Homemade Allergy Treatment for Dogs
Food allergies are very common in dogs and they mostly result from over-exposure to a few common dog food ingredients. It can be tricky to tell which ones are the problem, though. Feeding your dog a homemade elimination diet is an important part of your pet's allergy treatment. By offering food made from a new source of carbohydrates and a new protein source, you and your vet can determine which foods cause a reaction and which ones are safe.
Things You'll Need
- Novel protein source
- Novel carbohydrate source
- Potassium chloride
- Calcium carbonate
- Dicalcium phosphate
- Vegetable oil
- Multivitamin supplement
Instructions
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Choose novel sources of protein and carbohydrates -- foods that your dog has never eaten before. Some common choices protein include rabbit, pork, turkey, duck, lamb and goat. Common carbohydrate choices include barley, rice, millet, potatoes or sweet potatoes. Avoid ingredients that are in your dog's current food.
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Boil, bake, or broil one pound of protein. Do not add any flavoring or oil -- these could contaminate the diet and affect the results. Allow the meat to cool and chop it finely.
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Dissolve 1 teaspoon potassium chloride in water and boil rice, potatoes, or other carbohydrates to produce ten cups of cooked starches. Drain any remaining liquid and allow to cool.
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Pulverize and combine 1 1/3 teaspoons calcium carbonate, 1 teaspoon dicalcium phosphate, one dose of an unflavored, additive-free multivitamin supplement and five tablespoons of a novel vegetable oil, such as olive oil.
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Add the cooled carbohydrate to the supplement mixture, then mix in chopped meat. Feed your dog 1 pound of this allergy treatment food daily for each twenty pounds your dog weighs. If you don't want to calculate the amount, consult your vet for appropriate amounts.
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Feed the elimination diet to your dog for twelve weeks. Do not allow your pet to eat any other types of food during this period. If symptoms are reduced or gone, at the end of the twelve week period, introduce your dog's old food again. If symptoms return, you can confirm a food allergy. Common allergy symptoms include digestive problems, rashes, and itching.
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Perform individual food trials. Feed the elimination diet for twelve weeks at a time, then introduce one new food, such as beef. If no symptoms appear, your dog is not allergic to the food. This can take a long time, but it will allow you to slowly determine what foods your pet can comfortably eat.
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Tips & Warnings
Never start an elimination diet without consulting your vet.
Avoid dog chews, treats, scraps and flavored medicines while feeding your dog an allergy elimination diet.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit chicken lean meat image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
