Food intolerance and allergies are among the reasons why pet parents visit the vet for consultation and treatment. Knowing what food triggers your dog’s discomfort is important as it helps you avoid it. It is also the start of finding the right remedies. Raw is natural and less likely to be a trigger hence advisable to try.
What Causes Pet Allergies
Allergies are simply an over response of the pet’s immune system. The response is always to potential protein or overexposure to specific allergens. You also need to understand that 75 percent of the dog’s immune system is in the digestive tract, which covers the mouth, stomach, and intestines.
Sadly, most of the allergy triggers known result today from food. Seventy percent of allergies are related to kibble. Most processed foods are stripped of nutrients, and the much-needed moisture could be why they are allergy-triggering. Fillers included in these foods also contribute to this kind of allergy and can take a toll on allergies. In addition, not all additionals in these foods are beneficial to the dog.
How to Know that your Dog is Suffering from an Allergy
Like it is with other conditions, allergies also present in specific symptoms. These include:
- hot spots
- ear infections
- diarrhea
- yeast (browning of skin & coat)
- dry
- flaky skin
- smelly coat
- eye discharge
- possible rash.
While most of the allergens are food-related, few are environmentally based. Therefore, be observant to know what other environmental triggers could be the reason for the allergic reactions.
Benefits of Raw Diets for Allergic Reactions
Regarding allergies, raw pet food is a good way to resolve the symptoms. Invest in high-quality raw pet food like those sold by Houston Raw Pet Food, and you will be glad to experience the following benefits.
- Raw food is easy to digest.
- It strengthens the immune system and makes it possible to fight off allergies.
- Dogs absorb and utilize nutrients more efficiently.
- The live enzymes in raw food strengthen the dog’s gut.
- Overall improvement in health, including organ function and joints.
- A natural, organic raw food diet contains zero allergens.
Try the Elimination Diet
But what do you do when you realize your dog has an allergic reaction? Well, this is the time to try an elimination diet. There is a chance that the dog is eating something that triggers its allergy.
You can easily find out what the trigger is if you eliminate the foods one by one and observe the reactions. Temporarily omitting certain foods for specific times can eventually reveal which foods are potential triggers. This may take time, and patience is needed, but it may be the best way to get to the bottom.
While at it, introduce raw pet food since these are not known to cause any allergic reactions. The fact that they are all natural means that they have everything your pet needs too and should be prioritized.
