What is in sensitive skin dog food?
What is in sensitive skin dog food?
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Bella is biting… again. Bella is scratching…again. And Bella is licking…again. You know this can't be normal: Your German Shepherd is constantly scratching, licking and biting her skin. This is no walk in the park for her, or you for that matter. Sensitive skin is not uncommon in many pups because there are so many ways that a dog can develop a problem -- flea bites, a wound, food, even shampoo. Signs of sensitive skin, other than constant scratching, include inflamed skin, hair loss and redness.
There are a variety of reasons why pups scratch their skin: their diet, their environment and even their genes. Veterinarians refer to Bella's and other dogs' needs to scratch their skin and hair as pruritus. According to T.J Dunn, DVM at PetMD.com, most skin and coat conditions in dogs occur fall into one of six categories: environmental, nutritional, parasitic, allergic, neurogenic and infectious.
A dog typically provides clues that her allergy is in fact related to her diet. Chronic digestive problems like loose stools and vomiting are two of them. She also might lick her feet or rub her face against the carpet. A veterinarian can run blood tests to confirm or you use the process of an elimination diet which means you cutting out certain foods and reintroducing them one at a time to figure out what's making her sick.
Some experts put the blame on the fact that today's commercial dog foods are filled with processed proteins, fillers and artificial colorings. These chemicals can be a breeding ground for food allergies in some dogs. So, it might be time to take a look at what you are feeding her.
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