Monday, August 22, 2011

Food Allergies in Dogs

It has only recently been discovered that canines, in a similar manner to us, can experience allergies to a certain food or foods from a certain food class. Food allergies in dogs are among the five most often found types of canine allergies, and though the dog is usually born with the illness, food allergies in canines may occur anytime during the remainder of their life.

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The Symptoms and Causes of Food Allergies in Dogs

Dogs will occasionally suffer reactions to the diverse forms of foods they feed upon. Quite often, they just have indigestion that can effectuate diarrhea and vomiting. A food allergy is not the same as that though, rather than simply bringing about a stomach ache, it will incite scratching in canines in addition to the previously cited warning signs of food allergies: vomiting, swelling and diarrhea in dogs. A dog's itching may bring about peeling skin, eczema, hot spots and possibly loss of hair. In a few dogs, additional indications of food allergies might involve a drop in weight, hyperactivity and quite possibly anger.

In a canine with food allergies, the immune system overreacts to a specific element that it usually accepts inciting an allergic response. Food allergies in dogs are typically brought on by proteins found in dairy foods, wheat and sugars after being fed scraps from the table. Although proteins are the most likely cause of a dog's food allergy, any kind of food or food ingredient can incite an allergic reaction.

How to Identify Food Allergies in Dogs

Only a few years ago, an elimination diet was the sole means available to figure out whether or not a dog was inflicted with a food allergy. The animal would be fed a diet of hypoallergenic dog food that didn't contain the same substances found in the preceding diet for roughly 2 or 3 months. Nowadays, diagnosis can be completed by a veterinarian utilizing a simple food allergy test that involves laboratory work done on a sample of blood extracted from the dog.

Remedies for Food Allergies in Dogs

The lone cure is by avoiding the food or food component that is causing the food allergy. The suggested kind of food for canines coping with an allergy to food is hypoallergenic dog food that is made up of all-natural ingredients. This type of dog food can be served to your pet for the remainder of his life with no fear of the canine's food allergy reappearing.

Due to the canine's itching, you will probably need to treat skin conditions as well. A vet will generally propose getting skin lotion and antihistamines. Since the use of antihistamines for canine allergies can cause negative side effects, a holistic cure for food allergies in dogs is preferable. There are numerous herbal and homeopathic treatments being sold that have been evidenced by canine owners to provide great results.

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