Dog Food Allergy Symptoms
Food allergies account for about 10 percent of all the allergies discovered in dogs. They are also the reason behind 20 percent of the itching and scratching in dogs. Just how a dog becomes hypersensitive to a particular ingredient in the food, is not very well understood. In spite of our lack of understanding about how these food allergies develop, we do, understand many things: the symptoms, how to diagnose food allergies, and how to handle them.
Food allergies impact both male and female dogs, and can surface as early as five months and as late as 12 years of age. But most instances occur when the dog is between 2 and 6 years of age.
Symptoms of Dog Food Allergies
While dogs can suffer from allergies just like people do, a big difference is that, while most humans will sneeze, wheeze and have symptoms limited to the respiratory tract, dogs express their allergic reactions in their skin and the primary symptom is itchiness accompanied by heavy scratching.
Dog allergy symptoms from food are similar to symptoms of any type of common allergic reaction in dogs and cats. The most common symptom is itchy skin. Your dog’s skin may develop bumps or red patches. The areas most commonly affected when it comes to dog food allergies are the face, ears, paws or legs, armpits and the skin around the anus. Patches of fur will be moist, much of the time, because of constant licking and biting. Patches of hair loss is also common.
Additional dog allergy symptoms can include ear and skin infections that may respond to antibiotics then return as soon as you stop the antibiotics. A dog that's allergic to a certain dog foods may also have an increased number of bowel movements.
Although it can be hard to distinguish between dog food allergies and other dog allergies, the following can be helpful:
Recurrent ear problems, particularly yeast infections, are more consistent with dog food allergies than with other kinds of dog allergies.
Moderate to severe skin problems, is more consistent with dog food allergies, especially if your dog is a very young.
Another sign that the allergy may be from food is if your dog is itchy and doesn't respond well to steroids. Flea allergies and dog atopy commonly respond well to steroid treatment.
To diagnose a food allergy properly, dog owners can start their dog on a food test. A food test entails feeding the dog a food source that the dog has never eaten before – consisting of both protein and carbohydrates – for about 12 weeks. Rabbit or venison are good choices of protein because they are seldom used in commercial dog food. You can use potatoes for the carbohydrates. This new food is the only thing that the dog should eat for the entire 12 weeks. This means no treats, flavored medicines, or rawhide - absolutely nothing but the special food and water. Also, the dog should not be permitted to roam because he could get at outside food or garbage.
If the dog shows a noticeable reduction or complete elimination of the symptoms after the 12 weeks, then the dog is placed back on the original food. If the symptoms come back after starting back the original diet, the diagnosis of a food allergy has been confirmed.
Certain ingredients in most common dog foods are more likely to cause food allergies in your dog. These common food allergens are:
beef
wheat
dairy products
eggs
chicken
corn
soy
whey
yeast
In a lot cases, it's not even the actual food, but the preservatives and pesticides used in and around the foods that cause the allergic reaction.
You will find numerous lamb-based foods marked for dogs with food allergies, but, lamb can also produce allergic reactions, so it's up to you and your vet to figure out what your dog is allergic to so you can find the best food for your dog..
Feeding dogs a home-made diet is a great way to keep from giving your dog foods that they are allergic to. Home-made diets are also a great way to ensure that proper ingredients are used and balanced with the correct amount of vitamins and minerals for your dog.