My dog still itches after 5 days on new allergy food. Is this normal?

First you have to rule out other things as well like fleas and secondary infection which can both be itchy. If there are any lesions under the skin there may be a secondary infection (common with allergy). For food allergy it can take time for symptoms to resolve (8+ weeks for some dogs) and those pets who are very itchy may need medications to stop the itch (itching can lead to secondary skin infection as well). So if your pup is very itchy you may want to talk to your family vet about meds to help with itch while going back to the old food. And treat for fleas just in case (even if you do not see any). I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Itchiness/licking can be caused by various reasons such as fleas, mites ,fungal infection, bacterial infection and allergies. the first 4 needs to be ruled out before we start treating for allergies. in order to do that first de-flea Jango with a high quality flea treatment such as advantage spot on, if it doesn't help - take him to the vet in order to check for/treat the other possibilities. If everything is ruled out, then an allergy treatment can be started. Usually an hypoallergenic food is a good way to start together with anti histamines. if it doesn't help - the best solution is a medication called Apoquel which treats allergies with great success and without side effects.

I would recommend to wait up to 8 weeks before thinking about other causes. If not working, a skin scrape and more dermatological tests (including allergic testing on bloods) are required to determine if other causes are possible. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

That is good that you are looking into food allergy. It is important to rule out all causes of allergies. You should not expect to see any changes in his behavior for AT LEAST 4 weeks minimum. A food trial is a full 16 week event and you will not know the full effects until then. Make sure you are conducting a proper food trial and keep your veterinarian updated. Don't stop the diet without talking with your vet. If Jorge seems uncomfortable, your vet can provide medications to make him feel better. I hope this helps.

It takes 4-6weeks for allergens to completely leave the skin layers. If persisting longer than this the diet should be reassessed and other triggers such as external allergies, parasites and infections should be investigated

One important fact to remember is that grains are very rarely the cause of any allergies in pets. Additionally, grain free diets have been linked to heart disease though it is not fully understood at this time. If Stella does respond, it will be 12-16 weeks before you will know if it helped or not. Additionally, she cannot have any other treats/foods/flavored supplements during this trial period. The best way to rule out a food allergy is with a hydrolyzed protein diet. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

A food elimination trial should last a minimum of 6-8 weeks feeding one food exclusively, no other treats or foods. Afterwards, the condition should be reassessed. If this is the case with two different diets containing a novel protein/carb combo and still no improvement, then a consultation and exam with a veterinary dermatologist may be your next step. If Samson is licking or chewing excessively, an e-collar (cone) should be used. Consider an essential fatty acid supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, to promote healthy skin and coat. If allergies are the underlying cause, they can be frustrating to diagnose, but once you determine specific allergens then management may be easier.