Food Allergies?

[cassadee7]

Are food allergies genetic? All, or just some? If a pup from a breeding has allergies what are the odds of another pup from the same breeding having allergies also?

[Andaka]

IMHO, food allergies ( and most other allergies as well) are genentic.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

I wish they would update this, but here is a good site to look at different things and mode of inheritance: Canine Inherited Disorders Database - Introduction You can look at the skin, heart, etc. or by breed - and can see the differences in breeds in terms of number of inherited disorders that are common.

[cassadee7]

Thanks Jean. I will read over that info.

My main problem right now is finding people with a dog from so-and-so breeding from such-and-such breeder who has XYZ problems. Or finding the sire or dam has had problems. And then I don't know if I should still consider a pup from said breeding, if I have a bigger chance of a pup with health issues, and even more important to me, do I want to buy from a breeder who continues to BREED said dog who has XYZ problems or has progeny with said problems.

I know pups are going to pop up with health issues in any lines or breeder, but knowing when to rule out a sire, dam, breeding or breeder is hard.

[onyx'girl]

I would look at breeders past litters and see if you can get in touch with owners to ask these type questions. That was one big question for me when I was looking for a pup as I already have a dog with environmental allergies. Many people don't think to ask this.
But it also depends on the sire/dam matches made as well. And what the breeder feeds is very important. Some people don't think about that either...

[JKlatsky]

I think it's tricky.

Argos as a puppy had pyoderma, which they thought was food allergy related. I think you see a lot of people jump to food allergies. In retrospect I think it had more to do with an immature immune system and over vaccination. (My bad.) Neither his parents or his siblings have shown anything comparable to what he went through.

I've also heard of people who say that mange is genetic and I don't think I believe that either.

What might be genetic is a less than stellar immune system.

[Doc]

Originally Posted by JKlatsky

I think it's tricky.

Argos as a puppy had pyoderma, which they thought was food allergy related. I think you see a lot of people jump to food allergies. In retrospect I think it had more to do with an immature immune system and over vaccination. (My bad.) Neither his parents or his siblings have shown anything comparable to what he went through.

I've also heard of people who say that mange is genetic and I don't think I believe that either.

What might be genetic is a less than stellar immune system.

I think your comments on the immune system is very important - something that often overlooked. A pup's immune system is influence way before birth. If breeders are not concerned with building immune systems before birth, the pups are in trouble.

I think the key to healthy immune systems in pups starts with the health of the sire and dam but perhaps more important is the initial "building" of the immune system during gestation. The first hours and days after birth is also critical for a pup IMO. A pup is under stress during the birthing process and under stress from living in a new environment. All this stress plays havoc on the development of their immune system. During this time it is critical to supply the dam and pups with immune building food, vitamins and minerals IMO. Some breeders supply the dam with additional vitamins and minerals during this time; some breeders supply the pups with additional vitamins and minerals hours after being born.

[RubyTuesday]

IMO, just about any characteristic, whether mental, physical or emotional, is to some extent heritable. It can be direct, ie get the gene(s) & you get (or carry) that characteristic. It can be polygenetic where more than one gene is involved in expression of a particular trait. It can be indirect. For example, cleft palate & club foot in humans, are more commonly seen where the mothers are of short stature, possibly due to intra-uterine crowding. A genetic pre-disposition might be mediated by hormonal, nutritional or other environmental factors. However, heritability remains a factor in all of these scenarios.

Good breeders strive mightily to produce sound, healthy, long lived dogs. Any that don't, will never be good breeders. Healthy, sound, long lived bitches of good background should be bred to healthy sound, long lived dogs of good background. Nothing can guarantee that only healthy, sound long lived pups will be produced, but it certainly helps to stack the deck.

While it's worthwhile to look at the role vaccinations, diet, supplements & exercise contribute to health & longevity, beware those breeders who neglect, or decline to discuss, genetics & the particulars of their lines. For me personally, it's a HUGE red flag when myriad excuses are proffered for breeding stock which all too commonly expires at 6, 7, 8 or 9. Or breeders that proudly, lovingly point to breeding stock that died young for any reason but an accident.

Unfortunately, all too many 'good breeder' algorithms focus on just about everything but what's actually produced & how well that matches with what the pup seeker needs/wants.

[Whiteshepherds]

Originally Posted by cassadee7

Are food allergies genetic? All, or just some? If a pup from a breeding has allergies what are the odds of another pup from the same breeding having allergies also?

Breeders contributing to the White Shepherd Genetics project list food allergies so my guess is yes some allergies are genetic, or at least there's a higher probability of a pup having them if sire and dam have them too.

These are all whites but here's a sample of how the database works and how the breeders put the information in the database.
These are the B listings - so if you have a dog from one of these breeders or are considering buying one you can see what genetic issues might be running through the line. (Listings can also be searched by ailment etc.)

Sorted by dogs name B

I don't know if the GSDCA has anything similar or if it's even possible given the number of GSD's registered each year...but it would be nice to see breeders be more upfront with genetic issues even on an individual level.

[TheLittleBlackBook]

Originally Posted by Andaka

IMHO, food allergies ( and most other allergies as well) are genentic.

Most "food allergies" are actually the result of human stupidity.

People will feed their dogs "dry kibble" (which dogs are not designed to eat, in the first place), and to make things worse the main ingredients of the owner's chosen dry kibbled feed brand will be corns, wheats, glutens, rice, etc. (food items dogs are not designed to process either) ... and then the owners will scatch their heads and wonder "why" their dogs are itching/scratching/falling apart.

The reasons most dogs fall apart from "food allergies" is because they are being fed the bone-dry remnants of food items they were never designed to eat in the first place.

Rare as hen's teeth is a dog that gets "food allergies" to a proper, meat-based, raw diet ...

Jack




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