Tips for Dealing with Food Allergies in Labradoodles

Dogs love to eat and many of them will scarf down anything you put in front of them. Because dogs don’t discriminate, it’s up to you to ensure that they get the kind of food that will provide for their nutritional needs. Choosing a dog food can be challenging since there are so many options to choose from and things become even more difficult if your Labradoodle suffers from food allergies. Keep reading to learn more about food allergies in dogs and how to deal with them.

Understanding Food Allergies in Dogs

In the same way that people can develop allergies for certain food ingredients, so can dogs. While food allergies only account for about 10% of allergy cases in dogs, they can be very serious in the dogs that develop them. Technically, a dog can become allergic to any ingredient with enough exposure but some of the foods most likely to trigger allergies in dogs include beef, dairy, wheat, eggs, chicken, lamb, soy, pork, rabbit, and fish. It is also important to note that dogs who have food allergies are often allergic to more than one ingredient.

In people, food allergies often present with digestive symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. While dogs with food allergies may develop these symptoms as well, the more telling signs of a food allergy in dogs are skin-related. If your dog is constantly licking his feet or if he has recurrent ear infections, it could be a food allergy. Some dogs with food allergies also develop itchy skin, hot spots, hair loss, and even skin infections. If your dog has skin problems that don’t seem to be linked to a particular season, or if he has infections that come back after treatment with antibiotics, it might be a food allergy.

Addressing Food Allergies with an LID

A Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) is the best way to address food allergies in dogs. This type of dog food is made with a limited number of main ingredients which helps to reduce the risk for triggering food allergies. More importantly, however, it is made with a novel source of protein and carbohydrate – something your dog hasn’t eaten before and is, therefore, unlikely to be allergic to. You’ll need to feed your dog an LID for at least 12 weeks until all signs of his allergy have disappeared. At this point, you then have the option to reintroduce potential allergens one at a time until you find the culprit or you can simply keep feeding your dog the LID. Talk to your veterinarian about your options if you aren’t sure which is the better choice for your Labradoodle.

Many dog owners make the mistake of assuming that food allergies in dogs are no big deal. Left untreated, however, your dog could develop serious skin problems and his body may have trouble absorbing nutrition from the food he eats. If you suspect that your dog may be suffering from a food allergy, talk to your vet right away so you can get your dog started on an LID.

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