[anonymous]

Please consult a veterinary dermatologist. Your dog is young, environmental allergies get worse with age, not better.

See my posts on the topic. /forums/search/environmental+allergies/

[patty S]

She has dry skin and scratches all the time. I have tried a homeopathic treatment for itching cuased by environmental allergies but so far there is only a slight improvement. The vet did give her a shot last year that worked great for the itching but I hate to keep using that as my research showed it wasn’t a great choice. I do give her coconut oil. I am at my wits end. I tried the raw diet and she likes it and is healthy except overweight still. Anyway, thank you.
Patty

[anonymous]

Maybe the milk thistle is causing gastrointestinal upset an/or allergies.
Some information here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2011/04/milk-thistle-in-dogs-and-cats/
See the comments too.

I like Zignature or Nutrisca as a base for dog food, I always add something like a bit chopped boiled chicken meat or something and a little water.
I have heard good things about Pro Plan Focus for sensitive skin and stomach.

Hope these articles help. When you do “research” you are going to get all kinds of opinions.
Homeopathic veterinarians have very different views on diet than traditional veterinarians.
So you will get a lot of conflicting information, and some of it will not be accurate.
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[Rick W]

I forgot I didn’t provide this group an update. I wanted to let everyone know that we solved the riddle in case others are needing the same help. I stumbled across what some might consider a “hole in the wall” pet shop but inside that shop was a couple whose passion are your pets and solving riddles like what we were dealing with. When I described everything to her, she put our dog on a different food with different supplements. By the way, I forgot to mention above that he was dealing with bad eye drainage too which I didn’t know was relevant until she asked. Bottom line?? He is allergic to chicken and everything we were feeding him had chicken in it. We are now on a the large breed puppy food from NutriSource whose main proteins are turkey and whitefish. It’s grain-free as well. She also changed his probiotic from ProPlan version to a brand called Herbsmith. The specific probiotic is Microflora Plus. Last, we were giving him canned pumpkin and she suggested a more concentrated version (dehydrated) that we sprinkle on his food. The brand is Super Snouts and the product is called Pumpkin Latte. It’s a mixture of pumpkin and whole goat’s milk.

Soon after switching over, he was much better and he no longer has all that drainage in his eyes. Glad we found her!

[Ron S]

I also bought Dr Marty’s food that is supposed to help with allergies and health problems. Even as expensive as it is, for my pet I am willing to try. Unfortunately after my dog walking away from the food and not even trying, I was very disappointed Thinking that my dog is spoiled I tossed the food after a few hours and tried again the next morning, again mixing with her old food. She picked out the old food and possibly ate a small amount of the new, She finally ate some of it and promptly got sick at her stomach. I purchased 3 bags and am waiting on a return authorization to return the remaining 2 bags.

[Blkdoodle]

Have you had an allergy test run? I kept changing foods and giving away what didn’t work and it was all most was as expensive as the test. Now I have exactly what I need to look out for in allergies for Callie. Which helps my research. My sister in law has a blond Goldendoodle and she will NOT give him anything with beef. She believes that is what turns the hair around his eyes dark. My gal is black so don’t have to worry about that. Good luck with your search.

[Lisa F]

I need some recommendations on a good dry food for dogs with allergies. Have tried several but my dogs still have problems with tear stains and hot spots.

[Susan]

Hi Holly,
what has Rooney been eating when these gulping episode started?
With Omeprazole (Prilosec) it needs to be taken daily same time is best given in the morning before breakfast, I give Patch 1 x 20mg Losec as soon as he wakes up, by the time I make my cuppa, feed the cat & prepare Patches breakfast he has waited 20mins so the Losec has had time to dissolve in stomach & send msg to brain, do not release hydrochloric acid into stomach, just make sure when you do give any tablets you use a syringe filled with water & put the Losec tablet on back of tongue down his throat then put syringe in the side of his mouth & push water out of syringe into moouth so the tablet goes into the stomach & doesnt sit in his throat & dissolve….
When Rooney seems to be having bad acid reflux give the Prilosec for 3-4 days then if you want to stop giving the Losec stop but once he takes the Prilosec more then 15-20 days you need to reduce slowly 2 days give then 1 day none etc, in the beginning I use to give Patch Losec for 3-4 days on, then 3 days off the Prilosec depending if he started his gulping, then I realised he was heaps better while taking his Losec so he’s been on Losec 2yrs now but last week I changed him over to 20mg-Somac (Pantropazole) another Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) as Patches lower esohageal Sphincter flap isnt closing properly now & the acid is washing back up into his throat & wind pipe, certain foods make it worse he can NOT eat wet can foods or cooked food now only kibble seems to sstay down…

