Your Ultimate Guide to Hypoallergenic Dog Food Recipes

If your dog is suffering from food allergies, you
should consider preparing hypoallergenic dog food
recipes. Dogs, just like people, can also have
allergies to different food ingredients. It is
important that you know to which type of food
your pet pooch is allergic to so that you will
be able to prepare the right kind of recipes at
home. It is better prepare your pet's food at
home so that you can limit the ingredients to
only those that are safe for your dog to eat.

When it comes to preparing dog food recipes for
canine pets with allergies, it is important to
know some useful information. These facts can
help you decide on what kind of hypoallergenic
recipes you should prepare for your dog. Check
out the following paragraphs to know more about
hypoallergenic dog food recipes.

1) Food allergy vs. food intolerance

You have to determine whether your dog is
allergic to the food ingredient or it just
cannot tolerate certain kinds of food. If it is
a food allergy, the immune system is involved.
The dog's reactions will include skin rashes,
asthma, vomiting, paw biting, licking, dry skin,
and itchiness. If it is food intolerance, the
digestive system is involved. This means that
the dog's digestive system cannot break down one
component of the food, which results to bloating,
diarrhea, or gas.

2) Characteristics of hypoallergenic dog foods

Hypoallergenic foods for dogs have certain
characteristics. One is their limited
ingredients. It is important that the recipes
have fewer ingredients to make it easier for you
to pinpoint which food ingredient your dog is
allergic. This minimizes the risk of allergic
reactions. Another characteristic is the
addition of novel ingredients. Regular dog foods
are made of same kinds of food ingredients like
beef, chicken, fish, or poultry which can be a
cause of allergies to your dogs. This is because
the dog's immune system 'remembers' these
ingredients and are most likely the cause of
allergies.

3) Ingredients of hypoallergenic dog food
recipes

It was mentioned in the previous paragraphs that
you need to introduce new ingredients to your
dog's food. Some examples of novel ingredients
are meat of kangaroo, pheasant, buffalo, or
millet. These are meat ingredients that provide
the right kind of nutrients for your dogs but
may not cause allergies. Some common ingredients
that you need to avoid are beef, chicken, lamb,
fish, dairy, soy, wheat, corn, and yeast. These
are just some examples of safe ingredients and
ingredients that you need to avoid when
preparing dog food recipes. You can be creative
by choosing other food ingredients that are
normally used in dog food recipes.

4) Food transition

If your dog used to eat commercial dog food, you
need to know how to make the transition from
commercial dog food to raw or fresh food. This
depends on the size, weight, and age of your
dog. Large dogs require large servings, and
small dogs and puppies require small servings.
Do not instantly feed them with your newly
concocted hypoallergenic recipe because this can
shock the dog's digestive system. Initially, you
need to feed them with raw food together with
commercial dog food. After a few weeks,
completely remove the commercial dog food from
your pet canine's diet. This gradual transition
will be easier for the dog's digestive system.

5. Consult your dog's vet

Before adding, removing, or changing anything in
your dog's diet, you have to consult your pet's
vet first. When the vet finds out that your dog
is allergic to certain food types or
ingredients, he or she will instantly recommend
alternatives. Be sure to consult the vet before
preparing hypoallergenic dog food recipes for
your pet.


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Marybelle Harbach is an author of
http://www.hypoallergenicdogfoods.com/ that
published some interested articles about
hypoallergenic dog food recipes and dog food
allergies.


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