Dog Information on Allergies - Part I

You may not have known it, but dog allergies can cause dog behavior problems.

Therefore, it’s important that you have information on dog allergies including symptoms of dog allergies and causes of common dog or canine allergies.

Symptoms of Dog or Canine Allergies

Symptoms of dog or canine allergies include:

(1) scratching (from itchy skin)
(2) biting or chewing the tail, stomach, or paws
(3) sneezing
(4) watery or weepy eyes
(5) coughing
(6) rash
(7) ear infections
(8) anal irritation
(9) excessive licking of feet or stomach

Causes of Common Dog or Canine Allergies:

1. Dog food allergies

Dog food allergies occur in roughly 1 out of 7 dogs. Dog food allergies can result in diarrhea or vomiting, although you should be alert for any underlying medical conditions, as well.

Common ingredients that cause dog food allergies include:

> wheat
> chemical preservatives and artificial ingredients (BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin, artificial colors, artificial flavors)
> corn
> meat and poultry by-products
> dairy products
> soybeans
> beef

Dog foods can also contain salt and sugar which are not only bad for your dog’s health but can also cause dog behavior problems.

Having too much sugar in your dog’s diet, for example, can cause sugar “highs” and “lows.”

A sugar “high” can make your dog hyper-active and inattentive which can hinder dog obedience training. A sugar “low” can cause your dog to become irritable, moody, and even hungry.

If your dog becomes hungry shortly after a meal, it can cause dog behavior problems in the form of dog chewing.

If your dog is displaying dog behavior problems or you suspect a food allergy, consider talking to your vet about feeding it a special diet.

Dog food for allergies is a specially formulated protein diet that can be obtained from your veterinarian or online stores.

To check for dog food allergies, gradually introduce suspected offending ingredients into the specially formulated dog food for allergies diet, making note of any dog allergy symptoms.

Be sure to check out the second part of this series for more dog information on allergies.

Don't miss our tips about Dog Training and solving Dog Problems!
Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed to stay up-to-date about news on dog training and solving dog problems. Thanks for visiting us today and invite your friends to visit us, too!