I havent read your post properly but if your dog is taking Apoquel (a drug I wouldnt give Patch after reading the bad side effects), Apoquel can cause bad side effects with some dogs, I’ve read alot of dogs vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, sleeping all day etc the company that makes Apoquel has brought out Cytopoint Injection now, Cytopoint Injection has less side effects, the injection is given every 4-8 weeks depending on the dog.
I would also start your dog on a limited ingredient diet, 1 carb & 1 lean meat protein, just in case he has food sensitivities & is reacting to a few ingredients & getting itchy skin, smelly yeasty ears/paws or intestinal problems, keep the fat around 10 to 14% for a dry kibble, with wet can foods around 3% & under for fat when you convert 3%min fat in wet/raw can foods it’s around 8%min to 12%max fat…
The vet diet Hills I/d may have ingredients he’s sensititive too & he’s reacting also vet diets are very high in omega oils that can cause bad acid reflux, Patch & a few other dogs that have IBD, IBS etc don’t do too well on vet diets….
Do you belong to any face book groups for Canine IBD or “Canine Pancreatitis support group” has a few dogs with IBD, IBS, Food sensitivities, or “Dog Issues, Allergies & other Information Support group” has dogs with food senitivities, allergies, itchy skin, paws, ears etc dogs with most health problems…
Have you tried the “Natural Balance” LTD dry -Sweet Potato & Bison or Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish formula’s? I dont know which wet Natural Balance LTD can food has 3% & under for fat here’s the conversion calculator so you can save & convert the fat protein fiber in wet can foods raw foods if you buy them the etc http://www.k-9kraving.com/resources/calculator.php

[anonymous]

Sounds like two separate issues, posts below are per the search engine.

Regarding the allergies /forums/topic/pea-free-food/#post-111744

Regarding the neurological symptoms /forums/topic/dog-gulping-and-swallowing/page/5/#post-109171

/forums/topic/dog-gulping-and-swallowing/page/5/#post-109170

See what the vet advises.

[Holly D]

I am so glad to have found this post! So much helpful information.
Rooney had an episode of the gulping, frantic grass eating and vomiting about a year ago. I noticed for about the last week he would gulp every so often then Monday night (it is now Weds morning) he had a full blown episode! I gave him Omeprazole right when it started and another yesterday and this morning but the vomiting and some slight gulping has been going on since. I gave him a little rice with a bit of sensitive stomach ID canned food last night but he threw it up around 4am this morning. Not sure if I should feed him or not this morning. Fortunately, he is not frantically eating grass and seems calm now but he has not been able to keep anything down since and still has the gulping every so often. He still wants to eat, is drinking water and pooping normal. Figured I’d take him to the vet today just to be on the safe side.
He is a basset hound and tends to eat anything he can find! I thought maybe it was prompted by something he ate…but, he was also on a round of antibiotics a couple of weeks ago for an ear infection so I though maybe his stomach flora is messed up.
Also – he is on Apoquel – is anyone else’s dog taking this for allergies? I was wondering if that could be causing a problem??
It is so horrible to watch them go through this and I hate to see Rooney so uncomfortable! It’s a been a rough couple of nights up and down and out at all hours. I’ve been up since 4 this morning and guess who is back curled up and sleeping soundly in my spot in the bed? 🙂

[Kimberly S]

Hello,
My Angel started with her Allergy to chicken as a puppy and it was explosive diarrhea, so be careful. I never in a million years thought a dog would have an allergy to chicken but turns out a lot of dogs do and they also have allergies to the grains too. Once I took her off the chicken and grains, unfortunately had no choice but to use the I.D diet by science diet to settle her GI upset for 10 days. Once that was settled, I used a grain free puppy food, and she was much better. In my girls case it was the chicken and grains causing her explosive diarrhea.
Angel did have some loose stool during the transition but not diarrhea.
Best of luck to you.

[anonymous]

My dog with a sensitive stomach and environmental allergies (treated by a dermatologist) did well on Nutrisca salmon as a base, for years.
We are now using Zignature whitefish.
Both are available at Chewy dot com.
PS: Some dogs can switch foods with just minor reactions, such as loose or softer stools for two or three days, others may have diarrhea.
Only one way to find out.
Good luck

[Blkdoodle]

Our fur baby can have Lamb, it’s next to Venison. She was not checked for Buffalo so I need to find that out. Sweet potato, Pumpkin, squash, spinach, rice, are in the lower numbers. You are right not every dog is the same. There may be foods our dogs could have and yet be allergic to some of the same things but not to other. Our gal can not have Salmon, peanuts, Green beans, fish mix, banana, etc. Crazy! I know. Sometimes I think I work harder on her diet than my own.

[haleycookie]

Are you positive chicken fat is a no go? Because 9/10 chicken fat is ok when the chicken meat is not. They are processed by the body differently then each other. And protein allergies tend to not expand into the fat of the animal.
What type of testing did you have done? If you did saliva test they are not accurate at all. A blood test would be more accurate but really an elimination would be best. I would just keep with the sport and after they add the fat see what happens if you haven’t done something similar yet.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by haleycookie.

[Blkdoodle]

This is good news but afraid Buffalo might be about the same score as beef. Will contact the lab that did her tests to make sure. Lamb is the next lowest meat score for our girl. I think the only reason so many pet food manufactures use chicken, is it’s a lot cheaper. Our girl must have about the same allergies as your fur baby. Going to check the Precise out. Never heard of it but I had never heard of Sport either. Ha

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by Blkdoodle.

[bexster]

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, unless our poor guy is knocked out beforehand, going to the vet for all sorts of tests is not in the cards.

He doesn’t have environmental allergies, it’s clearly things in his food. If I give him something like a piece of apple, he throws up the next day. Environmental he’d be itchy and scratchy which he is not; food he throws up and gets sores so it’s quite different.

Our last girl took probiotics and digestive enzymes; didn’t do a stitch to help her food allergies but I appreciate the thought. The digestive enzymes I take personally don’t do a thing for my food or airborne allergies.

