Do you think it is wise to switch my dog’s food
on a regular basis? I’ve heard that dogs will
develop an allergy to anything that they are fed
regulary. I try to switch my dog’s food every thiry days. What do you think?

Doemoni
San Diego

Eating is something pets need to do every day. So it is no surprise that I get so many questions about diet and feeding in my practice and on Dogster and Catster.

The good news about feeding your pet is that, in most cases, you have plenty of options. There is no brand or type of food that is definitively the best for every pet. Most pets thrive whether they are fed once, twice, or more times daily.

What matters is that you feed a high quality food (there are too many of them to list here), and that you feed the right quantity of food (the amount that will cause your pet to maintain a good weight). Other than that, you have lots of leeway.

However, I do have some thoughts on this question.

First, it is not true that all pets will develop allergies to foods that they are fed regularly. I know plenty of healthy dogs and cats that have eaten only one brand of food for their whole lives. Allergies develop only in susceptible individuals, and I doubt that changing foods regularly will prevent them. In fact, the core treatment for food allergies is to feed “novel” foods that the pet has never tried before. If your pet develops allergies, a history of regular diet changes might interfere with treatment.

As well, some pets are prone to upset stomach or diarrhea when their diet is changed. And, if you happen to change to a diet that your pet can’t tolerate, you should expect him to get sick.

It’s true that many pets can tolerate regular diet changes. However, because so many can not, my usual recommendation is to find a high quality diet that works well for your pet and stick with it.

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My cat Scabbers looks like he is losing hair. I
noticed it a while back. It looks like it is growing
back, but I recently noticed balding on other parts of his
body. Should I be concerned or could this pass? I
have no money to take him to the vet–that is why
I’m asking. He’s not sick from what I can
tell. His behavior has not changed.

Sabrina
Los Angeles, CA

There are many syndromes that can cause cats or dogs to lose hair. Some, such as issues with over-grooming, are relatively benign and harmless. Others, like infestation with certain mites or ringworm, can be more serious and uncomfortable. Ringworm can even be spread to people. And sometimes, hair loss can be a symptom of serious diseases such as cancer, thyroid disease, or metabolic problems.

However, in my practice, allergies are by far the most common cause of hair loss in pets. I can comfortably say that, among my patients, allergies cause more problems with hair loss than all of the other causes combined.

In people, allergies cause sneezing and hay fever. In pets, they most often cause skin problems.

Before I go any further, let me point out that the best thing for Scabbers would be a trip to the vet. That is the only way to ensure that nothing serious is going on.

But, if he truly seems healthy, and hasn’t had changes to his appetite, thirst, or weight, then the most likely thing happening is allergies.

If you have allergies, or know someone who does, you know that allergies are very frustrating. And there are millions of plants, foods, pollens, spores, and insects out there that can cause them.

But for pets, especially in Los Angeles, one culprit stands above all others: fleas. Flea bites are incredibly irritating to sensitive pets. And you don’t have to see fleas for them to be causing problems. For many pets, one or two bites a month is enough to cause problems.

So, if you truly can’t take Scabbers to the vet, I recommend that you apply Advantage or Frontline to all of your pets. If you do it regularly for several months, you will minimize the impact of fleas.

Do not use cheaper lookalike or imitation products. They don’t work as well, and some are very dangerous to cats.

I can’t even begin to count the number of pets I know (including those who didn’t “have fleas”), whose skin problems went away after a few months of consistent flea control.

But, if Scabbers is still having problems after you have implemented this protocol, or if any other symptoms develop at any time, you will have only one choice left: go to the vet.

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I have a four-year-old Boxer who has a very
strange thing happening. He is throwing up a foamy
white discharge. He first threw up yellow bile. I also
accidentally bought him the wrong food that he has
been eating for a couple of days. I just noticed
last night that I bought a prescription food
called Skin Support. He is supposed to be on Potato
and Venison Prescription food. Do you think this
might of caused this strange reaction? I am
worried about him.

