The Jack Russell Terrier dog lies near his empty bowl, top view.
(Picture Credit: Yaraslau Saulevich/Getty Images)

Dog Mom: My Dog Had Food Allergies, & I Didn’t Even Know It! Here’s What I Did

(Picture Credit: Higgins)

My Shih Tzu George was always a fidgety dog. He would often scratch at night, keeping us awake. I spoke to someone at my pet food store who suspected that George had food allergies.

This clerk thought that George might be allergic to chicken and grain and recommended that I try a different dog food. I switched to the new dog food and did not even notice the changes that were happening until I ran out of food and was in need of a different protein source.

I like to rotate my dog’s protein sources. It was not easy to find a dog food without chicken and grain over the counter. I was also a little skeptical of the unofficial dog allergy diagnosis, so I grabbed a bag of one of his old brands and took it home.

George’s Food Was The Culprit

(Picture Credit: Higgins)

Within a few days I noticed that George tossed and turned all night. He also started licking and scratching and could not get comfortable.

Being a relatively new dog parent at the time, I guess I just thought that was normal dog behavior — that dogs just licked and fidgeted and scratched at night.

I didn’t realize how much of George’s “dog” behavior was actually food related. I can’t believe the unnecessary discomfort he must have gone through while I figured it out, but I’m so glad that I did.

We immediately switched back to the recommended food, and George went back to sleeping comfortably through the night.

I have yet to find a dog treat that agrees with him, and I have found it best to skip dog treats entirely. Even treats without chicken and grain. Odds are he probably has other allergies that I don’t know about.

There are about four different dog foods that I rotate that he is fine with.

I am now familiar with typical dog behavior, and it does not include restlessness all night or discovering wet spots on his fur when I pet him from excessive licking.

Symptoms That Might Mean Your Dog Has Food Allergies

The Jack Russell Terrier dog lies near his empty bowl, top view.
(Picture Credit: Yaraslau Saulevich/Getty Images)

According to Pets Web MD the most common dog food allergies are: beef, dairy, wheat, egg, chicken, lamb, soy, pork, rabbit, and fish. And most dogs who have food allergies are usually allergic to more than one thing.

Here are a few of the common signs of food allergies to watch out for in your dog:

  • Excessive licking (especially around the feet or rear end)
  • Diarrhea
  • Chronic ear inflammation
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Gas
  • Vomiting

If your dog exhibits these behaviors you’ll want to talk to your vet about allergies and see what they recommend. There are different ways to treat allergies in pets. Some need medication, and for others, it’s a simple food change. Your vet will be able to advise you better than I.

Find Out With An Elimination Diet

The only to determine if your dog has food allergies is to try an elimination diet. Rely on your veterinarian’s advice before you change your dog’s food.

Your vet will likely tell you to change your dog’s food to one they’ve never had before.

Once the dog’s symptoms dissipate, you’ll start to introduce the old food items back into their diet, the ones that you think may have caused the allergy in the first place.

This takes time since it may take a few days or even weeks for the allergic symptoms to dissipate, and then a few days or weeks for the introduced food to trigger their allergic reaction in the first place.

Again, this is best done with the guidance of a vet, and make sure to do lots of research on your own so you know what you’re doing.

You may want to try foods with exotic ingredients your dog has never had before like bison and venison. There are so many dog foods out there with all sorts of ingredients ,so you should be able to find something your dog has never had before.

Hope your puppies are happy and healthy, and remember that if they are keeping you up at night, they might have food allergies.

Have you ever found out that your dog had a food allergy? How did you find out what triggered their symptoms? Let us know in the comments below!

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