A lot of skin issues you see in dogs can be food related. I struggled for years with one of my Chinese Cresteds. He kept itching his ears and would get dry almost ring worm looking spots in his flanks and legs. After around a $1000 at the vet trying to figure out what was going on with him, I finally found out he was struggling with yeast.
I started doing all the typical vet treatments for yeast but it would always come back after a month or two. I had tremendous success with my Famous Yeast B Gone. Even though the skin spots were gone he was still itching his ears like crazy. That's when I started looking into diet. I found out he is allergic to Chicken and Grains.
Working with all the customers that have itching and yeast issues with their dogs, I've found the most common allergies are grains and chicken. You would never think chicken!! It is incredibly hard to find foods on the market that don't contain chicken. Just because they say salmon and sweet potato on the front of the dog food bag doesn't mean there isn't chicken still as an ingredient. Check your food ingredient labels carefully!!!
If you suspect your dog might have an allergy to food here are some foods and things to look for and keep in mind.
Food allergy occurs when a dog's immune system mistakenly believed a specific food is harmful. The dog's immune system responds with antibodies, which triggers a series of dangerous symptoms.
Some of the symptoms you may see with your dog that may seem random but can be food allergies are:
- Chronic Ear Inflammation
- Itching
- Paw Biting
- Poor Coat Quality
- Obsessive Licking
Other symptoms that mimic symptoms seen in humans with food allergies are:
- Skin Rash
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Hives
- Itching
- Nausea
- Itchy Rear End
- Chronic Gas
- Vomiting
If you notice any of these symptoms your dog is having I suggest taking them to a vet to determine the allergy your dog is having. That is the best way to get to the root of the problem but it is quite expensive. If you don't have the money to go that route. I would suggest putting your dog on a limited ingredient diet that contains NO chicken and grains to start. Again, make sure to check the back ingredients even some of the limited ingredient dog foods sneak chicken in there! I would do that for at least 3 months. No Treats outside the dog food unless you can find the same limited ingredient treat! It's really hard to do I know! Then slowly add back in foods one by one. You will definitely notice a difference right away if they're allergic. Back to my story my Chinese crested that was allergic to grains and chicken, I had a dog show and forgot bait for him to have in the ring. I didn't think a tiny quarter size piece would harm him. Boy was I wrong! He flared up like crazy. His groin flared up and got all red, his ears started itching, he started licking his paws. His flank wouldn't clear up on its own I had to do another "Famous Yeast B Gone" treatment on him. All from one little piece, so I can't stress enough no treats until you figure out the cause of your dogs skin issues! These food allergies can be serious and even life-threatening even if your dog seems only irritated by the symptoms initially.
Kinds of of foods to watch out for:
Dogs can be allergic to nearly any specific food ingredient. However, I've noticed grains and chicken seem to be more likely to cause an allergic reaction in your dog. These can also be triggers:
- Chicken
- Pork
- Rabbit
- Beef
- Fish
- Lamb
- Egg
- Corn
- Soy
- Wheat
- Dairy
if if you find that your dog is still suffering from an allergic response, no matter what combination of food you've tried, then it is likely your dog is not allergic to a particular food but may suffer an allergy to something else present in the environment, such as pollen, dander, a specific fabric, or a medication.
It might seem overwhelming to take care of a dog with food allergies, it is much easier today than it used to be. There are many different food available, such as kangaroo, venison, potatoes, or oatmeal. There is also more knowledge on raw diets.
Products that help skin with allergies:
Famous Yeast Kit