Sugar Ray
Miami, FL

There is a good chance that your dog’s accidental diet change is playing a role in the problem you describe. In fact, any time a pet’s diet is changed suddenly, gastrointestinal upset may occur.

This can happen even if both diets are high quality, and almost all prescription diets fit that description. However, if your dog’s gastrointestinal system was accustomed to the original diet for a long period of time, the sudden change could have triggered inflammation (which is how veterinarians say irritation). Inflammation can lead to vomiting or diarrhea. The problem typically resolves shortly after switching back to the old diet, but in severe cases it may be necessary to feed a special, highly digestible diet until calm things down.

As a general rule, when you want to change your pet’s diet, the best way to prevent gastrointestinal problems is to make the switch gradually over the course of several days. Of course, that advice doesn’t apply in your case, since you didn’t mean to change your dog’s food.

In this case, there is also a chance that something else may be causing your dog to vomit. If he does not stop vomiting within a few days of changing back to the Venison and Potato diet, or if he is lethargic, not eating, having diarrhea, or acting sick, you should take him to the vet.

Also, remember that his original diet, the Venison and Potato formula, is a prescription diet. If he was eating that diet due to a medical condition, you should check with your vet to make sure that the accidental food switch won’t interfere with his treatment.

Finally, you mentioned that your dog was originally vomiting yellow bile, but is now bringing up white foam. Be aware that white foam can originate in the gastrointestinal system, but also can come from the lungs. If there is any chance that your dog is coughing up the foam, rather than vomiting it, he should go to the vet immediately to have his heart and lungs assessed.

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Hi Dr. B.,

My cat Sherman is losing his hair. It started with a bald spot on his stomach, and now has grown to include the backs of his rear legs, and a little bit on his back too. Sometimes I find clumps of hair on his bed or on the floor. His skin doesn’t look red or irritated, and he eats and plays like always. Do you have any idea what is going on?

Nora
Washington, DC

I suspect that your cat is suffering from a syndrome called psychogenic alopecia. That is medical terminology for hair loss due to psychological causes.

Many cats respond to boredom or stress by over-grooming or plucking out their hair. Often this occurs only when their owners are absent, which makes it seem that the hair is falling out on its own. The pattern you describe is typical of psychogenic alopecia. Hair loss starts on the abdomen, and then progresses to the backs of the thighs, and then works its way up the back.

The most extreme case I have seen was a cat who had no hair anywhere on his body except for his face. If that cat had been better able to lick his face, I’m sure he would have been bald there, too. The good news is that, although he looked a bit ridiculous, his health was fine. And that is typical of psychogenic alopecia. In most cases, it is a cosmetic issue.

The main triggers for psychogenic alopecia are stress or boredom. This may sound preposterous, since most cats lead lives that appear to be completely free of stress. And, given how much they sleep, it would seem that they shouldn’t be prone to boredom. However, remember that the emotional lives of cats are remarkably complex. Things that seem insignificant to us, such as spotting a neighbor’s cat through the window, can cause stress for your cat. And regarding boredom: in the wild, cats spend most of their waking hours hunting for food. Since for a house cat obtaining food involves little more than walking to the bowl, most pet cats end up with plenty of spare time.

As well, some medical conditions can contribute to the problem. Bladder infections may make some cats lick their abdomens. And exposure to fleas can lead to excessive grooming and psychogenic alopecia in predisposed individuals.

So, what can you do? First, make sure your cat is healthy and provide regular flea preventative. Have a vet look at your cat’s skin to make sure that the problem truly is psychogenic alopecia, and not something more dangerous.

Then, I recommend adding enrichment to your cat’s routine. A period of active play each day, such as chasing a laser pointer, will relieve stress. It also may make your pet too tired to spend time pulling out his hair. In a recent column, I mentioned toys that gradually release food, which can help to make meal time more interesting, and relieve boredom. Also, try setting aside some extra time each day to pet and play with your cat.

For severe cases, medications can be prescribed that may help the problem. However, I recommend them only as a last resort.

Finally, please remember that psychogenic alopecia is not your fault. Many pet owners who do everything right have cats who pluck out their hair.

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