DogInsider.com has released the latest pet nutritionist advice on identifying and treating dog food allergies so that pet owners know what to look for when their dog starts behaving unusually – it could save a dog’s life.
There’s nothing scarier than seeing your beloved pet in real distress. Our German Shepherd, Harold, had had minor reactions to foods before: but they had been a bit of red, itchy skin or, one time, some watery eyes – that I had initially put down to him scoffing my chili from my spot on the back porch. I like it spicy!
But, last night, within ten minutes of eating his dinner, he was wheezing and clearly in some real discomfort. My wife and I couldn’t work it out. He hadn’t had anything new, but he was now having diarrhea and looked like he was actually struggling to get a good breath in. Luckily, we live just ten minutes out from our local animal hospital, so we were able to throw him in the back of our jeep and get the care he needed quickly.
I’m so scared of something like this happening again. Thankfully, I stumbled across this new allergen advice from DogInsider.com while I was sitting in the waiting room to collect Harold this morning. Access it for FREE at https://doginsider.com/identifying-and-treating-dog-food-allergies
This newly published advice from DogInsider.com includes an updated list of common food allergens for dogs, taken from the latest pet nutritionist guidelines. The list includes foods which are commonly found in dog foods, such as beef, chicken, wheat and soy.
If a pet has an adverse reaction to any of these ingredients, according to DogInsider.com’s experts, pet owners will notice symptoms including skin irritations, digestive upset, and respiratory issues – just like we did with Harold. It is important, according to canine health experts, to consult with a veterinarian to avoid serious reactions, which could potentially escalate to anaphylaxis. Thank goodness we got our pup there in time.
DogInsider’s guidance also offers tips on preventing dog food allergies, which I found particularly interesting. Pet nutritionists suggest varying the sources of the proteins and carbohydrates found in dog food so that their gut microbiome becomes used to a variety of foods. New foods or changes in diet should also be approached gradually, according to the experts. This gives dogs time to adapt to the new foods and makes pinpointing the cause of any allergic reaction easier for the owner or veterinarian.
That was what had us confused. Harold hadn’t eaten anything out of the ordinary. It wasn’t until we were sorting the recycling this afternoon that we noticed that they’ve changed the ingredients on his usual dog food. One minor shift to soy-based additives and we almost lost our pup. It’s terrifying, and I’m just so relieved that he’s doing ok now.
Our vet is going to be testing Harold for the full range of allergens, just so we know what to look out for in the future. Until then, I’m going to be relying on the dog health and nutrition advice that I can trust from DogInsider at https://doginsider.com
