What to Feed a Dog With Allergies & Ear Infections

Some dogs, like some humans, suffer from allergies. These allergies manifest in the form of itchy skin and ear infections. The normal bacterium in the ears builds up and forms a yeast infection. Allergies can be caused by the environment or by food, but are more commonly caused by food. Kibble diets often contain grains and oils carnivores do not usually eat, such as wheat and flaxseed oil. Wheat and flaxseed oil are the two most common allergens or "intolerances" for dogs.

  1. Allergy and Ear Infection Symptoms

    • Look for excess scratching, overly dry skin and odors. Skin and ear infections produce odors if they are advanced enough. Additionally, the dog's hair may seem to be very dry. The dog will have a sour "dog smell" to the skin with both ear and skin infections. The dog may also develop lesions on its skin, which turn into scabs as the dog scratches them.

      If the dog has yeasty ear, you may not notice it until the condition is more advanced. A dog's ear canal is L-shaped--you cannot see the eardrum or the lower canal. The yeast may start building up in the lower ear canal for weeks before it progresses to the outer ear canal. Yeasty ears produces a black, sticky substance, which eventually produces thick, yellowish-colored discharge.

    Dietary Problems for Dogs on Kibble

    • Read the ingredients on the brand of kibble you feed the dog. You will see that there are many different things that do not belong in a carnivore's diet, including wheat and other grains, vegetables, flaxseed oil and preservatives. It is extremely difficult to do an elimination diet when the dog is eating so many different foods cooked together.

      Switch to raw, cooked or kibble that contains only one protein and no grains. The elimination diet determines food allergies because you eliminate all food types except for one. For example, if you feed raw or cooked, feed chicken and only chicken for at least four weeks (this includes all parts of the chicken). If the symptoms improve, you know that chicken is not the problem. On the fifth week, add pork to the mixture. If the symptoms return, you know that pork is the problem. If they do not, add a third protein in the ninth week (usually beef, but can be whatever is available, i.e. duck, turkey, venison, buffalo, etc.). Continue until you find the ingredient that is causing the problem.

      If you feed kibble, it is much harder to pinpoint. You need to switch to raw or cooked or find kibble that contains only one protein and no additional foods, such as grains, vegetables, flaxseed oil and other food that may cause the skin and ear infection.

    Feeding a Dog With Allergies and Ear Infections

    • Even when eliminating grains, oils (other than fish oil) and vegetables, if the dog's condition does not improve no matter which meat it eats, it is possible that the dog has environmental allergies. It may be allergic to pollen or a certain type of grass. Take the dog to the vet for allergy tests. To help keep the dog's immune system in good condition, feed food that is high in protein. Feeding raw is best, cooked is OK, but if you must feed kibble, switch to a high-end, grain-free kibble.