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Dog Food for Allergies
When your dog has allergies, it is very important that you find the best types of dog food for allegies that he has.
Because every dog is unique, you can hardly tell which specific your dog is allergic to, so the only way to find out is through testing. So based on his regilar food and what causes him desease afterwards, you can find out.
If you are sure that the problem is really food allergies and not the environment, here is a good solution that vets recommend to discover what exactly your dog is allergic to, so you can remove them from his diet...
Simply substitute a protein source that your dog doesn't normally eat. Lamb is often used for this purpose, because it's not as common a dog food ingredient.
Lamb, in and of itself, is not "non-allergic", but it's less common than chicken and beef so it enables you to introduce something new into your dog's diet, in effect, starting with a clean slate.
How to Find an Allergy Free Formula for Your Dog
You may have seen some vets selling something called an "allergy free formula diets", which are always very expensive.
But the little secret that they won't tell you is that you can create the same formula uniquely for your own dog easily and save lots of money.
Simply follow the techniques shared on this page and you can do it by yourself easily.
Dog food mixes that some pet owners commonly use, allow you to more closely control what your dog is eating by beginning with a good "base".
So you may want to try this solution too.
Safe Foods for Your Allergic Dog - Easy Step by Step Method to Discover It
Beginning with one of these neutral, grain-free formulas, try adding chicken for a week. If that goes well, than your dog is probably ok with chicken.
Then try beef. Then lamb. Try, fish, too. If that goes well, than it was probably one or more of the grains.
Now a picture is starting to form. Your dog's allergies have improved with a grain free diet that includes certain proteins.
As we mentioned before, the point of introducing a different protein source to test your dog's tolerance is because if your dog is suffering some type of food-related reaction, common sense tells you it's something she's already eating.
Can't be having reactions to something she never had yet, right?
NOTE: Please note that when switching a dog's food, do it gradually over 5 to 6 days.
Begin a 4 to 1 ration, old to new food, than 3 to 2 on day 2, than half and half on day 3, than 2 to 3 on day 4 and 1 to 4 on day 5. Day six, you're switched over completely.
As you've probably figured out by now, there's no one answer or "Silver Bullet" that will miraculously solve all your dog's allergy problems overnight.
You have to break the cycle by moving your dog to a neutral, grain-free food and begin experimenting with different proteins. Once you find a protein or combination of proteins that work, try slowly introducing grain formulas back into the diet to see if there's a reaction or not.
Using this gradual, common sense method combined with a good quality dog food should have your dog on the road to a happy, itch-free life.
And since your dog is your Best Friend, he/she is worth it, right?
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