Wednesday 24 July 2013

A Problem With Your Dog's Food

One of the most basic functions of a dog is to eat. Nothing complicated about that you may think. However, many dogs harbour a hidden problem in that they suffer from a food intolerance or a food allergy. So how do you know?

Food intolerance will probably cause vomiting, diarrhoea or a generally upset stomach. The symptoms of an allergy usually include itchy skin or even raw spots on the skin and may also include weight loss, loss of energy, hyperactivity or even a personality change. These conditions are quite different, but they can both be caused by food.

Many dog owners do not realise there is a problem  and pass off the symptoms "as something the dog has eaten". The fact that it is "something else" will become apparent when the symptoms fail to clear up over a period of 5/6days. In fact, about 10% of dogs now have some sort of allergy or intolerance to normal dog food.(and our "human" food)

If you think your dog may have a food intolerance or allergy, it is necessary to have your dog tested by your vet to establish which ingredient of the food is causing the symptoms. This usually requires a special controlled diet lasting up to twelve weeks. Common ingredients that cause problems are wheat, beef, pork, chicken,fish soya and dairy products,

Once the offending ingredient has been identified you will have to find food that does not include the ingredient. This is not as difficult as it may first appear. Many of the well known quality dog food suppliers can provide suitable feed although it will be a little more expensive than standard feed.

If your dog has a problem with it's food remember that this applies to every thing you give it to eat including "treats" for good behaviour. (We know that followers of this blog would not feed their dogs "scraps from the table !!!!!!)

When changing to a new diet, do it gradually over a period of several days after which you and your dog should be able to settle down to a more normal feeding routine.

Take care out there

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