Food allergies happen not just in humans but in dogs too. When your canine’s immune system mistakenly identifies a regular animal/plant protein as a threat, produce antibodies, and kicks off an immune response, it is called a food allergy. However, unlike what commercial dog food manufacturers would like you to believe, food allergies in dogs are not common; they are quite sparse. It is best to permit a qualified veterinarian to diagnose and treat your dog for whatever symptoms are bothering him, whether it is his skin or his stomach. Sometimes signs of other health issues could be similar to that of a food allergy. So learn to recognize the common traits of food allergy. In case it is confirmed that your dog does have a food allergy, here are four most common foods that cause allergies in dogs.

Chicken

• Most dogs that develop allergic reactions do so commonly to poultry like chicken even if they have been eating it for many years.
• Turkey and duck are alternative foods for dogs that are allergic to chicken. These are used as a novel protein source to check if the immune system’s sensitive reactions to food allergy in your dog are lessened. These are one of the most common foods that cause allergies in dogs.
• Try avoiding not just regular chicken in your dog’s food, but chicken-flavored products like flavored medicines, health supplements, toothpaste, toys, and treats too.

Beef

• Another common food that dogs are allergic to, is beef, or meat from cattle.
• Beef, apart from being cooked and directly fed to dogs, can also be found as flavoring like in the case of chicken.
• In case of a food allergy to beef, then these flavored products must also be stopped simultaneously.

Dairy

• Many dogs are lactose intolerant to varying degrees and can show symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, but for others, dairy can trigger a serious food allergy. This is one of the most common foods that cause allergies in dogs.
• Dairy includes milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, flavored treats, chewable bones, and bread made with milk.

Grains

• Like dairy, grain allergy too can vary from dog to dog and directly proportional to the strength of their immune system.
• The grain is a general term that includes corn, barley, millet, wheat, rye, oats, rice, amaranth, buckwheat, and even certain beans.
• It is understood that some dogs can be allergic only to gluten found in some of the grains mentioned above, while some dogs can show symptoms of food allergy to all types of grains.

Other foods likely to cause allergies in dogs are soy, pork, fish, and sometimes the preservatives found in regular commercial dog foods like dry kibble and wet food pouches. It is best to treat allergic reactions in dogs immediately by modifying their diet. Follow the elimination diet, introduce hydrolyzed proteins, and formulate special homemade organic food without any artificial fillers for your dog. Some exotic sources of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats you can use in the hypo-allergenic diet of sensitive dogs are broccoli, elk, ostrich, emu, venison, quail, goose, lamb, quinoa, brown rice, pheasant, spinach, and potato. Try them today.