
again--neither is good for your dog's health. If you have been using
peanut butter or peanut butter-flavored biscuits (wheat is also a
potential allergen and should be avoided) in your pet's diet, discontinue and use lower fat, hypoallergenic fish-based dog treats, green vegetables, venison or rabbit freeze-dried food. If your dog has chronic skin and coat problems,
itching, scratching, hair loss, scooting, then most likely it is due to the food you
are feeding and poor digestion. Giving peanut butter and other potentially allergic foods can cause chronic yeast and bacterial infections.
If your dog is itching, scratching, biting on the paws, licking at the groin and/or rubbing his face into the carpet, chances are your dog may have a yeast overgrowth. K9 Yeast Defense and Power Probiotic will fight the candida overgrowth in the ears and digestive tract. As the balance of flora returns, the itching, odor and yeasty symptoms will subside. It is easy for a dog to get a yeast overgrowth as the use of steroids and antibiotics to treat the skin infections and allergy problems result in a vicious cycle leading to a weakened immune system.
If your dog has allergies, it is important for them to eat a
hypoallergenic diet—A list of potential foods to be avoided can be seen
below.
Common Allergens in Pet Food:
Corn
Soy
Gluten (found in wheat, barley, spelt and other grains)
Milk Products
Casein (found in cheese)
Beef (problem for some dogs)
Chicken (problem for some cats and dogs)
Fish (cats can often be allergic)
Peanut Butter (big allergen for dogs!)
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