Every pet parent should only give the best dog food for dogs with allergies to their fur baby. Have you ever been allergic to things or foods? Allergies could be one of the most infuriating things on earth especially if your pet suffers from it. Just imagine your furry companion excessively licking and scratching because of allergens, no wonder others consider it an ultimate test of their sanity.
Like humans, some dogs may not be able to eat certain types of foods available in the market and may actually have food allergies and sensitivities. Others may be accustomed to their dog food, then all of a sudden becomes allergic to it. To guarantee that they get top nutrition despite having sensitive stomachs, feed them with high-quality dog food for dogs with allergies.
Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate an allergic reaction to a simple upset stomach and symptoms of food allergy takes time to persist. This could also be a vicious cycle- your dog eats, its body produces antibodies due to an allergic reaction and suffers from am myriad of symptoms. This is why it is of utmost importance to determine which food ingredients cause him the allergy.
And just because your furry companions are not sneezing or coughing like humans do when suffering from allergens, that doesn’t mean they are safe from it. They would exhibit scratching behaviours and obsessive licking when exposed to allergens. It is really painful to see your pet shaking itself vigorously or biting its paws or has poor coat and skin condition due to allergic reactions. To help your pet in addressing food allergies and its symptoms, arm yourself with knowledge about food allergies.
When Does Food Allergy Occur?
To burst your bubble, food is not the one to blame although we call it food allergy. As responsible pet parents we would like to know how and why food allergy happens. Below are some ideas to help you understand the origin of food allergy.
- Experts also call it food sensitivities which develop in a longer span of time. This is your dog’s adverse reaction to his food and its ingredients that may take a toll on its immune system.
- Basically, food allergy happens when the dog’s immune system treated a specific food ingredient to be harmful to the body. For an instance, grain ingredient or wheat-based products.
- The dog’s immune system will produce antibodies to fight the food ingredient which it considers an enemy.
- It is their body’s response to release histamines that causes itching.
- Do not confuse it with food intolerance as this simply means your dog does not agree with the food. It is a digestive issue and not an immune response.
In general, food sensitivities are associated with certain ingredients, but the most common are animal-based proteins. Gluten which is another form of protein are highly found in grains like barley, oat, wheat and rye. Thus, these food ingredients may also cause your pet food allergy.
The Contents of An Ideal Dog Food
The ideal product does not include ingredients that may cause upset stomach or trigger allergies such as wheat, soy, corn and dairy ingredients. These are known to induce stomach upset and cause them digestion problems. Other common allergens according to dog enthusiasts are lamb, beef, yeast and fish. To give you a heads-up, the best dog food for dogs with allergies does not contain the usual chicken or fish meat. Try something more “obscured” and interesting ingredients such as pheasant and kangaroo.
The key to selecting the healthiest dog food for skin allergies and sensitive stomach is to choose the product that does not contain any of these ingredients, is packed with vitamins and nutrients and essential fatty acids and include proteins from high-quality sources. Likewise, the product is also a great grain free dog food for allergies, which all dog breeds will surely love. If you believe your dog is suffering from food allergy, consider the top canned dog food for allergies.
Well surprisingly, most dog breeds are not allergic to these ingredients by nature and because of that, dog food manufacturers usually incorporate these ingredients into their products. Again, food allergies tend to develop over time. Simply, these food ingredients are the ones that they are heavily exposed to.
The Benefits of Getting the Right Dog Food
If you are in search of the best dog food for allergies you come to the right place! Aside from treating your dog’s upset stomach and symptoms of allergies, the right dog food for skin allergies and sensitive stomach offers a myriad of health benefits.
Among the other awesome benefits include;
- It promotes immunity, proper digestion and intestinal health while keeping their ideal weight.
- It has the right balance of fibers needed for digestive health
- The product offers a whole lot of health benefits such as healthy gums, skin and coat.
- Because it is made of natural ingredients, you are sure that it doesn’t contain preservatives and artificial food flavours and colours.
- The animal protein comes from high-quality sources. Mostly the product includes ingredients that are not commonly given to dogs such as kangaroo or buffalo meat sources. Again, chicken, lamb, bison, turkey and fish meat as sources of proteins are very common and might be the culprit for your pet’s food allergy.
Take note, however, that food allergy is related to the dog’s immune system and is not really about the dog food itself. If your dog happens to be allergic to a specific ingredient such as proteins from chicken, he will likely to suffer the same allergic reactions regardless of the brand of the dog food.
In order for us to avoid such fateful event to happen to our dogs, we should know further the basic components of an ideal dog food for dogs with allergies. You will encounter terms such as novel ingredients and limited ingredients.
