An allergy can be described as the state of over-reactivity or hypersensitivity to an allergen. Dog allergies, especially food allergy, can be from different types of food. The exposure of dogs to an allergen will trigger an immune system response, which protects the dog against danger. This reaction may appear in symptoms such as itching, hives or skin rash, inflamed skin, runny nose and eyes, skin redness, and in some cases may affect the respiratory system.

Common sources of dog food allergies are:

1. Beef
Beef is a common food allergen that causes allergy in dogs and can cause uncomfortable skin disorders and chronic conditions. Besides, it may also cause breathing problems, indigestion and also ear infection. This is caused by an abnormal high defensive response to proteins. If your dog has beef or lamb allergy, it may be affected negatively in different ways. In young dogs, it may cause stunted growth. Other effects are diarrhea, paw biting, chronic ear infection, and obsessive licking. Above all, it causes irritation and discomfort to the dog.

2. Dairy
Dairy is one of the number one food intolerances in dogs. This means that most dogs have difficulties in milk digestion. Some of them react adversely to milk as a result of intolerance to lactose. Signs of milk allergy in dogs can range from mild to severe. These signs include wheezing, vomiting hives and also digestive problems. The most dangerous reaction about this allergy is anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.

3. Eggs
Eggs yolk may cause some discomfort and severe effects on a dog. The effect of egg yolk is that dogs can experience itchy and inflamed skin. In addition, it can cause chronic conditions such as ear infections, gas and wheezing. At times it can cause anaphylactic shock to the dog. Dogs that are mostly affected are those that have shown allergies to other types of foods. Egg yolk is ranked top among dogs’ food allergens.

4. Soy
Soy allergy is a type of an allergy whereby a dog’s body treats soy protein as allergens. This allergen causes hypertensive reactions that result in itching, and stress to your pet. This condition cannot be treated, but it can be managed by diet control to minimize symptoms exposure. This allergy causes discomfort and stress to the dog. You can detect soy allergies if your dog has symptoms like self-trauma, vomiting, and diarrhea, excessive licking leading to hair loss.

5. Fish
Most dogs react to other sources of proteins like beef and chicken more than they react to fish. This has resulted in more people opting to feed their dogs on fish as a source of protein. However, we still have some dogs that react to fish proteins. Dogs with fish allergy tend to scratch constantly, licking, or getting ear infections repeatedly. When you detect fish allergy when withdrawn from the diet, it recovers smoothly. This type of allergy causes discomfort to your dog and always looks irritated.

These are the most common types of food allergens in pets. If you detect any sign of an allergy to your dog, you should seek out the advice of a veterinarian immediately. Some cases may be severe, causing stress to the dog and even anaphylactic shock.