Eating a tasty meal or a special treat is among your puppy’s greatest joys in life. It can be disheartening to find that your young dog has developed a food allergy that limits what they can eat. Luckily for dogs, there are a lot of options for them, even if they have food allergies.
Food allergies vs. environmental allergies in young dogs
Food allergies are one of the most common causes of allergic skin disease in dogs, though it’s actually more common for dogs to have environmental allergies.
While environmental allergies may wax and wane with the seasons, the symptoms of food allergies are usually present year-round. Keep in mind that it’s possible for dogs to have both food allergies and environmental allergies. Allergies usually develop in young dogs who are over 6 months of age, with the most common age of onset between 6 months and 2 years of age.
Signs of food allergies in young dogs
Food allergies in dogs most often manifest in the skin. Symptoms of food allergies could include:
- Itchy and inflamed (red) skin, ears and paws
- Recurrent skin and/or ear infections
- Excessive licking or chewing at the feet
- Hair loss from overgrooming
- Hives
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea (not as common)
Top allergens in food
Pets are most often allergic to the proteins in their food, with the top three allergens including beef, dairy products and chicken. Contrary to popular belief, grains are not usually responsible for food allergies in dogs, though some dogs are allergic to wheat.
What to do if you suspect food allergies in your young dog
If you suspect your dog has food allergies, contact your VCA care team for an evaluation. After ruling out parasites or other skin conditions as the cause of itchiness, your veterinarian may recommend attempting an elimination diet.
An elimination diet will consist of feeding a hydrolyzed protein, limited ingredient or novel protein food exclusively for 8 weeks. This is easier said than done! During an elimination diet, your pet can’t have other foods, treats or flavored medications without your veterinarian’s approval.
If the symptoms subside during the elimination trial, the veterinarian may recommend adding ingredients from the old food back one at a time to find what triggers the allergic reaction.
Your puppy will likely be on a prescription allergy diet for the long term. Make sure to get foods and treats approved by your veterinarian so you don’t accidentally sabotage your young dog’s food allergy management plan.
Make sure you’re ready to put an elimination diet into practice.
