Limited ingredient dog foods seem to be the latest and greatest thing for dog owners and there is a very good reason for this.
In the ever-quest for problem-solving, one of the main topics, across the spectrum of breeds is the itching and scratching. Pug allergies are a major concern for their owners. Allergies will typicall fall under food allergies or environmental allergies. In the environment allergies to grass (lawns, etc) can be common; pesticides and other toxins can be factors, yet fleas (as well as other insects) are a major dog allergy. Many times the allergies are hard to pinpoint as they could be multiple including "hereditary". Because of over-breeding or breeding pugs with known pug health problems, a pug puppy could already have allergy issues.
Without an extensive budget for tests, an owner needs to have a lot of patience and start methodically, tackling eitheir the food or the environment first. Using non-toxic remedies for skin soothing, flea prevention are very useful. For example, bathing the pup in room temperature water, mild shampoo or tea-tree oil based shampoo is essential as well as treating the skin with the tea-tree oil after the bath. Grooming it with a flea comb (it is specific) and eliminating fleas in all the house and yard is imperative in eliminating pug allergies.
Pug food allergies can be a worrisome issue for the owners too. So many dogs are suffering health issues from poor nutrition; and no wonder, most commercial dog food contains a multitude of unhealthy and allergy-causing ingredients.
For example, if your pup is itching it could very well be the diet/food it is eating. Other factors could be environmental and genetic. However, It is very clear, based on several sources, that the main dog food allergies were 1) Beef, 2) Diary, 3) Wheat. Soy and Corn are also on the list.
According to Wikipedia, "food allergies account for about 10% of all the allergies seen in dogs, being the most common cause after flea bite allergies and atopy (inhalant allergies). Food allergies generally account for 20% of the causes of itching and scratching in canines". So, if you have eliminated fleas on and off the pup, it is a good probabality dog food allergies are present if it is showing symptons.
The most recent fad of "grain-free" dog food is a sign that dog owners are aware that grain could be a cause of their dog's food sensitivity; but the truth is that not all grain is on the list of allergens. If you suspect allergies, do not assume it is the grain. That been said, a less-expensive method of isolating the allergens causing discomfort and skin disease, rather than the cost of expensive tests, is to eliminate ingredients in the dog food.
Many harmful ingredients are starting to be eliminated by some manufacturers the pet food industry. Way back soy, wheat and corn were dissapearing from some brands then gluten. Some manufacturers then realized (or were pressured by the public) to eliminate beef (the number one allergen in dog food), and offer other forms of meat and protein.
Lamb and fish as the source for protein became popular, as well as a bit later, rabbit and others. However, even though some allergens may have been eliminated in this way, many more can still be present. The only way, then, to find more culprits is to eliminate all of them one by one! When you see that label on the pet food, the list is enormous. The grocery store brands have the longest (and no wonder they are the unhealthiest), then some of the pet stores brands have less and now newer and smaller manufacturers are putting out some decent formulas compared to the former. With these fewer ingredients, somehow, someone started on the grain (as opposed to meat or other source), there-by the explosion of grain-free dog food. Many pet owners do claim to have seen relief of some symptons in their dogs with these formulas.
Now, another step in the quest for eliminating allergens is the limited ingredient pug food. In these formulas of limited ingredient dog food, because there are fewer ingredients it becomes easier to isolate allergens. If a pet is experiencing allergies and the formula is limited to four ingredients one only needs to eliminate three (or four) ingredients.
Such a limited ingredient formula is California Gold Small Dog Pet Food.
With pug health problems being a major concern for their owners, pug diet, pug care are critical to address pug health issues.