Tricky Dog

Tummies

A practical look at dog food allergies

and intolerances.

How do navigate the

confusing world of dog food allergies

Dog Food Allergies and food intolerances are very different issues from each other,  So knowing which you are dealing with is a must.  Intolerances to a particular food type are typically vomiting and diarrhea, whereas allergies are mostly manifested in dry itchy skin.   Dog food allergies make of for roughly 10% of all dog allergies, and are the 3rd most common allergy issue.  This problem can pop up at anytime in the dog’s life, but usually shows up between 2 and 6 years of age.  Symptoms besides the dry itchy skin are frequent yeast infections of the ear canals, and skin irritations not responding to steroid treatment.  This allergy problem affects pets that have been on the same diet for a long time, most over 2 years eating the same type of food.  Once you are sure your pet has an allergy, not any other issue, you must begin the process of elimination to weed out which of the food ingredients is the culprit.

Most common Ingredients Dogs are allergic to in commercial dog food

• Beef
• Chicken
• Fish
• Eggs
• Soy
• Wheat
• Corn
• Milk 

So…. Now What do I do?

Once you are sure the dog has a food allergy and not another problem, you can begin to isolate the specific ingredient causing the problem. Sometimes that is just as easy as switching the dog to a Lamb and Rice formula dog food. Other times it means picking ingredients and only feeding the dog beef and corn for 12 weeks to see if that has an effect. If the dog is fine after 12 weeks, add another ingredient, like chicken. You get the idea, eventually you will run into the cause of your dog’s allergy and can thus eliminate it from the dog’s permanent diet. Just be sure not to feed the dog any treats or table food, just it’s special diet and plenty of water, or these items will spoil the test. 12 weeks seems like a long time but most studies have shown that the vast majority of dogs will manifest the allergy in this amount of time, whereas a much smaller amount manifest in 3 or 8 weeks. A vet can also help by administering a blood test which will determine whether or not the dog has a suspected allergy.  Sometimes these can be tricky to track down, did you get dog insurance?

Once you have the wherefores and the whys worked out, you then have the choice of preparing a homemade diet or a commercial one. Both methods have pros and cons, but the choice will largely come down to your ability and lifestyle, as well as your budget. Prescription dog foods are expensive, but homemade dog food meals are inconvenient and time consuming, and they require a lot of research as to your dog’s specific needs to make sure it is getting all the nutrition in requires. Breed, age, and activity level will be factors as well to bear in mind as you quest for the perfect palate for your pooch.