[Carol M]

I’m sorry to hear you’re going through this too, Kelly. This is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

My dog is still doing well & I’m so thankful for that. Her lung lobe torsion occurred after she had the surgery (thoracic duct ligation). They said some fluid build up is normal after surgery but the torsion wasn’t the cause of the chylothorax. She had to have a 2nd surgery to fix the torsion. We tried the low fat diet & Rutin for several weeks before surgery & it wasn’t working; chyle was still building up & she had to be tapped repeatedly. The surgery didn’t work & she had a pleural port put in; we drain the fluid at home.

She is on Royal Canin low fat gastro and I mix the canned & dry food together. She also takes 1000mg of Rutin 3 times a day. Did they suggest Rutin? That’s about the only thing that’s been suggested for chylothorax. That and a low fat diet.

If I had it to do over again I would not have had the surgery. It cost a fortune & didn’t work. It may work for some dogs. I didn’t know about the pleural port and hers was the first one the vet did, but I would try that before doing major surgery if at all possible. The chest taps cause scarring and pocketing in the chest, which can make getting fluid out harder or even impossible. She has pocketing on one side but fluid can still come out.

Most vets have never dealt with this at all and haven’t heard of the pleural port. It’s a much less invasive procedure; the port is under the skin with a tube that goes thru the chest cavity. You use a special needle and after cleaning the area, insert the needle into the center of the port (think it’s silicone) and pull out fluid til it stops. We do it twice a week and get about 800ml – 1000ml out each time. She’s about 30 lbs. so that’s a lot but it’s been that way for 3 years.

I don’t know anything about other foods; she’s been on the Royal Canin since she was diagnosed. The Hills Prescription food is available too but about the same price. I don’t think I’d even consider anything that your dog is allergic to though.

Her protein levels are a little low but not terribly; and she’s at the same weight she was before all this. She eats well & is active & happy. I was worried about the protein loss as it’s said to lead to wasting but that hasn’t happened.

I would ask your vet about the port – info at norfolkvetproducts.com. Maybe even print the info out & bring it with you. And I’d ask about the success rate they’ve had with the surgery; what they think caused the torsion (was it first or was the chylothorax first and caused the torsion) and if your dog isn’t already on Rutin, ask about that too.

And — it may yet resolve on its own — it sounds like it hasn’t been that long. They tried my dog for several weeks on Rutin & low fat diet to see if it would go away before talking about surgery. Don’t let them rush you into a decision – it’s not good but it’s not necessarily an emergency either.

I wish you lots of good luck and please keep us posted! Carol

[Kelly K]

I am so happy to have found this post but so sad to need it. My dog, Tucker, is such a trooper. About 2 weeks ago my boy started with a cough, just the odd cough here and there. In a couple of days I decided to take him to the vet, just before we left he coughed up blood and that was the first sign it was serious. Our vet took blood work and did x-rays and our vet was stymied by the results but didn’t think he had much of a chance but to be euthanized. He seemed perfectly healthy! She said we could try taking him to a veterinary hospital in the city staffed by specialists and surgeons and we drove there that night. Like Lyndzy’s and Carol’s dogs, he was diagnosed with Lung Lobe Torsion. If it was a primary condition and he made it through the night, he was given good odds with the surgery. There was no other option, that or euthanasia and so we went ahead with hope and love in our hearts (…and don’t forget the wallets). He pulled through the surgery really well, was getting the best care and it looked like he was going to come home early, when after 2 days the fluid draining from his chest tube turned from a clear pink to a strawberry milkshake colour and increased from 20-30 mls to over 100. It was chyle. I understand that the situation can resolve on its own sometimes and we are hoping. They took the chest tube out after a few days and sent him home anyway – his recovery is amazing considering he just had a lung removed! But at the first visit back an ultrasound showed the chyle is still building up.

He goes back tomorrow to get the staples removed and assess the situation. I am hoping against hope that it is resolved on its own but I am afraid they will recommend the surgery for it but the results don’t seem to be great, he is still recovering and I’m not sure that my wallet can handle anymore. It is eating me up inside. Everything else is going so well but there is a distinct lack of good information out there.

I was so sad to read about Lisa’s dog – but it gives me hope that yours is doing ok after 3 years, Carol. Lindsay, is your dog doing ok?

Right now he is on the Royal Canin Low-fat gastro wet diet. However this alone is going to bankrupt me at $50/6 days from my vet. I have to find a good, low-fat dry kibble to mix with it at the very least or figure out a healthy low-fat recipe that I can cook. My real problem with this is that he is also allergic to chicken which is a fundamental ingredient in most foods. Prior to this he was on the Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy and Sardine diet. Very healthy but higher in fat.

My vet said if it says “hydrollised” chicken protein that it is digestible even with an allergy but at this point I don’t want to take the risk. The other brand she suggested is vegetarian with soy as the main protein – I have a lot of misgivings about that due to the protein loss that can accompany chylothorax. He is a very skinny Royal Standard Poodle – 31″ at the shoulder and honestly can’t afford much weight loss. If anyone has any healthy non-chicken low-fat diet recipes they would like to share, I would certainly appreciate it.

