Dog Food Allergies  – If your dog shows signs of allergies and you are certain it is not from fleas in his coat, inhalants in the environment or other health problems, your dog could be suffering from dog  food allergies. It can be difficult to determine food allergies and can also be a long process as you experiment with various types of  foods to try to isolate the food causing the allergy.

The most obvious signs of dog  food allergies are scratching, vomiting and diarhea. These food allergies can also cause your dog discomfort with severe intestinal and stomach problems.

Take your dog to the vet for an assessment if you suspect it may have a food allergy. Your vet may prescribe a new diet that is high in carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients that it may not have been receiving from it’s previous diet.

Some vets may recommend a home-cooked diet for dogs with food allergies, which could include protein combined with rice or potatoes. This is a healty, hypoallergenic meal.  To do this, boil all the ingredients and serve the same amount as your dog’s normal diet.  It is a good idea to package the meals in individual portions, freeze them and thaw when you need them.

Caution:   This diet should only be fed for a short time – one or two months at the most because it is not a well balanced diet. It is only a test diet.   The aim of the diet is to try and isolate the food allergen. So if you notice the symptons go away, you can then gradually bring new food into its diet until you identify which ingredient is the cause of the allergy.

If symptons do not go away within four weeks, you could try some dog food specially formulated for allergies or visit your vet who can run more tests so he can prescribe the best pet medication for your dog.

Reference: http://www.dogfooddangers.com/news/food-dog-allergies.php