Thanks for those two food suggestions. Unfortunately those both contain chickpeas and peas, both insufficient fillers, items I’m wanting to avoid. Nicely though, their poultry free foods are truly poultry free, a true rarity.

Is there no food comparable or similar to Pioneer Naturals?

Thanks

[Susan]

Hi Gina,
my boy has IBD Plus Environment Allergies & Food Sensitivities, as my boy aged now 9yrs old he has gotten worse with his allergies they dont get better as they age allergies get worse, baths are the best thing to do, weekly baths wash off any allergens on the dogs sick peas face, baths in a good medicated shampoo relieve their itchy skin & paws get some “Malaseb” medicated shampoo its really good for Allergies & yeasty skin problems…

My boy has never done well on vet diets, the vet diets for skin problems are very high in Omega 3, 6 oils, this makes his acid reflux worse, Patch cant take Prednisone it makes him sleepy, tired, nausea, vomit & diarrhea, so he takes low dose of Metronidazole (Flagyl) on & off now….

Regarding TOTW Australia, our TOTW formula’s are made at the South Carolina Plant, TOTW have 4 different Plants around America this could be why Australia hasnt been affected, plus some of the TOTW formula’s are different for Australia & Europe customers, Australia & Europe have very strict importation laws so any pet foods that come into our countries must follow strict guidelines…..
When TOTW did formula changes a few years ago I read on a EPI face book group dogs in the UK were having bad diarrhea after the TOTW formula change, TOTW had added Chickpeas to some of their TOTW formulas.
(Lentils are the new protein booster, add Chickpeas or Lentils to the kibble & up goes the protein % in the kibble, so less meat protein, Wellpets have just done it to their Holistic Select & Wellness Core formula’s, you’ll be reading complaints soon about Wellpet formula’s, my dog is having diarrhea/sloppy poo’s etc”)
So I wrote to TOTW in America & I begged TOTW “Please dont change the TOTW made for Australia, the TOTW Pacific Stream & the Sierra Mountain formula’s, TOTW has low fiber % & we have sick dogs with IBD & EPI in Australia we need a grain free, low fiber dry kibble without lentils & chickpeas, we dont have any other low fiber dry kibbles that agree with our IBD & EPI dogs, we dont want our dogs to react like the dogs in the UK are reacting to the new TOTW formula change,” TOTW listened to us, we have no peas or lentils in the Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula & our TOTW Sierra Mountain Roatsed Lamb formula has NO lentils YET Ive just noticed teh American Sierra MountainLamb formula has Lentils now it didnt 2 yrs ago the only thin different was the American Sierra Lamb had Salmon Oil we have Canolia Oil… it can take just 1 small ingredient & a dog with IBD can react..
Lentils, Chickpeas, Peas can irratate the bowel when a dog has IBD IBS etc

Have a look at “Natural Balance” Limited Ingredients formula’s when I run the “Canine International Allergy” face book group a couple of years ago alot of dogs with IBD were doing very well eating the “Natural Balance” LTD, Sweet Potato & Bison or Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish formula’s…..N/B use to have Potato & Kangaroo formula but they dont have it no more, if you do decide to try N/B please read all the N/B LTD Formula’s as they are all different, some N/B formula’s have Chickpeas/Lentils/peas in them, the formula’s Ive posted dont have any peas, chickpeas or lentils, if you do try a new kibble make sure you introduce it very slowly over 2 weeks, if poo’s go sloppy then go back to the amount of new kibble & old kibble he was eating & doing firm poo’s on also dont reduce the Predisone until he’s stable on new kibble…

There’s a new drug called “Cytopoint” Injections for allergies or “Apoquel” tablets, the same makers Zoetisus make both, first Zoetisus made Apoquel & the Apoquel has a few side effects nausea, vomiting then Zoetisus brought out Cytopoint injections, you give injections every 4-8weeks depends on the dog, we dont have the Cytopoint injections yet in Australia, Patches vet wanted Patch to try Apoquel when it came out 2 yrs ago cause it can also help dogs with IBD, do you have a vet that specializes in your boy IBD? ask him about trying the Apoquel for his itchy skin & IBD, Aqopuel does NOT work if your dog has Yeast Dermatitis, you’ll need to change his Vet diet if he’s got yeasty itchy smelly skin, I dont know if your boy needs to be off the Predisone to take Apoquel, here’s Apoquel site, you can email & ask Zoetisus can a dog take Predisone & Apoquel together?. https://www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/apoquel/index.aspx

[Blkdoodle]

I understand your frustration. Sport was the only food I found that fit the allergy parameters for our Goldendoodle. I’m not sure we can use Sport with the chicken broth added. We used the Venison which was the lowest score for Callie’s allergies and that is now on indefinite hold. Don’t know about Pioneer naturals. If I come across something in my research I’ll give you a holler.

[anonymous]

Nutrisca and Zignature have grain free, no chicken formulas.

I have found they work best in conjunction with treatment prescribed for environmental allergies by a
veterinary dermatologist.
I also found that as my dog responded to treatment she can now eat a variety of foods including chicken.