I will take the advice on here to heart when I go see the vet tomorrow – as well as any other suggestions, feedback, etc., that you all have. My heart is breaking for my big guy.

[Leslie W]

Donna – I have 3 Yorkies around your Yorkie sizes. Nature’s Variety has a small breed size that works fine for my guys. I use their Premium Instinct Chicken. One of my Yorkies was loosing weight and she was able to gain it back and doing fine now. So far all is going well with this brand. Oh, PS it’s grain free which is what I want due to allergies.
Leslie

[Toby B]

I have a few questions regarding switching and/or combining different dog foods. I feed 1/2 dry kibble 1/2 canned food combo to my dog. (he has no food allergies)

1) Regarding the canned food, can I switch up different protein for my dog throughout the week? For example, one day I give a can of lamb, the next day I give chicken. Do I need to titrate and slowly transition into another protein group like I do with changing different brands of dry kibble?

2) I use Merrick canned foods, they have a lot of variety of flavors/selections, is it ok to try a new flavor each day if it’s within the same line (backcountry line)?

[Jennifer C]

Pioneer Naturals is pea free as well as no grains or potato…it has helped some with mine, although I am also dealing with grass allergies so I am just eliminating what I can via food to minimize the environmental aspect.

[Jennifer C]

Pioneer Naturals is grain and potato free, that is what I went to in order to eliminate as much as possible what could cause a yeast problem in addition to allergies.

[T-dub]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/03/10/vegan.dog.diet/

“…a vegan diet can bring relief, veterinarian Armaiti May says.
“I’ve seen many dogs with food allergies, and often switching to a vegan diet can help them,” says May, who is vegan. “They also avoid taking in animal by-products from commercially produced dog food, including slaughterhouse waste products and rejects that wouldn’t be fit for human consumption. We’ve seen a lot of cancer and other degenerative diseases in dogs in recent years so it’s easy to suspect that pet food could be a contributor.”

“The important thing is that you use a diet that has been shown to be nutritionally adequate for whatever stage of life you’re feeding, and it is absolutely possible to find a good quality commercial pet food that doesn’t have animal products in it,” says veterinarian Kathryn E. Michel, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.”

[GLO99]

Hi Hound Dog Mom…

How can I get in touch with you? I have some questions about allergies/home made food!

[anonymous]

Please do not apply anything to the rash or give over the counter meds unless recommended by a veterinarian that has examined the dog. That’s how we ended up at the emergency vet the first time.

Many allergens are airborne and present indoors and outdoors all year round. Take dust mites for example.

Please listen ONLY to healthcare professionals that have examined your dog.

Prednisone prescribed for short periods is often necessary to stop the suffering, please don’t let well meaning folks sabotage your pet’s treatment.
You are concerned about an allergic reaction to meds? A shot of prednisone is what the vet gave my dog when she had an allergic reaction. In fact, I have a little liquid prednisone on hand for emergency reactions as prescribed by the vet although I have not had to use it in a long time. When used correctly it is a helpful medication. Side effects may occur if the dog is on it a long time, something you could ask your vet to clarify.
This is my last word on the subject.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by anonymous.

[Susan]

Hi it’s great you have rescued an older dog, since her old owner said she cant eat chicken then she must suffer with food sensitivities, I would change her food ASAP, my boy scratched & scratched on Royal Canine HP & Gastrointestinal & Hills Z/d vet diets, made him worse…..
Find a limited ingredient food with least ingredients 3-5 ingredients also make sure the fat & protein isn’t too high and is around the same as what she is use to eating….
Baths go & get some Malaseb medicated shampoo, Malaseb kills any bacteria on the skin, it softens the coat & relieves itchy skin, as soon as she starts her scratching give her a bath & wash off any allergens & pollens on her skin & paws that’s if she is having environment allergies, it may be food sensitives, my boy has both… Baths relieve their skin, I bath my boy weekly every Thursday, I use to bath him daily especially when his paws were red & itchy now I put Hydrocortisone 1% cream I check his paws every night while he’s sleeping.. You leave the Malaseb on for 5-10mins if you can, I massage Patch as long as I can about 5mins then rinse off with bath water then empty the bath & rinse all the Malaseb off with clean water…..
I did elimination diet & found he can’t eat chicken, barley, oats, maize, corn meal, carrot, he would get his red paws 20mins after eating chicken & barley, itchy body after eating carrot, oats, barley, corn…. also look for an omega 3 supplement & add to her diet or feed tin sardines in spring water or olive oil, give about 3 small sardines a day as a treat or added to her meal… I would start adding 1/4 new kibble for 2 days then 1/2 cup new kibble for the next 2 days see how her poos are going, if poos are good then on the 5th day just feed the new kibble you have bought…..With the new kibble you have bought I hope the ingredients are different to the Royal Canine she is eating at the moment…. Normally a fish kibble is the best to start on…
“Canidae” Pure Sea http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
“California Natural” Lamb & Brown Rice has just 3 ingredients.. http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products
I wouldn’t start any prednisone yet all prednisone does is puts the immune system in remission then as soon as you reduce the prednisone & stop giving it, your back to where you were before you started the Prednisone, Prednisone is just a band aid… If after the baths twice a week & new food & cream she is still in a bad way then book appointment to see a Dermatologist as they specialize in dogs skin problems. In the long run you’ll save money seeing a Dermatologist.
I also wipe my boy paws after walking with the Huggie baby wipes Aloe & Cucumber or they have just brought out new baby wipe Coconut wipes, I use 1 baby wipe per paw & a new wipe for face/head.. When at supermarket or chemist look in baby section for “Sudocrem”… I put the Sudocrem cream on Patches paws when it’s been raining for a few days as Patch gets red paws from walking in rain water & the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & stops any red & itchy paws… Between the new food, the baths twice a week or as soon as she scratches & using the Sudocrem cream you will see an improvement..
Keep a diary & you will start to see a pattern over the years… My boy has seasonal allergies & food sensitivities, he’s fine thru the winter months as long as he’s eating foods that agree with him, then as soon as Spring/Summer come he starts rolling & rubbing his body on my rug & is itchy…. Good luck Lucy I hope she is feeling better soon.

