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| Food allergies in pets, as with people, may be evident with chronic skin conditions. With pets, they experience hot spots (to the point of infection), ear wax build-up (to the point of infection), constant itching (until the skin appears red), biting paws/feet, dry skin, skin and coat dull with strong odor, watery eyes, runny eyes, tail chasing/biting and sensitive stomach are all warning signs of possible food allergies. Usually, the problem becomes so severe, the pet must be seen by the veterinarian for relief. Many times, because the problem has escalated to the point of infection, anti-biotics are prescribed and many times steroids to help stop the constant itching. Unfortunately, this is only a temporary fix. Finding the cause of the allergen will be a challenge and is the only solution to keeping the pet off prescribed drugs. Starting with diet (which many times is the culprit) is the first step. Many dogs/cats today acquire allergies to grains such as corn and wheat. Also, by-products can be a problem for many pets. To find out more about what a by-product actually is, log on to www.api4animals.org - go to publications, scroll down to Investigative Reports and read: "What's Really In Pet Foods". Another very common problem is allergies to chemicals used to preserve many pet foods today. Look for BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, all chemical preservatives known to cause cancer. Starting with an all natural diet maybe the first step to eliminating allergies in your pet. Another very common problem seen in many dogs today is hyperactivity. Bad dog or bad food? An overly hyper-active dog may be reacting to the chemical dyes, chemical preservatives, SUGARS and salts that are present in many dog foods today. Red dye #40 is very common in some dog foods. Your dog food label may not state SUGAR but look closer. Does the food have beet pulp? Beet pulp is often used as a sugar in dog food. As with children, dogs react adversely to dyes, sugars, salts and chemicals in their food. Your dog may not be a bad dog after all! It may just be his poor diet. For further information on all natural diets and pet allergies visit www.altvetmed.com (click on articles - allergic skin disease), www.canismajor.com/dog/ (click on food and nutrition - alternative diets and holistic treatments). At Sweet Pea, we believe in all natural diets FREE of chemicals, by-products, corn, wheat and soy. We believe good health of your pet starts with good food.
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