[anonymous]

Okay, I reread your post. I sometimes get carried away when discussing allergies :/

Anyway, you could try a grain free limited ingredient food, my dogs do well on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea.
However, for my allergy dog, the food is only a small part of the treatment, but in conjunction with the other treatment modalities, it works (as a base).
If you noticed positive results with the prescription food, I would go back to it, at least till the dog is stable.
Again, I still think a veterinary dermatologist would be your best bet if the symptoms continue.

[anonymous]

Apoquel is prescribed for environmental allergies. If the dog responded to the Apoquel, that’s diagnostic. Apoquel has no effect on food sensitivies or food allergies. Food allergies are rare.
Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane, some allergens are seasonal. Making it almost impossible to tell which food is working best.
Per the search engine /forums/search/allergies/
I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist for the best results to get an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Make sure your dog is drinking water, add a splash or presoak his kibble if he has a sensitive stomach.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 11 months ago by anonymous.

[anonymous]

Yep, environmental allergies tend to wax and wane. Hopefully it’s seasonal/mild and can be managed by medications such as Apoquel certain times of the year, not all year round.
A veterinary dermatologist is best. Good luck
Ps: You could try bathing with a gentle shampoo. I would not apply anything to irritated skin or mess around with over the counter meds (unless your vet says it’s okay) You could make it worse.

[Erika I]

Thank you Anon101 for your help! I will try taking her into a veterinary dermatologist. I thought it was a major yeast infection but maybe it’s this hyperpigmentation. I was hoping the switch in foods would help but I think now it might be something she’s allergic to. Her itchiness and hair loss subsided for a month or so but now its back.

[anonymous]

It could be hyperpigmentation. A common symptom of environmental allergies which the other symptoms you mentioned in your first post indicate.
Only further diagnostic testing, preferably by a veterinary dermatologist can answer your questions, as there are several other conditions that could cause this and should be ruled out.
This condition went away after my dog starting allergen specific immunotherapy (desensitization). The discolored skin remains, which is normal. But, no hair loss.
She now tolerates a variety of foods and requires no meds. The ASIT is a natural solution and lifelong treatment.

[Susan]

Hi Jazzlover,
Have you increased the Omega 3 in your dog diet? tin sardines in spring water are excellent, add about 2 small sardines to the raw diet a day, how come your only feeding 1 raw meal a day? is this raw meal balanced properly, is it home made raw or premade raw diet? after adding the Sardines you watch Jazz’s skin & coat start to shine & improve….
Have you tried using High Potency Vitamin C powder for dogs? Vitamin C is a Natural Anti histamine & strengthens the immune system, we use Vitamin C in Australia, it’s also added to our dog foods, here’s the Natural Animal Solution site, I’m pretty sure Jacqueline Rudan the Naturopath does sell her products in America, the Skin Pack is really good & a good price, it will balance the raw diet if it’s homemade diet, I used it when Patch was eating a raw diet…. done the bottom of my post is a link when you have clicked on the link read about Vitamin C then go to the top & click on “Pet Health” look on your left, scroll down a bit then you’ll see “Skin System” there’s a little green arrow facing down, click on arrow & all skin conditions will come up, click on “Skin Allergies” the last one, it’s a really good read, make sure you bath weekly or twice a week or daily in the bad seasons to wash off the pollens & allergens on the skin, bathing relieve the itch I also use “Malaseb Medicated Shampoo” it’s mild & can be used daily, excellent for red paws…
For Jazz itchy lower back tail & bum area have you tried “Sudocrem” it’s a healing cream sold in the baby Section at Supermarket or Chemist, when Patch starts rolling body on carpet & bum surfing on my carpet I should bath him but some days you don’t feeling like bathing the dog so I buy the Huggies baby Wipe the Coconut Oil wipes there’s also Cucumber & Aloe. I wipe his fur down then get another coconut oil wipe & wipe his bum & around his tail area, then I apply the Sudocrem, then straight away the itch stops… When he gets his itchy bum it’s from food sensitivities, as soon as he eats something he’s sensitive too he starts rubbing his bum on carpets…
http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/product/high-potency-vitamin-c/

[anonymous]

Amy,
You can find the malaseb at chewy dot com at possibly a better price. I have found that after the first year of treatment by a veterinary dermatologist, I can now alternate with other gentle shampoos with good effect.
However, I had tried malaseb before seeing the dermatologist and it didn’t help. But, in conjunction with ASIT, it did.
I stopped recommending it unless prescribed by a vet as it is expensive and people expect too much. Plus, depending on the allergies, it may not be necessary.

