Gluten Free Lucky Charms cereal is now available!

Are you the parent of a gluten free kid? Are you a 'kid at heart' and gluten free? Well, I have some news for you: gluten free Lucky Charms are in stores everywhere!

Last year, General Mills released news that they were in the process of making Lucky Charms gluten free. They were going to create the cereal using oat flour, the same kind of oat flour that is being used for gluten free Cheerios*.
Lucky Charms will have the same great taste as regular Lucky Charms, minus the gluten and wheat.

My Two Cents:

I was very excited about this cereal when I heard about it going gluten free. *However, when I found out that General Mills is using the same oat flour as the gluten free version of Cheerios, I became a little apprehensive. Last year, this Celiac became ill from eating the gf Cheerios. Now I worry it might happen again with the Lucky Charms.
Celiac friends, unless this cereal gets the Celiac Disease Foundation seal of approval on it, I wouldn't trust it.
If you suffer from an intolerance, or are gluten free for other reasons, I will recommend this cereal to you.

Celiac friends: Will you be trying this cereal? Have you already tried it? Any reactions?

Photo credit: General Mills

Can dogs suffer from gluten intolerance?

For the past couple of years, the topic of gluten has come up quite a bit in this country. With the increased understanding of Celiac Disease, more people are being diagnosed now than ever before. Gluten Intolerance has also increased in this country.
With all this talk about humans with Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance, is it possible for our pets to have Gluten Intolerance or Celiac Disease?

While Celiac Disease has not been found to affect dogs, a very tiny percentage of dogs may exhibit symptoms of Gluten Intolerance.

For the most part, dogs can tolerate food containing gluten. For dogs that cannot, they may develop inflammation in their small intestine whenever they eat food containing gluten. 
Symptoms to look out for:

Persistent diarrhea

Weight loss

Poor hair coat

Lack of body conditioning

Failure to thrive

When dogs have this condition, they may have a delayed reaction tot he ingested gluten. Like in humans, dogs who have an issue with gluten intolerance have a body that constantly attacks itself. The immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract whenever gluten enters the body. Gluten destroyed the villi in the small bowel, causing the dog to be malnourished.

Gluten Intolerance can affect any breed, but it is well-documented to affect Samoyeds, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, and Irish Setters. The onset of symptoms can occur at 6 months of age.

How is Gluten Intolerance in dogs diagnosed?
Veterinarians will assess the dog's history of diarrhea, weight loss, and illness before running blood and urine tests. In some cases, your vet may order a fecal examination to look for parasites.
To be absolutely sure, your vet may recommend putting your dog on a grain-free diet for 2 to 4 weeks. If there is marked improvement, the vet will conclude that your dog has a gluten intolerance.

Just like in humans, the condition is completely treatable. Dogs must stay on a grain-free diet for the rest of its life.

If you suspect that your dog may have a gluten intolerance, contact your veterinarian so they can assess the situation.