[PuppyMom3]

Background

Our two sweet pups are a medley of health issues. You know the concept of mutts being healthier because of the diverse genetics? Well, our dogs are the one in a million that have (what seems like) every possible issue from the many different breeds that make up their genetics. Both their regular vet and the neurologist theorized this may have been due to trauma in the womb since their mama was malnourished and living on the streets for so long.

A brief rundown of their more major issues include:

1) (Girl -& Boy?-) Severe food allergies with skin reactions and vomiting
2) (Girl) Possible megaesophagus (we have an appointment next month for diagnostics)
3) (Boy) Cerebellar hypoplasia
4) (Boy) Possible degenerative neurological disease (we have to wait and re-test in 6 months for changes)
5) (Boy) Probable mild case of laryngeal paralysis (not officially diagnosed but regular vet is pretty certain and we want to give our boy a break from invasive/sedation testing since he just had an MRI and spinal tap so we aren’t pushing for an official diagnosis at this time)

What I am Trying to Accomplish

With all of these issues going on, I want to make sure their food is as wholesome and non-damaging as possible. Especially since a good diet and exercise therapy can help slow the progression of neurological issues if our boy has a degenerative disease.

Previous Foods/Diets We’ve Used

Blue Buffalo Wilderness
Blue Buffalo Freedom
Taste of the Wild
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Grain Free. This seemed to work for a while but the skin issues and vomiting have returned.
Homemade diet. This was a pain in the butt. When they were younger and had their initial digestive issues, I homemade their meals for two weeks as an experiment to see if their issues cleared up. They did really well on this diet- no digestive upset, no skin issues, no vomiting, nothing. The down side was it was really time and labor intensive and the cost was astronomical. Since they were younger and in active growth stages, we spent significant time researching their required nutrition and establishing recipes that met those needs. Especially to mitigate the chances of developing hip dysplasia down the road since they are larger dogs. On top of that, we spent nearly $100 a week because hydrated, fresh food has less concentrated nutrients/calories so the dogs needed larger portions than they had with dry food. I am hesitant to go back to this method since I was making 14 cup batches of food every other day (they get just over 7 cups a day between the two of them) and spending more on their food than ours!

Things I am Considering

1) Outlandishly expensive pre-made food. Such as The Honest Kitchen. It seems to have really good ingredients but at $100 for a 10lb bag that will last between 16-20 days for one 60lb dog (so between 8-10 days for 2 dogs) that seems prohibitively expensive. (http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/marvel)
2) Outlandishly expensive homemade food. See all the notes above about the pros/cons of this.
3) Some other less expensive option I hear about on here? Labor intensive stuff is a pain in the neck since I work full time, but it is more preferable than spending significant sums of money because my husband is currently not really thrilled with the $100/10lb bag of food option.

Your Suggestions?

I would love to hear from anyone who has used pre-made meals with quality ingredients that didn’t cost an arm and a leg, or who have made their pet’s food at home without spending a fortune. All of the websites and forums that I have found almost exclusively feature people with small dogs (under 30lbs) so their efforts are a quarter of what mine would be under the same circumstances with two 60lb dogs.

[anonymous]

Why not mix a little of the previous kibble with grains in with the grain free stuff? That works for my terrier. One third kibble with grains, two thirds grain free kibble.
Yes, some dogs will have more frequent elimination on grain free, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. My dog with allergies does best on Nutrisca grain free kibble, however she does have more frequent small bowel movements (3/4 as opposed to 1/2). She is doing very well otherwise. So, I don’t consider it an issue.

[pitlove]

@Chris

It is definitely ok to bathe twice a week when directed by a vet. I also used Malaseb like anon101 mentioned and in the summer months I bathe twice weekly. It helps my pitbull a lot. He gets similar symptoms as your parents bulldog in relation to his environmental allergies. The Malaseb shampoo clears up the symptoms quickly.

