Is My Dog Allergic To His Food
Is My Dog Allergic To His Food? He seems to have developed severe itching, loss of appetite and has lost hair alot could he be allergic to dog food?
If you suspect your dog to be allergic to his food, you will need to run a dog food elimination test. This is when you withdraw all dog food, then reintroduce it one at a time until you find what food is causing the dog allergic to his food.
Dog Food Intolerance Is Not The Same As Dog Food Allergy
Dog food allergy can be life-threatening whereas dog food intolerance is a ‘masked allergy,’ i.e., it may not cause a life-threatening symptom such as restricting air intake caused by swelling of the tongue and esophagus.
If your dog needs to do a basic Food Intolerance Test, a local vet should be able to help.
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Dog Food Allergy Explained
Dog food Allergy is the hypersensitivity to a foreign protein that produces a violent reaction, sometimes a fatal reaction, taking the form.
Some Dog Food Allergy Symptoms are Similar to what humans suffer from:
Asthma
Itching
Hay Fever, e.g., sneezing, runny eyes etc.
Urticaria
Hives
Swollen Eyes
Running Nose
Nettle Rash
Eczema
A migraine
Irritable Bowels
Catarrh
Oedema
All kinds of foods & chemicals (known as Allergens) can be responsible for these reactions.
In defense of these Allergens, the body produces Antibodies to fight off the Allergens. However, violent reactions occur when the body overreacts to the Allergens.
2 Food Intolerance Explained
Dog food intolerance is a ‘masked allergy’ – in other words, the severe reactions are not exhibited.
BUT, these ‘lesser’ symptoms are not harmless – they may not kill your dog but food Intolerance is the prime cause of many niggling, long-term problems that can run down your dog’s immune system and make the dog feel ill over time.
Food intolerance is an adverse reaction to food, which does not involve the immune system actions.
It can be caused by a metabolic reaction to an enzyme deficiency e.g. a lack of Lactase results in Lactose Maldigestion.
Maldigestion occurs when the digestive system does not produce enough of this enzyme to break down the lactose into simpler sugars (called glucose and galactose).
Many dog owners have their dogs suffering from exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, while you may think you have every angle covered for your dog, sometimes dogs health can turn on its head from nowhere, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs will catch your dog when you least expect it. The best this you can do for your dog is to make sure you give him all the care he needs to be ready for anything thrown at him.
Dog pancreatic enzyme supplements are one of the many things you can do to offer your dog that safety net he needs from pancreatic insufficiency.
The lactose sugar, therefore, ferments in the small intestine, producing the following symptoms after drinking milk or eating dairy produce …
Gas (flatulence)
Gut rumbling
Bloating
Cramps
Abdominal Pains
Diarrhea
This problem is very widespread, but we are continually told to make sure we eat enough dairy product !!!
NOTE: Lactose intolerance is NOT the same as a milk allergy.
Some Major Food Intolerance culprits are:
Dairy Produce
Gluten Products
Food Additives, preservatives & artificial colorings
Gluten Intolerance, as with Dairy Intolerance is an every increasing problem amongst the population as we are not able to properly digest it.
Gluten is a protein found in Cereal grains.
Foods containing Gluten are:
Wheat (bread, pasta, biscuits etc.)
Rye
Barley
Oats (small amount)
These foods contain the gliadin subfraction of gluten that is toxic to persons with Celiac Disease.
Some symptoms of food intolerance are:
Bloating
Loose Stools
Mild Headaches to Migraines
Weight Gain for no apparent reason
Fluid Retention / Oedema
Low Energy
Aches & Pains in Joints
Muscle Pains
Flushed / Hot face after food intake
Irritability
Wanting to sleep after food
Burping
Gurgling in the gut
Hyperactivity (especially in children)
Halitosis / bad breath
Mood swings – and many other symptoms…
SUMMARY:
Eliminate The Cause, I.E., Eliminate Certain Foods.
Improve The Digestive Process.
Restore Normal Bowel Flora (Favourable Bacteria In The Colon).
BENEFICIAL SUPPLEMENTS FOF DOGS
[easyazon_link identifier=”B001F2GDJ4″ locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Digestive Enzymes[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B01CGWCLLK” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Probiotics e.g.. Acidophilus & Bifo[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B01G2T1NDA” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Antifungals[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B079ZS8TQF” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Caprylic Acid[/easyazon_link]
FOS
[easyazon_link identifier=”B01I3OPNS8″ locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Psyllium Husk[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0030TU4SQ” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Garlic[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0042L0IHS” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]dog Cinnamon[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0176S8E9C” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]dog Tea oil[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B007Y51IXW” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Grapefruit Seed Extract[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B003AVCPM2″ locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Vitamin C[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B01FYD9ZTO” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog L-Glutamine[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00IS860RI” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Biotin[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B01N7GAT87″ locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Aloe Vera[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B073FW8XRD” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Magnesium[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00O6FIOEY” locale=”US” tag=”gradecmedia-20″]Dog Zinc[/easyazon_link]