[Amy W]

I use Malaseb shampoo, twice a week. It is a prescription from our derm vet. (My dog is very yeasty, and allergic to her own yeast… in addition to her other environmental allergies:)

[anonymous]

It’s not just the shampoo, or just the food, or just the supplements, or just the over the counter medications, or just the prescribed medication, or just the allergen specific immunotherapy.
Allergies are very complicated, that’s why it is best to spend the money on a consult with a veterinary dermatologist, if it’s been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons you are just spinning your wheels trying all these different things. Meanwhile, the dog is uncomfortable, possible suffering.
Peace out.
PS: My dog is bathed twice a week in conjunction with allergen specific immunotherapy.
They still have occasional flare ups. Treatment tends to be lifelong.

[anonymous]

Your welcome. Yes, there is a genetic link. In fact, the breeder is supposed to stop breeding an animal that has environmental allergies.

For the umpteenth time, the allergen specific immunotherapy solution is all natural! No meds, if it comes to that.
However, the vets have no choice to offer band aid solutions such as steroids, antibiotics and such to stop the suffering and risk of infection.
I have heard positive things about Apoquel, especially if the allergies are mild/seasonal and the dog doesn’t have to be on it year round. Every dog is different. Hope you find something that works.
PS: Once my dogs environmental allergies were under control she now tolerates a variety of foods. I never did the blood test, the dermatologist said it wasn’t necessary (specific to my dog). The intradermal skin testing is the best.

[anonymous]

Hope this helps: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Acroyali]

I’ve used NAET and homeopathy with excellent results. NAET is totally non-invasive, which is awesome. Please don’t ask me *how* it works, but it works. My dogs’ allergies were diet related, and all but one allergy cleared (and one became much less intense) with two sessions.

Homeopathy has amazed me time and time again, but the big secret is finding an experienced homeopath who knows the science, and finding one who doesn’t write off other assets in assisting your dogs health…some homeopaths will refuse to work with anyone who uses nutritional supplements, etc. which is something I would absolutely avoid. A good holistic vet examines the big picture and doesn’t stick rigidly to one answer only. Holistic = whole!

The most common mistake I see with homeopathy is people choosing incorrect remedies, by themselves, within 5 minutes of reading about the symptoms present and not taking into account the smaller, more subtle symptoms that would point to a different remedy. Then they claim it didn’t work, even though they took no time at all to study it themselves or seek out someone competent to help them through, who will also be knowledgeable about selecting the correct potency. It would be no different than if you or I had a headache and decided to take Zantac. When we take the wrong medication for the wrong symptoms, the problem we’re experiencing isn’t going to go away, and it would be unfair to complain and tell everyone that Zantac doesn’t work because we took it for the wrong problem. If you try a remedy and it does not work, you should consult your vet to decide on what remedy to try next.

I would also research vaccines and develop a close relationship with a trusted vet who will only vaccinate your dog if and when he needs it. I would ALSO research problems associated with any flea and/or tick prevention you may be using or have used in the past (what works good for one dog may be hurting the next), as well as things like what household cleaners you use, right down to the quality of water you put in your dogs water bowl every day. If you haven’t done so yet, I would consult with your vet about the possibility of a good blood count as well as discussing whether or not a thyroid test would be a good idea for your particular dog. Discuss immune support with your vet; not all immune support is necessarily stimulating but balancing instead.

I hope this helps you and you’re able to find someone who can help you and your dog. Allergies are a pain, but they CAN be helped.

[Amy W]

I wholeheartedly agree with all allergy specific immunotherapy. I found a veterinary dermatologist at our local university, and with many patient months (8 so far) am seeing impressive results. We used to need 2 daily apoquel AND prednisolone just to calm down the allergies when we first got my dog. Now we are down to a prescription shampoo, her immunotherapy drops, and a half an Apoquel. I will hopefully ween her off the Apoquel altogether.

It’s a really hard thing to get a grip on, and I wish you luck! It is hard to be patient. Additionally, I would like to add that I have seen a big cost SAVINGS by doing immunotherapy.

Take care!

[anonymous]

Homeopathic vets don’t believe in science based medicine. You can’t have it both ways.
I would find a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Just call the nearest Veterinary School of Medicine and they will refer you.
My dog is a small breed poodle mix that started with the pruritus and ear infections at about 2 years old. Did the steroids, antibiotics. Went back and forth to the regular vet for about a year (tried 3 of them) listened to the homeopathic vets (useless). Most supplements are a scam.
So, I made an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist, she had the testing and I had the results and a treatment plan the same day.
I saw results right away. The initial testing is expensive but the maintenance isn’t that bad (I gave up cable). We see the dermatologist once a year.
She has been stable now for several years. It is very natural, the solution is now available sublingual, so you don’t have to give shots.
She no longer has food sensitivity issues, but does best on a Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble as a base, a bit of cooked chicken or something and a splash of water twice a day.
A raw carrot here and there.
I have owned several dogs over the years, some had mild/seasonal allergies, but this is the only one that needed the expertise of a specialist. I avoid vaccinations with this dog, talk to your vet about a rabies waiver.
They still have occasional flare ups, but nothing severe. Prn Benadryl once in a while (it doesn’t do that much anyway).
Btw: raw made her vomit and caused a bowel obstruction requiring a trip to the emergency vet.