- As the name suggests, limited food ingredients used limited components in the product. This diet helps you to pin down the definite cause of food allergy. Usually, a single animal protein is included and a single source of carbohydrates.
- The minimal variation of proteins helps in reducing the potential allergen. The usual dog food in the market contains a bunch of ingredients and meat sources.
- While the novel ingredient refers to the components that your dog might not have been exposed to ever so they are less likely to become sensitive to it.
The formula is a great choice because it is nutritionally balanced and is specially made for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Take note that food allergies take some time to develop and we can say that your pit bull might be eating the allergy-inducing ingredients for a long time even before the symptoms manifest. Thus, it is best to introduce him to a trusted brand of dog food for pit bull with allergies.
Noticed that the product indicates limited ingredients? This means that it only has 2-3 main ingredients which are beneficial for dogs by eliminating potential allergens to their diet. After the dog’s skin is completely healed, you can transition it to a novel diet.
Novel foods are considered the best rated dog food for allergies since these types of foods are free from grains, soy, milk and wheat as ingredients. It only contains high-quality ingredients which contribute to your dog’s overall health. Good veggies like clover sprouts, kale sprouts, zucchini and yams can be also present in novel food ingredients. In general, this product will help you eliminate the allergens.
Know When Your Dog Has Food Allergy
Among other symptoms include frequent bowel movements. An allergic dog may have at least 3 bowel movements in one day. However, this symptom confuses pet owners if their dog is suffering from allergies or food intolerance. You can also see that the allergies in dogs are normally expressed through skin itching. Aside from that, you may also notice frequent vomiting, poor coat quality, ear infection, and hot spots which are other manifestations of food allergy among dogs.
When you suspect your dog to have food allergies, a food trial is highly advised, but if the health problem persists, you should consider switching to a hypoallergenic dog food. To determine which causes allergy, a food elimination trial must be done.
The Food Elimination Trial
During this period, you will only give your dog a balanced diet but without food ingredients to which your dog has been exposed. Say you used to feed your pet with dog food containing chicken or beef sources of protein, do not give him these ingredients during the elimination trial period. Feed him with only this recipe for at least 6-8 weeks. Sad to say, you cannot give him flavoured medicine or antibiotics, dog treats and chews during this period. Also, make sure that your pet does not have an access to other pet’s food or to neighbourhood’s food. Once your dog eats something not included in the “elimination period recipe” you have to start all over. Be cautious!
The improvement depends on individual dogs. Some take 8 weeks to fully recover to their allergies. After the 8-week period, reintroduce the old food to know if your pet is really suffering from food allergy and you don’t misdiagnose. After successfully determining the ingredients which trigger an allergy, switch to this product that only has limited ingredients. You will get to know which particular ingredient causes distress to your dog. If the itching comes back, we are pretty sure there is food allergy present.
With the aid of a healthy dog food for allergies and yeast infections, you can see improvements in your dog’s overall health. This food will help them stop scratching and may help prevent future cases of food allergy to start by strengthening the dog’s immune system.
The awesome thing about this product is that it only contains premium ingredients that your dog may have never been exposed to. These are perfect alternatives, especially for dogs with allergies to proteins like chicken and meat.
Final Advice
Unlike us, dogs have special dietary needs to keep that should be met in order for them to be in good shape and health but not overweight. At the same time, food allergy is disheartening and quite challenging for both the pet parent and their dog. One of the most common yet underlying reasons which trigger allergic reactions is diet.
It seems that dogs nowadays are being fed with dog foods that are highly processed and contain too much fat and grains. Also, most of them are suffering from gluten intolerance, which comes from grains and corn ingredients that most commercial dog foods contain. Dog treats and dental chews are also made of wheat gluten. These factors add up to an imbalance that can cause allergic reactions.
After the food trial and you are sure of pet allergy, it is critical to talk with your vet to know if there are possible skin infections. Mites and fleas can only do worse and complicate the condition. Your dog will most likely to developed inflamed, red and broken skin due to incessant scratching and we don’t like him to acquire secondary bacterial or fungal infection!
Keep in mind that allergies can greatly affect your pet and can impose serious consequences for the both of you. Although we only hope the best for you and your pet, some online advice coming from other pet owners may not be suitable for your fur baby. Make sure that you also spend time and effort to know if your dog gets proper nutrition and only eats best rated dog food for allergies.
Seek for professional help as well and find recommendations on what to do next. Thus upon proper diagnosing, it is your responsible to provide them the best dog food for allergies to help them grow strong and healthy.
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