Dog foods with labels like "premium" and "natural" aren't always the best food for dogs. Depending on a dog's individual system, some supposedly healthy and even natural dog food can sometimes do more harm than good; especially dry dog food. In many cases, simply changing a dog's diet can eradicate persistent dog illness symptoms, because the dog was actually allergic to any number of ingredients in the original dog food.
Treating Illness in Dogs Rather Than Symptoms
Symptoms displayed by a dog with allergies include common occurrences that many pet owners wouldn't shake a tail at initially. Then, when ear infections start to smell, shedding and dog dandruff evolves into hair loss, or paw licking becomes excessive, a trip to the vet often results in a steroid prescription, such as prednisone, to erase the symptom rather than cure the problem.
Diarrhea and vomiting in dogs are also signs that a dog has food allergies. These two symptoms often precede a barrage of tests, antibiotics and experimental medicines as the dog suffers from dehydration and generally feeling awful in the meantime.
Dr. Greg Martinez, DVM is just one of many veterinarians who are now treating pets from the inside out. On Dr. Greg's website and in his book, The Dog Dish Diet, he recommends diet changes for dogs with symptoms including recurrent ear infections, hot spots, itchy skin and digestive issues.
"I have found that some ingredients in commercial dog foods can lead to chronic ear and skin problems," Dr. Greg wrote on his website.
No One Dry Dog Food is the Answer
Many pet owners latch onto one pet food and claim it's the best, or the only brand they'll trust. This, in fact, can cause harm as well.
According to the book, The Pet Lover's Guide to Cat & Dog Skin Diseases by Karen L. Campbell, "A food allergy does not start until the immune system has been sensitized to the food." Many pets who develop food allergies were eating the same food for an average of two years.
As Dr. Greg advises on his website, pets should be fed variety as opposed to the same food day in and day out. The key is slowly getting their systems used to different foods and then rotating. Additionally, just as no one food should be fed to one dog, no one food should be fed to all pets in the household.
"Our pets are individuals with different allergies and metabolisms," Dr. Greg wrote on his website. "There is no cookie cutter dog food that will keep each dog healthy. A kibble, canned, raw, holistic, or homemade pet food with the right ingredients may be needed to prevent problems depending on the breed and the needs of each dog."
Prescription Dog Food
Dr. Greg also mentions the makers of "prescription" dog food diets like Hill's Science Diet and Iams on his website, and how these big corporations have influence over the veterinary industry by way of event sponsorships and seminars at vet schools.
Dog food analysis shows that these "scientific" formulas don't always contain the best ingredients for pets, either. The prescribed flavor may even contain the one ingredient the dog is allergic to, such as chicken.
Certainly, veterinarians are of great help in determining the causes of illness in dogs. But just because one vet states an opinion on what a dog should be eating, doesn't mean that is all the dog can eat to remain healthy. Second and third opinions may shed new light on old issues, and different veterinarians offer different experiences from which to draw.
Leigh Peterson - Leigh Peterson is a pets writer, pet sitter, professional singer and internet marketer specializing in online PR.
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