Approximately 10 percent of all allergies found in dogs can be attributed to the food they eat. Foods can also be the reason for up to 20 percent of cases where extreme itching and scratching occur in pets. No one fully understands what causes a dog's body to become sensitive to a certain ingredient of the food.
Even though there is little understanding of food allergies and canines, we have developed ways to determine the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of the allergies. They can become present in a dog at 5 months or later, though most cases occur when the animal is 2 to 6 years old. Dog food for allergies can be given to help both male and females pups.
The symptoms of food allergies are similar to those of most allergies seen in dogs. The primary symptom is itchy skin that mostly affects the face, feet, ears, forelegs, armpits, and the area around the anus. Symptoms could also include chronic or recurrent ear infections, hair loss, hot spots, and skin infections that respond to antibiotics but reoccur after antibiotics are discontinued. Dogs with food allergies sometimes have an increased incidence of bowel movements during the day.
To begin to diagnose a possible allergy to dog food, the owners put their dog on a food court. This involves starting a new diet for your dog and allows him to eat certain foods for 12 weeks. Proteins and carbohydrates are the two factors in the diet. Proteins can be obtained from rabbit or wild game, and you can incorporate potatoes for carbohydrates. Nothing else should be eaten by the dog during the trial of 12 weeks, including medicine flavored, Rawhide, or dog treats. It's a good idea to monitor the animals, so it has not eaten without waste or residue. After 12 weeks, you can put her back on animals regular diet. If signs return after it is placed in its original power is a diagnosis of food allergy.
The best dog food for allergies involves making homemade meals that would be void of anything that could possibly trigger allergy symptoms. Start with a few ingredients, and gradually add more to determine exactly what he is allergic to. For example, add a meat that they have eaten in the past to their diet for 2 weeks. If no signs become apparent, the ingredient is safe and a new food can be added. If symptoms occur, you will know the exact things that your dog cannot eat.
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