| What is a Dog Hot Spot? | | | | Some of these common allergens are beef, dairy, |
| Not long ago, our Golden Retriever was released | | | | chicken, and even lamb. According to Myrna M. Milani's |
| from the vet after recuperating from surgery. For | | | | book, Dogsmart: The Ultimate Guide for Finding the |
| two weeks she had to wear the dreaded cone. One | | | | Dog You Want and Keeping the Dog You Find, |
| look at her after the cone was removed and you | | | | "Allergies occur after an animal eats a food for a |
| could tell she was ecstatic. She practically pranced | | | | while, and 'nonallergenic' products simply consist of |
| around the vet's office. | | | | foods not normally part of the typical canine diet. |
| My wife dropped Abby off and left to run some | | | | After lamb-based pet foods established themselves |
| errands. After a couple of hours, my wife returned | | | | in the market, allergies to lamb began to appear, too." |
| and Abby had chewed her right flank until most of | | | | While researching Abby's allergies, we were amazed |
| the hair was missing and it was quite a mess. | | | | at how many ingredients companies place in dog |
| Thankfully, our vet had one more appointment that | | | | food as "filler" because it is cheaper than using high |
| afternoon and was able to see us. The vet said the | | | | quality proteins. Things like peanut shells, cottonseed |
| inflamed area was a hot spot and that it was | | | | hulls, corn, weeds, feathers and even ground up |
| probably caused by an allergy. | | | | chicken beaks have been added to dog food. When |
| Dog hot spots are usually a round patch on a dog's | | | | we feed "stuff" like this to our dogs, it's amazing |
| body, typically found on the feet, legs, flank, and | | | | they live as long as they do. |
| rump, but they can exist almost anywhere a dog can | | | | Can Dog Food Allergies Cause Hot Spots? |
| reach. They can occur in a matter of hours and be | | | | After our research, we started to realize that our lab |
| swollen, painful, itchy, and even smelly. The near | | | | puppy of one year was showing allergy signs as well, |
| constant biting, licking, and scratching from your dog | | | | however they were different and not as severe. We |
| will typically cause hair loss within that area. | | | | decided that their food would be a good place to |
| One cause of dog hot spots can be from moisture | | | | start. During this test, we removed all treats from |
| trapped next to the dog's skin for a long period of | | | | their diet. We switched them to a hypoallergenic dog |
| time. This can be from old fur from an undercoat or | | | | food with venison and sweet potatoes. Within 2 |
| from mats. If a dog with a heavy coat is left wet | | | | weeks, the allergy symptoms were gone and we |
| for too long, a hot spot can sometimes occur. | | | | haven't had any hot spots since then. |
| Another cause of hot spots can be allergies. | | | | Conclusion |
| Common Dog Allergens | | | | Can dog food allergies cause dog hot spots? |
| Roughly 10% of dog allergies are caused from their | | | | Absolutely! We saw first hand that our dog |
| food. It is the third most common cause after flea | | | | responded well after being switched to a better |
| bites and inhaling an allergen. Allergies are typically | | | | quality food. I only wish we would have known about |
| noticed after 5 months of age and can even occur in | | | | it sooner. |
| a dog of 12 years. | | | | |