[Stacie D]

I just started my Yorkie on it. Not only is she the pickiest eater ever, she has severe allergies. She loves it & so far, no reactions. It looks like human food and I put it in a Tupperware – my son almost ate it, thinking it was picadillo.

[anonymous]

I tried everything too (times 1 year). The only thing that produced positive results for my dog was going to a veterinary dermatologist, getting intradermal skin testing and starting allergen specific immunotherapy.
Respit is not the same thing, the expertise of the specialist that evaluates and determines the results of the skin testing is crucial.
There is no cheap way out of this. I have posted ad nauseam on this subject, all you have to do is use the search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

There is no cure for allergies, they are complicated and they get worse with age. However, there is effective treatment.

Ps: Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment for environmental allergies.
Stop looking for miracle cures, there are none. If your dog has raw bloody skin and scabs from pruritus, ear infections and such, the regular vet has no choice but to prescribe steroids and such to stop the suffering and risk of infection, temporarily.
Just my experience, hope it helps someone.

[Jazzlover]

I was told labs are a breed w/ lots of allergies. Our almost 4 yr old, male, black lab does have moderately bad environmental allergies (grasses, trees, weeds, dust mites… ) which is no fun for Jazz or us.

I do a fairly good job at managing it, and I have recently gone to one RAW meal per day in hopes to help. What is the worst is the lose of hair under his tail and bottom from bitting. I’m able to remedy for the most part the paws, throat, chin, tummy and ear infections.

I’m looking for success stories for dogs w/ same allergies. I’m seeking a natural cure that will not compromise his health, such as Apolquel, steroids and antibiotics. We did try Respit w/ no success. I’ve also tried a probiotic and enzyme, both w/ rave reviews that did not seem to make a difference. I’ve tried a lot!

Thank you

[Jazzlover]

New to Raw

I’m seeking education from dog owners w/ thriving raw fed dogs.

We have an almost 4yr old male, black lab w/ environmental allergies (all yr around in nor Ca) – Jazz. I recently went raw, one meal (do to cost) – trying Barf World, Lamb to start. And I’m not finding it gross 🙂 Is there a prepared, balanced raw that delivers that is higher quality and ideally lower priced? Eventually I hope to be able to identify a balanced recipe & the ingredients to do it myself.

I’m also looking for wild, sustainably sourced sardines that I can buy in bulk. In hopes to avoid buying canned.

Lastly, supplements (vtms & minerals) that are necessary and have proven healthy benefits for raw feeding. Such as a great sustainably sourced krill oil (not cod), etc.

Thanks for you support!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 12 months ago by Jazzlover. Reason: grammer

[anonymous]

Just curious, how was your dog diagnosed with a chicken allergy? Or are you assuming…..

Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea may meet your criteria, see chewy dot com for reviews and prices.
Check the search engine “allergies” I have posted a lot of information, maybe you will find something helpful.

Allergies can be broken down into inhalant, contact, or food allergy origins. Flea allergies, grass allergies, and environmental toxin induced allergies are the most common causes of skin conditions in Cairns. Allergies can be chronic or seasonal. They can be minor or severe in occurrence. They tend to become worse with age. Treatment is much better than in bygone days. Environmental controls, antihistamine treatment, and desensitization injections have made huge strides in the last few years”.
“Glucocorticoids should be used only as a last resort due to serious side effects. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic or severe cases by a Board Licensed Veterinary Dermatologist is recommended”.
(excerpt from:) http://cairnterrier.org/index.php/Static/health
This was copied from a site regarding Cairn Terriers, however, the information applies to all dogs (imo)

[deanne w]

Hi, i have just come across this site. We purchased a very thin gsd 2 year old that we assumed they hadnt fed her. But after us feeding her she had constant very very runny water diarrhea with blood in it, constantly vomitting and rapid weight loss. After vet examinations and a biopsy she had ibd. Extremely sad. Looked everywhere for advice. I see many people are trying there ibd dogs on say potatoe, duck and a 3rd item. My advice is try to do 1 food at a time.
We had no idea what food she was allergic too so we put her on vet dry food bag called anallergenic in the meantime. We did try hypo-allergenic first but immediately had the runs and blood flowed from her for hours.

I now have had her on raw 4 paws dog food, i tried the turkey first (nothing else! no pills from vets or anything) Well my gs is happy healthy full of life and has gained 10kg.I am trying the roo next. What a difference. Then ill try the potatoe duck. Eventually my dog will have several different options to eat.

