Dog Food Allergies

Dog food allergies usually come as a surprise to most dog owners as most are unaware that dogs can develop a allergy. Well, dogs can and do develop allergies, including dog food allergies.

Symptoms of Dog Food Allergies

When a dog develops sensitivity to a substance, whether food, airborne or environmental, that substance is referred to as an "allergen." Some folks refer to the problem as ' dog food skin allergies', but that is misleading because it is not skin allergies, it is dog food allergies. Common reactions to allergens might include, but are not limited to scratching, coughing, wheezing, and discharges from the eyes and nose. Dog food allergies are specifically associated also with vomiting, increased number of daily bowel movements (say, three instead of one) and also with diarrhea. Of course, dog food allergies symptoms vary from dog to dog.

Dealing with any food allergy usually involves three steps. These are the easing of the symptoms, treating any skin infections, and identifying and eliminating the allergen.

Dry Dog Food

While many dogs do very well with dry dog food, nevertheless it is a common cause of dog food allergies. Some species of dog do not tolerate dry dog food well. For these species, dry dog food is more difficult to digest and it is much more prone to triggering an allergenic reaction. The allergen is usually a common problem food such as milk, soy, corn, wheat or eggs, or a chemical preservative. Sometimes an easy switch from a dry dog food to dog food in a tin may be all that is required. In other cases, its not that easy and considerable effort must be taken to isolate the exact allergen so it can be completely avoided in the future. Whatever steps are necessary are worth the effort as the elimination of the allergen will often reveal a much happier dog with an improved disposition and mood.

Dog Food for Dogs With Allergies

So, what to feed a dog with food allergies? Is there an allergy free dog food? While the search for the offending allergen can be difficult, at other times a simple change in diet is all that is needed to dramatically improve the symptoms and to effectively stave off dog food allergies. The fact is that many times, dog food allergies can be completely avoided by simply providing your dog with species-appropriate food. However, the elimination of dog food allergies it is not always so simple. An allergy free dog food for your pooch may or may not be apparently available. So, what is an allergy-free dog food? The best dog food for allergies is one that does not have the one offending allergen your dog finds troublesome. Of course, this could be any one of many foods or additives. Any one of the most common dog food allergies may not be the one that is causing the problem. However, the more common foods and additives are a good place to start.

Dogs food allergies are certainly a growing problem. Some folks try to cook specifically for their canine companion only to find their companion has developed homemade dog food allergies. This is really the same problem, one allergen causing trouble. When a dog has an allergy caused from food, it doesn't matter if the cause is with homemade or commercial chow. Again, if a simple switch to a "safe" species-appropriate dog food doesn't do the trick, then the lone allergen must be identified and eliminated. Some folks will hunt for "dog food for allergies." Again, it is not necessarily a matter of finding correct recipes. Some "safe' recipes may not be effective for your dog. If that is the case, it is a matter of finding the lone allergen causing the problem and eliminating it from the dog's diet. That is the trick in dealing with dog food allergies successfully.