Food Intolerance- Gluten, Casein, Soy, & Corn

Hi Everyone,

I have joined this forum to share some very important information with you. I have been doing medical research (both veterinary and human) for the past 5 years following my personal diagnosis of celiac disease (gluten intolerance). My subsequent recovery from a myriad of symptoms was nothing short of miraculous. BUT, the cool thing was that almost everything I learned also applied to my four-legged friends.

I suddenly remembered about the Irish setter...the only breed that had been definitively diagnosed as gluten intolerant...and went to review its typical medical conditions. Bingo- a match for the problems that celiac humans suffer from. BUT, the interesting thing was that they matched those of the Labrador, Golden retriever, German shepherd, Cocker, Rottie, and other breeds that are having big trouble medically.

I immediately began taking all of my patients off of wheat and barley, the two main gluten grains in pet foods. As I learned that casein (from cow's milk), soy, and corn could all do the same harm to the intestinal villi that gluten did, I started taking all patients off of those food ingredients as well. Wow! The miracles started happening.

The response to the elimination diet- avoiding the gluten grains (wheat, barley, rye), cow's milk products (with casein), soy (errrrrh), and corn- has been nothing less than phenomenal. I am a million percent convinced that gluten intolerance (as well as casein, soy, and corn intolerance) all occur in the dog and cat, with certain breeds being severely afflicted. In fact, I have recently heard that a well-known veterinary pathologist has reopened the books on celiac disease in dogs. It is long overdue.

Again, the Irish setter was found to be a celiac years ago (in our medical texts) and serves as the poster child. But where did all of the Irish setters go??? Well, that's what happens when you give wheat to a celiac. They become very ill and often die prematurely. If we examine the "genetic" disorders of the Irish setter, we see that they were a "who's who" of what goes wrong in just about all breeds....and people. Yes, the immune-mediated food intolerances have their hands in just about everything.

Once we see the damage that they do to the duodenum AND we are finally told what the duodenum actually does, then we can all have the "revelation" that I had and write so much about on my Website. It has all become second nature to me now, as it has to some of you. I find it soooo hard to believe that everyone doesn't already know and completely understand this, especially doctors, veterinarians, and the pet food companies.

BUT, therein lies the rub. As I have written for years, I have yet to casually meet a doctor or veterinarian who has been able to tell me what the duodenum absorbs. I am NOT throwing stones here because I did not know either until I studied my own, new found friend...celiac disease. THEN, the world of medicine became my oyster and things started falling into place like the pieces of a big puzzle. (Sorry for the mixed metaphor )

The duodenum not only does not absorb "nothing", as I have been told in conversation with colleagues and doctors, but it is responsible for the vast majority of the absorption of our calcium, iodine, iron, B complex, C, and trace minerals like zinc, boron, magnesium, chromium, and more. Wow! Man, does that explain much???

For example, now anyone can see why the most food allergic dogs (the breeds listed above) have the worst juvenile bone diseases, immune-mediated diseases, and highest cancer rates. Two of the most food allergic breeds...the Cocker and Shi Tzu...hold the record for blowing discs in their back at ONE YEAR of age. That is 3 years sooner than the average Dachshund. This should be a no-brainer for those who understand how our skeleton is made (calcium, vitamin c, "COLLAGEN"). And the cancer? Well, what drives the health and integrity of our immune systems? How about thyroid problems? Yep...where is the iodine absorbed ? Did you know that some hypothyroid dogs get better on iodine supplements alone? Now you know why, right?

As I like to say, "This is not rocket science. If it were, we would KNOW this stuff. We have landers on the moon, Mars, and now on Titan...a moon of Saturn. And yet, we still don't know what the duodenum absorbs or that it is crazy to artificially reduce a fever caused by a virus? Hmmm...". Yes, if what I write about was rocket science, we would understand all of this. Its a matter of priorities, right?

