Does your dog constantly scratch, had ear infections all the time, or a dull coat?
Your dog could be allergic to something, and you might be one of the causes of his or her discomfort because of the food you give.
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To witness your dog having food allergies is unsettling.
You might not be conscious of it, but it can cause your pet a lot of pain.
As a dog owner, you have to be concerned about this since more and more dogs are suffering.
What Is a Food Allergy in the First Place?
Food allergy is quite different from food intolerance.
When we talk about food intolerance, lactose intolerance, for example, it means that a particular dog is either has low levels or is missing lactase, an enzyme that digests milk.
This causes pain and discomfort to your dog.
On the other hand, when we talk about food allergies, this means that your dog’s immune system is overly responding to an invading protein.
The proteins that are usually present in the food you feed to your dog might be the cause of a food allergy.
So, What Causes Dog Food Allergies?
As I’ve mentioned earlier, different types of proteins are components of most of the foods you feed your dog.
While most of us might think that we can only find proteins within meats, vegetables, and grains also contain some proteins.
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The usual suspects for food allergies are wheat, corn, soy, or dairy.
Please understand that you have to be aware of the types of food your dog should avoid eating.
This is because a particular dog can get immediately sick or harbor the consequences of his or her low diet later in life.
What Are the Symptoms of Dog Food Allergies?
So, how do you know if your dog is suffering from a food allergy?
Here are just some of the signs you should be on the lookout for.
Please note that these symptoms are not only exclusive to dog food allergies.
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It could also be that your pet is suffering from other illnesses, so it’s always best to consult your vet to be sure.
Signals and symptoms that could relate to dog food allergies include inflamed ears, eczema, vomiting, stomach problems, constant itching, gas, lethargy, frequent bowel movements, and intermittent or constant diarrhea.
Also, check out if your dog seems to be in pain.
Keep in mind that aside from the dog food, allergies can also be a genetic issue.
Your dog might even have been prescribed a lot of antibiotics way back and could have altered his or her natural defenses and immune system.
Your dog’s breed may also contribute to allergies.
Some dog breeds are known to be more vulnerable to food allergies than others.
Can Market-Available Dog Foods Lead to Allergies?
The short answer to this is yes.
Ready to eat dog foods available on the market that are rated from one to three stars most definitely don’t meet your pet’s nutritional requirements.
These foods are customarily made from by-products, as well as various unnatural food and other cheap ingredients.
One of the most common components of these dog foods is cereal.
In other words, it means that the food you’re giving your dog contains heaps of sugar in it.
While cereal and its by-products don’t necessarily bring about allergies, they inevitably cause imbalance to a dog’s immune system and distress.
So, does that mean that more expensive dog foods are better? The answer is still no.
While these dog foods can be so costly, some brands are just off-limits to you if you’re concerned about your dog’s diet.
Some of these foods could even result in a toxic overload in your dog.
Remember, just because a particular dog food variant is packed nicely, looks fancy, and is quite expensive, it doesn’t automatically mean that this is the best healthy choice for your dog.
It Always Pays to Check the Label
Most dog food manufacturers try to put euphemisms or alternatives on their labels to make them look like it’s the best option for your dog.
But you have to investigate further and know the contrasts between the terms they use.
For example, you have to know how “Chicken Dog Food” is different from “Chicken Flavored Dog Food.”
To someone untrained, the two might seem the same.
However, it is essential to note that “flavoring” means that it’s unnatural, and it’s only meant to make the food tasty.
Also, be wary about the colorings and other chemical compounds included in the mixture.
The rule of thumb is, if you can’t read or spell it with ease, it probably isn’t good for your dog.
You have to feed your dog something real, natural, and not just flavored fluff.
The Rise of “Hypoallergenic” Dog Foods
Because of the rising concern about unnatural food that causes imbalance and allergies to dogs, more and more brands offer hypoallergenic variants of dog food.
Hypoallergenic dog food makes use of other protein sources.
These protein sources are usually the ones that are not identified by a dog’s immune system as antigens.
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Thus, minimizing if not eliminating allergic reactions.
Again, checking the label is vital to ensure that none of the ingredients in a particular dog food variant will cause an allergic reaction to your dog.
How Do You Remedy Dog Food Allergies?
So, your vet already confirms that your dog indeed is suffering from a food allergy. What’s next?
First, you have to figure out what causes the allergies in the first place.
The most efficient way to do this is to adopt a restricted diet.
In other words, you will have to recall and make a note of all the types and kinds of food your dog has been eating.
This list will then give you a working list and suspects of the ingredients that your dog might be allergic to.
The goal is to start feeding your dog foods that are not included in this list and observe if the itching and discomfort stop.
When you’re positive that your dog isn’t allergic to the new food, you can then start adding the other ingredients back into the diet.
It’s important to add ingredients one at a time to identify the specific component that your dog is allergic to efficiently.
If you add back a particular ingredient and your dog starts to exhibit allergic reactions, you have identified the specific allergen.
Add it to the list of your dog’s off-limit foods.
You can also apply the elimination diet to dog foods available in the market.
Generally, choose foods that offer a limited ingredient formula and uses types of protein that are not common such as venison, duck, and bison.
The most crucial factor to this is to pick a particular dog food that only has one protein source and one carb source.
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You can also deal with dog food allergies through blood and skin tests.
However, this route is quite expensive and doesn’t ensure accuracy.
Conclusion
While identifying food allergies and dealing with it is quite unsettling and disheartening, please keep in mind that dealing with it the right way makes it easier for you to stop and prevent future allergies on your dog.
This process is such a chore for sure, but it is well worth it.