#1 - Rotate your pet's protein source. “Food allergies have been shown to occur more in pets that are fed only one food source for a prolonged period of time. Your pet’s immune system can become bombarded with the same allergens for so long that it begins to react negatively to the food source.”6 Rotating your pet’s primary protein source, a major ingredient in healthy pet foods, can help reduce developing an allergy over time, as well as provide a variety of different amino acids for optimal nutrition.
#2 - Be aware of hidden ingredients. Pet foods may contain ingredients not on the label. This means that pet parents must learn the common sources of hidden ingredients and ask pet food companies about them. One hidden source of protein comes with the man-made minerals, proteinates, or amino acid complex minerals routinely added to pet foods. The protein carriers attached to these synthetic forms of minerals can consist of hydrolyzed soy. In addition, “natural flavoring” is a very common ingredient found on most bags of dry pet food. Most often it is a hydrolyzed form of dried or liquid chicken liver. But you won’t see this chicken protein listed on the ingredient panel of the pet food because it falls under “natural flavoring.” Mixed tocopherals can also contain soy, so check with the manufacturer to find out if their natural tocopherals are made with soy.
#3 - Choose a food free of common allergens. Consider a diet that is gluten free. Ignore the television commercials and magazine ads. Forget about how pretty the package is. Flip it over and read the ingredients, and call the manufacturer when you have questions.
Have you ever had a pet with food allergies?
- http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/09/15/help-your-dog-overcome-these-common-allergies.aspx
- http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2141&aid=142
- http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-pet-lovers-are-choosing-gluten-free.html
- http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/07/02/does-your-pet-have-allergies-what-you-need-to-know-and-do.aspx
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