The food allergy is one of the most common issues faced by canine owners. Once the allergy has been identified, then the treatment can begin.

Some of the foods that most often cause allergies in dogs include:

• Wheat Products
• Foods containing Soy
• Eggs and Chicken
• Dairy Items
• Corn Foods
• Beef Products

What causes these allergies to occur? Is it not true that the majority of canine food products on store shelves have these ingredients in them? The answer is surprisingly “yes”, but this is not a coincidence. Overexposure to these particular foods has been associated with higher incidences of dogs having allergic reactions.

When you consider the diet the ancestors of dogs had thousands of years ago, you can see that several of the foods are somewhat new to dogs, meaning they were introduced to them in the last 50-60 years. Several generations are needed for animals to build a tolerance to specific foods; today’s dogs have not had ample time to build that tolerance.

What Reactions Are Commonly Seen with Allergies and What is a Quick Treatment?

The major signs of food allergy in your dog are like those seen in other dog allergies and include:

1.      Itching is the most common sign of a dog with a food allergy

2.      Ear infections that are chronic or recurring

3.      Excessive loss of hair

4.      Hot spots on the skin

5.      Extreme scratching

6.      Skin infections that may clear up with antibiotics but come back when the drugs are discontinued

7.      Frequent Bowel elimination

If your dog displays any of these signs, you should start the process of diagnosing this problem.

First, remember that there are several irritants in your dog’s environment that can cause skin irritation or itching. When this is your dog’s main symptom, you need to make sure that it is not the result of fleas. If fleas are not the problem, look at other irritants like contact and inhaled allergens, parasites, and some forms of skin cancer, etc. If all of those causes can be ruled out, your dog probably has a food allergy.

While you are trying to find the source of the problem, you should attempt to ease your dog’s itching with organic and natural tonics. Scratching or biting at the skin excessively can cause breaking of the skin and infections.

Using an Elimination Diet to Identify Your Dog’s Food Allergy

After other causes have been eliminated, the food trial should start; this trial is also known as the Elimination Diet. The purpose of this diet is to remove all food from your pet’s diet and then gradually bring all of it back until the offending food is found. Chances are your dog has an allergy to only one or two ingredients in the food. Some sort of protein is typically the responsible agent.

Your dog should be placed on a diet that contains a carbohydrate and protein that he has not been exposed to before for twelve weeks. The following foods are examples that fit this bill: rabbit with rice, duck with rutabagas, and venison with potatoes.

Once you select a diet, feed the dog  solely those foods for the entire twelve weeks. It can be hard as your dog should not be given any treats at all during this period. Keep in mind that you do not know what food is the source of your pet’s allergy.

The dog should be watched closely. If the symptoms seem to improve after the trial, try feeding him his normal diet. If his symptoms come back, you will know that he is allergic to something in that certain food. If the symptoms don’t clear up during the food trial, you should try another carb and protein source and resume your food tests.

Treatment for the Identified Canine Food Allergen

Once you have identified the allergen, you need to plan your dog’s future diet. You have two options as the owner of a dog with a food allergy, homemade diets and special commercial diets.

If you use a homemade diet, it can be changed periodically to introduce new ingredients. For instance, if you feed your dog rabbit and potatoes, you could give him beef for a week and see how he tolerates it. If he has symptoms again, you will know that he is allergic to it, and you can remove it from his diet.

Eighty percent of dogs with food allergies respond well to hypoallergenic diets. Just remember that if you choose a commercial food that is hypoallergenic, it should not have any of the ingredients that were found in your pet’s old food.

Hypoallergenic foods typically have alternative sources of protein, meat, and essential fats.

Selecting a natural or organic commercial food will guarantee a better quality of ingredients as well as no byproducts. Look at the label to be sure the ingredients will agree with your pet.