Food and environmental allergies in dogs
Food and environmental allergies in dogs
Does your dog have signs of food or environmental allergies?
Dry itchy skin is just one of the many symptoms that may indicate your dog is experiencing a bigger problem brought on by environmental allergies. In rare cases, these may also be signs of food allergies in dogs. These signs can be long-term, recurring and should be noted to your vet.
Signs to watch for
If your dog is dealing with non-stop itching, there’s a good chance it’s because they have allergies. Scratching is definitely the most common sign, but it’s not the only thing to watch out for. Here are some other clues that your dog might have allergies or another skin issue:
What causes allergies in dogs?
One of the most difficult things on a dog’s path to recovery is determining what is causing their allergies. There are two main types of allergies that dogs face: environmental and food. The majority of allergies in dogs are from environmental causes, but certain ingredients in food can cause reactions as well.
Recurring signs of environmental allergies may be caused by grasses, pollen or biting insects. They can be addressed with a multimodal treatment consisting of medication to help reduce the immediate symptoms and nutrition for effective long-term management.
Food allergies in dogs are actually very uncommon — in fact, only 10% of dogs experience food allergies! Rarely, however, some dogs may experience reactions to certain ingredients, and they are identified through food elimination trials conducted by your veterinarian. A food elimination trial is a process of finding and removing the food ingredient causing skin issues or digestive upsets.
What can you do?
Managing a dog’s allergies can be a challenging process, and your first step should be visiting your veterinarian. They will help you find the right combination of nutrition, medication, and/or topicals for your dog.
Trust
Living with a dog with food or environmental allergies can cause you both to be restless, but the road to recovery will require time, patience and trust in your vet. Remember — just like humans, every dog is unique, and the best solution will come from working with a professional to address your pet’s specific needs. Together, you’ll get on the right track to helping your best friend feel like their best self.
Nutrition
Therapeutic nutrition plays an important role in the long-term management of allergies in dogs. The right nutrition can promote healthy skin from within and help alleviate your dog’s signs quickly and long-term. Even with treatment, some dogs may have recurring signs that will require adjustments along the way, and your veterinarian will be a helpful resource in managing your dog’s allergies.
Medication
A vet may prescribe medication to help alleviate your dog’s signs of allergies. If you are wondering what you can give your dog for allergies, only give medication as recommended by your vet.
Topicals
Topicals can be used for managing allergies in dogs. There are various deliveries for topicals like shampoos, lotions, sprays or ointments. Reach out to your veterinarian to ensure a specific topical is appropriate for your pet’s skin condition and life stage.
Trust
Living with a dog with food or environmental allergies can cause you both to be restless, but the road to recovery will require time, patience and trust in your vet. Remember — just like humans, every dog is unique, and the best solution will come from working with a professional to address your pet’s specific needs. Together, you’ll get on the right track to helping your best friend feel like their best self.
Nutrition
Therapeutic nutrition plays an important role in the long-term management of allergies in dogs. The right nutrition can promote healthy skin from within and help alleviate your dog’s signs quickly and long-term. Even with treatment, some dogs may have recurring signs that will require adjustments along the way, and your veterinarian will be a helpful resource in managing your dog’s allergies.
Medication
A vet may prescribe medication to help alleviate your dog’s signs of allergies. If you are wondering what you can give your dog for allergies, only give medication as recommended by your vet.
Topicals
Topicals can be used for managing allergies in dogs. There are various deliveries for topicals like shampoos, lotions, sprays or ointments. Reach out to your veterinarian to ensure a specific topical is appropriate for your pet’s skin condition and life stage.
Understanding nutritional support for food and environmental allergies
You’ll want to ask your vet about a few things when it comes to the best dog food for food or environmental allergies. For food allergies, ask about therapeutic dog food with a single novel protein or hydrolyzed protein that is unlikely to cause a reaction. For environmental allergies ask about nutrition that can nourish and help protect from environmental irritants.
A novel protein refers to a unique protein not commonly found in pet food to help lower the risk of an adverse reaction.
Hydrolyzed protein involves breaking proteins down into smaller pieces to help avoid detection by the immune system.
Ask your veterinarian how nutrition can help
Schedule an appointment for your pet and see how a therapeutic pet food can help your pet feel better and support their long-term digestion.
Ask your veterinarian how nutrition can help
Schedule an appointment for your pet and see how a therapeutic pet food can help your pet feel better and support their long-term digestion.
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