Dog allergies are a common occurrence among our canine friends, and because around 10 percent of all allergic reaction come from the food that our dogs eat, it is important that we give them the best dog food for allergies to prevent this from affecting their quality of life. So how do we determine the best dog food for allergies?
Before anything else, it is very important that you go to the vet and have your dog examined if your dog is showing allergic signs. The symptoms that you think are caused by allergies, may be a symptom of a completely different kind and the wrong treatment may worsen his condition. Once your vet has diagnosed that your dog has food allergies, then you can start looking for the best dog food for allergies.
Best Dog Food for Allergies
This can be tricky, because there are many foods labelled “low allergen”, “hypoallergenic”, “non allergenic” and so on. Just because they use this type of terminology does not necessary mean that they really are the best types of food for allergies in reality.
Food Intolerance and Best Dog Food for Allergies …
Keep in mind that dog food allergies and food intolerance are two separate conditions. Food intolerance is akin to humans eating dairy food when they are lactose intolerant, or overly spicy food and have indigestion after. The effects of food intolerance in dogs are diarrhea, vomiting while food allergies symptoms are scratching, itching, loss of hair, skin problems and ear and skin infections.
How to Figure Out What the Best Dog Food for Allergies Is For Your Dog
The common culprits in food allergies in dogs are the common ingredients found in most dog food brands that is why one of the first things that the vet will have you to do is to put your dog on a hypoallergenic diet – meaning a diet with only a few ingr
edients that your dog does not typically consume.
When you undergo food trials for our dog, only feed him organic and natural meals. Do not give him food that are laden with chemicals and preservatives as this may aggravate his allergies. Keep a journal of all the food that you put in his system (yes, even the treats) so you can present this to the vet for further analysis and diagnosis.
Because you will be tweaking and changing your dog’s diet a few times, you have to make sure that you know how to do it right. Suddenly giving him new food will cause indigestion and upset stomach, compromising the results of the food trial. Start with a 4 to 1 ratio, old food to new food, then gradually make it 3 to 2, then half and half, then 4 to 1 new food to old food. The transition should stretch to about a week, depending on the dog.
Once the cause of the dog’s allergies is determined, you have to eliminate that food from the dog’s diet completely. Some pet owners will recommend antimistamine and other allergy medications to improve allergic reactions, but it is always better to go for all natural cures to treat your dog’s present symptoms. A holistic approach in canine health is becoming more and more popular as respected and trusted veterinarians are starting to recommend this more.
Now, there are some cases wherein dogs may develop new allergies over time. This is normal. Sometimes dogs have been exposed to certain food for a long period of time and suddenly they experience allergic reaction. If this happens, you have to bring him to the vet right away and maybe undergo food trials again to find out which food he is allergic to now.
Some breeds are said to be more prone to food allergies, however there are many factors that may contribute to allergies so any dog may be subject to this. You can go to the breeder you got your dog from and inquire if the line of your dog is predisposed to any food allergies so you can be well equipped in handling this.
Click on the links in this page to find the best dog food for allergies that you can feed your dog today.
