Intolerant to gluten

Can dogs be gluten intolerant? I need a gluten-free diet and am curious about whether dogs too can develop these kinds of intolerances.

John Burns advises…

Dogs certainly can be intolerant to gluten. A dog can develop a food intolerance to anything they have been eating, but beef, wheat and dairy are the three most common food intolerances seen in dogs. Symptoms of gluten intolerance in a dog include digestive upset and itchy skin. Many people also forget to check the ingredients of their dog treats, as many of these also contain wheat gluten.

There has been a big increase in gluten-free diets for dogs in recent years and it’s unclear whether this is down to more dogs being intolerant to gluten or the rise of the gluten-free consumer trend.