How common are dog food allergies? When it comes to dog allergies, food allergies come in third behind fleas and inhalants. Unlike flea allergies, food allergy symptoms will occur anywhere on their entire body.
When we got our puppy at eight weeks old, he was very healthy. We got the food that the breeder recommended and he ate it until he was 11 months old. At that time, we decided to switch him over to an adult dog food and it made sense to stay with the same brand.
The first symptom we noticed with his dog food allergy was the fact that he had areas on his chest he was chewing and scratching frequently. These were, at the time, only mildly inflamed but seemed to cause him some discomfort. Not much later, we began to notice dog hair loss around his eyes. And shortly after that, he started losing the hair on his muzzle as well.
In the beginning, a dog food allergy may manifest itself with increased itchiness causing scratching, licking, and chewing around the inflamed areas. If left untreated, the conditions could get worse and lead to ear infections or even hot spots.
Our Golden Retriever was allergic to grains. Before we switched her to a grain free food, she would get recurring ear infections. Part of this had to do with the fact that Golden Retrievers are genetically predisposed to this condition. Once we switched her to a grain free food, a lot of those issues one away.
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It’s important to note that a dog can even get an allergy to a food that he or she has been eating for years. In this case, it becomes even more important to consult a veterinarian to make sure that the allergy is properly diagnosed.
The vet may recommend a novel food trial. This is a test where the dog is given a food containing ingredients he / she have never eaten before. This test would normally last around six weeks and if the symptoms go away, it shows that the dog was probably having an allergic reaction to something in its food.
While dog food allergies are not as common as flea or inhalant allergies, they still occur to a large number of dogs. If your dog is showing allergy symptoms, please get them to a vet for a proper diagnosis.
To learn more about a dog food we tried, see our Chicken Soup Dog Food article.
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This is a nice post. Thanks for sharing some tips about allergy symptoms. Last month my dog has a allergy, Thanks to my vet he overcome it.
If the dog is being fed food with corn or wheat as an ingredient in it then it is very likely food allergies. the symptoms you described sound like allergies.
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Love the website and especially love your url. Fantastic
I’ll second Themed’s comment about the URL! This is my first time to your site and I really got a kick out of the URL.
This article about dog food allergies is quite important and all dog owners should read it. Food allergies can be a serious problem, so it’s important to be knowledgeable.
@thepetman
Thank you for the compliment. I hope to bring an awareness of dog allergies to more people. I believe a lot of dogs are suffering out there and little is being done about it.
For dogs with food allergies, elimination diets remove the symptoms, but are not always nutritionally complete and, therefore, should not be fed long term. A specially tailored home-prepared diet is the best option for dogs with food allergies.
My daughter has a labor-doddle puppy and she just couldn’t stop the diarrhea. She finally had him fast for 24 hours then start with rice and chicken. This did the trick, they did have to change dog foods though and it was a very good brand that Pet Vet said was one of their best. You just never know, we have been feeding our Labs this dog food and haven’t had any problems.
Oh my! I did not know that there is such a thing as dog food allergies! All I know about is either it is good or it is poisonous…such as chocolate.
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Great article
Its always a good idea to double check your pet’s symptoms and find out what is going on even before you take them to a vet. This way you can help ease their pain and get them better a lot faster.
http://www.petsmd.com has a a great tool for diagnosing your animals aliments and getting them cured quickly
I think it is great that we are getting better at diagnosing these problems. pets shouldn’t have to suffer with the know-how we have these days.
I think its his food that he was eating. Corn and wheat are things to stay away from with most dogs. Try giving a good kibble. Ntaural Balance, or California Natural or Innova would be good choices.
.-= sell your property´s last blog ..Ideal listing agent =-.
I used to have a boxer who would get skin infections, at first we thought it was an allergy caused by food but then we worked out it was from tics picked up from going where the foxes go in the woods.
Useful advice. I hope to bring an awareness of dog allergies to more people.
Great article. I was wondering about the itchiness that my dog is experiencing and now I know. Thanks.
