Dog Article Directory ::

Pet Food Allergies? Check Out What's In The Bag

submitted: May 15th 2008 | by: RebeccaFoxton | Total views: 43 | Word Count: 424 | |

Dogs, like their human companions, can have allergies to different varieties of food. Many times, the problem is that their bodies can't handle the corn or wheat in the food, which can often show up as colitis.

Some symptoms of dog food allergies include: Vomiting bile or blood, bad appetite, diarrhea and blood in the stool, itching, dry coat and skin, chronic ear infections, loss of fur, lots of scratching, hot spots and skin infections, increased bowel movements and anything else out of the ordinary.

Should you suspect that your dog is allergic to a certain food, you need to do some testing to make sure that it is indeed food which is causing the problem, as other medical complaints can also cause similar symptoms, like parasites, skin infections or any other.

It may mean that you avoid all commercial brands and stick to a homemade style dog food recipe of protein and carbohydrate, of which you can control exactly what goes into it.

Making the issue more complex, there are many additives in dog food, and it may be one of these additives which is causing the allergy, rather than a certain kind of meat or grain.

Dairy products, wheat, chicken, chicken eggs, soy, corn, and beef are the common culprits found in a dog's diet that cause allergies. "But aren't these the most common ingredients in dog food?", you might ask.

Correct, and there is a correlation here. Just as many humans are lactose intolerant, over-exposure to these foodstuffs may be what has caused the problem.

New recipes such as lamb and rice have been formulated because these are not traditional dog foods, therefore dogs have not had time to build up an intolerance.

These might not treat the intolerance though, as many of these brands contain soy, egg etc., so check the ingredients.

There are many hypoallergenic dog foods on the market to address the increasing numbers of dogs with allergies. As with any comparison, dog food recipes may or may not be suitable or palatable for your individual pet, so these are just general guidelines.

Be prepared to compare dog food brands extensively, since one thing to consider is that many "healthy" dog foods may still cause allergies in your dog if they contain that trigger ingredient. Even human grade dog food might still be causing your dog stomach problems.

Just as in humans, an intolerance to wheat or dairy contained in dog foods, natural and high quality though they may be, will still cause the end result. Canine skin allergies are another sign that your dog may have an allergy.

Tags: dog health, dog supplies, cat health, cat supplies, pet care, pet health, pet supplies, dog, dogs, cat, cats, pet, pets, home

About the Author

About the author: Rebecca Foxton can help you give your pet brilliant health with Fortiflora. Check out her nutrition tips for pet owners, and visit her dog food articles on Dog Buffs.

Comments

No comments posted.

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.

If you like using Dog Article Directory please consider linking to us

Dog Article Directory
A free general article submission site that is human edited, offering Rss feeds by category, printer friendly and Html versions of articles and free content.

<a title="Submit Your Articles For Free" href="http://www.dogarticledirectory.net"><b>Dog Article Directory</b></a><br> A free general article submission site that is human edited, offering Rss feeds by category, printer friendly and Html versions of articles and free content.