Caution

• Digestive problems can be symptomatic of an underlying medical condition. For this reason it is important to seek the advice of a veterinarian before changing a dog's diet. Should the diagnosis be a food allergy, then treatment may include an elimination diet to establish which food ingredients are causing the problem.
  
  

Allergies

• A dog is not born with an allergy to a food ingredient. Allergies develop quite often over a long period of time, and most frequently to a protein or cereal source. According to Merck, the ingredients that most often cause allergies include beef, chicken, eggs, corn, wheat, soy and milk. Clinical signs can include not only stomach or digestive problems but also skin irritation or body odor.
  
  

Elimination Diets

• A veterinarian may advise an elimination diet. The Canobolas Family Pet Hospital considers home cooking to be the preferable choice for treatment, as it allows better control over the ingredients entering the animal's digestive tract.
  
  

Basic Rules

• A simple elimination diet restricts a dog to a single protein and carbohydrate, plus water. Ingredients will be chosen that the dog has not previously been exposed to, such as venison, pork, fish or kangaroo, alongside potato, rice or pasta. All treats need to be eliminated from the diet, along with table scraps and kitchen waste. Should the dog become bored with what is a fairly bland diet, it may be necessary to change to a commercial brand. An elimination diet needs to be maintained for around four to six weeks. If a diagnosis of food allergy is eventually made, the dog is gradually exposed to additional protein and carbohydrate sources and any adverse reaction noted. This regime provides the veterinarian with valuable information that will allow for long-term dietary management.
  
  

Outcome

• The outcome for a dog with an allergy to food is good, if the problem ingredients can be identified and eliminated from the diet. There are many commercial dog foods available which clearly list the protein and carbohydrates used, and based upon the results of the elimination diet, a suitable replacement can be found which the dog's digestive system will tolerate.