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There is no quick fix for dog food allergies. It is up to you to find out the ingredient that is causing the allergy and eliminate it from your dog’s food. Once you have identified the food ingredient(s) to which your dog is allergic and removed them from your dog’s diet, the allergy should clear up quickly enough.
Grain free does not always mean allergy free. Some dogs simply develop allergies to certain protiens. But paw licking can also be allergy to environmental pollens, molds, etc. Or anxiety.
@montenegro
Absolutely! Its amazing that a dog can eat the same food for years (grain free or not) and then become allergic to the ingredients later in life. Some dogs become allergic to proteins like lamb which is generally considered less likely to cause a reaction. Its not always an easy puzzle to solve, but its great when people are aware that there is a problem.
Chris
It is amazing how careful you have to be with some dogs foods when other dogs will literally survive on the leftovers from their owners meals and never eat a specialised diet in their lives!!
This is a nice post. Thanks for sharing some tips about allergy symptoms. It happened with our doggy and now i just serve him boil food. No added spice. Your blog is really nice and it help me a lot.
This was so helpful! Thank you SOOOO much. My chihuahua was having all these symptoms, and my dad had just changed her food, so it must be the new food! Thank you, I can now rest easy.
.-= sell your property´s last blog ..Ideal listing agent =-.
It is funny to think that the food your dog eats can really control his health. A good premium food can benefit health for sure. Glad you were able to figure out the root cause.
A well thought out article and helpful. Our dog is on a venison and potato diet and it is helping but we were so long misdiagnosed, or he was, that it’s taking a bit longer but he’s showing steady improvement.
Thanks! We’ve given our dogs venison and potato in the past. It seems to be a good mix for them.
My dog recently had an allergy and it has been one of the worst. I find it so alarming.
I have a Pug dog which I bought for my mother when I got a job offer abroad. I love dogs and I have had a dog since I was the age of 2, but none of my previous best friends have ever had a health problems like my Barney. My family decided to come and visit me and my new home and my dog got a food allergy. My mom had was in panic because I didn’t know where to find a veterinarian. Thanks got a Google and I finally found a veterinarian directory for the place I am living. Thanks God everything was fine at the end. Food allergies can be really dangerous!
.-= Kaloyan Banev´s last blog ..Your Dog’s Vision =-.
Not long ago, my dog also started having food alergies. My mistake at the time was not to take him to the vet right away and started to change his food. Fortunately after a few tries I realized that wasn’t the option and took him to the vet and now he’s doing just fine!
Dog food allergies are common throughout the United States. Don’t give your dog pet food that will shorten his life.
I am so glad you brought this topic to your readers. I spent an easy $5,000 plus on vet bills before realizing that all I had to do was change food. Still don’t know what is in the food that he is allergic to but all I know is changing foods solved all his (choc. lab) skin issues! Great article!
Thanks! Over the years, I’ve probably spent that much as well, but at the time, I didn’t have a clue what was causing the problem.
This is very interesting topic you have here. Having a dog is not a simple responsibility, it is like having a child of your own. Dogs are not just a pet but has a life to take cared of and dogs deserve the best attention we can give that is why we also be more sensitive on their health issue.
Very informative article. One thing I notice when reading this is that the owner pays very close attention to their animal. I know far too many dog owners who put food out and leave the dog outside in the yard most of the time. You have to have a healthy interaction with your dog to be remotely aware of any tell tale signs of allergies, fleas or even heartworm. Spend the time loving and knowing your animal and you will get boat loads of love back.
@Ron
Very well said, Ron. Thanks for stopping by.
Taking on a pet is a big endeavor. It can be costly, both monetarily and emotionally. Make sure you have the time to spend knowing your pet and that you have the resources to take care of him / her in case they get sick or need costly veterinary attention. In the end, they will bring lots of love and laughter to your life.
This is a great site, I enjoy learning through your very informative articles! Thank you!
This is great information. My Beagle has suffered with allergies almost his entire life.
My 3lb dog had diarrhea and the vet said it was a food allergy. So we started him on a lamb and rice diet. Just wondering how long it will take him to get over his diarrhea? Its been two weeks and no change.
In my opinion, you should see improvement in 2 weeks. What does your vet say?