[anonymous]

It’s not the food (IMO). Unfortunately many dogs are given up due to environmental allergies.
There is no cure, but there is effective treatment.
For best results go to a veterinary dermatologist.
The intradermal skin testing takes about 45 minutes and the dog is sedated so he will be comfortable.

See former posts. /forums/topic/inflammatory-bowel-disease-what-dog-food/#post-111755

If going to a veterinary dermatologist is not an option, continue to work closely with your veterinarian, there are newer treatments available.
There is no cheap way out of this……
/forums/search/environmental+allergies/

[anonymous]

Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist.
See my posts /forums/search/environmental+allergies/
Good luck
PS: The initial testing can run about $800. the solution for allergen specific immunotherapy can run about $200 or more maybe 3 times a year. We just see the dermatologist once a year for a checkup. Otherwise he is available by phone and will talk to the regular vet if need be.
The treatment is lifelong, but it is natural, similar to the allergy shots people get to desensitize. No prednisone. Don’t get me wrong, it can take up to a year to kick in, but we saw results right away. They can still have flare-ups but they tend to be mild.

[anonymous]

I would make an appointment with a specialist (asap) either veterinary internal medicine or a veterinary dermatologist for testing/diagnosis/treatment. Sounds like environmental allergies could be the culprit and not the food.
Ask your vet to refer you. Prednisone is not good long term and can lead to other health issues, he has not responded to diet changes.
Enough is enough.
PS: There is no miracle food that will fix this.
Go here for science based veterinary medicine http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
You can use the search engine to look up specific topics. The comments are informative too.
The site is run by a veterinarian. There are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA.

[anonymous]

I skipped the blood test, the veterinary dermatologist told me after examination that her allergies appeared to be environmental. I had the intradermal skin test done and started asit (allergen specific immunotherapy). The test i’s not cheap but it’s the most accurate way to identify allergens.
Asit is the most natural way to treat environmental allergies, the treatment is lifelong.
My dog has been stable over 5 years. She eats a variety of different foods, but does best with Zignature
whitefish kibble as a base.
Frequent bathing with a vet recommended shampoo helps too.
There is no cure for environmental allergies but there is effective treatment.
Food allergies are rare, food sensitivities tend to fluctuate.
Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane.
Apoquel is prescribed for environmental allergies.
/forums/topic/poop-less-and-scratching/#post-111715
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/ There are even newer treatment options since this article was written.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Jenifer S]

Hi! While searching for a grain free, pea and fish free dog food for my dog, I can across your post. Have you had any luck in finding anything? I was using “Sport Elite Chicken”, but, most unfortunately, they have went out of business. My vet did a blood test which confirmed that my Enzo; Maltese / Shih-Tzu Mix, was allergic to basically everything, including peas and fish. You can have the test (blood) done at your vet’s, but it is around $400.00 – very pricey, but we were desperate, poor guy is always itching, and he is on Apoquel, a Doggy allergy pill. I hope that you are having some luck!!!

[Susan]

Hi Sandra,
if he wasnt scratching & licking his paws before on other food then yes change the food sounds like he is sensitive to an ingredient in the new food, take it back & exchange the kibble if you still have a bit left…
Which Earthborn Holistic formula is he eating??? is it one of the grain free formula’s?? as Earthborn Holistic uses Tapicoa in some of their grain free formula’s..
My boy gets the red itchy paws, he has them at moment, I’m about to give him his weekly bath & make his feel nice, fresh & itch free, 15-20mins after eating these ingredients- Chicken, Barley, Tapioca, Wheat, Oats makes him go mad with itch & gets red itchy paws also Carrots make his ears itch & he shakes his head…
My boy has both Food Sensitivities & Seasonal Environment Allergies get some “Malaseb Medicated Shampoo” & wash his paws leave on for a good 2-5mins then rinse off the Malaseb relieves itchy skin & paws kills any yeast & bacteria as well leaves their skin & coat feeling beautiful & soft, the Malaseb can be used daily..
I also apply “Sudocrem” on Patches paws before our walks & at night before bed, Sudocrem is a healing cream that is a anti bacterial cream for Eczema, Dermatitis & Nappy Rash, you can buy on Amazon or Ebay, the Sudocrem relieves any itchy skin & kills any bacteria & yeast on their skin & paws…..

Have a look at :”Canidae” Pure formula’s the “Pure Wild” & “Pure Sky” formaula are really good, if your dog can handle higher fat diets the “Pure Sea” is excellent for itchy skin & paws its higher in omega 3… https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Ashley B]

We feed 1/3 cup twice a day. He’s 6 pounds and 16 weeks old (almost 17 weeks). He’s on grain free food due to the fact that we watch my sisters dog who is allergic (explosive diarrhea on the walls allergic). He typically doesn’t go outside of his crate, its only inside. I know he’s young but I wanted to make sure it wasn’t an issue since it’s only in the crate. We take him out frequently when we are home. Its just when we leave him in the crate its a disaster. We are going to try lower fiber. The puppy formula for merrick has more fiber than our other dogs food so we are going to try her food (its all life stages)

[anonymous]

You could try a different food, however it sounds like it could be environmental allergies. Hopefully, if it is, they are mild and/or seasonal.
I would consult your vet, you don’t want him to scratch till he gets infections.
He may suggest a prescription/therapeutic diet to rule out food sensitivities, also, ask your vet about adding fish oil to combat skin dryness.
If it continues for 4 seasons/1 year without significant periods of relief despite treatment by the regular vet. Or the symptoms become worse and the dog is suffering, I would find a board certified veterinary dermatologist for accurate testing/diagnosis and treatment.
That would be your best bet.
Your vet should be able to refer you.
Hope these articles help
Keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/