I know any supermarket food inflames her bowels immediately, chicken, any meat in there is bad.
Raw 4 Paws is a premium quality, natural, complete and healthy raw diet for dogs.
Raw 4 Paws is grain, yeast and dairy free – to minimize allergy tendencies. All ingredients sourced for the production of this amazing product is fit for human consumption, and contains no added preservatives, artifical colours or flavours, chemicals or fillers.
100% Australian – made, sourced and owned.
We love Raw 4 Paws, and are certain you will too.
Just google this and give it a go–im certainly glad i did.

[Laura B]

I have a 2 year old English Mastiff that suddenly developed “spots” all over his back, head and face, some scaled (just on back) and some not, dry nose (use nose butter). No itching, no crying, doesn’t seem phased by it. I originally gave him benedryl thinking he may have been bit by something. That didn’t phase the “spots.” I took him to the vet, they said allergies. He’s on prednisone and an antibiotic for an ear infection. I’m assuming it’s his food, but we feed him Fromm and have for the majority of his life. We also have 4 other dogs and we are the nasty free feeding kind (please do not judge, when we did timed feeding 3 out of the 4 gorged themselves and free feeding they don’t). My question is the vet said let him get off his pills and if the spots continue, change foods. We’ve done the grain-free and he had the runs, so swapped him. Now, he doesn’t want his food, only milkbones and peanut butter milkbones. I am in search of a recommendation on how I know if this allergy is his food or just outside allergies (pollen). He does also eat raw chicken and pork (usually chicken) on occasion.

[Susan]

Hi Melissa, what is she eating?? bad breath is a sign of a poor diet, bad breath is not always their teeth, the bad smell comes up from their stomach, itchy skin can be food sensitivities & environment allergies, look for a 3-5 star fish/salmon kibble with no other proteins, NO chicken make sure it has limited ingredients & buy some “Malaseb” medicated shampoo & bath her twice a week until her skin is good again, then bath weekly thru the hotter months or daily when she’s real itchy… Baths are excellent & wash off any pollens & allergen on the skin & relieve the itchy skin especially on the back of her legs, I also use a sun screen on my Staffy where he has white fur, pink skin as they can burn real easy, have a look at “Sudocrem” sold in the baby section at Supermarket the Sudocrem will help stop her itchy legs & will act as a sun screen as well…

[Susan]

