Posts Tagged ‘Food Allergy’
Food allergies are not exclusive to humans, but they can be difficult to diagnose in pets, especially when dog food allergies appear to manifest quickly. The biggest problem of course, is the pet’s inability to communicate the symptoms effectively, and they are many times confused with other ailments.
Symptoms of dog food allergies may include excessive scratching, hair loss, skin infections as well as ear infections. Most times antibiotics used for skin infections will clear them up briefly, but they will reoccur when the antibiotics are stopped. An animal with itchy skin that does not seem to improve with the use of antihistamines or steroids, may be suffering from food allergies.
There is also a difference between food allergies and food intolerance. An intolerance to certain foods may cause symptoms such as diarrhea or frequent bowel movements and vomiting. Fortunately, whether the animal is suffering from food Allergy or food intolerance, once the proper diagnosis has been made, they can both be treated.
Since most dog food is made from beef, chicken, wheat, eggs, soy and dairy products, it should be no surprise that most food allergies are caused by one of these ingredients. When pet food companies began producing lamb and rice formulations, many dog allergies seemed to disappear. Most veterinarians agree that it is not because of something special in the lamb and rice formula that reduced the incidences of food allergies in dog , rather it is the fact that the dog’s diet was changed and the animal has not developed an intolerance for the new food.
Dietary Change To Test For Food Allergies
Once other causes have been ruled out, such as flea bite allergies, intestinal parasites, yeast or bacterial infections a dietary change may be needed to reduce the symptoms of dog food allergies. A new food source containing protein and carbohydrate should be the only diet of the pet for at least 12 weeks to determine which of the ingredients in their old pet food was causing the allergic reaction.
The food source must be completely different from what the animal was used to and cannot be supplemented with treats or other types of food if the test is to be effective. Once it has been determined the pet is not having an adverse reaction to the new diet, different foods can be added to help develop a more diverse diet. However, any addition must go through the same test procedures and if any reaction is noted, the new addition will need to be eliminated.
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Recently, there has been talk and questions about what is the best thing to feed your dog? Some people advocate the BARF or bones and raw food diet. Some feel that raw bones should be fed as a supplement to the dogs regular diet, and some believe an all meat diet is best. The simple truth is, a meat based, high quality dry food is the best solution. The cheap grocery store brands of dry dog food are made up mostly of grain, usually corn. Read the ingredients on the bag and look for protein, fat and Omega-3 fatty acid content. There should be at least 30% protein and at least 18% fat, as well as the Omega-3 fatty acids for immune system health, cell function, energy production and metabolism. These fatty acids also aid neurological development. Calcium and phosphorous are needed for teeth and bone development.
Some specific ingredients to look for when choosing a dry food for your dog or puppy include, lamb meal, which is better than just lamb because the lamb includes moisture content, which is not as optimal. Also, poultry meal, usually chicken, but not poultry by-product. Fat content is also important, but look for poultry tallow as the fat source as it is more easily digested than animal fat, which could come from anywhere or anything. Keep in mind that if you feed your dog a cheap, grain-based food, you will need to feed him twice as much to satisfy his hunger and you still would not provide the nutritional balance he needs.
If you dog develops a food allergy, it will be due to a specific ingredient, no matter which brand you feed your dog. Your vet will help you pinpoint the problem and decide the best food for your dogs particular allergy. Some indications of food allergy include, coat and skin problems (hotspots) and digestive or even respiratory symptoms. A change of food will take at least 8 weeks before you see an improvement.
What about treats? Are they part of a balanced diet for your dog? The answer is yes. In moderation treats are good for your pet. Try to get treats that do not contain a high amount of soybean and artificial color. Fruit, except for grapes and raisins are a good choice, as they are toxic to dogs. My 3 Dobermans like apples, watermelon and bananas. They can also have bits of cooked beef or chicken. In addition to treats, it is a good idea to provide your dog or puppy with a high quality, human grade pet vitamin. These supplements provide antioxidants, which fight cancer causing free radicals, as well as digestive enzymes needed for digestion that are lost in processing of dry dog food.
The older or senior dog requires some special feeding care. How do you know when your dog should be considered a senior? It actually depends on the size of the dog. Because large dogs do not tend to live as long as small dogs, a dog weighing 91 pounds can be feed a senior formula. Up to 90 pounds, a dog can be considered senior at age 6. Some of the health changes older dogs face are dental problems, obesity and failing eyesight. They require fewer calories but not decreased protein.
