Canine Allergies 101 - Food

A food allergy is usually year round and typically affects the feet and face.

Dogs that do a lot of paw licking and face rubbing are fairly classic. Another indication is strong displays of itching, similar to flea allergy. It can take as long as six months to develop an allergy to a new food, unless the new food contains an ingredient to which they have already developed an allergy. I do NOT recommend switching around to different foods unless you're ready to do a food trial. Once off the offending food, it can take as long as 12 weeks to clear up the skin lesions and itching.

By switching foods, likely all you are doing is increasing your pet's potential exposure to allergens. This makes it much more difficult to find novel protein and carb sources for when you do an actual food trial. Besides, I have yet to find a single commercial diet (by which I mean, one you can buy in the grocery store or pet food store) which will work as a food trial. For this, you must have a SINGLE novel protein source and a SINGLE novel carbohydrate source. Check the ingredient list very closely - once you get past the first few ingredients, you will almost always find additional proteins or carbs. Look carefully; sometimes they will list "meat meal" or "animal fat," or something generic like that. If so, it's unlikely that meal or fat is from your novel source.

While most dermatologists recommend food trial as the first step in diagnosing the cause of allergies, most of the time I don't. Having done it with my first dog, and again more recently with one of my cats, I understand what a pain it really is, so save it as a last resort; usually after we've ruled out other causes. Also, on a food trial, they can't have ANYTHING other than the designated food - not treats, not flavored medicines, nothing. One more reason a food trial is so difficult.

Also see Canine Allergies 101