Food allergies are quite common in dogs - these may be the some of the earliest allergies we see in pets. Animals tend to become allergic to things they are exposed to the most; the antigens in food, particularly the proteins, are something they are exposed to as soon as they begin to eat solid food.

Food allergies will manifest themselves all year, whereas allergies to pollens or leaf molds will be seasonal. Many dogs will not get signs of intestinal discomfort such as diarrhea or vomiting with food allergies, but will exhibit signs of skin irritation. They may chew on their feet, gnaw on their legs, or get rashes or skin infections. Some dogs will have recurrent ear infections as the only sign of their allergy.

The problem is that if the dog is allergic to house dust mites or ragweed pollen the signs could be exactly the same for all or part of the year. This is part of what makes allergies so frustrating for the owner and the veterinarian - so many things can look alike.

In Part 2, we will help discover your dog’s
allergies using the “Food Elimination Diet.”