Today, in almost every second family, a pet lives, which constantly requires scrupulous care. In animals, as in humans, various ailments can manifest themselves, and allergies are no exception.
In approximately 20% of cases, the appearance of itching in dogs and redness of the skin are caused by food allergies. It can last from several months to one year. It is important to understand that allergies and intolerances to any products are not the same thing. With the manifestation of allergies, the animal often begins to itch, and also it manifests various problems associated with the skin. Intolerance to a product has other symptoms, accompanied by vomiting and loose stools, which has nothing to do with the characteristic manifestations of allergies. It is more like an upset digestive system. If your dog is allergic to food, what should you do?
general information
Allergy is a kind of protective reaction of the body that works when a pathogenic substance enters the digestive system. At the same time, it is completely optional that the substance will be dangerous, but the immune system recognizes it as such. As a result of this, the animal has various manifestations that require immediate treatment.
How is allergy manifested?
Signs of food allergy in dogs can be very different, but most often they are as follows:
- sneezing, coughing, sinus discharge;
- violation of the depth and rhythm of breathing, which can lead to the development of asthma;
- loose stools and vomiting. May occur both together and separately;
- dizziness;
- otitis media with damage to the soft tissues of the external passage and the auricle;
- lacrimation, purulent conjunctivitis.
The most common symptoms that accompany a food allergy are itching and skin rashes throughout the body of the animal. In the absence of timely treatment, rashes can lead to the formation of eczema and bleeding ulcers. In some cases, the limbs, muzzle, digestive tract and tongue can swell in dogs. With prolonged absence of treatment, an allergy to food can destroy the immune system, and purulent conjunctivitis can lead to complete blindness.
External manifestations of allergies
How does an allergy manifest in dogs externally? By its characteristics, food has a lot in common with ordinary. Its main external manifestations are rashes throughout the body of the pet. In addition, various ear infections can develop, which over time become chronic. If you begin to give your pet antibiotics, then these manifestations temporarily disappear, but after a while they come back again. On the basis of external manifestations alone, it is almost impossible to distinguish between an allergy to food from other possible reactions that can occur in the animal’s body.
Allergy Diagnosis
Determining food allergies is quite simple, but it’s important to understand that many diseases, from which dogs often suffer, are accompanied by similar symptoms, which, in turn, complicates the diagnosis. Therefore, before starting any treatment, you need to try to find out if your pet is suffering from any diseases. For example, if a dog itches and hair falls out, it can be caused by scabies, fleas, sensitive skin, various intestinal parasites, bacterial infections and thrush.
Causes of Food Allergies
So, we already know how allergies appear in dogs, but what are the reasons behind this? As mentioned earlier, this is a response of the immune system to any substance or product that it considers pathogenic.
Most often, allergies are caused by eating the following foods in animals:
- any meat;
- milk;
- fish;
- eggs
- soybeans;
- wheat;
- corn.
All of these products are part of dog food, which is sold in stores, so allergies are very common. This is due to the fact that plant and animal proteins, regardless of different origin, have a similar structure. Thus, if you buy dog food that is allergic to protein, then your pet may get sick.
According to nutritionists, food allergies can be caused not only by intolerance to any ingredients, but also by using the same feed for a long period of time.
Allergy Control
If you are allergic to food in dogs, treatment is useless. The only solution to the problem in this case is an
elimination diet.- The first step is to transfer the animal to feed another feed that you did not give before.
- Unusual food should be fed for at least three months. It is recommended to choose those types of feed containing proteins and carbohydrates that the pet did not eat before.
- For example, if earlier the food contained beef, then you can try to give diet food containing rabbit meat or venison. There are quite a lot of such feeds on sale.
What is the best way to feed a dog if allergies persist for a long period of time? In this case, you can try these types of foods that use proteins and carbohydrates of such a small molecular size that they simply can not cause allergies. You can also completely eliminate dry food from the animal’s diet and start giving home-made food.
If you are allergic to dry food in dogs, if you have several pets, it is recommended that you transfer all animals to a new diet. In this case, feeding should be done in separate rooms so that a dog with an allergy does not have access to food of healthy individuals.
During meals, the pet should be locked in the next room. This is necessary so that the dog could not pick up the food dropped on the floor, because in this case you will have to start the diet again. If you have small children, then after eating, be sure to wash their hands and face.
Do not let the pet out onto the street, and during walks do not let it off the leash so that it is always under your supervision.
Feeding recommendations
An allergy to food in dogs, the symptoms of which are already known to us, never completely disappears, but with a properly selected diet its manifestations can be completely eliminated. First of all, you should refuse to feed your pet with the usual foods, after which it will be possible to start compiling a new menu. For example, if an allergic reaction in a dog was caused by eating rice, then you should stop giving it not only rice. But also any other products in which this ingredient is present.
When choosing a new diet, you need to try to make it as balanced as possible. It is better to feed those products that are similar in nutritional value to the previous feed. If you do not adhere to this advice, then a lack of a substance can cause depletion, which, in turn, will only aggravate the situation.
