When you imagine your ideal dog, do you have a particular breed in mind? While some folks prefer to find a mixed breed that has a dash of this and a splash of that, others have a very clear affinity for a favorite breed. With the AKC referring to them as “friendly, curious, and spunky” it is no surprise that many people only have eyes for Dachshunds.
Nom Nom, the fresh food partner of iHeartDogs, researched Dachshunds in terms of common conditions found in Dachshunds that can be related to food. This information can help you make food choices for your Dachshund that lead to a longer, healthier life!
Susceptibility to Allergies
Dachshunds are susceptible to allergies, and they can suffer from a variety of skin conditions related to allergic reactions. One condition that is particularly common in Dachshunds is Malassezia dermatitis, which is serious, but treatable.
Malassezia Dermatitis in Dachshunds
Malassezia dermatitis is a yeast infection of the skin that is often a secondary condition to an allergy. Dachshunds are unfortunately predisposed to developing this condition due to the shape of their bodies. According to VCA, symptoms of Malassezia dermatitis include:
- itching and redness
- musty odor
- scales and crusty, flaky skin
- thickened skin (‘elephant skin’)
- hyperpigmentation (darkly pigmented skin)
- chronic or recurrent ear infections
Common Allergy Locations
With Dachshunds, allergy symptoms tend to show up on the skin. If left unchecked, the immune system goes into hyperdrive and secondary infections can result. Yeast infections are most common in Dachshunds because their floppy ears and the skin folds on the legs are ideal breeding grounds for yeast.
Food Ingredients that Fight Allergies
If your Dachshund is suffering from allergies, you will notice an insatiable need to bite or chew on the affected parts of the body. This sometimes leads to further damage of the skin, which in turn gets greater attention from the irritated dog. Skin allergies can become a terrible cycle as dogs attempt to soothe themselves with licking or chewing but end up causing more harm than good. Thankfully, there are specific ingredients that you can include in your dog’s diet to help reduce inflammation and reduce allergic reaction symptoms.
Chronic Itching and Skin Infection: vitamin E, vitamin B, zinc, fish oil, probiotics
Dull Coat or Scaling: EPA, DHA, zinc
Dandruff or Crusty Skin: zinc, vitamin A
Optimal Diet for Dachshunds
To keep your Dachshund’s entire system in balance and avoid allergic reactions, a diet free from allergens is imperative. My Dachshund Online says,
“Dog food that is mainly made up of grains (soy, corn, wheat, etc.) is not considered healthy or wholesome. In fact, allergies are becoming a big issue in dogs due to an increased usage of grains in dog food products. This rise is thought to be because dog food companies have discovered that grains can be used as fillers and that they can make more money by using less of the high-quality ingredients such as meat and vegetables.”
One way to ensure that your Dachshund is only eating high-quality, allergen-free ingredients is to feed your dog a fresh food diet. When portioned and planned correctly with the assistance of a qualified expert, fresh food will include essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals and that will keep your Dachshund’s coat and skin healthy. A strong immune system supports fewer flare-ups. Limited, whole ingredients found in fresh food for dogs lower your Dachshund’s exposure to food allergens in his diet so symptoms can be entirely eliminated over time.
About Nom Nom
Your Dachshund would benefit from the perfectly portioned fresh food recipes that Nom Nom creates. They are made with restaurant quality ingredients and are chock full of the purity and quality your Dachshund needs to stay healthy and allergy-free.
On top of that, every serving of their food includes the Nom Nom Nutrient Mix, which is an extra burst of vitamins and minerals that give your Dachshund the balanced nutrition needed to maintain skin and coat health.
Take advantage of Nom Nom’s 50% discount being offered to the iHeartDogs community.
Toledo, United States.
