From the Gluten Connection...a word about Fido

Sensitive to gluten?  Borrowed this book to educate myself and learn why gluten (carbs) may be affecting my health.  It was a pleasant surprise to come across this chapter:  A Word About Fido, yes, gluten affects our dogs too.
"Poor Fido, He gets blamed for all sorts of things, including passing smelly gas...Some flatulence is normal, both in ourselves and in our pets.  but when the condition is chronic and the smell is extremely offensive, it's time to look into its causes.  Veterinarians agree that flatulence can be caused by several different conditions:

• Dietary intolerance
• Eating foods that are high in soybeans or fiber
• Eating spoiled foods
• Infections
• Overeating
• Swallowing air too quickly--usually from gulping food

Dietary sensitivity or intolerance in pets is well documented.  Most cases show up in dogs and cats as skin or gastrointestinal disorders, with the majority of dietary hypersensitivity reaction caused by proteins.  And the most common of offending proteins:  The researchers list:

• Beef
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Lactose
• Other meat products
• Gluten

Keep in mind:  Just as in "people food", pet food ingredients are listed in order of volume.(some ingredients may include, yellow corn , corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, soy flour etc.) 
...after GC discovered that the main portion of her dog's diet had been wheat cereal, GC took him off commercial dog food and began to feed him home-cooked chicken, carrots, and rice.  She occasionally mixes in other vegetables and even fruit.  The result:  No diarrhea, no bloating, no  smelly flatulence. 

What's in your can or bag of pet food?  Is your pet suffering from arthritis?  Passing a lot of gas? Having diarrheic accidents on the carpet?...Maybe it's time to put him on a gluten-free diet. (yes, you can buy gluten free dog food, yes, but Read the label carefully). 
Your best bet to guarantee a gluten-free diet for your pet is...to cook the food yourself.  You'll have a healthy and happy pet."

The Glueten Connection  Shari Lieferman, PhD, CNS, FACN