Article Title: How To Fight Your Pets Allergies The Right Way
Author: Ronny Sikes
Food allergies are the third most common type of allergy
manifest in dogs. Unfortunately, food allergies in dogs are not
breed-specific, and thus there are no "safe breeds." They can
develop anywhere between 5 months to 12 years of age, though
most often they appear between the ages of 2 and 6. An important
thing to understand about a potential food allergy is that it
develops over time, and a dog can slowly develop an allergic
reaction to a food it has safely eaten for months or years
beforehand.
It is also important to understand the difference between
allergies and intolerances. A food intolerance, for example,
might result in diarrhea or vomiting in a dog, much the same way
a human might react poorly to spicy or foreign foods. An allergy
may not result in overt symptoms such as these, but might be
more subtle such as itchy or sensitive skin. Other common
symptoms include hot spots, excessive scratching, hair loss, and
ear sensitivity/
tip-off, because seasonal allergies will naturally only appear
at certain times. Also, a number of studies have shown that an
increase in a dog's bowel movements to three times a day or more
could be an indicator of a food allergy, as a healthy dog should
typically only move its bowels about 1.5 times a day. Blood
tests can also be performed by a vet to help identify potential
allergies, though there are some that doubt the validity of the
results.
Allergic reactions to food are unfortunately often difficult to
diagnose. Because many owners feed their dogs dry or canned dog
food with many different ingredients, often the best way to
reliably test for food allergies is to put the dog on a strict
diet of a new source of protein and a new source of
carbohydrates for 12 weeks., such as venison and rice, for
example. Assuming the dog's symptoms clear up, the original food
or ingredients can be introduced one at a time to the dog's diet
to see if the symptoms return. If an offending ingredient is
identified, treatment is rather straightforward: simply refrain
from feeding it to the pup. It's important to afterwards check
the ingredients of any store-bought dog food, since many contain
a wide variety of ingredients. Many veterinarians will be able
to recommend a special food, and some will sell owners the food
directly, though be aware that the specially prepared foods are
typically more expensive than common store-bought dog foods.
For particularly sensitive allergies, or for allergies for
common ingredients, home-cooked food is always an option.
Remember to always consult your vet before putting your pet on a
new diet, as the meals need to be properly balanced so that your
pet gets healthy amounts of the nutrients he or she needs.
However, preparing the dog's meals yourself could alleviate the
cost of custom diets.
Although diagnosis can be a long and arduous process, the
result is a happier and healthier pet, and a worry-free owner.
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