Common Dog Food Allergies
Common
Dog Food Allergies are they
A
food intolerance? or A food allergy?
The difference is confusing to most dog owners
Most of us are not aware of the difference between the common dog food allergies and a dogs food intolerance, which is a dogs digestive response caused by certain foods difficulty.
This intolerance occurs when a dog’s digestive system is unable to or has extreme difficulty in digesting certain specific ingredients.
What are the symptoms of a dogs intolerance to certain food contents?
The signs to watch for are related to mainly digestive distress… irritable behavior after a meal,gas, restlessness related to bloating, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Common dog food allergies?What
are the signs and symptoms allergies?
A food allergy? These symptoms include an allergic reaction that can cause skin rashes, hives, itching, paw biting, obsessive licking and sometimes nausea or vomiting.
Common dog food allergies can be checked ask with your vet
Is there something wrong with the quality of the food product that causes this?
Your pet’s own immune system is not necessarily at fault,nor is it likely due to a problem with the product itself. It could be related to the manufacturing process of that product.
Examples of when a product containing the same ingredients is fed to the same dog over a period of time and produces an allergic reaction, then changed to another brand with the same ingredients and the reaction ceases.
So one answer is it can be within the manufacturing process itself. If however a dog is allergic to a particular ingredient, he will likely experience the same unfavorable reaction to that ingredient… no matter what brand you feed it with.
What should I do if my dog shows signs of one of these common dog food allergies, should I immediately suspect it’s caused by the food?
Food is not the leading cause of canine allergies, but only the third in line cause. The signs and symptoms you observe are not associated with common dog food allergies and may not even be related to your pet’s food but by other factors.
However food is the easiest for dog owner to try first other reaction may require specialist investigation and your vet is the best place to go to then.
What are the most common causes of dog food allergies?
Dog food ingredients most likely to provoke an allergic reaction1 include…
- Beef Chicken ,Lamb
- Dairy product
- Fish
- Corn,Wheat
- Soy
- Yeast2
What else could cause my dog to be allergic to his food?
Many of the cereal grains sold as unfit for human consumption are sold for animal use there can be many reasons why they are unfit for human food. The reason could be as simple as it had be stored past its sell by date,but grains stored for longer than the date guidelines the greater the risk is and it becomes a fertile breeding ground for common insect contaminants
including mould as in bread mould is in itself is unlikely to cause problems but mould in grains along mites,insects and their droppings in old stored grain can add problematic ingredients to commercial dog food.
Insects,along with their droppings can be associated with cheap, low-quality grains unfit for human consumption. I suppose the question then is would you knowingly feed your pet food unfit for you?
The most common insect contaminants include the following:
- Grain mites which breed at an alarming rate
- Red flour beetles
- Flat grain beetles
- Meal worms
- Granary weevils
Another Likely Cause is Chronic Allergy
Atopic dermatitis can be completely undiagnosed for a long time,yet it is quite common in some
countries,it is an agonizing condition and debilitating condition for dogs.
The disease is an allergic skin reaction that can deteriorate into a chronic condition with the correct treatment. It is cause by specific pollutants (called allergens).
Symptoms can be so common it’s easy to overlook the everyday signs of the disease…
- Chronic itching
- Excessive licking or chewing of the paws, abdomen and groin
- Deep pink, reddened or oozing ears
- Loss of hair and balding areas (known as “alopecia”)
- Black pigmentation of the skin around the groin (in later stages)
- Secondary yeast or bacterial infections (especially in the ears)
So, what are these “specific pollutants” that cause this miserable disease?
Well, it’s been known for years that atopic dermatitis can be caused by common household dust mites. You know, the kind you find in your home’s carpeting.
The same kind of mites that cause allergies in humans thorough regular cleaning is the only answer and a change in your dogs diet. Considerations to be considered are a controlled grain free diet or a Hypo-allergenic based recipe diet.
Allergies can have serious consequences for your pet. So, be sure to consult a qualified veterinary professional for help.
A healthy friend will share with you all the time in their world
Just A Good Companion
More related articles.
Allergies,What to look for Systems,Causes and Treatments
Grain Free dog food recipes can help some allergies in dogs
Hydrolyzed protein Dog Food can be an answer to more dog allergies
High Protein dog food can be another answer when used in a controlled diet