/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Susan]

Hi,
a dog only reacts to potatoes, sugars & starchy carbs if she/he has food sensitives to those particular food/ingredients, this is another Myth spread on the internet (Dr Karen Becker) saying Potato, rice, corn, oats, grains, sugary carbs cause yeasty skin & ears this is not true, it’s only when your dog is sensitive to that food he will react…
What was he eating when his ears became yeasty?
Here’s a site written by a Dermotologist “Karen Helton Rhodes” The Myths & Facts of Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs”, Please read, she has a facebook site called “Healthy Skin 4 Dogs” & frequents another f/b group called “Dog, issues allergies & other Information Support Group” join the group heaps of really good information, your better off taking your dog off any dry kibble or cooked wet canned dog foods, whenever I feed wet can foods to my boy he starts shaking his head & scratches his ears & skin, I think the wet can foods use binders in the wet can foods & he must be sensitive too them, he’s the same when he eats a dry kibble that has tapioca, carrots, chicken, barley & oats he gets red smelly yeasty paws, itchy ears & smelly yeasty skin, he cant eat these ingredients he’s has food sensitivities to them, you need to work out what ingredients your dog has food sensitivities too??…
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs
Have a look at freeze dried foods like “Ziwi Peak” air dried, Ziwi Peak also sell wet raw can food, it looks & smells like the cooked wet can foods but it’s healthier, Ziwi Peak is for dogs & cats who have skin/ear problems food sensititivies, Ziwi Peak has Novel protein meats (Venison Rabbit) & limited ingredients, Ziwi Peak must taste really good my cat goes mad when I open a can or open her bag of air dried Ziwi Peak, here’s Ziwi Peak site send them an email telling them about your dog yeasty ears & ask can you try some of their samples of their air dried formula’s, just make sure you give your address so they can send the samples out or go & buy some of the Ziwi Peak to try, your dog will get better & love the air dried & the wet can foods … https://www.ziwipets.com/ also when you do start a new limited ingredient food do not feed any treats or anything else in her diet just the new food..
also look for “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels Freeze Dried, Mussels are high in Omega fatty acid excellent for skin & ears, give 1-2 mussels a day as a treat..
K-9 Natural also sell wet raw can food & dehydrated food you just add water, same as “Honest Kitchen” look for the Zeal, Spruce or Brave formula’s https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/grain-free

[anonymous]

Zignature and Nutrisca have no potato, has your vet suggested a prescription/therapeutic diet? That would be the only accurate way to rule out food sensitivities.
Keep in mind your dog may have environmental allergies which tend to wax and wane, they may be mild, seasonal or uncomfortable enough that the expertise of a specialist may be needed.
See my prior posts per the search engine
examples:
How long has this been going on? Because I have a dog with environmental allergies, I had good results, but, only after going to a veterinary dermatologist.
I thought it was the food too, tried all kinds of things with poor results, my dog is doing well now on ASIT allergen specific immunotherapy times 5 years.
Turns out she can eat most foods but does best on Zignature whitefish (before that Nutrisca salmon) as a base.
So, I would consider going to a specialist if her symptoms go on for more than a year (4 seasons) without significant relief.
Food allergies are rare, environmental allergies are usually the culprit.

and
For the best results, make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist.
Here is a good article about what you might be looking at, keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/
/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Aimee Y]

I just bought a bag of what Francine had posted. My dog has allergies very bad so I thought this looked like a good grain free option. The only review I see on this site looks like very old ingredients…. Can you please review this again with the most current recipe of this dog food on the market at Aldi’s? BTW, it appears the brand name of this food is now ‘heart to tail’….

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by Aimee Y.

[anonymous]

Excerpt below, in response to a comment about allergies (click on link for full articles and comments). Hope this helps
skeptvet says:
February 27, 2018 at 8:51 am
The problem with the concept of “boosting” the immune system is that allergies are actually an excessive and inappropriate immune system reaction. That’s why most of the medications that help actually reduce inflammation and other immune system activities. Recurrent secondary infections are typically overgrowth of normal skin flora caused by damage to the normal defenses on the skin caused by inflammation, scratching, and other symtpoms of the underlying allergy. One of the most effective treatments is often desensitizing the immune system with immunotherapy (aka “allergy shots”). But hopefully this has been explained by the dermatologists. Have you seen the guidelines from the international canine allergy group of treatments for environmental allergies in dogs?

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

[anonymous]

There is a very simple skin test/scraping your vet can do that will confirm or rule out yeast/parasites.
It only takes a minute.
My dog has had the same issues as you described and the test was negative. However she does have environmental allergies and has had positive results by seeing a veterinary dermatologist.
I would consider Purina Pro Plan Focus for sensitive skin and stomach as I have heard good things about it.
I would avoid potatoes of all kinds as that seems to work for one of my dogs. I have heard others say so too.
Good luck.