If they are indeed hot spots, it is important to dry them out and they will clear up on their own. This doesn’t sound like hot spots to me personally though.

[anonymous]

I have a dog with environmental allergies, the only thing that helped was going to a board certified veterinary dermatologist. I wasted a year going back and forth to the regular vet.
She has been stable for over 4 years and we see the dermatologist once a year. Initial testing can be expensive but maintenance isn’t that bad.
See my posts per the search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

PS: I bathe my dog about twice a week with Malaseb this is just part of her treatment as prescribed by the dermatologist. Alone it won’t do much, but in conjunction with allergen specific immunotherapy, it is helpful.
I also give a daily fish oil capsule, not sure it actually does anything though. Most supplements are scams imo.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by anonymous.

[chris]

I put a question mark because we are not entirely sure quite yet what the exact issue is and are starting to rule things out to determine the cause.

Recently about I would say 9 days ago, My parents noticed there bulldog was having red spots on his sides and losing hair at those exact spots. We haven’t changed food and he’s been on the food for a solid year now with zero problems, not ruling that out as a possibility, but it seems unlikely.

There are no sores, no lumps or anything that we can see. At first we figured it was just what they call “Hot Spots” but most times they as obvious would feel warm to the touch which these do not.

My parents did call the vets and they only stated that it could be allergies to something around him or that he is eating. They changed his food to home cooked foods. The vets also suggested a special shampoo to try and given a bath twice a week. I suggested them not to bath as such, I believe differently in that case.

They are going to try taking him to a different vet for another opinion, but in mean time I figured I would take a chance on maybe someone else have had the same issue with there beloved k9.

I hope this okay to do, as I did not see any rules against it, but here is a photo of the “Red Spot” so you can maybe get a feeling for the issue.
(nvm about the photo as apparently you can not add photos here)

• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by chris.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by chris.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by chris.

[anonymous]

Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities usually result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies usually result in pruritus (itching).

I would go by the recommendations of the veterinarian that examined the dog. Prednisone and such are necessary for short periods to stop the suffering and prevent skin infections. Make an appointment with a board certified veterinary dermatologist asap.
Avoidance doesn’t work, many allergens are air-borne and present all year round indoors and outdoors.
Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests to identify food sensitivities. They tend to be scams and are not diagnostic tools.
You can try frequent bathing with a shampoo such as Malaseb it may help a little but it works best in conjunction with other treatments prescribed by the dermatologist.
Air purifiers and dehumidifiers didn’t do anything to help my dog, gave that stuff to the Goodwill. Homeopathic remedies were a waste of money in my experience.
Have you tried the search engine here for “allergies”, this subject comes up at least once a week.

Hope this helps:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[nancy m]

i adopted an 8yo cockapoo 2 weeks ago. prior owners said they needed to rehome her, that she is allergic to chicken and that she continues to occasionally have allergy flareups after vet put her on royal canin about three months ago. I find that lucy scratches a lot and goes extended periods of the day chewing at her hiney, and licking at her paws. I took her to Petco and vet recommends prednisone and a change in food. I’m concerned about putting her on prednisone since i don’t have bloodwork for her to know if it likely is ok for her; also concerned about giving her a med because her record show she had an allergic reaction to rabies vaccine. I know that and prednisone are different but i’m new to this and don’t want to take any chances until i see an experienced vet and until i have insurance in place. Can anyone advise me on what they think i should do;
1) Give her pred/ transition diet (i think i’ll slowly incorporate Performatin Ultra Limited) or
2)Keep her on Royal Canin/ keep her off grass in case this is environmental until i can see a regular vet or
3) Do 2 above but also give her benedryl 2 doses of 25 mlg daily for no more than 4 days until i can see a real vet

Any help is greatly appreciated. I would greatly appreciat an opinion on what you would do if you were me and why. Please also tell me if you’ve owned dogs alot in your lifetime or if you are a novice like me

[crazy4cats]

It sounds like the same Mary Straus to me. She is not a vet, but I do think she does share some valuable information on the dogaware site. She does not necessarily recommend digestive enzymes unless the dog has a digestive disorder of some kind. She states they generally can produce enough on their own.

This is taken from http://www.dogaware.com:

Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzyme supplements provide a variety of benefits

Article by Mary Straus, published in the Whole Dog Journal, May 2012

All dogs need digestive enzymes in order to break down their food, making the nutrients available for absorption. In most cases, the pancreas produces ample enzymes and no supplementation is required. Older dogs and dogs with digestive disorders may benefit from enzyme supplementation. Dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), where the pancreas is no longer able to produce enzymes, require prescription-strength enzymes in order to survive. Digestive enzymes might also help dogs with food allergies and intolerances.

She continues with more information about her opinion of digestive enzymes if anyone is interested in reading more.

I don’t think she has any formal training, but a lot of experience. Here is more about her:

http://dogaware.com/about.html

[Carol P]

Hi, I’m bringing home a Golden puppy in 2 weeks and he is eating Acana Heritage Fresh water Fish. I don’t see any Acanas in the large breed puppy list and was wondering if it’s not good for a large breed puppy or if it is too new to have made the list. It says “all life stages” on the bag. I plugged in the numbers in the calculator, 1% calcium, .8 phosphorus, and 3475 calories. It comes to 2.9 g per 1000kcal and Ca to P ratio = 1.3-1. It looks like it fits into the levels for large breed puppies. I have a call into Acana to make sure I have the max levels and not min., with nothing changing does this food work for a large breed puppy?

