Fish-based diet for dog with an allergy

Our customer asked:

I wonder if you or Acana could advise the best food for my 8-year old
labrador who has a grass allergy (not food allergies so far as we know). He
is fairly active and not overweight. I recently bought Acana adult large dog
but wonder if the fish version or some other might be better. I do not know
whether the food is currently helping him as he has been put on steroids. If
I can find the best possible food for him I am hoping we can reduce the
steroids.

Our reply:

Generally speaking the fish-based diets seem to be good for dogs suffering from allergic skin disease, so I would indead suggest the fish version. On the matter of allergies, if your dog has an itchy skin, it is not possible to be sure if diet plays a part without testing this out. The best way is to completely avoid any food constituent which were in the diet before, for a period of 6 weeks if possible. Sometimes this controls the itching completely, without steroids. However if an inhaled allergy to grass pollens is present, then the results are less good. Grass allergies are not common at this time of year, so you might see good results from just dietary modification. To do this properly, you must completely avoid even the tiniest morsel of "normal" foods, such any regular dog food or human bread or cakes etc. The Acana Pacifica Dog Food would be a good diet to try your dog on. If you can get him off the steroids, that has to be much better.