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Dogs, like their human companions, can have allergies to different varieties of food. Many times, the problem is that their bodies can’t handle the corn or wheat in the food, which can often show up as colitis.

A dog experiencing dog food allergies may exhibit any of the following: Vomiting bile or blood, poor appetite, diarrhea and blood in the stools, itching, dry coat and skin, chronic or recurrent ear infections, hair loss, excessive scratching, hot spots, skin infections, increased bowel movements and any other abnormal behavior.

If you’re worried that your dog may have a food allergy or intolerance to a particular food, you should test to ensure that the food is what’s causing the problem. Other issues, such as parasites or infections, can cause similar symptoms.

It may mean that you avoid all commercial brands and stick to a homemade style dog food recipe of protein and carbohydrate, of which you can control exactly what goes into it.

The matter is further complicated because there are many additives in dog food, and it may be one of these which is causing the allergy rather than a certain kind of meat or grain.

Common allergy-causing foods for dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, chicken eggs, corn, and soy. But these are the most common ingredients in dog foods!

You bet, and there is a correlation. The problem may have been caused by overuse of particular foods, like with humans who are lactose intolerant.

Rice and lamb are common among many of the new recipes which have been formulated to be non-traditional dog feeds; hence dogs do not build up intolerance during this period.

These may not actually be the solution to treating an intolerance though, as many of these brands contain soy, egg etc., so check the ingredients.

As more and more dogs are diagnosed with allergic reactions, many pet foods are marketed as hypoallergenic. Keep in mind that like any other thing, some dog food recipes may work well for you dog, and others may not be right for him at all. Take these only as guidelines.

Be prepared to compare dog food brands extensively, since one thing to consider is that many “healthy” dog foods may still cause allergies in your dog if they contain that trigger ingredient. Even human grade dog food might still be causing your dog stomach problems.

An intolerance to wheat or dairy contained in dog foods, natural and high quality though they may be, will still cause the end result, just as it does in humans. Canine skin problems are another sign that your dog may have an allergy.