What Is Hypoallergenic Dog Food
It is extremely common for a dog to develop some sort of intolerance or allergy to certain chemicals or even certain meats. Most commercial pet foods contain chemicals, preservatives, flavourings or dyes as ingredients, and these could all potentially irritate your dog's stomach. It is vital that if your dog is showing signs of a sensitive stomach, that you identify the irritant and remove it from their diet.
For those who prefer to buy commercially produced pet food, many brands produce special hypoallergenic pet foods which contain no preservatives, dyes, flavourings or any other common allergen. These foods are generally gentle on a dog's stomach, but are more expensive than other foods.
Making your dog's food yourself is another way to give your dog hypoallergenic dog food. It is relatively easy, much cheaper than buying commercial dog food, and you have the added benefit of knowing exactly what and how much your pet is eating. It is also a much healthier alternative for your dog.
Another good reason to make your dog's food yourself is the quality of the ingredients in commercial dog food. In the past 100 years, people have become convinced that commercial dog food is the only healthy diet for dogs. However, many of the ingredients listed on commercial dog food packaging are substances that are labelled as unfit for human consumption. These include chicken and meat by-products (beaks, hooves, intestines, heads etc.) and spoiled grains and vegetables. These low quality ingredients could be the cause of your dog's allergy.
It is highly unlikely that you would eat any of these ingredients yourself, or give them to someone else. Instead you would use fresh, good quality ingredients. Doesn't your dog deserve the same thing?
Symptoms Of Food Allergies In Dogs
There are a variety of symptoms for food allergies, and they can differ from dog to dog. Identifying that a dog is suffering from a food allergy can be difficult, however, as these symptoms can also be indications of other ailments. If your pet shows any of the signs listed below, or any other symptom that you worry about, it is best to take them to the vet as soon as you can.
1. Constant ear infections
2. Scratching
3. Hair loss
4. Chronic vomiting
5. Diarrhoea
6. Flaky or dry and itchy skin around the groin, legs, feet, face and ears
Treatment Of Food Allergy Symptoms
The obvious long term treatment is to remove the irritant from the dog's diet. In the meantime, if your pet is suffering from flaking skin or itchiness, you could put the animal in a cool bath with Epsom salts or oatmeal to relieve the itchiness and flaking. You can also use some antihistamines, but check with the vet before administering any antihistamines.
For those who prefer to buy commercially produced pet food, many brands produce special hypoallergenic pet foods which contain no preservatives, dyes, flavourings or any other common allergen. These foods are generally gentle on a dog's stomach, but are more expensive than other foods.
Making your dog's food yourself is another way to give your dog hypoallergenic dog food. It is relatively easy, much cheaper than buying commercial dog food, and you have the added benefit of knowing exactly what and how much your pet is eating. It is also a much healthier alternative for your dog.
Another good reason to make your dog's food yourself is the quality of the ingredients in commercial dog food. In the past 100 years, people have become convinced that commercial dog food is the only healthy diet for dogs. However, many of the ingredients listed on commercial dog food packaging are substances that are labelled as unfit for human consumption. These include chicken and meat by-products (beaks, hooves, intestines, heads etc.) and spoiled grains and vegetables. These low quality ingredients could be the cause of your dog's allergy.
It is highly unlikely that you would eat any of these ingredients yourself, or give them to someone else. Instead you would use fresh, good quality ingredients. Doesn't your dog deserve the same thing?
Symptoms Of Food Allergies In Dogs
There are a variety of symptoms for food allergies, and they can differ from dog to dog. Identifying that a dog is suffering from a food allergy can be difficult, however, as these symptoms can also be indications of other ailments. If your pet shows any of the signs listed below, or any other symptom that you worry about, it is best to take them to the vet as soon as you can.
1. Constant ear infections
2. Scratching
3. Hair loss
4. Chronic vomiting
5. Diarrhoea
6. Flaky or dry and itchy skin around the groin, legs, feet, face and ears
Treatment Of Food Allergy Symptoms
The obvious long term treatment is to remove the irritant from the dog's diet. In the meantime, if your pet is suffering from flaking skin or itchiness, you could put the animal in a cool bath with Epsom salts or oatmeal to relieve the itchiness and flaking. You can also use some antihistamines, but check with the vet before administering any antihistamines.
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