I just want to say a word here about nutrition for large breed puppies. The quality dog food brands have developed a special formula for puppies that will grow to be over 65 pounds. This is important because too much development too quickly can cause bone and joint problems as the puppy grows. The puppy should be well fed, but not overweight. The balance of nutrition in the large breed formulas is designed to prevent puppies growing too big too fast. I hope this helps answer some of the questions about what and how to feed your dog or puppy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
Recently, there has been talk and questions about what is the best thing to feed your dog? Some people advocate the BARF or bones and raw food diet. Some feel that raw bones should be fed as a supplement to the dogs regular diet, and some believe an all meat diet is best. The simple truth is, a meat based, high quality dry food is the best solution. The cheap grocery store brands of dry dog food are made up mostly of grain, usually corn. Read the ingredients on the bag and look for protein, fat and Omega-3 fatty acid content. There should be at least 30% protein and at least 18% fat, as well as the Omega-3 fatty acids for immune system health, cell function, energy production and metabolism. These fatty acids also aid neurological development. Calcium and phosphorous are needed for teeth and bone development.
Some specific ingredients to look for when choosing a dry food for your dog or puppy include, lamb meal, which is better than just lamb because the lamb includes moisture content, which is not as optimal. Also, poultry meal, usually chicken, but not poultry by-product. Fat content is also important, but look for poultry tallow as the fat source as it is more easily digested than animal fat, which could come from anywhere or anything. Keep in mind that if you feed your dog a cheap, grain-based food, you will need to feed him twice as much to satisfy his hunger and you still would not provide the nutritional balance he needs.
If you dog develops a food allergy, it will be due to a specific ingredient, no matter which brand you feed your dog. Your vet will help you pinpoint the problem and decide the best food for your dogs particular allergy. Some indications of food allergy include, coat and skin problems (hotspots) and digestive or even respiratory symptoms. A change of food will take at least 8 weeks before you see an improvement.
What about treats? Are they part of a balanced diet for your dog? The answer is yes. In moderation treats are good for your pet. Try to get treats that do not contain a high amount of soybean and artificial color. Fruit, except for grapes and raisins are a good choice, as they are toxic to dogs. My 3 Dobermans like apples, watermelon and bananas. They can also have bits of cooked beef or chicken. In addition to treats, it is a good idea to provide your dog or puppy with a high quality, human grade pet vitamin. These supplements provide antioxidants, which fight cancer causing free radicals, as well as digestive enzymes needed for digestion that are lost in processing of dry dog food.
The older or senior dog requires some special feeding care. How do you know when your dog should be considered a senior? It actually depends on the size of the dog. Because large dogs do not tend to live as long as small dogs, a dog weighing 91 pounds can be feed a senior formula. Up to 90 pounds, a dog can be considered senior at age 6. Some of the health changes older dogs face are dental problems, obesity and failing eyesight. They require fewer calories but not decreased protein.
I just want to say a word here about nutrition for large breed puppies. The quality dog food brands have developed a special formula for puppies that will grow to be over 65 pounds. This is important because too much development too quickly can cause bone and joint problems as the puppy grows. The puppy should be well fed, but not overweight. The balance of nutrition in the large breed formulas is designed to prevent puppies growing too big too fast. I hope this helps answer some of the questions about what and how to feed your dog or puppy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
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Joseph M. Sabol is a world class Doberman breeder. Please go to petvitamins4u.com or to theroadhousedobes.com for further information
Understanding the ingredients of your dog’s food items is a must for the dog lovers or dog owners. Whenever you feed the dog with different kinds of food items, you should always read the label and understand the contents about the dog feed types that are being used in such commercial preparations. You should understand the ingredients while buying food for your dog and also know what to look for.
Feed items include dry and fresh food. The fresh dog food that is prepared in homes generally consists of ingredients like freshly cut chicken pieces in addition to the cranberry juices, blue-green algae, etc.
If you come across any different kinds of preservatives and if the dog develops all of a sudden signs pertaining to the food allergy, suspect the unwanted ingredient in the feed items given. Similarly, understand about the moisture status. If the food item is having more moisture, then the dog may prefer this as well.
Beet pulp, pasta, Soy bean oil, wheat middlings, calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, copper sulphate, iron sulphate, zinc oxide, choline chloride, etc. are often the ingredients in case of vegetarian based diet items offered to the pet animals like dogs.
Raw egg, chicken, beef, mutton, fish, quail etc. are often the preferred ingredients in case of dog diets that are prepared on the basis of the non-vegetarian items. Taurine is one of the essential ingredients for the dog’s nutrition. Like wise, in the case of dogs feed with frozen fish items, the vitamin called thiamine needs to be supplemented as an ingredient.
Many premium type of dog food preparations contain essential fatty acids, carbohydrates with adequate fiber contents, vitamins like A, D, E and B complex vitamins.
Furthermore, minerals like zinc, is an essential ingredient for skin health status and calcium, which is an essential ingredient for bone growth, tonicity of muscles. They should be enriched in these food items. However, the cost of those food preparations are comparatively more expensive than the food preparations with general ingredients. Though it may be better for your dog’s health.
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