# Is Bison considered Beef???



## deborahgym2

So, we just got back Romy's allergy test and apparently he's allergic to Chicken, corn, oats and fish. He's borderline on Beef.
I have been transitioning Romy to NB Bison and Sweet potato and am now confused as to whether I should stop the Bison and opt for something else. 
The Vet seems to think that beef and Bison are similar however, I did some research on my own and found that some do not agree. Now, I'm totally confused! 
I definitely do not want to keep feeding him Bison if it might hurt him so I need any advice I can get! Thanks in advance.


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## angelas

Bison is a completely different species than cattle. I would definitely be looking for a new vet if they didn't know that.

If you are worried about your pup being allergic to bison/buffalo as well I'd test for that. It's unlikely considering it is still a novel protein in dog foods.


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## deborahgym2

I know, right??? I kinda figured out he had no clue so I was quiet about it. As soon as I got home I did my own research. I know I would probably get a better answer here when he told me he thought Bison to be under the same category as beef. Thanks for the quick reply. I will definitely stick with the Bison


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## LisaT

I don't expect my vet to know much about nutrition. If the vet is working out otherwise, and if you have a good working relationship with them, as long as you know what you are doing nutritionally, that's what matters.

Btw, different species can still cross-react, somewhere I have a post about beef, venison and lamb cross-reacting, and your vet may have been thinking about something like that.


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## GSDElsa

Yeah, I think that if there is a beef allergy, it is common to have other "hot" red meat allergies as well.

A lot go hand in hand....if there is a chicken allergy there might be a turkey allergy or duck allergy, etc.

But it's a bit of a crap shoot unless you test for it. Your vet might be wrong or might be right. I'm assuming since you're asking bison wasn't part of the test?


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## deborahgym2

No, I didn't precisely ask for Bison but then I didn't ask about any particular food group. The Vet just ran it , and he said that it would tell us all that he is allergic to.


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## Toffifay

I have been wondering the exact same thing! I am suspecting a beef allergy (among other things) for one of my dogs. The other non-allergy dog is eating the NB Sweet Potato & Bison, with great results. I am hoping that after the suggested 12 weeks on Rx food, I can transition her (the allergy dog) to the NB Bison. I am worried about the Bison causing her allergies to flare up.


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## robinhuerta

I don't think that Duck, is considered "closely related" to the chicken, turkey (poultry) allergies?.......I can't remember WHERE exactly, I read the article..?..sorry?!
It mentions something about the Duck's meat being a thicker, more oiled, "dark" meat......unlike the (meat) of the chicken & turkey....etc...etc....ALSO mentioned something the same about "Pheasant"...because it's a wild bird....meat is different?!
AGAIN...sorry....can't remember where I read it?..
I don't have too much experience with "allergy" problems.....wish I could be of more assistance.


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## robinhuerta

Oh...forgot!!
Ostrich is supposed to be the next "allergy free" food.....looks like red meat, tastes like a "red" meat.....but not EXACTLY a "red"/beef type meat.....
But I haven't seen Ostrich as a protein source for pet food yet?
Anyone use Horse meat?.....dog food used to also be made with horse meat.....back in the day.
Just some info.....


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## BowWowMeow

My friend's gsd is allergic to bison but is fine with beef. I know of another dog who is allergic to beef but is fine with bison. So in my (limited) experience dogs do respond differently to them.


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## Toffifay

robinhuerta said:


> Oh...forgot!!
> Ostrich is supposed to be the next "allergy free" food.....looks like red meat, tastes like a "red" meat.....but not EXACTLY a "red"/beef type meat.....
> But I haven't seen Ostrich as a protein source for pet food yet?
> Anyone use Horse meat?.....dog food used to also be made with horse meat.....back in the day.
> Just some info.....


There is an Ostrich farm literally three miles from my house...I have never visited...it's more of a tourist trap...maybe I will pay them a visit. I am sure they sell meat, I know they sell eggs.


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## deborahgym2

I called NB and asked them about whether Bison and Beef are considered the same. This is what she said:

Natural balance.MsgBody-text, .MsgBody-text * { font: 10pt monospace; }Thank you for contacting Natural Balance pet Foods. If your dog has an allergy to beef, I recommend trying a different Limited Ingredient Diet first. These include the Sweet Potato & Fish, Sweet Potato & Venison, Sweet Potato & Chicken, Potato & Duck, or the Lamb & Brown Rice formula. Both beef and bison are in the same family, thus their protein profiles are similar. If your dog is borderline allergic to beef, you may certainly try the Sweet Potato & Bison formula. Please keep in mind that it may vary depending from dog to dog, how they might respond to a new formula. When switching brands, we generally recommend a 5-7 day switch over period, and it may take up to 4-6 weeks for a dog to be completely regulated on a new food. Have a great day!
Sincerely,

Kristi Choy, B.S.
Manager, Customer Service
Animal Nutrition
Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc. 
 