Hi Melodie,
you need to see a proper IBD vet, one that specializes in IBD, also have biopsies done to see WHY this is happening with your boy?? I can fully understand what your going thru, I have a IBD Staffy with skin allergies & food sensitivities.. have you joined any Canine or dog IBD groups on Face Book?? you’ll get a lot of help or there’s a UK IBD group as well…
After trying most of the vet diets that fixed the sloppy poos but caused skin problems or bad acid reflux & vomiting & bloating some vet diet kibbles just sat in his stomach & he’d vomit it back up 7 hours later & these are vet diets that don’t digest???..
I finally found “Taste Of The Wild’ Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb kibble for my boy last year thru the EPI f/b group, you need to work out does your dog do better on LESS fiber or a diet with MORE fiber, my boy does better on low fiber diet & a low carb diet, normally dogs with IBD do better with less fiber especially if they are bloating & low carb diets, get a small bag of “Holistic Select” Adult/Puppy, Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Grain Free kibble its low in carbs 28% fat is 13-14% & just has fish as the protein or try the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb kibble it has the matching wet tin food as well & the TOTW Roasted Lamb kibble is a single protein kibble, it just has Lamb no other proteins, don’t feed any kibbles that have more then 1 protein or too many ingredients, wet tin food is better but watch the fat% as the fat% is different to the dry kibble fat% stay around 4% fat & under for wet tin foods, that’s around 14-16% fat if it was a dry kibble.. but only feed 1 thing at a time wet or dry till you work out if it agrees with your poor boy..
I rotate Patches kibbles now he can’t stay on the same kibble for too long, 1-2 months he starts reacting with pain & starts whinging, & now he cant eat his cooked lean pork rissoles anymore, vet said it’s his IBD & he gets put back on Metronidazole (Flagyl) for 10-21 days, so now I’m trying the Hills vet diet I/d Digestive Care wet tin food, Ijust feed it for 2 of his meals, I feed 5 small meals a day, he can NOT eat more then 1/2 a cup of kibble at 1 time he does the same & bloats & gets PAIN & whinges for me to rub his stomach pancreas area, so he gets either TOTW Lamb, Canidae Pure Wild Boar, or Holistic Select Salmon, kibble 1/2 a cup at 7am then at 9am 1/2 cup same brand kibble again then 12pm 1/2 a small tin of the Hills I/d wet food, we are trying the Hills wet tin Vet Diet & the vet just ordered today the Royal Canine Hypoallergenic wet tin food to see if he does better on the Royal Canine cause with the Hills I/d wet tin Patch gets his red paws from the chicken, corn starch & I have to take out all the carrots cause carrot makes his ears itchy but he doesn’t get his pain on the Hills I/d Digestive Care & at 5pm he gets another 1/2 cup kibble & 8pm the other 1/2 Hills I/d wet tin food heated up in micro wave, feeding 5 smaller meals a day & daily walks as well Patches pain seems heaps better, soaking his kibble in water cause bad acid reflux for Patch, then I read it’s no good soaking kibble & leaving any water in the kibble bowl, so I stopped doing it… have you tried the Vet Diet “Eukanuba Intestinal” Low Residue kibble?? its very very low in low residue fiber & the kibble breaks down real easy like the TOTW, Canidae & Holistic Select kibbles do….
I do my kibble test, get a glass of very warm water now put 2 kibbles in glass of warm water, a good kibble will float to top of water & a good kibble will only take about 15mins – 40mins to soften all the way thru do not feed any kibbles that take longer then 50mins to go soft all the way thru take the bag of kibble back & say ur dog wont eat it, most kibbles have a Palatability money back…I’m always asking for sample emailing kibble companies for sample so I can test the kibbles & see if they go soft within 40mins..
I asked one of Patches vets could he do a Endoscope & biopsies 3 yrs ago with Patch to see what was wrong, they put camera down the throat into stomach, it’s painless I just had it done yesterday & they get biopsies from stomach & sometimes the vet can go into the small bowel & get a biopsies as well if the flap isn’t shut, if you can afford this do it, biopsies tell you so much, you will get some answers what’s happening, why hasn’t your vet tried more vets diets you have just tried Hills & Purina HA which is like the Hills Z/d formula, Royal Canine has a better range of vet diets & has their Hypoallergenic wet tin & dry kibble, Hypoallergenic kibbles break down easy & the stomach doesn’t have to work as hard, You might have to do what I do by the end of the month, I have to start a new kibble formula, TOTW has been the only kibble he does real well on no itchy skin, firm poos & NO stomach pain, maybe give the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb a try, it has the least ingredients or TOTW Pacific Stream, Smoked Salmon kibble or TOTW wet tin food, but I’m pretty sure the America TOTW Pacific Stream has Garbanzo beans (Chick Peas) these can cause gas, wind & bloating, I try & stay away from Lentils, Chickpeas….. Costco has their Kirkland Signature, Salmon & Sweet Potatoes it’s made by TOTW & heaps cheaper then TOTW, you know the Purina HA works so there’s 1 kibble to rotate with when he’s going down hill again & seems unwell, you just need to find 2 more kibbles, I use the kibbles mentioned above, Spring/Summer I feed the Holistic Select Salmon/sardine kibble cause of Patches skin allergies the extra Omega 3 is good for their skin & stomach/bowel… I’m leaving the Purina HA till last it’s the only vet diet Patch hasn’t tried yet, we have just gotten the Purina HA here in Australia…
Keep us up dated, I’ll post the links to the dog IBD f/b groups tomorrow, I have to go to bed it’s late….

[Joelle V]

You may also want to investigate Petcurean go sensitive dry or canned food. For a dog I had with similar allergies, I also made my own food, with rice, a single protein, some veggies, and vitamins and fish oil. It helped, it did not cure the allergies, as grass was also an allergen.

[Christi B]

Has your dog had blood drawn for an allergy panel? We had problems and found out our dog was allergic to several things and we’re feeding Fromm Chicken a la veg

[Cheryl S]

I am feeding Bear, 10 1/2 year-old Black Lab, Rachel Rays’ ZERO GRAIN Beef, Potato and Bison dry food. He is also taking APOQUEL for allergies. I would like to try another dog food to see if I can wean him off the allergy pills. They cost $61 per month and I would rather avoid medication if possible. His allergies cause ear yeast infections and some licking, I would judge the licking at 60 out of 100 before he started Apoquel. These symptoms are usually food related according to my research. Any thoughts ? Thank you 🙂

[Dennis M]

Hi Christie / Joan / Susan,
You might not have seen my post somewhere in this thread a while back, but I would strongly urge you to take your dog to a neurologist. Our dog has the same gulping and swallowing issues reported on this message board, and for years (close to 7 to be exact) we thought it was either IBD, allergies to food or environment, or reflux, that was causing the gulping episodes. Our regular vet couldn’t definitively say either. Since we operated under the aforementioned GI diagnoses, we unfortunately made all these false correlations with various changes in his diet and with GI medications — this food or that med (i.e. Pepcid, Sucralfate) would “work” but then he’d have another event and we’d hit a setback. Since our diagnosis of partial complex seizure was made, it all makes sense now. The diet and drugs never had any impact on his seizures — it was the seizures that would go “dormant” for a while which gave us false hope we had found the right combo of things.

Please know I’m not attempting to diagnose your dog, but based on the descriptions of these events, seeing a neurologist might be the best decision you ever made. It was for us!

