• Food allergies constitute only a small percentage of allergy problems in pets. While the exact incidence is unknown, it is estimated that only 10% of allergic skin conditions are caused by food.
• Flea bites and environmental allergens, such as pollens, mold and dust are more common triggers of allergic symptoms than food.     

 Any ingredient can cause an allergy:

• An allergy is an abnormal reaction by the body's immune system to normal substances in the environment, including foods.
• Allergies can form to almost any food or ingredient, but the more animals are exposed to a food or ingredient, including wheat, the more likely it is that allergies will develop.
• Proteins, especially beef and dairy products, are the most common food allergens in dogs and cats.
• Genetics is also a factor in the development of allergies. Certain individuals are predisposed to becoming allergic to something, but no single food is more likely to cause allergies than another.
• The only way to truly diagnose  a food allergy is with an elimination diet trial, which your veterinarian can prescribe.
• Unless it's been proven to be the culprit though appropriate testing, arbitrarily avoiding a single ingredient, such as wheat, won't prevent allergies from developing. 

Wheat is a valuable pet food ingredient:

• Wheat is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates for energy, as well as a source of protein.
• Including wheat in a pet food as an energy source preserves the animal proteins in the diet for building and maintaining a pet's muscle and tissue.   

REMEMBER

Allergies to wheat are not common. And the only way to diagnose a food allergy is with an elimination diet trial, which your veterinarian can prescribe.