If you own a dog who struggles with frequent bouts of sickness, painful bowel movements, bloating, excessive wind then you know how tricky it can be to find a suitable food for him. And each time you try a new food you risk upsetting his poor tummy even further. It can be really difficult, and many owners often make frequent trips to the vet to try and reach a diagnosis. Yet your dog may not be sick at all; it may be a simple case of a food intolerance which is easy to cure with the right food and care.
If you have not yet tried feeding your dog a sensitive or hypoallergenic dog food then now may be a good time to start. If you dog suffers from any of the symptoms mentioned above, or perhaps suffers from itchy, flaky skin or a dull, greasy cost then you really should try switching away from mass market, supermarket brands to a more premium quality hypoallergenic food.
Hypoallergenic dog food makes great sense for any dog. Put simply, it is a formulated food which should contain just one type of meat (British Lamb is a great hypoallergenic meat as it contains low ash levels and is easy to digest). It should contain one simple carbohydrate like rice, which again is easy to digest and provides plenty of energy. Other things to look out for are ingredients like beet pulp, which are proven to aid digestion. You need to avoid the common food allergy triggers, such as beef, chicken, wheat, dairy, eggs, maize and gluten.
Hypoallergenic dog food is becoming much more common as people recognise that just like humans, dogs can be sensitive to certain food types. Rather than being confined to the expensive specialist section within your vet centre, you can now find more affordable products at your local pet food retailers. You can also pick up hypoallergenic dog treats, made from easy to digest meats such as Venison and you should give these a try, because standard treats are usually packed full of allergy inducing ingredients.
When switching to any new dog food type you need to take a gradual approach. However, many owners find that within just a few weeks of moving to hypoallergenic dog food their dogs symptoms are far reduced (and often completely gone). The result is a happier pet and a happier owner.
