Dog Food Allergies – Suffer No More!
Food allergies are not only for humans. They can be found in your pets and are difficult to diagnose because dog food allergies can appear so rapidly. The greatest problem, of course, is the pet can’t let you know what his symptoms are and these are oftentimes confused with other problems.
Symptoms of dog food allergies include excessive scratching, hair loss, skin infections, as well as ear infections. Oftentimes, antibiotics used for skin infections will clear them up briefly, but then they will reoccur when the antibiotics are completed.
There is also a difference between the dog food allergies and food intolerance. Intolerance to certain foods may cause symptoms such as diarrhea or frequent bowel movements and vomiting. Fortunately, whether the animal is suffering form food allergy or food intolerance once the proper diagnosis has been made, they both are treatable.
There is also a difference between dog food allergies and food intolerance. An intolerance to particular foods may be the cause of diarrhea or frequent bowel movements and vomiting. Fortunately, if the animal is suffering from the food allergy or food intolerance, once the proper diagnosis is made, they can both be treated.
Most dog food is made from beef, chicken, wheat, eggs, soy and dairy products. It should not be a surprise that most dog food allergies are caused by one of these ingredients. When pet companies began producing lamb and rice formulas, many dog food allergies seemed to disappear.
Many veterinarians agree that it is not because of something special in the lamb and rice formulas that reduced the incidence of dog food allergies, but rather that the dog’s diet was changed and the animal had not developed intolerance to the new food.
Dietary Change To test For Food Allergies
Once other causes are ruled out, such as flea bites, intestinal parasites, yeast and bacterial infections, a dietary change may be needed to reduce the symptoms of dog food allergies.
A new food source containing protein and carbohydrate should be the only diet of the pet for at least 12 weeks to determine which of the ingredients in their old food was causing the allergic reaction.
The food must be completely different from the previous food and cannot be supplemented by treats or other types of food for the test to be effective. Once it has been determined the pet is not having an adverse reaction to the new diet, various foods may then be added to help develop a more diverse diet. Any addition must also go through the same test procedures and if any reaction, the new addition will be eliminated. A healthier dog means a healthier friend for life!
Caring for Your New Best Friend
