Pet dogs usually suffer from various types of allergies, and as a result their skin itches continuously, making them distressed. They tend to shake their heads as if suffering from a severe ear or skin infection, or it may be due to gastrointestinal problems. However, there is a considerable chance that your dog could be suffering from a food allergy. The most common foods to trigger an allergy in dogs are beef, dairy, lamb, wheat, pork, fish, chicken, and rabbit.

It is also essential to know that dogs are allergic due to multiple factors and not just one source:

1. Causes of food allergies in dogs
Dogs with food allergies suffer due to the consumption of a few food items, but there are exceptions. It may be due to intolerance of a few foods, which their body is unable to digest; thus, external signs appear. If the dog consumes a high amount of fiber or a large quantity of fat in the foods, which its stomach is unable to digest, it is not a sign of an allergy. Its body is not tolerating the food’s properties, thus resulting in adverse effects. Other gastrointestinal problems arise in dogs due to parasites, pancreatitis, viruses, bacterial infections, because of their habit of ingesting random products from the environment.

2. Treatment for dogs with food allergies
If you or your vet is unable to pinpoint the type of food allergy in your dog, you can try this method. Food allergies in dogs are currently best diagnosed at home with a portion of homemade food or the one bought from the veterinarian that is full of vitamins, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates. This food is to be given to your dog daily for one month, and when no allergic signs appear, you go back to the old diet that was followed initially.

3. Elimination diet
You introduce only one ingredient at a time with the new diet in order to examine the type of food and its allergic properties. Following the process with other parts will show you the actual food your dog is allergic to. In this case, you may stop giving the ingredient or switch the diet with other foods to diminish the allergic effect on the pet.

4. The common ingredients causing food allergy
It can be said that there aren’t many foods that are dangerous for dogs with food allergies. However, there are certain ingredients in foods that can disturb the digestive system of dogs. The most popular foods causing allergies among dogs are:

• Dairy products
• Egg
• Beef
• Chicken

However, the primary reason for food allergies in dogs is due to a common ingredient present in their food source known as plant protein. Researchers have proved that some pets are allergic to plant sources like potatoes, carrots, or grains, and they never show any signs of allergy upon consuming animal protein.