Allergy-related problems may present itself in a dog's coat, including a change in texture, length or thickness, or as hot spots that the dog may lick, bite or scratch. If your dog displays allergies symptoms, consult a veterinarian. If it turns out that your dog's diet causes flare-ups, change his diet. If your dog suffers from contact or airborne allergens, such as perfumes, eliminating those allergens is your best solution since a diet change may have no impact. However, adding omega-3 fatty acids to your dog's diet may help as these are natural anti-inflammatory agents.
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Food Allergies
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Like people, dogs can have food allergies to certain ingredients in their food. Food allergies tend to cause itchy patches on dogs. As well, your dog may experience ear inflammation and may exhibit symptoms of head shaking, paw licking, and rubbing his face on the carpet. Though your dog may have eaten the same food all his life without issue, food allergies can still be the culprit since they can develop over time. Common fillers found in commercial dog foods are often associated with food sensitivities in dogs.
Necessary Diet
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With a food allergy, you'll need to eliminate all treats, biscuits and food items and slowly reintroduce them to determine what your dog is allergic to. Remember to consult with your veterinarian before beginning any change in your dog's diet. For the first stage of the trial, feed your dog a strict, homemade diet that is one part protein (meat) and two parts starch (rice works well). Start with some meat you have never before given him, such as venison or lamb, mixed with rice. Keep your dog on this food regimen on a short-term basis only; it is not nutritionally complete for long-term use. You are merely looking to see if the allergy symptoms go away. If they do, return your dog to his normal diet to see if the symptoms return to verify his usual food causing the reaction. Once you are certain your dog has food allergies, return to the homemade meat and starch diet. This way you are in control as to what ingredients go into the meal. When the symptoms are again clear, add a new meat and watch for reactions. Then add corn. Next, wheat. But only add one new ingredient at a time for a few days, waiting for a reaction. Your dog may have a sensitivity to preservatives in which case hypoallergenic foods may be the solution. Hypoallergenic diets are produced by Nature's Recipe, Sensible Choice and Natural LIfe.
Raw Diets
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Raw foods are also a possible treatment for skin allergies. Raw foods may alleviate many allergies to ingredients found in commercial foods. Nature's Variety offers a variety of raw foods in which meats are mixed in with vegetables and fruits. If you choose a raw diet for your dog, give it a full week to see if it works. Do not mix in the usual treats while testing any new diet.
Remember that allergies caused by flea bites or other sources will not likely be affected by a change in diet, any more than a change of diet would help a person with hay fever. Tea tree oil applied to the skin can help itchy patches and adding omega-3 fatty acids to your dog's food may help prevent inflammation from allergic reactions on your dog's skin in general.
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