How to relieve food allergies in dogs?

To relieve food allergies in dogs, the best and most accurate method of diagnosing a food allergy is to feed a hypoallergenic diet for 8 to 12 weeks as a food trial, called an elimination trial. Once the offending food substance has been identified, a diet that does not contain it is chosen. Today, there are several hypoallergenic diets available from your veterinarian that can be fed for the rest of your dog's life. There are three types of hypoallergenic diets: Veterinary hydrolyzed protein diet, in which the protein molecules are broken down to a size too small to be recognized by your dog’s immune system. Veterinary novel protein diet that does not contain any products that were present in your dog’s previous foods. Home-prepared novel protein diet that does not contain any ingredients that were present in your dog’s previous diets. Your veterinarian will prescribe the best option specific to your dog’s needs. Some dogs will require medication during severe episodes, but most pets can be successfully treated with a hypoallergenic diet.

If your pet has a true allergy, over-the-counter diets will likely not resolve their allergies. An unknown ingredient within an over-the-counter pet diet can lead to allergic reactions in your pet. There are also concerns that the many available minimally-regulated pet foods might contain unlabeled food sources that could negate your attempt of a diet change for your allergic pet. Commonly, pet food is processed in a facility where many diets are made using the same machines just like many candy bars are made in facility where nuts are present. In the pet food industry, there are minimal regulations and requirements for this to be written on a pet food label. Despite their owner’s best attempt to avoid certain foods, a small amount can slip in, leading to years of suffering.