[Susan]

Hi Melissa,
definitely sounds like your boy has Food Sensitivities that is casuing yeasty skin & ears & bowel problems when he eats them, also can be Environment Allergies if his eyes are watering & he rubs his eyes, he’d feel very uncomfortable & itchy, now the hard part working out what ingredients he’s sensitive too that’s causing his yeasty ears & skin, once you work out which ingredients are causing his yeasty skin & ears the yeast will stop, I did an elimination food diet & carrots were causing Patches yeasty ears as soon as I stopped adding the carrots to his meal he stopped shaking his ears/head…
Have you tried “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb or TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula? these TOTW formula’s were the 2 grainfree kibble that helped my boy IBD & Food Sensitivities, then his yeasty skin went away, another grain Free kibble that worked for my boys IBD was”Canidae” Pure Wild Boar, these formula’s only have 1 meat protein with limited ingredients…
You need to find a kibble that helps his stomach & bowel (No gas & sloppy poos) like the Purina One works then hopefully the new kibble will help clear his yeasty ears & skin…

Look for a grain free formula that has Limited Ingredients, that is around 25% in Protein, Fat around 15% & fiber-4% & under not too high for fiber…
Some high end grain free kibbles are way too high in Protein & Fat % also the Kcals per cup are too high causing stomach/bowel problems, stay around 360Kcals per cup & under….
Look at the ingredients in the Purina One & try & avoid these ingredients as your dog is sensitive to either 1 or a few ingredients making his ears yeasty, the Purina One helps with his sensitive bowel but like my boy when he eats the Hills Sensitive Stomach formula he reacts & gets yeasty smelly skin & paws…..
Start bathing him weekly in “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, the Malaseb killls any yeast & bacteria on his skin & relieves any itchy skin leaving his skin & coat moist & soft…
There will be an kibble out there that he isnt sensitive too & helps his stomach, bowel & stops his yeasty ears you just haven’t found it yet… also have you tried “Natural Balance” LTD Sweet Potato & Bison or the Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish formula these N/B formula’s help dogs with stomach/bowel problems & have skin problems aswell, these N/B formula’s have NO peas, No chickpeas or No Lentils as these ingredients can cause gas, bad farts, sloppy poo’s & diarrhea….
Keep a diary & start writing down what brand kibbles your feeding & try & avoid any kibbles taht have chicken just incase he is sensitive to chicken…..also look at the ingredients & protein % in the high end grain free brands you’ve feed, was there any common ingredients that might of been causing his gas & sloppy poos, alot of these new grain free kibbles use Lentils & Chickpeas now, alot of dogs with IBS symptoms can not eat these ingredients causes bad gas & diarrhea.

[gdijess]

I just said it is NOT environmental allergies. And the site you gave me said that the closest one is actually 4 and half hours away. My dog’s vet is a large animal vet because the only vet that treats dogs and cats teaches at a school and never has time to see new clients, not to mention is actively trying to push for BSL in my area. I live in a small town that’s main focus is agriculture, so most people here don’t care much about their dogs and dont want to spend anything more than like 30 bucks on the animal. Half of the people here in town have never even seen a rottweiler. I’m not going to let somebody who has zero experience anywhere near my dog, especially if they are terrified of him. (Which happens more often than not) Driving to another state to see a dermatologist is not something I can do. I work in a job where its nearly impossible to take time off. I work two different jobs, so I’m working 7 days a week. (He gets to come with me) Its also something that isn’t needed because MY DOG HAS A FOOD ALLERGY.

Thank you for commenting on my post but since you have nothing else useful to say I would request that you stop. Have a wonderful day!

[anonymous]

“I have no access to an animal dermatolist unless I want to drive 4 hours”.

Not true. You don’t want to go to one, so be it.

But they are everywhere. Just ask your vet for a referral.

https://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?ids=16_Find_Dermatologist

PS: I have no food recommendations as food has NO effect on environmental allergies.
You may be trying to treat the symptoms, GI distress is a symptom of untreated environmental allergies.
The immune system breaks down and the dog is vulnerable to all kinds of stuff.

[gdijess]

There are definitely no plans on breeding him, he is the only puppy from this litter with allergies. The rest do terrific on their foods. I call some of his sensitivies allergies and the others just sensitivities die to the severity of the reaction. I have no access to an animal dermatolist unless I want to drive 4 hours.
I’ve seen proof both way for the evidence of developing allergies. But regardless I want him on a rotational diet because he gets bored and I have to get him food toppers to even eat his food when he doesn’t want to, and that can get pricey.
Thanks for the sites for information.
I’m mainly looking for other foods that my dog might be able to eat, so if you have suggestions please feel free to share.

[anonymous]

I understand, my little dog was the same. At age 4 we ended up at the emergency vet times 2, then a veterinary dermatologist (we didn’t like him).
We tried another veterinary dermatologist (within a week of seeing the first one) with excellent results.
BTW: Dogs do not develop allergies from eating the same foods day after day.
RIDICULOUS! My dog now eats chicken almost every day!
For science based veterinary medicine go here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies
PS: Allergies get worse with age, not better.
You may want to notify the breeder (if you know) it’s a hereditary condition, best not to breed this dog.
Good luck

[gdijess]

