Gluten Free Group

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This is a group for Humans and their Doodles with a Gluten Allergy. Share favorite recipes, food brands, and tips.

Members: 20
Latest Activity: Jul 9, 2016

Choosing the best food for your dog is not just about picking up any dog food off the shelves. A healthy and balanced diet is something that every pet owner should ensure that their dogs have. This includes taking into consideration the dietary needs and food allergies in dogs. Gluten allergy is one of the most common reasons for chronic illness and degenerative diseases in dogs. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a chronic disease that disrupts the normal function of the intestines is caused by the gluten intolerance in dogs. So why exactly is gluten free dog food so important for your pets?

The Need for Gluten Free Foods for Dogs
Well, for starters, dogs and cats are carnivorous animals which need little or no carbohydrates in their food. The natural diet of dogs in the wild include bones, pieces of carcass, rotten greens and fruit. This is often accompanied by little or no grains in the diet. So what about the claims made by the dry pet food companies? Are the dry dog foods with large amounts of carbohydrates, low amount of animal protein and fats and containing almost no water, good for your dog?

According to veterinarians, foods containing plant proteins like gluten can cause digestive problems in dogs as they have not evolved to digest these proteins. There have been reports of dogs and cats dying due to tainted gluten in dry as well as the commercial wet dog foods. However, even untainted gluten can cause a host of dog health problems and dog food allergies. Moreover, they do not actually provide the nutrients found in fresh fruits, vegetables and meat.

Gluten Free Dog Foods: Foods to Avoid
Gluten is the plant protein component found in foods such as wheat, barley and rye. Most of the times when you want to find gluten free foods you end up getting stuck with foods that are actually wheat free. So what are the foods to avoid on a gluten free diet? Here is a list of foods that contain gluten and should be strictly avoided if your dog is suffering from gluten allergy. •Wheat Flour
•Barley
•Rye
•Oats
•Soy products
•Food starches (cornstarch)
•Brown rice syrup
•Sausages
•Malt vinegar
•White pepper
•Pastas
•Pickles
•Semolina
•Bulgur
•Wheat Grass
Gluten Free Dog Food Recipes
Cooking up simple homemade dog food ensures that your canine friend gets adequate nutrition and avoids gluten allergy as well. Here are some great dog food recipes that are entirely gluten free. Make sure you give these foods as treats as it might cause a weight gain in dogs. Read more on holistic dog food recipes.

Gluten Free Cheesy Delights

Ingredients •2 cups potato flakes
•1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
•½ cup plain yogurt
How to Make
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with cheese and yogurt. Add a small amount of water and make a nice dough. Knead it into balls and roll to half inches thickness. Cut into one inch pieces and place on a greased cookie sheet. Place in a preheated oven of 350ºF and allow it to cook for twenty five minutes.

Gluten Free Meat Recipes

Ingredients •1 pound of ground beef or chicken
•2 large sweet potatoes
•2 eggs
•1 cup water
How to Make
Combine eggs and sweet potatoes and pour in a little water. Mix the ingredients well and allow it to sit for 15 minutes or so. After that, add the ground beef or chicken and mix well. Spread this mixture on a greased baking sheet and cut into square pieces. Place it in a preheated oven of around 350ºF and bake for around thirty minutes. Use a wooden spatula to turn over and make for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool on a wire rack. This recipe allows you to make 45 to 50 gluten free dog food treats.

Read more on: •Homemade Dog Food Recipes
•Dog Food Ratings - Top 10 Best Dog Foods
A gluten allergy in your dog can result in itchy dry skin, dull coat, loose stools, foul-smelling gas, lethargy, loss of appetite, and frequent dog ear yeast infections. If you observe these symptoms in dogs then it is best to stick to gluten free dog foods to cure the allergy and restore the health of your dog.

By Parul Solanki
Published: 1/2/2010

Discussion Forum

Amazing Gluten Free Bread-Finally

Started by Sarah, Bruno & Dudley. Last reply by Jarka, Monty & Auggie Dec 31, 2011. 2 Replies 0 Favorites

I finally got to have a leftover turkey sandwich from Christmas, and man was it amazing!!! I purchased a package of UDI gluten free bread, and it actually tasted like delicious bread (not cardboard,…Continue

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Comment by Lauria Orr on December 31, 2011 at 5:03pm: When first learning about the extent of my own malabsorption issues, it was recommended to me to read the book "Breaking The Vicious Cycle" by Elaine Gloria Gottschall. It was invaluable. Another was something like the "Specific Carbohydrate Diet" by Raman Prasad. I can't find it right now, but it is also a good resource for those dealing with IBD of the different varieties. I think there were 2 books, one of which may have been a cookbook. In my own search for answers when I became ill, I did learn a lot. I feel so badly for Jack, and wish I could be more helpful. I do believe some of us in this group have learned a great deal, but many of us... as this relates to humans. It appeared that these disorders vary in Vet. medicine, even between types of animals, such as dogs and cats. Still, these books do offer a perspective that may be helpful.

Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on December 31, 2011 at 2:45pm: Welcome Karen and Jack! We DO wish you luck with your appointment Monday and hope the specialist is wise enough to come up with an excellent plan for Jack.

Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on December 31, 2011 at 9:58am: Oh, and thanks to Lauria for referring me this group!

Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on December 31, 2011 at 9:56am: Jack was diagnosed 12/9/11 with eosinophilic and lymphoplasmacytic enteritis, along with chronic hypertrophic pyloric gastropathy and a B12 deficiency, all related to IBD, which is immune-mediated. He lost almost 15% of his body weight in a month. I am still trying to find a specialist who can give me the correct diet and treatment plan. We have an appointment Monday with a specialist who was recommended by his dermatology specialist. Wish us luck.

Comment by Sarah, Bruno & Dudley on April 4, 2011 at 1:39pm: I feed Bruno Taste of the Wid dog food, and he loves it. It was highly recommended by our Vet, and we haven't had any problems with it. He has a very sensitive stomach so we keep him on just one of the flavors, but they have like five.

Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on March 10, 2011 at 6:54pm: Sorry to hear about the yeasty ears! :( We feed Tara a grain free kibble made by Origen which pretty much eliminates the gluten issue. Here is a link to the Food Group list of recommended foods. There are several good grain free choices on the list. I would also recommend that you join the Food Group. There is a lot of helpful advice to be had there!

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/recomme...

Comment by Nelson, Rufus & KO on March 10, 2011 at 6:47pm: Nelson has a yeasty ear infection and I am looking to go gluten free for him. I feed him raw about 1/4 of the time. Does anyone have suggestions for a good gluten free kibble?

Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on January 12, 2011 at 4:39pm: Thanks Sarah, I'll have to look for them! Howoever, Tara gained about 1.5 pounds over the holidays (a lot for a 20 pounder!!) so I am postponing the Cheesy Delights for a bit!! Although I could make them for myself...hmmm..

She has lost 1 pound already so it shouldn't be too long before I give them a try! Thanks again for the tip!

Comment by Sarah, Bruno & Dudley on January 12, 2011 at 4:34pm: I looked it up on a gluten free website, and Betty Crocker by General Mills makes gluten free potato flakes. Hope this helps. And let us know if they are a hit.

Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on January 5, 2011 at 6:05pm: I'm trying to make the Cheezy Delights (recipe above) and am having trouble finding potato flakes without onion powder and black pepper in them. Anybody out there know of any potato flakes without any added ingredients?