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There are some dogs
that have special needs, such as allergies, that often
can be addressed by putting them on a special diet.
However, dog owners should be cautioned that a special
diet is not a substitute for veterinary medical care. A
diet alone will not “cure” a medical issue that requires
medication, surgery or other treatment by a
professional. If your pet is on a veterinarian
prescribed therapeutic food you should not switch them
without your veterinarian being consulted. In general,
dog lovers should seek veterinary advice before putting
their pets on a special needs diet for allergies or
other special needs.
According to some
studies, about 10% of the allergies seen in dogs and
cats are related to food. Allergic reactions in dogs
usually show up as skin irritations, or GI signs (loose
stools, flatulence, or vomiting.) In people, by
contrast, allergies more often involve the respiratory
system. Basically, an allergy in dogs is an
over-response by the body to a nontoxic agent in the
food. There is nothing wrong with this ingredient
itself. The problem is that over a period of time, the
dog’s body builds up intolerance to the ingredient in
the food.
The solution for
most allergic dogs is to switch to food that has an
uncommon protein source such as duck, lamb or venison,
and an uncommon carbohydrate source like green pea or
sweet potato. The fact that the dog’s body has not built
up intolerance to this novel source of protein usually
means that the allergy will go away. However, it may
take up to 12 weeks for the allergic symptoms to
disappear. When using a diet with one protein source and
one carbohydrate source to help with allergies, it is
important that no other organic products are fed such as
rawhide, compressed vegetable bones, or any table foods.
Many allergy formula
dog foods have added Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids to
help address skin and coat issues, as well as other
ingredients to counter allergic reactions.
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