What are some signs that a dog may have allergies to their dog food?

Itching and excessive licking can be one result of allergy/sensitivity but Im sure theres many others :)

I am guess there are certain common ingredients that create allergy trouble?  If I try switching food, what ingredients should we avoid?

Hi,

Allergies don't only show up as skin related problems but can manifest themselves as gut problems such as sickness and more commonly loose, runny or mucus coated poos :(

Any dog as with people can be allergic to virtually any ingredient.  Try and stick to a simple diet (needs about 1 months trial) by a well known quality make, eg. James Wellbeloved.  I'd try their Turkey & Rice diet - this is fairly bland, doesn't contain many of the cereals etc that dogs are commonly allergic to either.  A lot of dog foods are chicken or lamb based which, along with many grains, gluten, cereals etc can be catalysts for GI problems so turkey is a slightly safer bet first hand.  

Specific allergy tests can be done by your vet.  What makes you think your dog has an allergy?  Whatever the symptoms, I think I'd visit the vet first to get a professional opinion in case you are treating something with diet only that really needs medication.

Good luck, Teri :)  

Meant to add to above post that regardless of whether allergy is appearing as skin or GI trouble, you should not add other ingredients to your dog's diet until you see how he's progressing on a single source diet - ie. that includes no titbits, human or dog treats, chews, pigs ears etc

If condition is improving, add one extra ingredient for say up to 10 days and see how dog is responding - any reaction you know to rule that new ingredient out.  The whole point of trial diets is that they are *exclusion* based - ie. as few ingredients as possible.

Oh, and avoid anything containing dairy products - a common catalyst.

HTH, Teri  ;)

Does your dog suffer symptoms that you are concerned may be food related ? Or are you asking generally before you change foods?

The foods that produce symptoms can be anything at all from grains etc to meats or dairy products....

As Terri mentions, to do a food trial you must give only the one food with no other titbits - we were put on Royal Canin Hypoallergenic and told to expect to see some improvemnet in 6-8 weeks if indeed the food was to blame. After that time foods can be re-introduced one at a time and you can gradually over time begin to see what foods do or dont cause reactions in your dog

Sadie is licking at the area between her toes.  The skin between her toes is now red versus light pink, and there is hair lose in the same area, between the "toes".  We believed it to be an inhaled allergy.  The last time this occured she had to be on prednisone for a shoulder injury, but while on that medicine, the paw licking discontinued and the skin returned to normal.  This past Fall it began again and continues.  We have tried some benedryl, and now again low dose of prednisone.  The behavior has reduced in frequency, but it still occurs.  The skin has not yet improved in appearance.  It has only been 7 days since we started the medicine.  I scheduled an appointment for the vet in a few days. 

Maybe she is allergic to us?  (smiling)  It is probably dust...hah

Symptoms sound exactly the same as we had. How long has this been going on for ? You can request an allergy test which will show any environmental contacts that mey be causing a problem - such as housedust mites, fleas, other mites, pollens, grasses etc