One other question if it doesn’t work out, what else can I feed him that doesn’t have chicken or white potatoes? Chicken because my other dog is allergic to it, and white potatoes per the breeder. I’d prefer grain free if possible.

Thanks in advance.

[T]

Hi Alissa,

Have you considered using a canned dog food? I’ve found it is better in many situations for dogs with sensitivities to food. It is less processed, has more natural moisture, and usually has a lower carb content.

One I looked at recently with a client was Merrick Limited Ingredient Turkey (although it does contain peas). Nature’s Variety Instinct canned food line has several choices for ingredients on your list (also contains some peas). Since you have a small breed dog, it might not be too much more hassle to feed canned food and could be very beneficial.

As always, I recommend a slow change over one or two weeks. Using a probiotic and digestive enzyme during the change and for several months after the change will help prevent digestive upset.

The bottom line on “food allergies” is that it’s not a normal state for dogs. It’s rarely just the food causing problems. Instead, there are deeper issues that should be treated. Many dogs in my practice have been able to eat foods they were formerly sensitive to after treatment of underlying disease. Chasing “the perfect food” is a dead end as most dogs become sensitive to more ingredients over time when the underlying disease is not addressed.

You can read more about dog nutrition and holistic health on my blog: http://naturalaternativesvet.com/blog

Tabitha (Dr. Thompson)

[Sandra W]

My 11 mo old Glen chews at her toes and scratches her ear. This is a recurring problem and has been treated with medications each time. A vet suggested changing her food/treats and I am looking for the proper dog food. She started with a standard dry food the breeder used and then I used Horizon Legacy Puppy Grain Free. I don’t remember a real problem then. After we got another puppy (Vizsla) I stopped the Horizon (I could only get it in 8 lb bags) and switched to Wellness Complete Health Puppy Deboned Chicken, Oatmeal & Salmon Meal. It was a few months before I noticed the chewing and scratching, so it may not be a food allergy, but I’m going to try changing her food. Also, the Blue Buffalo Health Bar treats (all varieties) need to be changed. Does anyone have a recommendation/suggestion?

[Susan]

Hi Lisa, with yeasty dogs the dog starts scratching & gets real smelly of yeast only when the dog is sensitive to a certain ingredient in his diet, or he can be allergic to something in the environment as well, so it makes it really hard to pin point what the dog is sensitive too & is making him smell awful & itch.. I always thought the same its the high starchy carbs making my Patch itch & smell then I later learnt its the starchy carbs my dog is sensitive/allergic too that makes him smell & get real itchy… High carb diets aren’t the best & yes try to find a kibble that’s around 40% & under in carbs, a dogs digestive tract is short & made to digest a raw diet…
I feed “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb it only has 38% carbs. My boy seems to do really well on the TOTW Lamb kibble..

When my dog eats oats, barley, chicken, corn meal, carrots & probably other grains I don’t no all of them yet, that’s when he starts to smell within 2-3 days of eating the kibble… When he eats a kibble with just rice & fish he does real well, I was surprised, I always try to buy a kibble from a pet shop, so if I need to return it to get my money back its easier then buying online & having to pay for the delivery back to the online store, then while I’m at the Pet Store I can try another kibble….
If you can cook or do a pre-made raw then that’s the healthiest diet to feed, have a look at “Balance It” there’s recipes on their site you fill out the questionnaire, what health problems your dog or cat has, then recipes will come up for your dogs health problem & you add the “Balance It” to balance the diet..
https://secure.balanceit.com/

[Susan]

Hi Lisa, it may be the kibble your dog just doesn’t do well eating a hard processed kibbles some dogs don’t do well eating all kibbles….
Your dog could be suffering from Environment allergies more then food sensitivities, with food sensitives your dog will have sloppy poos, even diarrhea, vomiting, rumbling, gurgling bowel noises, jelly poos, looks like poo & jelly, red paws, itchy smelly ears, red around his mouth from food, anal gland problems rubbing bum on carpet & grass…
Have you tried cooking his meals elimination diet or tried premade raw diets instead of kibble?
Your best to see a Dermatologist so they can work out what your dog is allergic too, is it dust mites, is he allergic to things inside the house or grasses, trees, plants pollens, is it food related ?

Have you tried “California Natural” Lamb Meal & Rice it has just 3 ingredients, no peas, no fish oil, just Lamb Meal , Rice & Sunflower oil, a lot of vet use “California Natural” kibbles
or cook or feed pre made raw diet for has dinner & give the California Natural for breakfast…
When they have allergies the only thing you can really do is bath weekly or the days they’re real itchy bath to wash off the pollens & allergens on their skin, find a food that agrees with them & work out what is causing their allergies..

