Someone recently asked the question of what food is best for dog hot spots. Well, first we’re starting with the assumption that a dog food allergy is the cause of the hot spots. While this may be the case, there are other causes as well.
What are Hot Spots?
Dog hot spots are a type of skin infection that occurs in dogs. It is typically a circular area that can be painful, itchy, and even smelly.
Can a Dog Food Allergy Cause Hot Spots?
Last year Abigail, our Golden Retriever, had surgery on her ear and had to wear the dreaded cone for 2 weeks. On her last trip to the vet, they removed the cone and Abby was one happy pup! She pranced around the lobby of the vet’s office, excited to have that dreaded collar removed.
My wife dropped Abigail off at the house, and went out to run some errands. When she returned, Abigail had a huge dog hot spot across her right flank. This happened over 2 hours! Over the course of 2 hours, she chewed most of the hair from that area and left a big mess. Thankfully, our vet had one more appointment that afternoon and was able to see her.
The vet told us that the hot spot was probably caused by dog allergies, so we started investigating the cause. After some research, we started to wonder if her food was the culprit. Shadow, our other dog, was eating the same food, and was having dog allergy symptoms as well (although his were different). After further inspection, we found that there were a number of ingredients in the dogs’ food that are common allergens. These included corn, soy, wheat, fillers, and by-products. As a friend of mine said the other day, “How many dogs do you see grazing on corn? If they don’t eat it in the wild, then why are we feeding it to them?”
I think he makes a lot of sense. In an effort to become more profitable, some companies have started including a wide range of filler ingredients in dog food and some of them are just plain disgusting. For instance, peanut shells, cereal byproducts, cottonseed hulls, straw, corn, weeds, feathers, and even chicken beaks to name a few. In order to cut costs, companies are using fillers that have no taste, but are substantially cheaper than quality animal proteins.
So, getting back to the original question of can dog food allergies cause hot spots: I have seen it with my own eyes. Fortunately, after doing some research, we were able to change Abigail and Shadow’s food and within about 2 weeks, a lot of the dog allergy problems went away. For our pups, the key was moving to a food without the corn meal and by-products that they were allergic to. Please note, the change is not quick. It can take around two weeks for you to see improvement.
What about a dog food for allergies?
For an adult dog (we stopped feeding our dogs “puppy” food at 1 year), it is recommended that the level of fat be between 15 and 19 percent and the level of protein be between 22 to 25 percent. Some dogs have different requirements depending on the breed and activity level. If you have questions, it is a good idea to go over nutritional needs with your vet.
The type of protein is important as well. For the grain free food we selected, the protein choices were venison, bison, duck, fish, or lamb, but there are others. Make sure the first five items on the ingredients list are not any type of grain (corn meal, etc.), they should be a form of protein.
Summary
Picking the right food for your pet is an important task. Some veterinarians are knowledgeable about your pet’s nutritional needs. If you believe that your dog has a dog food allergy, it is always a good idea to have a vet check him/her out. While there, you can see what they recommend for a dog food allergy. If you do switch your pet’s food, make sure you do it gradually, mixing the foods over several days. Even with a quality food, switching them too fast can cause an upset stomach.
