google news: How to Identify Food Intolerances in Pets

What causes food sensitivity in dogs and how can you treat it?

It might surprise you to learn that according to the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association approximately 10% to %15 of dogs are prone to developing food allergies or food intolerance before they reach the age of 4. For new puppies that are under the age of 1-year, many vets will recommend probiotics, which can be purchased online via a Canadian drug store and dispensed in your pet?s food in order to establish gut balance and good digestion early on.

Food allergies and food intolerances affect our pets much the same way they strike humans. However, food sensitivity can be difficult to recognize in a pet because they can?t tell us how they feel.

And with food intolerance becoming even more prevalent in dogs, we think its worth educating dog owners on how to identify the signs of food intolerance in your pet and the steps to take once you do.

The two most common food allergies or food intolerances in pets are:

Protein including chicken, beef, pork, fish, eggs and soy
Grains like wheat or corn.

The resulting symptoms can range from:

Vomiting
Upset stomach
Refusal to eat
Irritable bowel syndrome
Diarrhea
Weight gain or weight loss
Dull coat
Lethargy
Itchy skin or eczema
Rash or inflamed skin
Hair loss
Ear infections or stinky ears
Hot spots also chewing on paws or other areas

What causes food intolerance in pets?

A dog can develop food allergy or food sensitivity for the same reason as we can. Many simply have a genetic predisposition. Others develop food allergies or intolerances due to an auto-immune disease, where dogs, like humans, will react to foods that are typically normal for consumption (e.g., milk in lactose intolerant humans). However, if our pet eats too much of the same diet for too long, some will eventually show signs of food sensitivity if his or her immune system is low or compromised. Veterinarians often blame a combination of low quality diet and over vaccination to the abundance of food sensitivities in dogs. For instance, if your pet?s immune system is low and they?ve just been vaccinated, a trip to the dog park to chow on some grass might cause a food reaction that they?ve never experienced before.

How to treat food intolerance and food allergy in dogs?

If your pet experiences any of the symptoms above, they may have developed a food allergy. Book a visit with your veterinarian immediately. At this point the vet will run a series of tests to rule out fleas, dermatitis, infection or parasites. For example, your vet may perform a skin test to see if the reaction is due to environmental allergens (such as dust) or they may take samples of discharge from your dog?s ears to see if there?s an infection.

Exclusion diets to determine food sensitivity in dogs

Once the vet rules out all common causes of irritation, they will try to pinpoint the food main culprit (e.g., protein, or more commonly grain) by prescribing an exclusion diet for your dog. Much the same way that a doctor would nail down food intolerance in a human being the vet will introduce different ingredients to your dog?s diet until the allergen or sensitivity is found. In this way, the exclusion diet works to narrow down the diet and wait for a reaction. If a certain food is removed from the diet and your dog?s symptoms disappear, this indicates that the excluded food is the food allergen. This process can take a few weeks, but it?s worth it in order to exclude a troublesome food for the lifelong happiness of your pet.

Treating dogs with food allergies

Once food intolerance is identified in your pet, your vet will recommend a dog food that excludes the sensitivity altogether. You can also choose to place your pet on a homemade diet.

Bio: Bernice Spradlin is an avid hiker and runner. She works at a gym in Brooklyn, New York, where she gets great inspiration for her freelance health-related articles and blogs. In her off time, you can often find Bernice jogging the East River path along the waterfront and enjoying the cool breeze. Bernice is currently looking for freelance writing work, and can be contacted at BerniceG.Spradlin@gmail.com

Source: http://4theloveofanimals.com/blog/2011/12/06/how-to-identify-food-intolerances-in-pets/

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