SO, my Vet was kinda right and now I feel dumb  I guess what he was trying to tell me was that they were in the same family. So, with that said, I will be doing the Venison. Poor Romy....


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## BuoyantDog

I would try it, so you can get a definitive answer for yourself. After a day or two of it not settling well (if that's the case), then give it to a neighbor dog and move on. That's what I would do.


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## Lila

Lila's best friend is a Great Dane. She's allergic to everything except... ready for this ?

Kangaroo. 

And believe it or not his owners have found a source of kangaroo here.

The dog looks great by the way so there's something to it. I know that in Australia they don't eat kangaroo and use it for dog food. The source here in Hawaii is an exotic food place that sells "Roo Burgers". Leave it to the Aussies to export something for the Yanks to eat or drink (think Fosters) that they themselves wouldn't touch.

Bloody heck.


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## Lylene & Ranger

The allergist at Michigan State told me that since buffalo can breed with beef he considers them the same. He asked if I could source venison.

How did your vet test for food allergies? I was told that food allergies could only be tested through elimination. Ranger has to be on allergy shots for 6 months before they will start dealing with food issues.


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## deborahgym2

Yeah, that's basically what my Vet said. He suggested Venison as well. The allergy test was done by a blood test. It covers both environmental and food allergies.


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## pinkanml

I also wondered this, as Nico has an obvious beef allergy--red, itchy ears for a day or two after eating any more than a nibble of beef. When I switched from raw beef to bison bones, he had the same reaction so I figured they must be too closely related. 

He's allergic to chicken and chicken eggs and now I'm starting to suspect a mild reaction to turkey. 

Whenever we get some extra money I am definitely going to go for a full allergy panel for him. I'd like to find something other than fish or venison to feed him since most of them are so low on protein or calories (the Canine Caviar Venison/Pea stuff I just bought was $105 for a 30-lb bag!).

I hope the bison works out for you, I wish it did here.


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## LisaT

pork?


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## deborahgym2

I don't know about pork. Am not going to do the Bison for now. Am going to to give the Venison a try and go with what my Vet said. If it doesn't work out for him I will try the Bison. 
Even though they say that the food allergy test is not that accurate (and yes, it is expensive), I still wanted to see what it came up with so I can kinda go by something. I also do the food elimination trial. It's just a wait and see process.


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## pinkanml

LisaT said:


> pork?


That's Nico's favorite treat--raw pork necks. When we eventually go raw in the next year after we move for residency, those and spare ribs will be his staple rmbs along with turkey necks if the allergy test shows they're ok. That will be switched up with fresh venison as we are hunters and will have more hunting opportunities (hopefully). 

Unfortunately, there aren't any pork-based kibbles I've seen on the market that don't have some component of chicken 

I think it's brand called Back to Basics that makes a pork kibble, but it has chicken meal. Fromm has a Pork and Apple variety, but they use chicken cartilage and I think eggs, too. Why ruin so many otherwise good foods with chicken??? 

To the OP, I think the venison might be something good to try. The Royal Canin special diets are expensive, so be sure to look around. Someone mentioned Natural Balance, which does make a grain-free venison and potato variety. Or you could try a duck or trout-based kibble, which Pinnacle makes.


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## Busters Mama

Does anybody have any idea why so many dogs today have such a problem with so called "allergies to food"? Years ago this was almost unheard of. Buster has had a problem for years. I have used beef, chicken, lamb, duck, and venison. Became allergic to everyone of them. He also has allergies to, well let me tell you what he does not have an allergy to. Fish and sweet potato that is it. As of right now we have had a few bouts of an allergic reaction to that also. I have absolutely nothing else I can feed this poor dog!! I know he has a compromised immune system, (recently diagnosed with Panuss) and I believe that has alot to do with it. I also think our pets are over vacinated (just my opinion) and that causes a bunch of problems.


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## pinkanml

I think it may also be in part to the fact that more people are becoming health-conscious with their dogs. I'm sure that "back in the day," it wasn't considered unusual for a dog (which often lived outside) to be scratchy/itchy, smelly, have a dull coat or have dirty ears. 

Plus with the advances in medicine, it is easy to test for allergies for both humans and dogs and "prove" that they do indeed have intolerances. 

Maybe people just weren't as aware of the problem as they are today?


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## Toffifay

I think you are right Pinkanml, when I was young there was no such thing as Frontline or Advantage. Dogs and cats were often infested with fleas. Some wore flea collars (which didn't help too much) or you could flea dip your pet, which was highly toxic and only effective for a short time.
When a dog had flea dermatitis, bald, thickened black skin along with intense itching and horrid smell, people just called it the "Santa Barbara Itch". No one wanted to pet a dog that had it, but that was just the way it was.
I used to see dogs that were anemic from the number of fleas that they carried, thankfully I never see that anymore.
I think we have better tools and education to properly care for our pets, now-a-days..


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