Cheap
Pet
Meds
Bird
Bath
Fountains
Evo
Dog
Food
Cheap
Dog
Crates
Finch
Bird
Seed
Heartworm
Medicine
Pet Supply Tips :: Dog Food Allergies
Dog Food Allergies:
Your Dog and Solutions for Food Allergies
Custom Search
Dog food allergies are a regular cause of itchy skin, upset stomachs, and irritation.
Unfortunately, other allergies like flea and atopic allergies can also cause similar symptoms, making it hard to diagnose. If you suspect your dog may be suffering from a food allergy, you may need to do an at-home food trial.
How a Food Trial Works
The idea behind a dog food trial is to feed your dog new foods that he hasn't eaten before. If the allergy goes away, it indicates that your dog's old food was causing the allergy problems.
Picking Trial Foods
Unfortunately, ingredients like lamb, duck, chicken and beef are all common ingredients in most dog food. Typically, hypoallergenic dog food designed for dog food allergies include meats like venison, fish, rabbit or kangaroo.
If you're concerned about the ingredients in dog food, you can even make your own at home. A simple combination like rabbit and rice or sweet potato is fairly easy to blend together.
Conducting a Food Trial
When running your home food trial, you must only feed your dog the trial food. That means no table scraps and no favorite treats. If you need to offer your dog a treat, use an ingredient that's included in your trial diet.
Typically, a novel diet or trial diet is run for about 8 to 12 weeks. Keep an eye on your dog's itchiness and levels of irritation. If it subsides or significantly improves during this period, then you know the old food was causing dog food allergies.
If the Food Trial Fails
If a carefully run food trial fails to alleviate your dog's allergies, there are two possibilities – your dog is reacting to one of the new ingredients, or the allergy is caused by something else like a skin infection, bites, or even a household product.
Dog food allergies can be difficult to diagnose, but with patience, diligence and a commitment to experimenting with new foods, you can pinpoint the problem.
See also:
All Site Articles for Pet Supplies Tips
Custom Search
Learn how to care for the health of your beloved canine with
The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health
Order Online
24 Hours a Day
7 Days a Week
365 Days a Year!
Copyright 2008
PetSuppliesTips.com :: Dog Food Allergies