Nutritionist's Note: Why We Don't Use Wheat

Wheat is a common pet-food ingredient and a human staple — yet it's a major allergen for many pets.

Wheat is a primary allergen for many dogs and cats

Wheat proteins are mainly albumin, globulin and gluten. Gluten is found across cereal grains, mostly in the outer layer of wheat, and is a protein that can trigger allergies.

Common symptoms appear in the gut, airways and skin: itching, redness and swelling, tear stains, eczema, diarrhoea and so on.

In more sensitive dogs and cats, eating wheat can set off an allergic reaction: the immune system carries excess antibodies which react with gluten and trigger its defence mechanisms, producing specific allergy symptoms.

Aflatoxin in wheat

Beyond the grain's own allergenic proteins, mycotoxins are another possible trigger. They arise from uncertain factors such as storage conditions, temperature and humidity — so owners need to be careful.

To reduce the chance of allergies, choosing ingredients carefully is one part; helping the immune system work normally is the other. Adequate nutrition is essential here, especially specific antioxidant nutrients — Omega-3, vitamins A, C and E — which all help keep immune function balanced.

❚ Further reading: The FDA's large-scale pet-food recall and deadly aflatoxin · Why Real Power refuses to use soybeans