GUIDE: Elimination diet

What is an elimination diet?

Do you suspect that your dog is reacting to something in its food, but you’re not sure what it might be? An elimination diet is a method used to determine whether a dog has a food allergy or intolerance. It involves feeding the dog a very simple diet for a period of typically 6–8 weeks, consisting of one protein source and one carbohydrate source that the dog has not been exposed to before. During this period, it is essential that the dog receives nothing else—no treats, chews, or flavored supplements. If the symptoms improve, it suggests that something in the previous diet was causing the issue. To confirm this, previously fed ingredients are reintroduced one at a time in a so-called provocation phase. This process helps identify exactly what the dog is reacting to, allowing the diet to be adjusted accordingly. In this article, we explain step by step how to perform an elimination diet for your dog.

Before You Start an Elimination Diet

Itchy skin, ear infections, and chronic diarrhea are not always caused by food allergies. In fact, similar symptoms can also be associated with food intolerances, dietary imbalances, digestive issues, or other underlying conditions. Before starting an elimination diet, it can be helpful to take a step back and evaluate your dog's diet and symptoms as a whole. At Evighetshundens Kjøkken, you can complete a free nutritional assessment that analyzes: - Your dog's symptoms and health history - Current diet and ingredients - Potential nutrition-related risk factors - Whether an elimination diet may be appropriate - Personalized next-step recommendations based on research and clinical experience A nutritional assessment can help you make more informed decisions and determine whether an elimination diet is the right next step for your dog. Start your free nutritional assessment here: [Gratis ernæringskartlegging](https://homecooked.furry-fitness.com/try-assessment)

Step 1: The Truth About "Allergy Tests"

The most important thing to know is that blood, hair, and saliva tests for food allergies are often inaccurate. Many owners spend a lot of money on these, only to get a list of ingredients that doesn't actually help. The only way to know for sure what is bothersome is an Elimination Diet. Read more about this here: {{ARTICLE:blood-samples-for-food-allergies:Can Dogs Be Tested for Food Allergies with a Blood Test?}}

Mia's erfaring med eliminasjonsdiett

Mia struggled for a long time with diarrhea, eye and ear infections, and yeast infections on her paws—until an elimination diet changed everything. Read her story here! {{ARTICLE:case-study-mias-story:Case-study: Mia's story}}

Step 2: How the Elimination Diet Works

Think of this as a "system reset." For 8 weeks, your dog eats a "Clean Slate" diet. - Pick a "Novel" Protein: You must choose a meat your dog has never (or very rarely) eaten before. If they’ve always had chicken and beef, you might try Duck, Pollock (White Fish), or Venison. - Home-Cooking is the Gold Standard: Commercial kibble (even "Limited Ingredient" ones) often has hidden traces of other meats from the factory. By cooking at home, you remove the guesswork. - No Cheating (Even a tiny bit!): This is the hardest part. During these 8 weeks, your dog cannot have: Their usual treats or table scraps. Dental chews or flavored vitamin chews. The Medication Trap: Check with your vet about flavored flea/tick tablets or heartworm meds. These are often beef or chicken-flavored and can ruin the "clean slate."

What about singelprotein or hypoallergenic diets?

Many dog owners are reccomended single-protein or hypoallergenic diets. However, this approach is not recommended, as research has demonstrated that such diets may contain undeclared ingredients. Consequently, a home-prepared elimination diet remains the gold standard for diagnosing food allergies in veterinary medicine. Read more about this here: {{ARTICLE:eliminationdiet:What is an elimination diet?}}

Step 3: The Switch: 10-Day Transition

Some dogs handle an overnight switch just fine. Others need a slower, gentler transition to avoid digestive upset. If your dog tends to be sensitive, use the 10-day transition below and let the new food gradually replace the old. Days 1–3: Feed 75% old food mixed with 25% new home-cooked food. Days 4–6: Feed 50% old food and 50% new food. Days 7–9: Feed 25% old food and 75% new food. Day 10: 100% New Diet. The 8-week countdown starts today!

The 10-day transition

Step 4: Getting the Supplements Right

For the diet to be nutritionally adequate, supplements are required. Since the diet is simple and consists of only one protein source and one carbohydrate source, supplements are used to meet the dog’s nutritional needs. See how to mix the supplements in this video: {{ARTICLE:how-to-mix-supplements:How to mix supplements}}

Supplements

There is no need to add supplements during the transition phase. Once your dog is fully established on the elimination diet, supplements can be introduced gradually. For particularly sensitive dogs, a slower introduction is recommended. Nutritional deficiencies take time to develop, so there is no need to rush or add all supplements at once.

Step 5: The "Challenge" Phase

Once your dog is symptom-free on the elimination diet, you can finally identify the "safe" and "unsafe" ingredients. This is a systematic process of testing one protein at a time. The Strategy: Start with proteins you believe are least likely to cause a reaction. Eventually, you should test all common proteins used in dog food —like beef, pork, turkey, chicken, lamb, and salmon—to build a list of safe options for the future. ### The 2-Week Testing Rule: Each protein is tested over a 14-day period while keeping the rest of the diet exactly the same. The Start: Begin with just a small amount (about one spoonful) mixed into the base elimination diet. The Increase: If there is no immediate reaction, gradually increase the amount of the test protein over the two weeks. Two outcomes are possible: 1. Symptoms return: If your dog starts itching, licking, or develops tummy issues, stop the test protein immediately. The Flush: Return to the base elimination diet only. The Wait: Continue the base diet until all symptoms have fully resolved (this can take up to two weeks) before you even think about trying a new protein. 2. No symptoms: If your dog completes the 14 days with zero symptoms, th…

Example: no symptoms = approved