While taking care of your dog, it is important to be well-informed about various health issues dogs can be susceptible to. This helps you be well prepared and take necessary and timely measures. Similar to humans, dogs, too, are prone to certain kinds of allergies, especially food allergies. This can sometimes go unnoticed if you do not pay close attention to your dog’s health and diet. To help you, here are the symptoms and triggers for allergies in dogs.

• Chronic ear infections
  If you observe that your dog’s ears emit a foul smell and have a black or brown colored build-up, they might be suffering from a chronic ear infection. When such ear infections become a regular occurence, it is likely that these infections are a result of a food allergy.
• Stomach problems
  Intermittent stomach problems in dogs can be one of the most common signs of food allergies and should not be taken lightly. Frequent stomach problems can be an indicator of a variety of different problems in dogs, making a timely vet visit absolutely necessary.
• Red, brown, or bronze nail beds
  Another way to know if your dog is allergic to certain foods is by observing your dog’s paws for signs of redness or bronzing on the base of its nails. Further, another symptom of food allergy is your dog licking its nails more often. For breeds like Dalmatians, Boxers, Bulldogs, and Spaniels, the nails should be white with a pink hue.
• Bronzing around the lips
  This is also a symptom commonly noticed in white coat breeds. If your dog’s lips are turning into a noticeably brown or bronze color and their feet and skin are getting slightly inflamed, then it is a clear sign of chafing. In most cases, this is an allergic reaction to food or a yeast-based infection.
• Skin issues
  If your dog is allergic to certain environmental factors or food, then you may notice skin conditions such as a dull fur coat or a red underbelly. This can also be caused due to use of artificially colored shampoos or shampoo residue. However, in most cases, itchy, red skin, and dull coat is a sign of an allergy of some kind.
• Watery eyes
  While watery eyes are a common allergic reaction observed in humans, we often fail to realize that this is observed in dogs as well. In case of allergies like hay fever or other food-related allergies, your dog may suffer a constant itch in their eyes and have some goopy discharge. Watery eyes can be easily treated in dogs. However, if this continues for a longer time, then it is important that you take your dog to a vet as it may be an allergic reaction to food.