It’s definitely a food allergy since all the symptoms are usually gastrointestinal. (Minus the hot spots and chewing on the feet. Which is what he gets when he eats lamb.) He does have allergies to smoke (I learned that after we had some really bad wildfires this last summer here in the pnw)
He does best on the Pork Zignature, he just gets bored and I don’t want him to develope any issues with that food because it’s already hard enough to find foods without chicken or chicken products in it. I am a creature of habit so I know for a fact it’s his food causing these symptoms. Not to mention it’s pretty much all the classic signs of a food allergy.
These issues have been going on since I got him at 8 weeks old in July. He has a clean bill of health from his vet, so there isn’t any parasite issues. It might just be that he is sensitive to them and it’s not a full blown allergy, but I refer to it as that because a lot of people don’t seem to know the difference. He’s just a sensitive dog lol

[anonymous]

How long has this been going on? Because I have a dog with environmental allergies, I had good results, but, only after going to a veterinary dermatologist.
I thought it was the food too, tried all kinds of things with poor results, my dog is doing well now on ASIT allergen specific immunotherapy times 5 years.
Turns out she can eat most foods but does best on Zignature whitefish (before that Nutrisca salmon) as a base.
So, I would consider going to a specialist if her symptoms go on for more than a year (4 seasons) without significant relief.
Food allergies are rare, environmental allergies are usually the culprit.

[Susan]

Hi,
have you looked at “Canidae” Pure Wild formula, it’s Pork & Canidae Pure Sky is also really good dog food, Canidae grows all their veggies & fruit, if you go onto Canidae’s f/b page you’ll see their video….It’s good you’re rotaing his kibbles, it will strengthen his immune system, have you see how high the fiber is in the Earthborn Venture formula’s?? some formula’s are very high in fiber, I dont know how your boy does with his fiber but my boy who has IBD, Food Sensitivies & Skin Allergies doesn’t do well on high fiber diets..
Below is Canidae’s site, click on link then scroll down a little look to your right & you’ll see all the pages “Under the Sun” first & then all “Canidae’s” formula’s…
Canidae did really well when their kibbles were tested last year for Toxins & Contaminates, so did Canidae’s cheaper brand called “Under The Sun”, if I post the link or name for you to see all the popular dog foods that were tested it gets blocked google, “T0xins #n Pet F*0ds” & you’ll see a site come up that completed a study of 1,084 pet food products from 80 brands.
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[gdijess]

I have a 9 month old rottie who I am looking to add some other brands to his food rotation. He does have a few diet restrictions and I unfortunately am limited as to what I can get.
He is Allergic to Chicken and Lamb and definitely does better on limited ingredient diets. I prefer to stick to grain free foods but I am open to other options. He gets really gassy on fish foods (He’s currently on Zignature catfish right now) He does have quite a few sensitivities that we are trying to work out but I’m still not sure as to what they are.
He does best with Pork, Bison, Venison, Duck, Rabbit, and Beef as far as proteins go. He does okay on potatoes but I prefer sweet potatoes or peas in his food instead of potatoes. The food has to have appropriate calcium and phosphorous levels for a growing large breed puppy, He is already 100lbs and still has some growing left to do. (I don’t mind doing this part, I just want some other brand recommendations. I’ve combed this site up and down and haven’t found a one that I have access to yet. )
He does the best on Zignature Pork, but he has also been on nutrisource large bread puppy chicken and rice, Zignature Lamb, Natures Domain puppy, PureVita Duck and Oatmeal, and Taste of the Wild South West Canyon.

I wanted to add Acana Duck and Pear as well as Earthborn Holistic Venture Rabbit but unfortunately I can’t get it where I am at. (I work at a pet store and I order the dog food for the store so I can get quite a few different brands.)

I know I am probably pretty picky, but I’m just looking for other options because he does get bored eating the same kibble and I don’t want to risk him developing any other allergy or sensitivities.

[Richard P]

Homemade Dog Treats (Linda Arndt) http://www.greatdanelady.com)

1 ½ lbs liver
1 Cup oat flour (or if allergic get non gluten flour)
2 Eggs
½ Garlic Clove

Mince meat and garlic.
Mix in other ingredients and bake in a loaf pan for 30 minutes in 375 degree oven. Cut into portions. Treats can be frozen.

[Susan]

Hi Jessica,

I have a dog with IBD & Sweet Potato + Potato works excellent for Patch & other dogs with IBS, IBD & Sensitive stomach & Bowel, the Royal Canine Vet Nutrionist told me years ago when I thought Patch couldnt eat potato, its very rare for a dog to be allergic to potatoes that’s why Potato is used in vet diets…….
I would look for a new kibble that has only 1 meat protein NOT Chicken & has 1-2 carbs that are Potato & Sweet Potato…
there’s “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato or Salmon & Potato but both formula’s have peas still worth a try or look at “Natural Balance” Sweet Potato & Bison or Sweet Potato & Fish or Potato & Duck formula’s, these 3 formula’s do not have any peas, chickepeas or lentils, when I looked at the Kibble your boy is eating it could be a few ingredients he’s reacting too, the chicken?, tapioca?, chickpeas?, peas?, chicken liver?, organ meats kidney, heart & liver can cause sloppy poos or diarrhea when too much is consumed, liver is best given as a treat not in a kibble, it might be too much for a dog who has bowel problems, it could be the Alfalfa meal? there was a dog last week that was eating a kibble similar & it had Alfalfa meal as well he was doing sloppy poos/diarrhea or it could be the sunflower meal & there’s blue berries?…
So its best to start with a very limited ingredient kibble with only about 2-4ingredients, then once he’s doing firm poo’s say he’s eating the “Natural Balance” LTD & is doing really well then start adding 1 fresh cooked ingredient to his diet as well say cooked chicken & see does his poos start going sloppy?? or start feeding say the “Wellness Simple” formula that has peas in it & see does his poo’s go soft?? or you could try “Canidae” Pure Small Breed formula’s it has 1 meat protein, peas, lentils, egg if he’s reacting to the other brand kibbles that have potatoes but I think he’ll react more to the peas & lentils but you never know??
Changing & rotating kibbles will strengthen in immune system & make his stomach & bowel stronger… Whatever you do make sure you only introduce 1 thing at a time…Tell us how he’s going after he has a diet change…. Keep a diary & write down what brand & formula of kibble you’ve tried what fresh foods you’ve added to his diet etc..
Best to start doing his elimintion diet now it sounds like you’ll eventually have to do one & work out what he can & can eat… He might do better on a rice & 1 meat protein kibble??