[Susan]

To Christie, change diet see if this helps, when my boy starts with his licking, swollowing, acid reflux, I rotate to another kibble that agrees with him, with low carbohydrates, I never keep him on the same food, he seems to react after 1-2 months of eating, when Spring starts my boy becomes a mess a again, I saw vet the other day, vet said it’s to do with his allergies, cause every March Patch is always bad the beginning of Autumn with his IBD mainly stomach problems….
I live Australia just finished the hottest Summer ever….now we are having Cyclones….

[Susan]

Hi, yes there was 1 lady on the “Reviews” section, her dog was reacting to the new US Acana but I don’t remember what formula it was??? also are you feeding the US Acana or the Canadian Acana? the US was sold to new owners…
It will all depend on the dog, 1 dog might be fine eating this formula then another dog may be sensitive to say the chickpeas, lentils, peas, or beef etc so your dog must be sensitive to an ingredient now you have to work out which ingredient it is. Look for a limited ingredient kibble with a single protein….
It’s hard working out skin problems it can be environment or food & its weird you have just started this new formula & he has the hive like lumps, but its also the beginning of Spring as well… It’s taken me 3-4 yrs working out my boy & he has Seasonal Environment allergies & food sensitivities.. He does best on Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & Holistic Select Adult/Puppy Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines grain free & now I’m trying the Canidae Pure Wild so I have a few kibbles I can rotate with, so he’s not eating the same protein 24/7 then reacting to something in that kibble…

[Susan]

Hi, you have to look at the ingredients, there may be 1 ingredient your dog is very sensitive tooo where your other dogs are OK, when my boy eats, Chicken, Turkey & cooked beef carrots, oats & barley he starts to smell & gets itchy & starts scratching & when he gets his environment allergies in Spring & Summer he gets the hive like lumps all over his body, I bath him in Medicated Malaseb Shampoo weekly or twice a week when he’s real bad…With the Malasab you can bath daily if needed it’s a mild shampoo…. Start keeping a diary for this dog & you’ll start seeing a pattern if it’s Seasonal Environment Allergies & start reading ingredient list & see if there’s an ingredient that keeps being in the kibble when this happens…….
Acana make a Pork & Squash formula maybe try that formula for him or get the “Canidae” Pure Sea, its limited ingredients & the protein Salmon & is high in omega 3 fatty acid what is needed for skin problems….

[Susan]

Hi Aimee that’s why I wrote email the kibble companies & ask their vet & they will say, don’t feed etc …….My 8yr old boy doesn’t have any kidney problems only IBD & Skin Allergies & finding a kibble can be very hard, a few Australian kibble companies have brought out grain free Large breed puppy formulas, that are Lamb, lower in fat & protein & have the omega 3, what he needs for his IBD & Skin, so I’ve been trying them….

[Christine W]

I have used Frontline Plus a long time,with no problems at all,it worked so well,i never thought about it.The vet offered me K9 once,and i had both dogs with ticks! switched back to Frontline,no more ticks.My point is SO many people have bad stories to tell,but i haven’t seen any good ones.My one dog has shot reactions,and allergies,i’m shocked it never bothered her.But tick season is almost here,i see now they have a gold series out as well. Thanks in advance for any imput! 🙂

[Crystal P]

I know this is a somewhat old post, but there is a food out that claims to be allergen free. Sportdogfood. I’ve recommended it and tried it aswell and it cleared allergies right on up. It’s also 5 stars and no recalls. The elite series.

[anonymous]

Mail-in hair and saliva tests are not diagnostic tools (just read the fine print).
See the blog below:

Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Scan Stress Test or How Much BS Can Fit on One Web Page?

Excerpt from the link above:
Bottom Line
“The Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Stress Scan (formerly “Healthy Dog and Cat Alternative Sensitivity Assessment”) is a completely implausible test based on vague, mystical nonsense and pseudoscientific theories that contradict the legitimate scientific evidence regarding the cause and management of allergies. The general concept that hair and saliva testing can identify the causes of allergies is false. The marketing of this test is misleading and contains many of the hallmarks of quack advertising. Dog owners struggling with allergies would be far better spending their time and money consulting a veterinary dermatologist for a science-based approach to helping their canine”.
Also, per the search engine here: /forums/topic/desperate-food-recomendations-for-lab/

Review of Dr. Jean Dodds’ book Canine Nutrigenomics
An excerpt from the above review by The Skeptvet:
“A fair bit of effort in the book goes to promoting a test called Nutriscan, which uses saliva to identify dietary sensitivities in dogs. Unsurprisingly, Dr. Dodds’ company owns Nutriscan, and equally unsurprisingly the mainstream community of veterinary nutritionists and dermatologists do not accept the legitimacy of her test because she has not provided any controlled evidence to show it is an accurate and useful test. She does provide a lot of citations to support her claims for this method, but if one takes the trouble to investigate them, they do not actually turn out to be compelling evidence”.: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/06/canine-nutrigenomics-by-dr-jean-dodds-science-as-windowdressing/

Mail-in saliva and hair tests are not helpful from what I have read. By the way, they are not cheap. I have read a lot of complaints that the test comes back positive for nearly everything. Then what? Plus, it is not an allergy test, it’s a food sensitivity test?
I would consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist for accurate testing and the best treatment options.

