One of the biggest concerns from dog parents we get is the worry about their dog being allergic to chicken and, therefore, not giving their dog Bernie’s Perfect Poop. Because dogs are typically allergic to proteins and NOT fat, we’re here to tell you–you can take a deep breath and give him Bernie’s Perfect Poop!
I want to help my dog’s allergies but can’t give him chicken?
Bernie’s Perfect Poop is all about good dog gut health. It was first formulated to help improve the gut health of our namesake, Bernie F. We have two delicious flavors that dogs go wild for, but there are many dog parents who would love to give their dog Perfect Poop but worry about their dog’s chicken allergy.
Not to worry! Bernie’s Perfect Poop does not use any chicken protein as an ingredient. It is 100% chicken fat that flavors both formulations of Perfect Poop.
As we’ve said, while it’s fairly common for dogs to have allergic reactions to various proteins, it is not common for them to have allergic reactions to fat. [2] Fat isn’t made of proteins. Fat isn’t broken down into amino acids. Fats are broken down in the digestive tract and fatty acids come apart from glycerol. Fatty acids go through your dog’s lymph system and are used or stored for energy, growth and cell repair in your dog. Your dog’s lymph system also will absorb fatty acids to help them fight infection. [3]It’s the protein in chicken that may cause an issue for your dog, and there isn’t any of that in Bernie’s Perfect Poop. [4] So yes, take a breath…your dog should be able to have chicken fat with no issues.
Protein vs. fat? What’s the difference?
If you’re a dog parent, you’ve likely discussed food options with your veterinarian. If your dog has ever suffered from diarrhea or constipation (especially after eating), you may have discussed the possibility of your dog having allergies to something in the food.
Typically, your vet will then talk about how many dogs are having allergic reactions to various proteins in dog foods, and you may want to consider a food with a ‘novel’ protein to reduce allergic reactions. A ‘novel’ protein is a ‘new’ protein. The most common proteins in dog foods are beef, chicken, lamb and turkey. When your dog starts having gastrointestinal issues, your vet often suggests a protein allergy or reaction is occurring. That’s when they’ll recommend avoiding foods with the common proteins and instead encourage you to try a novel protein food instead. Some novel proteins include:
- Duck
- Bison
- Venison
- Rabbit
- Salmon
- Ostrich
- Cricket
- Herring
My dog is allergic to chicken—what does that mean?
If your vet diagnoses your dog with an allergy, they’ll tell you that avoiding foods with chicken or beef or whatever the allergen is will help reduce the gastric distress and other allergic reactions they’re likely dealing with. This could include a canine chicken allergy or canine beef allergy or allergy to any kind of protein all.
An allergic reaction is your dog’s body’s reaction to undigested proteins from food he eats. The second your dog begins to chew his food, he’s also creating acids and enzymes that will help break the proteins in the food up into smaller pieces. This is necessary for maximum nutrient absorption. The digesting food will move through his intestines and continue to break into amino acids. Amino acids are what builds proteins in your dog’s body. They help build and repair your dog’s muscles and connective tissue.
This is pivotal to helping your dog have energy and a strong immune system for overall health. After they’re broken down, amino acids travel through your dog’s body through protective cells called enterocytes. As they move through your dog’s body, if his immune system sees that the enterocytes are carrying amino acids that aren’t fully digested and broken down, it’ll consider it invasive to his body. His immune system will release histamine to respond as it tries to expel the ‘invader’ and that’s when you see what is commonly known as an allergic reaction. Your dog may scratch, have hives, throw up, have diarrhea and even go into anaphylaxis, which can be dangerous.
It makes sense that you’d want to avoid the proteins in foods that may be doing this to your dog. But what you should also be looking at (maybe even looking at more than just avoiding those foods) is your dog’s gut health.
What does a dog chicken allergy have to do with gut health?
When your vet tells you he believes your dog may have a food allergy, he may also ask you to work on improving their gut health. That’s because there really aren’t any clear reasons that dogs get food allergies, but there’s lots of research that suggests good gut health can help. Whether your dog is allergic to something because of genetic or breed predisposition, family history or something else, better gut health may be beneficial. In fact, vets often find that dogs are able to adapt to most types of commercial dog foods when their gut health is in better shape.
Why is that? How can better dog gut health help improve dog allergies?
Like we said, it’s typically undigested food particles that your dog’s immune system sees as ‘invasive’ to its body that triggers the immune response of histamine release. If your dog’s gut health is robust, he’s able to break down the foods he eats more fully, and the proteins in them–no matter the type of protein.
A healthy dog gut means that fewer things break your dog’s intestinal barrier (often known as Leaky Gut) as it’s digesting food, and this leaves fewer opportunities for your dog’s immune system to detect ‘invaders’ that lead to an allergic reaction. [1]
Bernie’s Perfect Poop: The best dog gut health for every dog
Even if your dog has been diagnosed with a chicken allergy, because it’s 100% chicken fat we use, your dog should be able to have Bernie’s Perfect Poop.
We have thousands of dog parents who, despite their dog being diagnosed with a chicken allergy, give them Bernie’s Perfect Poop with great success. Moreover, so many of our parents find that they see a reduction in allergic reactions when they give them Bernie’s Perfect Poop. Not just fewer reactions to foods, but other environmental factors like grass, dust and various trees to name a few.
Again, that’s because Bernie’s Perfect Poop works to ensure your dog has the best dog gut health he can. Perfect Poop has Miscanthus grass, pumpkin and flax seed as the fibers that keep dog food moving through your dog’s digestive system at just the right speed. This means his food will be fully digested and won’t enter the blood system to trigger histamine response.
Additionally, the pre- and probiotics in Bernie’s Perfect Poop do a bang-up job of keeping your dog’s microbiome balanced. When it’s balanced, your dog’s gut lining is stronger, and that means fewer pieces of undigested food break the gut barrier. And because breaking food down fully for maximum nutrient absorption is also key to preventing your dog’s immune system from triggering an allergic response, digestive enzymes are vital.
When he starts eating, he begins producing digestive enzymes to break food down, but giving him Bernie’s Perfect Poop adds extra benefit for ultimate digestion. The digestive enzymes in Bernie’s Perfect Poop help your dog break his food down and absorb it more efficiently–which means there’s nothing that breaks the gut barrier to aggravate your dog’s immune response. Your dog’s gut health can be stronger and this makes his digestion better and allergic responses fewer.
We know you love your dog and you want the very best for him or her. You don’t want to give them anything that will irritate them, and you may be worried about chicken fat if you believe your dog is allergic to chicken.
But not to worry. We love dogs too, and we’re always looking out for the gut health of ALL our furry best friends. You can rest easy knowing Bernie’s Perfect Poop isn’t made with anything that should trigger an allergic reaction in your dog, and can help him have the best gut health he can!
[1] Healthy Gut Pet Allergies Connection
[2] Food Allergy Nutrition
[3] Canine Nutrition Basics
[4] What’s Up With Chicken Fat?
