Search
Most Popular Articles
- Discussion of the Human Body Defense System
- The story of the 12 animals zodiac in China
- How to Balance Your Body to Get Pregnant
- Eating Junk Food -- The Hidden Price
- How To Stop Your Cat Scratching - Get Rid Of Those Fleas
- Ski Boots -- Testing 1, 2, 3
- Wear it Up or Wear it Down?
- Cat Care, Cat Products and Cat Diseases
- Choosing a Cell Phone
- Artificial Satellite Types
Dealing with a Dog Food Allergy?
 Category |
: Pets and Animals |
 Times Read |
: 94 |
 Date |
: 31 January 2008 14:59 |
by: Blake Kritzberg
Just as humans allergies can show up as a sneeze or rash, your dogs allergies can manifest as itchiness -- or even ear infections. In fact, if your dogs allergic to his food, it can cause him to scratch himself constantly, even with no obvious parasite problem.
Dog allergies rarely get solved with medicine, so the best we can do for our four-footed friends is focus on prevention. Providing the right type of food is essential to stopping your dogs scratching habit.
Many people like to share their food with their dogs or let them help "clean up" the kitchen after a meal. Little do they know, their dogs just may not be able to take the tasty food we love so much, and some breeds (like the greyhound) are extremely sensitive. Even common foods like cheese, beef sausage and tuna may cause allergic reactions in some dogs. So its best to let dogs enjoy dog food and not human food, even though they clearly adore and want what were eating!
Narrowing Down the Problem
To determine the exact ingredients your dog is allergic to, try an elimination diet. Although powerful, it also requires patience. In fact, the elimination diet can call for eliminating specific food for up to 12 weeks before youll notice the effects. And if you still havent found the right (and wrong) ingredients, youll have to repeat the process all over again.
So is there an alternative to the lengthy elimination diet? Yes -- give your dog a brand or type of food hes never eaten before. But simply changing to a new brand of dog food might not be enough to eliminate his food allergies, since many brands contain similar ingredients. Instead, study the existing ingredients your dog is eating to determine which types of protein source he hasnt been exposed to. Then, hunt for a dog food that doesnt contain any of the ingredients you saw listed. For example, there are many brands of dog food that contains unusual protein sources such as rabbit or venison -- great for testing allergic reactions to other, more common proteins.
Perhaps the best way for you to get control of dogs allergies is to whip up your own dog food. That way, youll know exactly what hes getting and what he isnt -- something thats extremely hard to tell from reading the back of a dog food bag. Making your own food is especially helpful in elimination diets. To start, combine a portion of rice with baby food and lamb -- so long as your dog isnt already eating lamb and possibly displaying a reaction to it.
Dog food allergies are a special condition that can be frustrating and take patience to solve. Since allergic reactions dont disappear overnight, youll need lots of time and thoughtfulness to help your dog overcome this problem -- but his goofy smile and those scratch-free days ahead will probably make it all worth it.
About The Author
Blake Kritzberg is proprietor of Poodle-oo: Fashion for Toy Dogs. Stop by for toy dog couture and home decor, free toy dog postcards and the Toy Dog Blog.
http://www.poodle-oo.com/
Random Article 1 |
Random Article 2 |
by: Judie P. Dahl KFC a girl and her dogs best friend. My most precious boy Chan the Chow was not doing very well. He was 12 years old and his coat was dull and thin, he had stopped eating and did not want to be in the house. I was heartbroken when the vet told me that it did |
by: Robert Benson Owning a dog is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have in their lifetime, but having a dog is much more than the occasional walk around the block or playing fetch in the yard. There are many other responsibilities that one must consider in order to b |
Random Article 3 |
Random Article 4 |
by: Julee Meltzer In the U.S. alone, more than 30 million people each year take their pets with them while camping. Yet, when we first started RVing with our dogs, we were unable to find much written on the subject. Sure, there were the occasional articles in magazines that reminded u |
by: Adriana Copaceanu If you have dog lovers in your family, its time to think of some unique gifts you can give them this Christmas. They will remember this gift for a long time if you not only give them a gift form themselves, but include something for their dog or puppy. To get |