Hypoallergenic Dog Food

If you or someone you know has a dog who seems chronically ill, you know how frustrating, time consuming and even heartbreaking it can be.  It is difficult and distressing to watch your dog, which is often considered a part of your family, suffer.

It is now known that dogs are prone to many more of the same chronic conditions which can also affect people, such as cancer, arthritis, and food allergies.  Often a veterinarian can quickly diagnose a more serious issue like cancer and arthritis, but you can easily determine if your dog has a food allergy.

Some symptoms of food allergy in a dog are chronic gastrointestinal distress, and skin irritation characterized by:

Bloating

Gassiness

Uncomfortable Bowel Movements

Constant itching/scratching

Feeding your dog a hypoallergenic dog food is an easy solution for someone whose dog has a food allergy.  Hypoallergenic dog food is simply dog food formulated without some ingredients which are known to trigger food allergies in dogs.  Some common dog food allergy triggers are:

Dairy Products

Eggs

Soy

Wheat

Corn

Yeast

Beef

Chicken

Some of the popular hypoallergenic dog foods and manufacturers who carry hypoallergenic formulas on the market are:

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Hypoallergenic

Canidae Lamb and Rice Formula Dog Food

Purina Veterinary Diets HA

Eukanuba

Iams

Orijen

Addiction

Prices for hypoallergenic dog food can vary greatly, but at present it is still unfortunately a bit more expensive than conventional dog food.  The good news is that having a variety of online resources and vendors makes it easy to shop, compare and find the best value.  Keep in mind that your dog, who eats shoes, doesn’t care what his food costs, only that it doesn’t make him sick or uncomfortable when he eats it.

Most owners will see their dog’s symptoms clear up within about two weeks of switching their dog’s diet to one that includes a hypoallergenic dog food.  It is important to remember that dog food is not all your dog eats.  That means, if you are changing his diet because you suspect he has food allergies, you should also remember to take a good look at anything you are feeding him.  Treats and any table scraps he manages to get his mouth on, often also contain the same allergens you got rid of when you switched his dog food.

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