Dog allergies and recommended dog foods

Even in humans, metal allergies, food allergies, and hay fever are all types of allergies.

Similar allergies also exist in dogs.

Today, I'd like to introduce some dog allergies and allergy-friendly dog ​​foods.

Types of Dog Allergy Symptoms

The principles behind allergies in dogs are the same as in humans.

Causes can include pollen, food, mold, and dust mites.

There are many different types of allergies, but we'll introduce some of the most common ones.

〇Flea Allergy Dermatitis

This condition occurs when a dog with a flea allergy is bitten by a tick or other insect.

Ticks are generally most active during the warmer months of July through October.

Indoors, fleas are often always warm, so they may be active year-round.

Ticks can be contracted from outside by coming across grass during walks or by picking up a tick that has been on another dog.

When flea allergy dermatitis develops, it can cause severe itching and the appearance of red spots that can become crusted.

〇Common Scabies (つうじょうかせね)

This symptom is primarily an allergic reaction caused by infestation with mites known as Sarcoptic mange.

Sarcoptic mange is a mite that lives on the skin of healthy dogs, but if it overgrows for some reason, it can cause severe itching, dandruff, and red rashes.

Scabiei mites are extremely small, measuring only about 0.2 mm.

They are difficult to see with the naked eye, and because they penetrate the skin, it's difficult to confirm whether they're present.

If your dog is unusually itchy or has started shaking its head from side to side more frequently, you should take it to the vet for an examination.

〇Masellatia Dermatitis

Masellatia is a bacterium that is present on the skin of healthy dogs, feeding on dog sebum.

Therefore, Masellatia generally does not cause any harm. However, if the skin's defenses are weakened due to illness or aging that weakens the immune system, an abnormal increase in Masellatia can lead to dermatitis.

It is said that approximately 70-80% of cases of otitis externa in dogs are caused by Masellatia.

Masellatia feeds on skin and breaks it down. When they multiply in a dog's ear, they cause excessive earwax production.

It seems that excessive earwax buildup can lead to various types of otitis externa.

〇Food Allergy

An allergic reaction caused by a specific protein contained in food.

Food allergies are most common in dogs under one year of age, but they can also suddenly appear in older dogs.

Many people think of food allergies as skin problems, but they can also cause other symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and itching.

If your dog has frequent bowel movements, itching after meals, or inflammation around the mouth, eyes, or back, it may be a sign of a food allergy.

〇Canine Atopic Dermatitis

Canine atopic dermatitis is an allergic condition caused by environmental substances such as pollen and house dust.

Itching persists for a long time, and this condition is more likely to occur in young dogs up to 3 years of age.

Because this is a disease that is difficult to cure, it is important to find ways to live with it.

Dietary Strategies for Food Allergies

In this article, we'll focus on food allergies in dogs.

Administering steroids is one way to suppress inflammation caused by food allergies, but this is only a symptomatic treatment.

To address the underlying cause, you need to reconsider your dog's daily diet and its dog food.

Here are some dietary strategies to help you.

〇Elimination Diet

This method involves checking to see if the dog food or other food you are giving your dog contains any allergens that may cause allergies. If allergic symptoms appear, switch to a diet that does not contain the potential allergen, gradually identifying the allergic symptoms.

It takes time and patience, but once you've identified the allergen, you'll know which foods to avoid and be more careful.

〇Broken down protein

Some dog foods break down proteins into smaller pieces

Some dog foods are engineered to prevent the immune system from recognizing them as allergens.

If all goes well, simply switching to this dog food may eliminate allergic symptoms.

However, while degraded protein dog food is an excellent allergy prevention measure, it's unclear what the health effects of continued consumption of this food may be.

〇Maintaining Immune System

Dogs who experience allergic symptoms often have an imbalance in their immune system.

Therefore, by focusing on maintaining a strong immune system, you can prevent the onset of allergies.

Specifically, maintaining intestinal health is important.

Maintaining intestinal health requires consuming dietary fiber.

Dietary fiber, such as that found in green and yellow vegetables, is hard for dogs, so it can actually put a strain on their intestines.

Try to get your fiber from grains and potatoes instead of vegetables.

Recommended Allergy-Friendly Dog Food

〇Alan's Natural Dog Food - Lamb

This dog food contains only nine ingredients, making it highly suitable for dogs with allergies.

Furthermore, it contains 40% lamb, which is said to be hypoallergenic, and contains no eggs or artificially processed ingredients, making it a recommended dog food for allergy prevention.

〇KonoKono Gohan

This dog food contains eggs, but the egg white is actually a partial allergen, and only egg yolk is used in KonoKono Gohan.

This dog food is free of additives such as antioxidants and is popular because dogs love it.

Furthermore, the ingredients are human-grade, so you can feed it to your dog with peace of mind.

〇Ponpon Deli Dog Food

This dog food contains only one type of animal protein: chicken, egg yolks. It's gluten-free and wheat-free, making it a dog food designed to prevent allergies.

It also contains 250 billion oligosaccharides and lactic acid bacteria to regulate the intestines.

As mentioned earlier, maintaining a healthy intestine can help prevent the onset of allergies, making this another recommended dog food for allergy prevention.

Finally

We hope you enjoyed our introduction to dog allergies and recommended dog foods.

No matter how careful you are, allergic symptoms can occur. Therefore, it's important to carefully observe your dog's diet to determine what the allergens are and whether the food is suitable for your dog.

To ensure your dog's continued health and well-being, pay close attention to its diet.