beagle food allergies

Question
hi,
I own a 3 month old beagle puppy.  I recently bought him one of those long lasting chewing bones with the soft center and he had an allergic reaction to with.  His 3rd eye lid come up and impair his vision within a few minutes of chewing on the treat.  The vet said this kind of reaction is somewhat common in beagles and there is no specific trigger for it but in this case it definitely seems to be a reaction to the treat.  the maker of the dog treat is the same as his puppy food and he hasn't had any problems with the food.  I am unsure of what ingredient in the treat he is reacting too.  Are there any common ingredients or foods which beagles seem to have allergic reactions too that I should avoid giving my puppy?

Answer
What a great question Amanda. It's wonderful that you are seeking help to make sure your baby is healthy. Vets are not nutrionists and really just don't have time to keep up with too many breed specific issues etc.
As a general rule, dont' feed a food with wheat, soy, corn, any kind of byproducts, bha or bht, chicken fat is another ingredient to stay away from. Both in treats and in foods. Usually nothing you can buy at walmart, or the grocery store is fit to feed a pet, the bag is better for them. Premium foods such as Flint River, Wellness, Natural Balance, some Royal Canin varieties, Chicken Soup for the pet lovers soul, Eagle Pack,. are higher in price on face value, BUT when you think about the fact that you are not feeding things (such as corn) that your dog can't digest, and that are only pooped out for you to clean up (about the same as if you were feeding vitamin enriched saw dust, no real food value) then in the end premium foods are less expensive to feed as your dog will require less and eat less of them. Some dogs also do not react well to beef so you're better off with chicken, lamb, venison or fish based foods.You can buy treats from the same companies or even make your own. Frozen fresh green beans, toys stuffed with peanut butter and little bits of ham or chicken are WONDERFUL.
Keep doing what you're doing you're going to have a happy, healthy dog who will be with you for many years to come
Cindi