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Does Your Dog Have Food Allergies?
By Gene R. Sower
Because
every dog is unique, it's sometimes very difficult to determine
what causes food-related allergies and what doesn't. Common pet
food culprits include wheat, corn and soy. Various proteins also
create their share of problems in certain dogs.
I
was shocked to learn that some dogs are allergic to chicken, while
I know from first-hand experience that my Jack Russell Terrier
Lucy used to be allergic to beef.
Itching
and scratching
If excessive itching and scratching are the problems, that may
simply be the lack of
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Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids in your dog's
diet that's making his skin and coat dry. Winter indoor heating
may exacerbate the condition. Excessive and compulsive foot licking
or chewing and biting other parts of the body are generally a
sign that allergies are to blame.
Adding
simple food additives to your dog's food may be the key without
switching diets. Supplements like Mrs. Allen's Shed Stop, Flaxseed
Oil, Pet Botanics Skin & Coat supplement, Royal Coat from
Ark Naturals or Health & Shine from Dr. Harvey's are all viable
solutions for supplementing your dog's diet with the needed omegas
that dogs and cats need to lubricate their skin and coats.
Find
the right food
Assuming it's food allergies and not environmental that are causing
the problem, many vets and pet nutritionists recommend substituting
a protein source that your dog doesn't normally eat. Lamb is often
used for this purpose, because it's not as common a dog food ingredient.
Lamb in and of itself is not "non-allergic," but it's
less common than chicken and beef, so it enables you to introduce
something new into your dog's diet — in effect, starting
with a clean slate.
Some
vets sell expensive "allergy-free formulas," but there
are ways to figure this out on your own and a lot less expensively.
Increasingly,pet owners who have dogs with food allergies are
feeding various pet food mixes like Dr. Harvey's, Solid Gold Holistique
Blendz or The Honest Kitchen's FORCE formula, which is grain-free,
or Sojourner Farms' new grain-free Europa formula.
Pinpoint
the problem ingredient
Mixes, while a bit more work, allow you to more closely control
what your dog is eating by beginning with a good "base"
that contains the proper nutrients and vitamins especially formulated
for dogs. Then you can experiment by introducing your own protein
sources (whether raw or cooked) and seeing how your dog reacts
over the next few days.
Because
The Honest Kitchen FORCE Formula is grain-free but chicken-based,
I would stick to the Dr. Harvey’s or the Europa, which have
no protein or grain sources. The Solid Gold Holistique Blendz
formula is also a good choice but that already contains fish protein.
Because fish-based protein is an unlikely protein source for your
dog to begin with, it's unlikely that it will cause allergy problems
now — same theory with the lamb or any other uncommon protein
like venison or buffalo or rabbit. If later you find that chicken
is ok, I would give The Honest Kitchen FORCE Formula a second
look, too.
Beginning
with one of these neutral, grain-free formulas, try adding chicken
for a week. If that goes well, than your dog is probably ok with
chicken. Then try beef. Then lamb. Try fish, too. If that goes
well, than it was probably one or more of the grains.
The
big picture
Now a picture is starting to form. Your dog's allergies have improved
with a grain-free diet that includes certain proteins. As we mentioned
before, the point of introducing a different protein source to
test your dog's tolerance is because if your dog is suffering
some type of food-related reaction, common sense tells you it's
something she's already eating. Can't be having reactions to something
she never had yet, right?
Please
note that when switching a dog's food, do it gradually over five
to six days. Begin with a four-to-one ratio of old to new food,
than three to two on Day Two, than half and half on Day Three,
than two to three on Day Four and one to four on Day Five. By
Day Six, you've switched over completely.
Then
the real allergy testing can begin in earnest. Stick with the
new protein source for a week and then introduce a new one every
week, taking note of your dog's reaction (or hopefully lack of
one).
An
itch-free life
As you've probably figured out by now, there's no one answer or
silver bullet that will miraculously solve all your dog's allergy
problems overnight. You have to break the cycle by moving your
dog to a neutral, grain-free food and begin experimenting with
different proteins. Once you find a protein or combination of
proteins that work, try slowly introducing grain formulas back
into the diet to see if there's a reaction or not.
Using
this gradual, commonsense method combined with a good quality
dog food should have your dog on the road to a happy, itch-free
life.
© Gene Sower
Gene Sower is the author of the
e-book "The Dog Food Report: Do You Know What You're Feeding
Your Dog?" Download your free copy here: www.lucythewonderdog.com/dogfoodreport.htm