[Tiffany N]

Hi Irene,

I was wondering if you could explain more about the DNA allergy test you did to find out what your dog was allergic too. I’ve been trying to a year now with the “trial and error way” and I’ve gotten no where I feel like. Is this a test you get down somewhere or a home test ?!

Thank you!

[Susan W]

VeRUS has never had a recall & I think they have a new grain-free recipe. They’ll send you free samples, too, so you can try it first. You may have to order it & have it auto-shipped, but PetFlow.com is awesome & makes it easy.
Also, tho, have you considered your dog’s issues might not be allergies? Maybe yeast overgrowth? Lots of itchiness, rust-colored areas around the paw pads & genitals? Funky smell in the heat of the summer? If you answered yes, you’ll probably want to do some research on yeast overgrowth in dogs. Otherwise, give VeRUS a gander.

[anonymous]

You’re welcome. Hopefully her allergies are mild/seasonal (if they return).
I think food sensitivities can fluctuate, so I would try different things too.
It is much easier and economical when you have more than one dog if you can just buy 1 big bag of something to use as a base that agrees with all of them 🙂

[Joleen B]

anon101:

Yes, we had extensive allergy testing done including hair samples, skin samples and blood work with a local hollistic vet.

I never even thought about environmental allergies. The testing showed that she is also allergic to flea saliva, dust and grass. We moved from the suburbs with a shady back yard full of pine trees to an acreage with very little trees but lots of grass. (basically a hay field) She hasnt had one break out since moving here, so the environmental allergies makes perfect sense.

My other large dog does well on taste of the wild, so I may start experimenting with that food and see how she does.

Thanks!

[anonymous]

Change in geographical location resulting in a decrease of symptoms indicates that the allergies may be environmental vs food related. What type of allergy testing was done? Please, don’t say mail-in saliva and hair tests.
Did you ever have intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist?

My dog that receives treatment from a veterinary dermatologist, but, also has a sensitive stomach, does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea, Dogswell also has some good kibbles (with and without grains), see chewy dot com I have also heard good things about Purina Pro Plan.
Of course, I only use kibble as a base and add a bite of real food and a splash of water.
Use the search engine here to look up “allergies” for more information.

[Joleen B]

We have a boxer mastiff mix that suffered with severe allergies. Allergies to the point that she would bleed and smell horribly of yeast. We took her to a hollistic vet and had allergy tests done, only to find out that she was allergic to literally all foods. We found that Orijen Senior is the only food she can handle. She’s been on Orijen senior for a few years now and is very healthy and has put on some very healthy weight (as she was always very skinny before). We moved to the country approximately a year ago, and have noticed that she can eat horse feed and not break out. (she cleans up the food that the horses drop). So i have determined that her worst allergies are not the grains, but to the starches like peas, potatoes, etc. I am happy with the orijen Senior, but it’s $100 per bag and she goes through a bag a month, along with two other dogs and I have three teens. Can anyone advise me on a quality dry food that contains some grains, but not the starchy vegetables? Thanks!

[Karen D]

Hi, I was going through the same thing with my 15 yr. old Cocker, one Vet said food allergies, but restricting her at her old age was not in her best interest. I tried the Honest Kitchen Turkey, still runny poop, I tried the Honest Kitchen poop firmer powder which worked for a short while. I tried Orijen Senior, she didn’t like it. Then she was diagnosed with a heart murmur & while adjusting to that I bought Acana Duck & Pear, she loves it but the runny poop issue returned, back in forth to vet, prescription dog food, dry & canned, she wouldn’t eat most of it. So I started cooking whole turkey breast for her along with veggies, rice, pasta etc added to the Acana….but what really has solved the problem is….1/4 Metronidazole tab twice a day everyday…no runny poop since last Oct. It’s a bitter pill so I put it inside a gelatin capsule & wrap in turkey. Vet is happy with the regimen & when asked if it was Colitis she said “probably”. Now she can eat a variety of things without the tummy noise.

[anonymous]

What test determined that the dog is allergic to all these foods? Have environmental allergies been ruled out via intradermal skin testing by a veterinary dermatologist?

Nutrisca salmon and chickpea might be worth checking out, however, your list of items to avoid makes it nearly impossible. What does the vet that diagnosed him (assuming) recommend?

[Crystal P]

I am insearch of a dog food without these ingredients:
Chicken
Flax
Any Potatoes
Soy
Corn
Wheat

Preferably grain free. I’ve never used grain, so I’m not sure if it is OK or not. I am not willing to use Purina, Diamond, or anything along those lines and want less recalls as possible.