What foods are better to include in the diet?
What is the best way to feed your dog with food allergies? This question interests many people who have a dog at home. Nutritionists argue that not only the products themselves are important, but the principle of feeding the animal. It is based on eating those foods that the pet has either never tried before or has not consumed for a long time. For cooking food for a dog, you should use only one type of meat and cereal.
This method of feeding will allow you to determine exactly which substance caused the allergic reaction if one new ingredient is introduced into the diet every two weeks.
What products should not be given?
In case of food allergies in dogs, you should refuse to feed your pet with certain foods that can be potentially dangerous.
These include:
- sea fish;
- rabbit, turkey and beef meat;
- today's fermented milk products;
- buckwheat, oat and rice cereals;
- pears, apples, carrots, zucchini.
Feeding with special types of feed with a therapeutic effect is allowed, but they should be selected together with a nutritionist. The specialist will perform a sensitivity analysis, after which he will be able to choose the food that is best suited for your dog. But do not overuse these feeds, because their composition is very scarce, and they cannot provide the animal with the necessary amount of nutrients. With food allergies in dogs, it is very important not only to exclude the allergen from the diet, but also to make a good diet for the animal, which can be used to feed the dog on an ongoing basis.
Together with dietary nutrition, the veterinarian can prescribe symptomatic drugs that are aimed at reducing the histamine content in the body, relieving inflammatory processes, as well as facilitating the clinical manifestations of dog food allergy. If the condition is too neglected, you may need a course of taking immunomodulating drugs. But no medications can ever completely and permanently rid an animal of an allergic reaction without a special diet. At the same time, do not forget that pampering a pet is not the best solution, since even a small piece of a treat containing an allergen can completely nullify all your efforts.
For how long should a diet be followed?
When allergic to food in dogs, it is very important to choose the right diet. But how long does it take to stick to it? Doctors advise to follow a diet for at least three weeks, but, as practice shows, there are not rare cases when an allergic reaction to a product makes itself felt after a longer period of time. In most cases, four-legged friends are allergic to a new product introduced into the daily diet of the animal, appears at about 12 weeks after the start of feeding. Therefore, a diet should be followed throughout this period.
If the manifestations of allergies begin to gradually decrease or disappear altogether, then it will be possible to return the pet to the usual feeding regimen using the same products. This is necessary in order to accurately verify the presence in the animal intolerance of any product that provokes the development of allergies.
If an allergy to food in dogs again makes itself felt, then the veterinarian can accurately diagnose the problem and begin treatment. In the absence of repeated confirmation of the allergy, but with strong suspicions of it, you can try to feed the pet with other types of food.
Laboratory diagnosis
To date, in medical practice, there is no research method that could establish with absolute probability the fact that a dog has an allergy to food. A blood test is most commonly used, but it is ineffective.
As for intradermal tests, which are used to diagnose common allergies, in the case of food, they give absolutely no results. Therefore, the only way out in this situation is to use the elimination diet, which was described earlier in this article.
False Allergy
An allergic reaction manifests itself due to an increase in the level of histamine in the body of the animal. This substance is produced by the immune system in response to the appearance of an allergen in the body. But there are cases when histamine is not produced by the immune system, but enters the body with some kind of food product. This all leads to the development of the so-called “false” allergy to dog food, which in its manifestations is very similar to food allergy.
The whole problem with this is that the use of special medicinal feeds and changing the diet are ineffective, since not one, but all products that contain a large amount of histamine and tyramine will have to be removed from the diet. After this, the veterinarian will need to calculate the permissible level of these substances at which the dog will not develop an allergic reaction. In addition, a special diet consisting of foods containing histamine and tyramine will have to be made. The purpose of this diet is to accustom the body of the animal to the normal perception of foods consumed by the dog for food. Thus, the dog’s sensitivity to allergenic substances will decrease over time, and the “false” allergy will disappear.
Dog Food Recommendations
If the dog itches and hair falls out, then this is the first sign of an allergic reaction. After completing the course of treatment, in order to avoid its re-manifestation, it is necessary to select a quality feed for the pet. In this case, it is recommended to adhere to the following tips and recommendations:
- When choosing food, consider the age and level of activity of your pet. This will help you correctly calculate the nutritional value of the feed.
- Consider your pet's nutritional needs. The food should be balanced and contain the optimal amount of protein and carbohydrates so that the dog is healthy and strong.
- Before buying feed, consult your veterinarian and check with him which feed is best used to feed your pet. The specialist will tell you the most optimal option, taking into account the state of health of the animal.
- Never rely on advertising when choosing animal feed. Its main goal is to increase sales, and not help consumers choose a quality product.
- Do not use different types of food. Give your dog either canned or dry food.
Adhering to these tips, you will be able to choose a quality food for your fourth friend, from which he will not have any allergies.
If you decide to have a pet at home, remember this is a big responsibility. He needs certain care: regular walks, proper nutrition, as well as attention and care from the owners.