What do food allergies look like?

Determining whether your dog has food allergies is not an easy task.
The same physical symptoms you see are not specific to food allergies — plenty of things can cause a dog to scratch or lick excessively. Plenty of things can be responsible for rashes and ear infections. And certainly, what the skin looks like can, in some cases, look an awful lot like other issues, especially mange.
In fact, when Sensi began having skin problems years ago, our first guess was that he had either some form of the mange or some sort of mite problem.
So, it’s not as easy as catching your dog licking himself and saying: “Yep, he’s got food allergies all right.”
In fact, once you’ve begun wondering what is causing your dog’s skin problems, it can get even more difficult to determine that.
Allergy tests on dogs are not reliable. A good and thorough veterinarian, in my experience, will recommend food trials. After several months of food trials, you will have a good record of what your dog is allergic to.
We’ll be starting food trials again with Sensi as soon as he is healthy, and I’m sure I’ll blog in greater detail about what goes into conducting a proper food trial.
This blog, though, is supposed to be about what food allergies can look like in a dog. And lucky you, I just happen to have pictures.
The photos below were taken on Wednesday, the day after Sensi went to the vet and his second day on medications. Believe it or not, these pictures show a dramatic improvement compared to what Sensi looked like the day before they were taken.
Sensi continues to improve on a daily basis. His face is almost completely back to normal, with the exception of some scabbing, which I consider to be Mother Nature’s path to healing. The backside of his foreleg and a faint and fading rash on his underside are all that remains of this allergy episode now.
After a good bath this weekend, I’ll take some more photos to post on a blog update next week.

For now, though, here’s what food allergies can look like:Sensi’s swollen & scratched eye, closed because of the camera’s flash.Backside of forelegs are very red, but this photo shows scabbing developing. This is a great improvement over the open wounds that were there the day before.Here is a good example of why we need to focus on body language and eye contact to communicate with our dogs. Does Sensi’s facial expression and eyes not clearly say, “I am sick, Mom. Why are you taking pictures of me?”

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What to Avoid and What to Look for in Dog Shampoos

If your beloved canines have dog allergies, one of the things which are recommended is to buy dog shampoo. Dog shampoos are not difficult to find, they are present in most pet shops and you can also get them from your veterinarian. However, you have to be very careful about the various shampoos you use for dog allergies. Read the labels carefully because there might be some ingredients which are not good. 

The best dog shampoos are those which contain natural ingredients. However, the truth is most dog shampoos today contain a lot of artificial ingredients like perfumes, coloring and chemicals. Dogs with allergies have adverse reactions to these ingredients most of the time. In order to avoid adverse allergic reactions, it is better to buy dog shampoos which have organic and natural ingredients although there is a small amount of natural ingredients which also cause reactions.

One of the most important things to check when selecting a dog shampoo is the surfactant. The surfactant is what makes the shampoo spread and blend with water. A surfactant which is too harsh will strip your dog’s coat of its natural oils. Be very careful with your choices.

Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Shampoos

Although Aloe Vera is one of the bets ingredients in helping ease itching and scratching, however, there are dogs with pollen and grass allergies which might not benefit from Aloe Vera. If you are currently using a dog shampoo with Aloe Vera and you find it ineffective or not helpful, you should switch to another shampoo. Other ingredients which may also cause allergic reactions are:

·         Tar-this can cause cancer

·         Co Co Amide-another cancer causing agent

·         Sodium Laureth-this is the ingredient which causes shampoos to foam but this is irritating and this can damage the follicle

·         Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben and Mineral Oil-this causes allergic reactions

·         Ethyl Alcohol-this can dry out the coat of your dog

·         Propylene Glycol-this is a mineral oil which can irritate the skin of your dog

·         Parabens-this can contribute to cancer and this is also an irritant

Ingredients to Look for in Dog Shampoos

·         Vitamin A

·         Vitamin D

·         Vitamin E

·         Glycerin-this is better than Propylene glycol

·         Citric acid and Potassium sorbate-these are both approved by the FDA

·         Oatmeal-one of the bet ingredients in dog shampoos

·         Tea tree oil-an antibacterial agent

·         Neem- an antibacterial agent

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