How to Find a Dog Food for Dog Allergies

Dogs will eat anything. However, this doesn't mean that they should, especially since many dogs experience allergies their owners may not even catch on to for quite some time. If you notice your dog is experiencing itchy skin, persistent licking, rubbing his face against surfaces or repeated vomiting and diarrhea, then your dog may be allergic to his food. Following a few simple steps, you can relieve your best four-legged friend of his allergies once and for all.

Things You'll Need

  • Ingredient list of dog's regular food
  • Veterinarian
  • Calendar or planner
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take your dog to your regular veterinarian to rule out any underlying health problems. This also includes eliminating the possibility of allergies to carpet shampoo, air freshener, pollen or another plant in your yard that may cause irritation.

    • 2

      Write down a list of all the ingredients in your dog's food. Include all kinds of meats, dairy, vegetables, and even dyes and preservatives. A lot of dogs are allergic to soy and wheat as well as the aforementioned, so jot down every ingredient and keep the list near the dog food.

    • 3

      Give your dog a basic, home-cooked meal that contains one ingredient, such as plain white rice. Do this for a few weeks and see if the allergy persists. Document in a calendar or day planner what you fed your dog that day. If the allergy fades, then cross this off your ingredients list and slowly add foods. Repeat with each food on the list -- feed your dog just corn with the rice, then ground beef with the rice and so on until you have found the culprit for the allergy. If you try all foods and the allergy is still absent, then your dog is almost certainly allergic to something harder to pinpoint like a preservative or dye.

    • 4

      Shop for a dog food that does not contain the food that is causing the allergy. If additives are the suspected problem, then go with an organic dog food or a hypoallergenic food. Some of these are available at your local pet store, and others may have to be ordered through your veterinarian. Try store-bought food first because it is much more affordable, and prescription food is not always necessary to cure an allergy attack.