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Allergy Season Fast Aproaching | U-Wash Doggie scv | Dog Grooming scv

Posted on February 22, 2012 by uwashdoggiescv

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 Did you know that the most common human food allergy is to peanuts? They’re a very common food but thankfully they are also relatively easy to avoid. Peanuts are not a major part of most people’s diet, and most nutrition labels now contain warnings if the food contains traces of peanuts.

It’s not quite as easy for dogs who have allergies. About 10% of allergic reactions in dogs are caused by foods. But unlike humans and peanuts, the allergen is often a food that your dog probably eats on a daily basis. The five most common foods that trigger allergic reactions in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, lamb, and fish. All these ingredients are commonly found in dog foods, and can be difficult to avoid.

Dogs who are allergic to certain foods will display several symptoms. They become itchy, most often around the feet, legs, armpits, and their rear ends. Affected dogs can also develop recurrent ear or skin infections, hair loss, and excessive scratching. Some studies have shown that dogs with food allergies also tend to defecate more often than those who do not have allergies (about three or more times per day as opposed to one or two).

If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, you will need to consult with your vet about conducting a food trial. This is the best way to tell if your dog has a food allergy. Although there are some blood tests that are supposed to determine the cause of the allergy, there has been no evidence that these tests are actually accurate. A food trial is one of the best ways to find out what your dog is allergic to.

To do a food trial, you will need to feed your dog a neutral food for 12 weeks. “Neutral foods” contain ingredients that your dog has not eaten before, or are labeled “limited antigen” or “hydrolyzed protein.” These kinds of foods break down the proteins to such small bits that they should no longer trigger an allergic reaction. Some people make their own homemade food so they can control the ingredients.

Whatever you feed your dog, it must be the only thing you feed him for the duration of these 12 weeks. (That means no treats and no table scraps-period.) After this trial period is over, your dog should show a reduction in symptoms. Only then can the normal food be fed again. If your dog begins to show symptoms of an allergic reaction again when he’s fed a normal food, it means that it was the food that was causing the allergy. Your best course of action after this is to completely avoid the offending food.

It can be difficult to avoid a specific ingredient with today’s pet food industry. The harsh truth is simply that you can rarely know exactly what goes into your dog’s food.

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