How to Choose Hypoallergenic Dog Food To Keep Your Dog Happy and Healthy
Hypoallergenic dog foods can be an issue for some dogs. It is not uncommon for dogs to suffer from allergies or sensitive stomachs. If you feel that your little four-legged friend is having such issues, it would be a good idea to switch over from the regular dog food brands to the specially made hypoallergenic dog foods for hypoallergenic conditions.
With such foods, you can ensure that your dog has to suffer less intestinal distress and skin conditions so that they can lead a healthier, happier life.
The most common symptoms from dog foods to help you diagnose that your dog suffers from allergies include digestive problems like vomiting and diarrhea and skin irritation and inflammation.
Allergies can develop to a single or a number of ingredients like dairy products, wheat, soy, yeast, beef and chicken.
Regular dog food products, in most cases, also include flavorings, dyes, chemicals and preservatives that can also cause allergic symptoms.
Hypoallergenic dog foods avoid the use of these.
Here are some of the most common foods that your dog may have allergies for: beef, dairy, chicken, wheat, egg, lamb, soy, pork, rabbit, and fish. Typically, many dogs are allergic to more than one of these. Some dogs may have allergies from their genetic makeup, and some dogs may develop allergies as they grow older.
What causes dogs to have allergies to certain foods? Certain proteins are what causes many dogs to have allergies. The protein they eat breaks down into their immune system and then their immune system misidentifies this as a threat. There are a number of other bad additives that are not good for dogs.
Dogs with food sensitivities can shows signs of various symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea, or skin problems such as; itchiness, poor skin and coat, and chronic ear or foot infections.
Here are a list of symptoms that could signs of allergic reactions in your dog.
• Your dog Itching All The Time
• Breaking Out With Hives
• Swelling Of Your Dog's Face, Ears, Lips, And Eyelids
• You Dog Develops Red and Inflamed skin
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Sneezing
• You Dog Develops Chronic ear infections
Trial and Error:
While there are a number of hypoallergenic dog foods available in the market, the difficult part is to identify the foods that your pet is allergic to.
The best way of doing this is by the process of elimination through trial and error. Keep trying different ingredients in the foods you give your dog and see which ones trigger allergic reactions. In most cases, dogs tend to be allergic to corn, soy and beef, so it might begin with the elimination of these.
If you do not see the symptoms disappear, you need to try other combinations eliminating different ingredients at every step. Eliminate any other medical conditions: In many cases, pet owners mistake other medical conditions for allergies.
Your dog might actually just be suffering from a bad stomach or an infection that could cause diarrhea and vomiting. It is therefore advisable to have it checked by the vet to rule out any other causes.
Maintain a Log:
Maintain a diary in order to keep a record of the food experiments you have tried and the ingredients that affect/ do not affect your dog's health. The harder part here is that dogs could be allergic to two or more ingredients or combinations of certain ingredients so you may have to try out a number of experiments to derive accurate conclusions and maintaining a log or a diary can be of great help in keeping everything organized.
Where to Look for Hypoallergenic Food:
Hypoallergenic dog foods can be found at online as there are many varieties available. Their are a number of hypoallergenic dog foods that will list specific ingredients. You can compare between brands and prices to best suit your dog.
Here Are Some Of The Best HypoAllergenic Dog Foods For 2020:
Related Products
Canidae Pure
Canidae Grain-Free Pure Real Salmon And Sweet Potatoes
Earthborn Holistic Venture Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Made without grain, gluten or potato, this special formula is perfect as a grain-free alternative diet.
References
Lisa M. Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVN, Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVN, Cailin R. Heinze, VMD, MS, DACVN, Clinical Nutrition Service, Cummings School, Cummings Veterinary Medical Center, Tufts, University Food Allergies and Food Intolerance