And the epilepsy stuff...WOW!!! What a cool thing. I read early on in my celiac research that celiac kids who also had epilepsy often had dramatic improvements in their epilepsy when hey went gluten-free. That caught my attention "for some reason" and I jumped into that topic with both feet. My Website chronicles the journey and outlines the diet. Countless dogs (and people) have responded to this anti-seizures diet over the past 3-4 years. I just placed a new summary-style paper at the top of my epilepsy section. Hopefully, this will make sense to all of you. If not, as I am fond of saying, then I haven't done my job...yet.

I hope this helps. I am on a lot of forums now (both human and veterinary) so please feel free to Email me rather than wait for responses on forum posts. I will try to dedicate some time to this forum, however. We have all heard that mutts are the healthiest and there is still some truth to that. The bad news is that since we have transitioned from the old corn-based foods (which were bad enough) to the ones with the gluten grains (wheat, barley, rye) and soy (errrrh), even the mutt is in trouble. My goal is to try to help keep all of the breeds healthy and popular, including the mutt, as well as their owners. And when you see how these vital food issues are affecting their and our health so negatively, I think you will agree that it is high time that we start taking things out of that big ol' recycle bin we call "genetics" and put them where they belong...in the preventable category. How cool is that?

John

John B.Symes, DVM (aka "DogtorJ")
www.dogtorj.net

PS. I will not always be able to reply to posts on this forum but my Email Address is all over my Website and I try to answer all Emails sent to me. DogtorJ.net never has advertising or anything to sell and my consults are free at this point in time. I am trying to limit my consults to epilepsy and related neurological conditions.

I see you have revised your recommended foods list to include the really good quality high-end foods that are free of menadione and other questionable ingredients. Thank you very much!

Hey Mordy! Good to "see" you again. It's been about a year. And yep, I'm still learning too.

But, it is getting harder and harder to find a commercial food that meets the ever-growing number of restrictions that we who are studying this stuff want to see eliminated. It makes me crazy to see a pet food company- that is apparently trying to make a decent food- shoot themselves (and us and our pets) in the foot by adding one or two unnecessary ingredients that absolutely ruin their attempt. (Innova and Solid Gold being prime examples).

Personally, I would rather see the menadione or ethoxyquin in the food than a gluten grain (wheat, barley, rye), dairy product, any soy, or any corn. I would love it if they had none of these things. But for the average person, it is choice of the lesser of the evils...IF they even know that "evil" is lurking about the pet food section. Most are ignorant fo this whole topic, unfortunately.

But we''ll change that, right???

John

John B Symes, DVM (aka "DogtorJ")
www.dogtorj.net

Have you ever approached one of the reputable companies (e.g. Eagle, Natura) about manufacturing a food formulated to your specifications? Obviously there is a demand, so marketing really shouldn't be an issue.

I still vehemently disagree that menadione and ethoxyquin are acceptable in any food, gluten grains or not. I also can't reconcile wanting to help animals with recommending products such as IAMS, manufactured by Procter & Gamble, a company with very questionable ethics when it comes to animals.

Of course, you're right. Unfortunately it becomes painfully clear in veterinary practice that we have to choose the lesser of the evils in the majority of cases. Sadly, most clients are not willing to go the extra mile to feed the ideal diet. Many of them won't even go the pet shop for foods. That may even be "most" of my clients, no matter how much I lecture.

So, as I try to explain on my site, I try to write for everyone...from the idealist to the lazy bum. If a person wants the best, then I explain to them how to go about striving for that. If a client cares so little that they won't do anything more than feed kibble from the grocery store, then I help them pick the lesser of the evils, trying to remember that our poor little four-legged friends are caught in the cross-fire. Sometimes I want to "punish" the owners by simply giving into their lazy attitudes but that usually ends up backfiring on the pets. Vehement opposition doesn't work for most of them either...sad but true. Reality bites, doesn't it?

