Instructions
Eliminate the culprit(s). The best way to start is by process of elimination. Chicken, beef, milk, eggs, corn, wheat and soy can all be allergens for dogs. Fish, milk, eggs, corn, wheat and soy are all ingredients that may cause allergies in cats. You might start off by eliminating grain from your pet's diet, whether you feed a commercial food or homemade diet. If that doesn't seem to help, try eliminating chicken or beef from your dog's diet or fish from your cat's diet.
Look for a commercial dog or cat food that doesn't contain any of the allergens listed in Step 1. Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance, for example, has a line of allergy formula foods containing limited ingredients such as fish and sweet potato for dogs and a green pea and chicken formula for cats. All are grain free. The idea behind this type of food is that fewer ingredients mean fewer chances of allergies.
If your cat, for example, still has an allergic reaction from a chicken formula, try switching to another allergy formula such as salmon and green pea. If your dog still doesn't react well to the fish and sweet potato formula, you might try duck and sweet potato or a vegetarian formula. Natural Balance, for example, offers both.
If eliminating various foods doesn't work, your vet may suggest running allergy tests to determine whether your pet actually does suffer from food allergies. The tests may also determine which food sources are causing the allergies.
How to Prevent Food Allergies in Pets
Food is often the culprit in pet allergies with the skin and digestive system being the most commonly affected. A pet with food allergies may have skin conditions such as rashes and inflammation and digestive problems like vomiting and diarrhea. Here are some steps to figuring out the right food(s) to prevent allergies in your dog or cat.