[Jennifer]

First, what a great gathering of other large breed puppy owners – all the great advice is invaluable.

Now on to my questions/ issue. I have a 6 month old Great Dane puppy – Finn is my 4th Dane, one I’ve lost, Shiloh is 13 (a miracle, I know!) and Liberty is 18 months. Until I brought him home I fed all my Danes Wellness Core Large Breed. Then Libby developed allergies so we switched to Wellness Core Wild. And when I brought Finn home I started him on Wellness Core Puppy. Unfortunately he didn’t like it, so after doing a lot of research, I transitioned him to Orijen Puppy Large and my other pups are eating Orijen Regional Red.

Overall, I’m really happy with the food, but Finn’s growth pace has slowed from an average of 5 lbs/week to about 3 lbs/week, which is much sooner than my other pups, and his front paws shake when he’s at rest. The vet checked for growth plate/ligament issues and found nothing of concern.

Has anyone else seen this kind of issue? Has anyone had any issues with Orijen Puppy Large food?

[Jennifer]

I have a 13 year old Great Dane and an 18-month old GD who has allergies. I feed them Orijen Regional Red which has no chicken and has an exceptional reputation for the quality of their food. It’s expensive, but I’ve found it worthwhile.

[ashley l]

My dog is 3 1/2, just in this last year she has developed skin allergies and since it hasn’t changed since we moved I’m ruling out environmental… so the more I hear about Blue buffalo the more I want to switch her to see if it helps because she is even on meds to help and its not helping. I want to try this Redford Naturals and I’ll come back and post after a few weeks of her eating it. I’m sure she will transition well since they have the salmon and potato and duck and potato like she likes. Thanks for the information…

[Natarene T]

I’ve dealt with anal gland problems on my Lhasa for almost six months. He was going to the vet almost ever week to have his anal glands expressed or checked. Every situation is different but in my particular situation it had to do with diet rather than allergies.

Is your dog scooting? Is that why you are taking him to get his glands checked? There can be many reasons a dog scoots. Itchy butt, full anal glands, peices of poo stuck to their bottom etc. It sounds to me like your vet told you benedryl because he is scooting from an itchy butt.

If it doesn’t gross you out you can check them yourself too. The glands are located at 4 and 8o clock around the anus. If you can barely touch around there and it feels like large peas then most likely they are full but if you don’t feel anything then I would leave it alone.

Full anal glands have to do with diet as well. Often times the dog is not getting enough fiber in their diet. I would try adding PURE Pumpkin to his diet. Just a tablespoon should work. Also, there is a product called Glandex that I have used and it works really well when the pumpkin doesn’t suffice.

Dogs are supposed to empty their glands when they poop. The poop is supposed to be firm enough to push against the anal glands to release the fluid.

Good luck to you.

[anonymous]

Sounds good. Hope that the environmental allergies are mild and not year round.

Ask your vet if a daily fish oil capsule per day would help? Grain free kibble? My dog with environmental allergies had some minor anal gland issues back when. But, as she responded to treatment for environmental allergies by a veterinary dermatologist, they disappeared.

Good luck. Thanks for the feedback.

[Shawn S]

Vet said that since the Benadryl worked, it should be due to environmental allergies. She said Benadryl does not help with food allergies. They recommended that I give it to him for a period of time and then stop and see what happens. Hopefully it will go away in a month or when the season changes.

[Alexander A]

I know most people turn up their noses at it, but Pedigree has worked wonders for my older dog who had so many health issues going on at the same time, one contributed to the worsening of another, until he was diagnosed with kidney disease about three months ago. He had chronic (i.e., daily) diarrhea, abdominal pain, and was urinating blood at one point. After the diagnosis of kidney disease, he was on Hill’s k/d canned and a specially tailored home made diet for renal patients. It was expensive, time consuming, and honestly, even on boiled chicken and rice he had issues with soft, frequent bowel movements 🙁

At the recommendation of our Vet, we substituted the k/d for dry Pedigree Lamb & Rice.

Moose’s problems started around December of 2015. From that point until late January of 2017, he hadn’t had a single normal bowel movement. He was going quite often, but the first day we mixed in Pedigree with some home cooked, he went the entire day without having a poo accident in the house. When he finally did go, his stool was normal, hard and formed, passed without any pain.

He’s been to the Vet since starting out on it, and his BUN & blood creatinine levels drastically improved.

The Lamb & Rice food is 21% protein/10% fat/0.8% phosphorous. I know the ingredient list isn’t fancy, but the food is made from American sources and has an excellent balance of nutrients. I’ve since switched my other dogs to it. The 10 year old with allergies and very bad problems with reverse sneezing has seen a DRASTIC reduction in breathing issues. Her tear stains are not gone but visibly lessened, and an old ear infection that never responded to antibiotics has cleared up. Needless to say, I’m very happy with the quality of this brand, even though it’s something I wouldn’t ordinarily have tried.