In an ideal world...which you and I are striving for...the food would be very different. So would the air and water. We have our work cut out for us, don't we? I have considered joining a dog food company to help them formulate the proper food. I have been busy bombarding Hills and everyone else with Emails for 6 years. Hey, Hills just copied IVD and made a line of potato and pea based foods. It's a step in the right direction.

John

PS. If we are damaged by the gluten, casein, soy or corn, we are MUCH more susceptible to the ill effects of damaging chemicals, preservatives, and carcinogens.That's why I said that I would rather have those things in food than gluten, et al. Neither is certainly better, tho.

I would suggest talking to smaller companies. The "big wigs" rely more on ads and clever marketing to sell poor quality foods and aren't really interested in changing the status quo, as I have discovered.

John Marsman for example, the nutritionist at Eagle Pack, is someone I really think would be interested in discussing such a project, and I'm sure Peter Atkins at Natura too. Both companies have made quite an effort to accomodate special needs dogs with their newer formulas.

Which foods do you think pass the test of being gluten/grain free?

The list...a work in progress.

Here is my running list of "clean" kibble pet foods...those devoid of the "big 4". It is a work in progress so feel free to Email me to add foods that you know to be free of gluten, dairy, soy, and corn-

1) Flint River Ranch- Lamb, Millet and Rice Formula For Food Sensitive Dogs.
2) Flint River Ranch- Trout And Sweet Potato NOTE: No longer recommended do to "granola" ingredient.
3) Timberwolf Organics- Dakota™ Bison Canid Formula
4) Canidae and Felidae
5) Natura California Naturals
6) Canine Caviar Lamb & Pearl Millet Adult Dog Food
7) Canine Caviar Chicken & Pearl Millet Adult Dog Food
8) Dick Van Patten Natural Balance Duck and Potato, Venison and Brown Rice, and Sweet Potato and Fish Formulas
9) Eagle Pack Holistic Select®Duck Meal & Oatmeal Formula
10) Eagle Pack Holistic Select® Lamb Meal & Rice Formula
11) Eukanuba Response KO and FP
12) PMI Nutrition Exclusive™ Lamb & Rice Adult Formula
13) Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice
14) Solid GoldBarking at the Moon
15) IVD/Royal Canin- L.I.D.s (potato-based diets)
16) Hill's Science Diet newest potato and pea-base foods (IVD mimics)

This has been a very frustrating endeavor at times...trying to find a "high quality" food that is also devoid of the "big 4"...gluten (wheat, barley, rye), casein (dairy products), soy and corn. Many of the popular food companies have it partly right. So, when I recommend a food or suggest people avoid another food, I am not saying that the company does not attempt to provide a high quality product. I am not judging their integrity or the quality of the ingredients they use (not usually, anyway). For example, I believe that Solid Gold does try to make a high quality product. BUT, their use of gluten grains in much of their product line keeps me from being able to recommend those particular formulas.

I get people writing me all of time saying "I can't believe that you recommend Nutro when there are clearly better foods like Solid Gold or Innova out there." My answer is that I would rather see a dog eat a purely rice-based diet like Nutro..without any of the "big 4"...than a (perceived as being) higher quality food like the others with gluten, corn, soy, or dairy in them. I have seen great things happen with the Nutro Natural Choice line. BUT, ruuuuun from the Nutro Max, which is wheat-based.

BUT, what I want is BOTH...high quality and to be free of the "big 4"...thus my campaign to bring this information to all who will listen. YOU, the owners and breeders, are what will change this, not the veterinary profession. Most of my colleagues are totally in the dark on this issue (which any breeder will confirm. Breeders know infinitley more about nutrition than their vet in most cases...for now).

So, keep fighting the good fight! Keep learning all that you can on this vital issue and tell those that you know. You, too, will see miracles happen when the pets (and people) start avoiding these things, with the most profound being in those who are the strictest, of course. It takes very little to trigger reactions in many cases. Think "peanut allergy" and how profound that can be.

Hope this helps,
John