[pitlove]

Hi Anja-

No, that is a myth. Not that carbs break down into sugar, because they do, but that the sugar feeds yeast. As I said earlier Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, specifically the oils on the skin.

Molly- You’re welcome! Best of luck with the new food.

Oh also, take a look at Malaseb shampoo to aid in killing the excess yeast. It has really helped my pitbull during the summer months when his environmental allergies start flaring up. I bathe him twice a week when it’s really bad.

[pitlove]

Hi again Molly-

Sorry you’re still having some issues with your pup. Just to correct some inaccurate info, carbs do not feed yeast. Malassezia yeast is the yeast found on the skin and the most common yeast dogs get. Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, however not dietary fats. Oils on the skin sort of fats. Eliminating or decreasing grains will have no effect on the yeast unless she is indeed having an allergic reaction to the grains. Then and only then will removing them from her diet help. Reason being is that yeast is symptomatic of something else that is surpressing the immune system (such as allergies) and causing the once in control population of yeast to become out of control because the immune system is too weak to control it.

While searching for another food, you can not simply just switch randomly without making sure the food you’re feeding is safe for a LBP. Before feeding Coastal Catch, I would email EarthBorn and ask for an up to date nutrient analysis and run the Ca and Phos through the calcium calculator on here. Remember, Hound Dog Mom’s list is over 2 years old and companies can change their formulas in that time frame.

[anonymous]

It sounds like a nice gentle shampoo that might work well in conjunction with treatment prescribed by a veterinarian that has examined the dog and diagnosed the dog’s condition.
However, I am not impressed with the ingredients: https://www.zymox.com/zymox-shampoo-itchy-inflamed-skin

I prefer Malaseb and Veterinary Formula Antiseptic & Antifungal Shampoo, both available at chewy.com for my dog that is stable (4 years) and has environmental allergies.
We go to the dermatologist once a year.
PS: Frequent bathing is just a small part of her treatment plan. Alone it didn’t do much to help her condition. She eats a variety of things now but does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.

[anonymous]

Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities usually result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies usually result in pruritus (itching).

Have you tried the search engine here, this subject comes up at least once a week.

Hope this helps:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Susan]

Hi Nicci, can you afford a pre-made raw diet or cook her food?? I have read bad things about the Dynovite, your better off balancing the cooked meal with something else, add about 3 small sardines to one of her meals a day, you need to make sure you keep up her omega 3… Tin Sardines in Spring water are excellent for their skin, joints, brain, heart…

You could buy a bag of the Kirklands & try it & see if she has a reaction just take it back & say she wont eat it if she reacts… don’t forget she could be having environment allergies to grass, trees, plants flowers, it may not be the food….

Baths, weekly baths or bath as soon as she starts scratching real bad, bathing washes off any pollens, allergens on their skin that’s causing them to itch & scratch. Patch is bathed weekly every Thursday in Malaseb medicated shampoo & leave on for a good 5mins the bath lady massages him as long as she can & after his bath he feels so much better…. he eats “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & I feed a cooked meal for dinner…
3
Go on Rodney Habib Face book page & follow him he posted a easy to make balanced raw diet made by Dr Karen Becker, you can cook it as well everything can be bought from supermarket.. he also has so much good info

[Lazaro B]

Thanks everyone for your advice. He has no IBS or IBD. He does lick his paws, but they are not red or raw. He does scratch, but not to an extent. The more I read the comments, the more it seems to make sense that it could be environmental allergies. As of right now, I’m almost done with the transition from WEF GRAIN FREE HEALTHY WEIGHT to FROMM whitefish formula. Malaseb shampoo is something I’ve seen and heard of. I’ll have to check it out. VeRUS is something I’ll check out also. I do want him to have some variety when it comes to his dog food which is why I want him eat at least 2 other types of limited protein sources, like bison and venison or beef. I will also look into California naturals and Wellness.

[Susan]

Hi Lazaro, it very rare for dogs to be allergic to meat/proteins & when they are they will normally suffer with stomach & bowel problems (IBS & IBD) are you sure your dog doesn’t have environment allergies, my boy has both Seasonal allergies, he starts itching, scratching & has red paws when spring starts & he also has food sensitivities, he will have sloppy poo, wind/gas pain & red paws after he eats chicken.. He’s been diagnosed with IBD. When he eats barley, corn, wheat, oats ingredients in vet diets or supermarket kibbles he starts to smell real yeasty & is real itchy but doesn’t have his sloppy poos or wind/gas problems, just become real smelly of yeast….

The only way you can be 100% positive what ingredients he is sensitive too is to do a cooked or raw elimination diet.. Its real easy, if you think he cant eat chicken then cook some chicken breast, cut into small pieces, just bring the chicken to the boil & take off stove & rinse in boiling water & its ready & also boil some sweet potato, you can freeze small meals, enough for 2 weeks..

Do not mix all the kibbles together, Why?? just scoop out of your air tight container the kibble you what to feed & when introducing a new kibble just open both kibbles & add the recommended amount over the 7 day period.. I feed 1 brand kibble for breakfast then for dinner I feed another brand kibble or a cooked meal..