[anonymous]

For the best results, make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist.

Here is a good article about what you might be looking at, keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/

/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Gillian W]

I know this is an old post, but was wondering if you ever sorted out your pup with these allergies that you were having with your pup, I would like to hear your testimony or others whom have gone through similar issues with this.

My dog is been having similar problems, but not to the extent as yours did, but he’s been having ear infections, which appeared during this summer season, (I live in South Africa) he’s 2 years old now, but during the winter, his ears did not seem to bother him, so this could be an environmental allergy.

About a month ago, I took him to the vet, as his ears was sore, so they decided to flush them out, under anaesthetic. After this procedure was done, they put him on Prednisone (3 tablets twice daily for 4 days, then 2 twice daily for 4 days, then 1 tablet twice daily for 4 days, until we got down to 1 a day for four days), but when that finished the vet did not give me any more, but only continued on with the 750mg Cephalexin twice daily, after several weekly check-ups. I decided to go to another vet, because I was not happy with him being on antibiotics for such a long time, 23 days at that time, and the 2nd vet put him on Medrol, and took him off Cephelexin. 1 a day for 2 days, then 1 every other day. I saw a difference on the 3rd day, but on the 4th days, his ears seemed to gunked up again. Also, I am now busy/transitioning him to a grain free diet, a fish based one only, with no meats or chicken etc.

[Tina D]

I know this is a pretty old post, but I’m so thankful I found it.
Below is some extra information for who ever may need it.
Thanks to pugmomsandy!

There are pros and cons to adding cider vinegar to a dog’s drinking water, with the recommended dose usually 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight. “People often talk about adding ACV to water bowls,” says canine health researcher Mary Straus. “My feeling is that if so, you should also offer plain water, just in case your dogs don’t want to drink the water with the ACV in it. You wouldn’t want to risk their drinking less water and possibly becoming dehydrated.”

Is a daily dose of apple cider vinegar good for your dog? Unless your dog is allergic to apples, he or she isn’t likely to suffer a serious reaction, and within a month you should be able to tell whether the addition is helping. Commonly reported benefits include improvements in skin and coat condition, a reduction of itching and scratching, the elimination of tear stains on the face, fewer brown or yellow urine spots in lawns, increased mobility in older dogs, reduced flea populations, and an improvement in overall health.

[Ryan K]

Thanks for the replies! 🙂 I decided to pull him off of the ZD as his poops were just far too liquidy for too long. My vet put him on Royal Canin’s hydrolized protein diet instead and he seems to be doing OK on it. His allergies (which are still unknown to me) have decreased immensely BUT he seems a little out of character since he started this food. It’s hard to explain. He just seems…restless. He’s only 8 so it’s not really an “old dog restless” thing…he just seems unhappy. He typically is the kind of dog that will just sleep when I sleep and relax all day but he has been crying to go out like crazy and although his poops are solid again…his stomach seems to be grumbling a lot. I think the food is not sitting well with his digestive system for some reason despite it doing wonders for his skin.

I want to get him on a regular, more nutrient beneficial dry food. I think he might be sensitive to peas and lentils since that is really the only thing in the Kangaroo diet he was on that could have been causing his insane itching unless he is allergic to kangaroo itself. Does anyone know of any good dry dog food without peas and lentils that is limited ingredient?

[zcRiley]

Anything from the Zignature line, their kibble, not the canned. My pits are allergic to every other brand. They’re super strong and healthy.

[Amy N]

Update: I ended up ordering 3 bags of the Beef formula from Sport Dog and had great success eliminating the allergies no to mention both of my boys loved it!! To our disappointment they changed the formula and added chicken to ALL formulas. I have tried contacting them and cannot get a return. I now am looking for new recommendations.

PS I used Merrick when these guys were pups (on the whole litter) and had horrible horrible GI problems. Will NEVER feed Merrick again!

[Amy N]

Last time I asked, someone had recommended Sport Dog Food Beef formula and it was fabulous for my dogs and truly eliminated all allergies. Well now they are charging all recipes and I can’t get any response. Is there anything comparable anyone can recommend? I would like limited, healthy and chicken free ingredients. Both of my boys are Labradoodle (70 Pounds) service dogs. Thank you, in advance.

• This topic was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Amy N.