Getting to the bottom of an allergy issue involves putting the dog on a strict
hypoallergenic diet for two to three months.
This diagnosis is often inaccurate and many pets are placed unnecessarily
on hypoallergenic diets, when potentially all they needed was a high - quality pet food without artificial ingredients.
A new technology in food processing has produced a type
of hypoallergenic diet that is safer to put pets on even in the early stages of developing allergies to food.
The best way to diagnose a food allergy is to place the cat on a
strict hypoallergenic diet consisting of a new food for eight to 12 weeks.
You'll need to change her to an all - natural,
hypoallergenic diet if food is determined to be the cause of her itching.
Work with your veterinarian to try to figure out what he is allergic to and try to get him on a
more hypoallergenic diet.
At this time, the best method we have for determining food allergies is by doing an elimination trial, when your pet is on a
specific hypoallergenic diet for 2 - 3 months.
But keep in mind there's no such thing as a
true hypoallergenic diet, because any animal can react to any food at any time.
These include urinary diets, weight loss, liver disease, diabetes,
hypoallergenic diets for skin conditions and we can also order any diet based on your pets need.
If you want to take a conservative approach and make small changes before moving to a
complete hypoallergenic diet, start by giving your dog foods that only have one source of protein.
If the pet has eaten lamb before, we have
hypoallergenic diets available made of venison and potato, fish and potato, duck and potato or rabbit and potato.
Answer: Vitamins don't seem to help chronic ear infections secondary to allergies - Omega 3 Fatty Acids may help a little but dogs that have done well for years on one food, sometimes need to switch to a more
hypoallergenic diet as they older.
Because many pets with food allergies will often present with recurrent ear infections, any pet with repetitive ear infections should also have a 6 - 8 week trial with a novel
hypoallergenic diet such as rabbit, duck or venison based foods.
Dietary Management Because dietary allergens can play a role in IBD, your veterinarian may recommend a food trial
using hypoallergenic diets.
The only way to accurately diagnose a food allergy is to perform an elimination diet, when a dog is put on a prescription or
homemade hypoallergenic diet for a period of eight to 12 weeks.
Hypoallergenic diets contain hydrolyzed proteins, which are pulverized into tiny pieces that won't trigger an allergic reaction by your dog's immune system.
You may be asked to stop feeding your dog her normal food and give her several different specially -
formulated hypoallergenic diets to see if the itching abates while she's eating one of them.
Lamb and rice used to be the combination of choice, but most premium dog food companies now have a lamb and rice diet,
so hypoallergenic diets of fish and potatoes or venison and rice have taken their place.
Approach a
raw hypoallergenic diet in the same manner by feeding a single novel protein source and a single novel carbohydrate source.
There are two technologies upon
which hypoallergenic diets are based: novel protein, novel carbohydrate formulas and hydrolyzed protein formulas.
Prepared hypoallergenic diets are available from veterinarians only, and all other sources of calories including treats and rawhides are eliminated during a food trial.
You may also want to try a
different hypoallergenic diet since many cats will not respond to d / d since lamb is now such an integral part of many diets (thereby not making it «hypoallergenic» anymore).
Food allergies are most accurately diagnosed through a limited,
hypoallergenic diet under the supervision of your veterinarian.
I have not met many English Bulldogs or Shih Tzus that did not have major skin or ear problems... before I put them
on hypoallergenic diets.
This seems like an extensive list of common ingredients, but pet parents should not be discouraged, as there are many other protein sources and
hypoallergenic diets available once the offending allergen or allergens have been determined.