Food allergies in dogs

Written by AniMed.org Reviewed by Kristin Westafer, DVM

Overview

Does your dog seem to be itchy year-round or frequently comes down with ear infections? What could be making your dog so miserable? Your dog may be exhibiting symptoms of an allergy to what he is eating. The most common causes of food allergies in dogs are the animal proteins and carbohydrates found in their regular diet. This includes chicken, beef, fish, pork, milk, eggs, corn, soybeans and wheat. (Some veterinarians feel that preservatives used in pet foods also might be problematic.)

Symptoms

Itchiness (regardless of season or environment) that often does not respond to corticosteroids
Excessive paw licking or licking around the rear end
Ear infections
Rash on ears, feet, and stomach
Hairloss
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Excessive gas

Treatment

It can be difficult to determine exactly what your dog is allergic to especially since a dog can develop an allergy quite suddenly, even if he has been eating a particular brand of food for years without any problems.

If you suspect that your dog has a food allergy, your veterinarian may suggest an elimination diet, commonly referred to as a food trial. You will feed your dog a hypoallergenic food consisting of a limited number of ingredients that your dog is unlikely to have eaten before. In order for this trial to be effective, you will be required to stop feeding any treats or human food during the trial. Beef flavored heartworm prevention should be substituted for another method of heartworm prevention during the trial. You will feed your dog only the new food, until your dog's symptoms go away, which typically takes up to 6-8 weeks. However, improvement may be noticed much sooner. Next, you will gradually bring back your dog's old foods, preferably one ingredient at a time. This way, if any symptoms appear again, you'll know what is causing the problem, and avoid feeding it in the future.

If is determined that your dog has a food allergy, they will require a special diet for the rest of their lives to prevent reoccurrence of original symptoms. Always notify pet sitters or kennels that your dog has a food allergy.