Your best to feed a limited ingredient fish kibble cause the omega 3 is what is needed for the skin, fish kibbles are normally higher in omega 3 fatty acids…

Baths you should be bathing once a week to wash off any pollens & allergen on his skin & paws, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it leaves the skin & coat feeling real soft & kills any bacteria on their skin & paws……You can bath daily with the Malaseb medicated shampoo…I walk Patch 3-4 times a day as well & sometimes he’ll come home & start itching, so on his walk a plant or grass has started to irritate his skin & paws, that’s when I have to bath him if he’s uncomfortable with itch, baths make them feel more comfortable when they are itchy,

Fleas, some dogs have Flea allergies they are allergic to the fleas salvia, 1 bite & my boy will scratch for days, so make sure your boy doesn’t have 1-2 fleas that’s causing him to itch, again weekly baths & a flea spot on will help stop any fleas..

Limited ingredient kibbles, “Wellness Simple” Salmon & Potato, “Wellness Complete Health” Grain Free.
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx

“California Natural” has kibbles with just 3 ingredients…
http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products

[Susan]

Hi Bullwinkle, here’s a really good allergy group & other health problem group on face book its called “Dog Issues, allergies and other information support group” https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/

[Leslie P]

Hello, our boykin spaniel puppy came to us on Hill’s Science dry puppy food. After having researched this dog food we decided to upgrade his food to a higher quality product. We have now attempted to transition him FIVE times. Each and every time results with bad diarrhea that just won’t stop and this is only giving him a very small amount. So far we have tried Orijen, Fromm’s, Victor Grain Free, Taste of the Wild and Acana.

Does anyone have any suggestions? We think he may be allergic to chicken and we really prefer a grain-free diet for his breed.

[Bullwrinkle]

Sorry, it posted the same one twice!

Actually, also about my little boy, the 61lb bowling ball, he also has environmental allergies. Not yet sure which is more prevalent/dominant, food or environment. Have the same routine of clean I did with Maggie Mae. But he has much deeper folds and way bigger feet. Gets interdigital cysts, poor guy.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Bullwrinkle. Reason: Duplicate post
• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Bullwrinkle. Reason: Forgot something

[Bullwrinkle]

Hi Susan.I agree completely and the idiot was a total pill pusher, I don’t think she knew any better. I went thru so many foods, too many to count. She had chronic UTIs, was on antibiotics on and off until I told the idiot enough, there’s clearly a problem and ABs are not the answer. Every food gave her loose stools, even with probiotics, referred to an allergist, did the blood serum allergy, tried allergy shots which almost killed her. Not long after increasing the allergens, she went into anaphylaxis, never driven so fast in my life. Scariest 48hrs ever. Allergist/dermatologist admitted nothing of course, idiot defended derm, I was so done. Good vet found the problem at first visit: bladder stones. Again, please remember I’m dealing with 5 special needs cats and a tortoise with a deformed shell (she passed in her sleep at 8 yrs old, 9 days after I had to let my 17 yr old cat go, and Speed Bump was supposed to live for at least 80 yrs. It was a genetic defect.)

So, vet, minimally invasive to almost holistic, flushes the bladder so we can find out what kind of stone. He is a Hills Pet Science Diet guy though. At the time, I was desperate. I also had never heard of a vegetarian diet for dogs. So, we go with prescription w/d as it also has high fiber. Her stool was the most perfect it had ever been and allergy was no worse. Skin got bad as she got a little older but i got a shampoo and conditioning regiment, and she was always bathed every 7-10 days (2-3x/week as a puppy, had demodex), and that helped big. So, since I had to consider the bigger health issue of the stones w/the secondary UTIs, I removed everything else to try and keep the allergies at the manageable threshold. Like I said, the prednisone was an absolute last resort. I’d give her a different allergy pill, an extra bath, I always wiped her down with a wet rag when she came inside, I’m an overprotective mom and I hated, hated giving those things to her. But sometimes, something would get set off and she would go bonkers. And when 1 roid gave her 2-3 days of relief? And then shes past it and any reaction in her body is also relieved. I couldn’t let her suffer through that.

Was that the best food? Probably not. But the other options for stones had really bad effects. And I still researched but never found, and was never told anything about vegetarian diets (saw a different idiot in a new state at this point).

I’d never heard of Messazzia yeast til this site. I’d be interested in your allergy group. I have a little boy now and his nose fold, aye, I cannot get it to heal. I’m pretty sure he does not get along with coconut oil, I know he has allergy to fish especially salmon, probably potato, def bison, very likely Venison. He’s on Hills DermDefense. Was doing great, except his nose fold, but all of a sudden, he’s getting bumps, his eye folds are bare, I’m about to lose it. DermDefense is chicken based so I’m thinking I have to stay away from chicken. But turkey should be OK, Right? I’m thinking of doing a freeze dried or something like the Farmers Dog, anyone hear of it? I’m not really in a position to cook his meals.

