 |
Canine Food allergy problems in dogs are less common than allergies to allergens in the air (atopy) such as
pollen.
Food allergies are seldom from hormones, additives or preservatives. They are usually due to a natural food product such as meat, milk, eggs, fish, beef, pork, horse meat, grains, potatoes, soy or additives. Of these the most common ingredients are beef, chicken, corn and diary. Switching to organic food will not help since all of these are the same in their organic form. It is not unusual for a dog to develop an allergic reaction to a food they have been eating for several years.
Canine Food Allergy SymptomsIf you dog is allergic to food, symptoms usually are non-seasonal occur within 24 to 72 hours, but can happen in up to 2 weeks. Like other allergies, you will see your dog itch frequently, see small red skin bumps or raised areas of skin. You will usually see the allergic rash on the belly, back of the legs, ears and feet.Treatment and Diagnosis of Canine Food AllergyThe key to diagnosing a food allergy is to eliminate as many foods as possible and then see if the allergic reaction disappears. Your Veterinarian will put your dog on a diet that consists of as few ingredients as possible (called hypoallergenic canine diet). Just switching dog foods doesn’t work as each has too many ingredients. Also, antihistamines and allergy shots tend not to work.It takes as many as 10 weeks to see if a test diet is working. Recent studies have shown that a diet prepared at home is the best course of action. If this isn’t practical, consider simple combination dog food such as Hill’s salmon/rice or duck/potato. It is suggested that when testing different foods, your dog should only drink water. Your dog may not like the change, but be careful with the temptation to also provide a treat since the treat itself could be the cause. One substitute for treats is fruit since fruit rarely is the cause of allergic reaction. Once you find something that works, stay with it. You should see improvement in your dog once you discover the source of the allergy. This would include less gas, better appetite, healthier skin and coat and more energy. Click Here for More on Canine Allergy and Canine Food Allergy
Brevitz, Betsy, DVM; Hound Health Handbook Greek, Jean, DVM, ACIDM; New Hope Animal Hospital “Atopic Disease and Allergy” Beale, Karin M. DVM, Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists – “Atopic Dermatitis: Clinical Signs and Diagnosis” Giffin, James M. MD & Carlson, Liisa D., DVM “Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook”. Lloyd, Professor David, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Campus: “Diagnosis & Management of Adverse Food Reactions in Dogs” Osborn, Sarah Colombini DVM, Southwest Veterinary College, Houston: “Optimal use of Hypoallergenic Diets” Ihrke, VMD, Professor of Dermatology, School of Veterinary Meicine, University of California: “Flea Allergy Dermatitis”
|
