Like humans, dogs are susceptible to allergens in their food and environment. So can you buy allergy dog food for your pet? The good news is yes you can. Some high-quality hypoallergenic dog foods are now available from specialist healthy dog food manufacturers.
Why Dogs Need Allergy Dog Food
Are dogs really allergic to ingredients in dog food? Yes there are several common ingredients in dog food which many dogs are allergic to or intolerant toward. These include corn, wheat gluten, potato, chicken, soy, artificial color chemicals, artificial flavor chemicals and some preservatives.
Results of dogs eating these allergens are often seen in their digestive health, symptoms such as flatulence, bloating, vomiting, bad breath and lack of appetite. They can also affect wider health issues such as a dull coarse coat, skin conditions including dryness and lesions, and can eventually lead to heart disease and obesity.
Hypoallergenic dog foods eliminate all of these major allergens so that your dog has a much lower chance of health issues due to allergies.
Other Benefits of High-Quality Allergy Dog Food
Because hypoallergenic dog foods are formulated with high quality ingredients and poor quality allergen ingredients and chemicals are replaced with higher quality natural products, any dog whether allergic to food ingredients or not, should see any improve in overall healthy and vitality if switched to these dog foods.
Low quality filler carbohydrates such as grains and potatoes are swapped for vegetables high in vitamins and minerals, as well as for more high-quality protein to provide the essential amino acids. Dogs require ten essential amino acids that are not generated naturally by the body, and only available through consumption of protein. The same is true of fatty acids derived from fats. So a balanced diet which contains nutritious proteins, vegetables and their fats will build the foundation for a healthy dog.
Hypoallergenic dog foods are also configured to help manage your dogs’ weight. Some mainstream dog foods contain filler carbohydrate products which offer very little nutritional value but caloric value only. These foods are burned faster and leave residual fat. This leads to dogs wanting to eat more often, resulting in obesity. This combined with lack of energy from poor diet is why more than 50% of dogs in the United States are overweight.
Hypoallergenic foods for dogs are also more fresh, pure, and are minimally processed, so required less preservatives. This results in fresher products which contain more vitamins, minerals and essential acids.
In addition to this dogs tend to enjoy hypoallergenic foods more because of the high protein content, and the switch from bland meats such as pork and chicken to tastier meats such as goat, sheep, game, and fish.
So there is every reason why you should try your dog on hypoallergenic dog food, you should see them lose excess weight, digestive and skin conditions resolved, more energetic, and a healthier dog in general. As hypoallergenic dog foods become more mainstream you should have plenty of choice at good value.