Are dogs ever allergic to certain foods?

True allergic responses to foods are uncommon in dogs, although they are often suspected. Many reactions to foods are caused not by an allergy but by an inability to digest or absorb a particular food, so that in large amounts the food produces diarrhoea or sickness. However, in the case of a true allergy, even small amounts of that particular food will be sufficient to trigger the allergy, provided that a minimum of ten to fourteen days has elapsed from the time that type of food was first consumed by the dog. This is necessary for the dog’s body to produce sufficient antibody to give a reaction. Food allergies are not present at birth, although they may develop as early as puppyhood.

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Should I put a block of sulphur into my dog’s water to purify his blood?

No – this really is an old wives’ tale! Powdered sulphur was used in the past as a purgative (known as brimstone and mixed with treacle) because it is converted in the intestines to highly irritant sulphides which initiate diarrhoea. Nowadays there are far more pleasant and acceptable drugs available for this purpose. But since sulphur is insoluble in water the dog is hardly likely to be receiving any appreciable amount anyway. Even if it did, it would not have any ‘purifying’ effect (whatever that means) or any other beneficial effect on the blood, or indeed on any part of the body.

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Is it cruel to pin back a Spaniel’s ears with a clothes peg before he eats?

Provided that the peg doesn’t have a strong spring, thereby inflicting pain, this is a simple way of fastening the ears together above the head to prevent them dangling in the food bowl. Alternatively, a piece of adhesive tape can be used for this purpose, or the ears can be tucked inside a mob-cap, snood or hood to keep them out of the way when eating. Certainly this last-named method is common in long-haired dogs like
Afghan Hounds that have to be fed after being specially groomed for a show (and a bib may also be worn).

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My dog seems very fond of eating grass. Is this because I am feeding her the wrong things?

It seems that at times dogs may eat grass to provide fibrous bulk lacking in the diet (possibly to avoid constipation), just as wild dogs consume the vegetable material in the stomachs of herbivores which they kill. It seems unlikely, though, that grass provides any other nutritional benefit.

Furthermore, dogs suffering from alimentary disturbances will often consume a lot of grass, usually of the coarsest varieties, and vomit afterwords, i. e. they use grass as a natural emetic. Presumably they do this because they feel nauseous and wish to provoke vomiting in order to obtain some relief; for instance, puppies have been seen to vomit up roundworms after grass-eating. Some dogs may consume other materials, such as wood shavings or gravel, for the same purpose.

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How can I tempt my dog to eat when he has been ill?

Animals may have to be coaxed to eat after a severe illness or if, for medical reasons, they have to be fed a special diet which is not very palatable. In particular, those suffering from respiratory disorders need to be tempted with foods having strong, distinctive flavors and odors because otherwise they are unable to smell or taste their food. In general, the following should be tried:

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Should my dog’s food be served warm?

We all know that foods served warm have more flavor than when they are cold and that there are also improvements in texture; the food is softer and fats are smoother. Certainly for the dog the acceptability of canned food increases with its temperature, up to blood heat (around 104°F or 40°C) and the food temperature can be critical in persuading a sick or convalescent animal to eat. Further increases in temperature beyond this point result in a sharp reduction in acceptability, and dogs are reluctant to tackle hot foods.

Should my dog’s food be fed raw or cooked?

It is not advisable to feed dogs on raw meat foods because this is a major route by which they become infected with the protozoal parasite Toxoplasma gondii which produces the disease toxoplasmosis. As well as destroying this parasite, cooking will also destroy any disease-producing micro-organisms and also any toxins formed by food-poisoning organisms multiplying on the food.

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