I heard Fromm is good for pets with food allergies– why?

Many pet parents who suspect their dog or cat is allergic to a particular ingredient are surprised to see their pet thrive on a Fromm food—even if that food contains the suspected “offending” ingredient.

The main reason is, food allergies are often confused with food sensitivities in pets. Here’s the difference, why it matters to your dog or cat, and how Fromm pet foods can help…

Food allergies involve the immune system. The body’s immune cells falsely identify a certain type of nutrient (most commonly, proteins found in chicken, beef, eggs, dairy, lamb, soy, or wheat) as a foreign invader, treating it like a bacteria or virus. The immune system overreacts, leading to unpleasant symptoms such as itchy skin, ear infections, or stomach upset.

Food sensitivities, on the other hand, do not involve the immune system. Instead, pets with a food sensitivity may just have difficulty digesting or processing too much of a certain ingredient. This can also result in unpleasant physical symptoms, especially digestive upset.

The good news is, for food sensitivities, many pets do well eating recipes that include much smaller portions of the ingredient(s) to which they are sensitive.

To understand why, think about spicy food in human beings. A little bit of spice can make a dish complete, adding just the right amount of taste so that even people with sensitive stomachs can enjoy it. However, too much spice can wreak havoc on that same person’s digestive system.

In other words, a sensitivity is all about ingredients in moderation and balance. That’s where the Fromm “Multi-Ingredient Principle” comes in.

The Multi-Ingredient Principle means that we use a variety of high-quality ingredients, including diverse protein sources, fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates. This approach to pet food preparation has two advantages:

1. We achieve good nutritional “harmony” with each of our formulations, with an ideal balance of what each individual ingredient has to offer.
2. Since we don’t rely too heavily on any one particular ingredient, pets with food sensitivities can do quite well on one of our balanced recipes. Even if the ingredient of concern is present in the food, it will likely be at a level that your pet can easily tolerate.

Keep in mind, these formulas won’t work for pets with true allergies, because the body will still react to the allergy-inducing ingredient, even in small doses. However, true food allergies are not very common—food sensitivities are much more prevalent in pets.

Every pet is a unique individual with their own digestive balance—so it may take some trial and adjustment to find the best Fromm recipe for your dog or cat.

If you’re not sure where to start, just give us a call or send us an email. Our knowledgeable team can help you select a recipe that’s most likely to be a good fit for your individual pet.