Dog Food Allergies

Approximately 10% of all dog allergies are food related. When you think about how many dogs there are out there, this is an extraordinary number. Some dog allergies related to food are so mild that you may never notice them, but some dogs suffer from chronic allergies. In other words, dog allergies are just like human ones in that they come in varying degrees. This article will give you a little insight into the world of dog food allergies, highlighting the main sources and reactions that all owners should know about.

Dog allergies related to food can become noticeable from the age of five months, but can be diagnosed in dogs as old as eleven or twelve years old. They can in fact be caused by a variety of sources, some of which are more common than others. The most common sources are beef, soy, corn, wheat, chicken, eggs and dairy products. Unfortunately, most dog foods often have one or more of the ingredients above as an integral element of their composition. As a result, an owner will often have to experiment in order to find exactly which element it is that causes the dog allergy.

A dog can have a variety of allergic reactions to any one of the products listed above. Dog allergies may cause hair loss, repeated ear infections, hot spots, scratching and skin conditions. It is likely that a combination of the symptoms above will highlight a dog food allergy, but the main problem owners have to deal with is that they can also highlight a number of other ailments and so veterinary advice must be sought in order to make an accurate diagnosis.

It is wise for every dog owner to experiment with different foods when they first get their pooch by trying several different dog foods for a week each. This will alert you to any dog allergies that they may have and enable you to avoid the culprits in the future. Your dog may not have any food allergies, but the earlier they can be detected the better the chance you stand of making sure that they experience minimal discomfort in the future!