Honestly, for me, Apoquel scares me to death. Maybe because of my experience with Atopica. I just want people to be informed about drugs like that. I am open to any suggestions, the ones here are always so helpful. Thank you to all

[Bullwrinkle]

Frani V.,

Hello, all. I finally registered but have sought all your great for a long time. As for Frani V’s question on Atopica, I can only tell you my personal experience and what I know of others I’ve spoken with and what I learned from my vet, that also applies to APOQUEL (I will note the similarities, and try to locate the link which I do have).

Atopica was suggested by by vet #1 to my English Bulldog. She had severe allergies, food and environmental, among other medical issues. My precious special needs baby girl. She was a spayed at 6 mos, so this was some time after. It was suggested that we start out 7x/week administering Atopica. The idea was to get it built up in her system then back off to 2 or 3x/week max as is recommended. She was ~47 lbs, she was prescribed the 100mg Atopica. Checking in every 2 weeks, since I was paying $170 a pop, I was told to keep it up for a few months. Forget that. I started to skip one day a week, then 2 days a week. Of course she had flares so idiot vet said back to everyday. I was still dealing with her other maladies during this time, plus 5 aging cats with their issues ranging from failing kidneys, asthma, hypertrophic cardiomyothapy, a tortoise with a collapsing pyramid shell, the usual, so time escaped me too quickly. I ended up finding a good vet because of a botched knee surgery from idiot’s referral. Blessing in disguise.

My baby started having seizures. It was sounds or over excited that set it off. I realized she had been on Atopica at 100mg every single day for a solid year. Seizures tend to be more prevalent in smaller dogs but they do happen and were documented. It has happened to all kinds of dogs. But, it has worked for many others as well although, I was not privy to those dogs histories. This was some, maybe 7 yrs ago now, at least. I pulled her off everything except for any allergy pills and only when she needed them. She had 4 seizures, when I stopped all meds and supplements, no more seizures. After a few weeks, I added her fish oil and joint supplement back one at a time and a month apart. No seizure. Atopica was the seizure producer. I lit up the idiot about it, told her she really needs to more careful or at least more informed. Told I would do the same as I was leaving her practice.

The good vet, as he described Atopica to me, and is similar to what I’ve found and read about Apoquel. It shuts off immune receptors. And when you have an immune compromised dog, or cat, to begin with the last thing you want to do is shut off receptors because you don’t know what else is being shut off or being compromised. Immunosuppressive have their place, don’t get me wrong, and I relied on the occasional 5mg prednisone in lieu of giving my girl a fistful of benadryl that would only work for a few hours when she was really bad. But only after I’d tried everything else. Pred was a last resort. So do I believe in their use? Yes. But ever so carefully and not on a regular basis like Atopica and Apoquel.

I can’t get the link to hyperlink but this has some interesting info. http://vitalanimal.com/apoquel-dog-1/

Sorry this was such a long post, but I get anxious when I see questions about Atopica. I had to let my baby go, it’ll be 2 yrs in Dec. She was only 8yrs 4mos. She taught me so much, she endured too much, her kidneys took it in the end. I became quite educated but even our own dogs are so different from each other. I still feel I didn’t learn fast enough for her. Please, please do your research thoroughly on Atopica and Apoquel. Apoquel is still relatively new. You know your pet best!

[pitlove]

Hi Molly-

Yes unfortuntely Purina has gotten a bad reputation, partly due to other companies slandering them. For my dogs personally, Pro Plan is the first food that worked in every aspect for us. Solved my pit’s allergies, something they will eat and something that agrees with their stomachs. I work at a small pet store that carries “premium” foods, so I’ve had an opportunity to try just about all of them. I couldn’t find anything that my pitbull could have that he actually would eat. He’d rather starve than eat some of the “better” foods.

I definitely would agree with Aimee on this one though. I’d stay with Purina ONE. Best of luck!

[pitlove]

Personally, my food allergic dog can not handle grain free and gets the most severe stomach upset when he eats pea heavy foods. We made the mistake of trying NutriSource Seafood Select (since he does best on fish) and he ended up at the vet from a bad reaction to it.

There are plenty of really good grain inclusive foods out there. Dr. Tim’s, Victor, Fromm etc

[Donna G B]

HI Lazaro,
My name is Donna, I have 3 Yorkie’s and they all
have allergies to one degree or another. My 13 year old boy has had them the longest. I will say, I am not a DVM
Dogtor but I have been learning everyday. You see I won”t have another can or package of dogfood in my house.
I bought them the high price foods and then had to put my older on precription diet. He had blood work to find
Out about his allergies. Some people start off
With ground beef (boiled), white rice (because it’s easier to digest and some ground peas. They feed it for a month or
so, if he hasn’t gotten a reaction then add something else. When you grind vegetables and fruit they digest it better.
If it was in chunks he would’t get much nutrition. During that time get on Facebook and join the site Homemade Food for dogs. Look for Emily and she will help you. You can then begin to stay like you are OR continue to add & eliminate. If you get on that site and don’t see Emily’s name then go to the other site. It will cost you less to home cook your babies meals than to buy dog foods. Especially if you are not sure what the allergie/allergies are.
ANYWAY my older kid was on this precription dog food for
gray and look awful. and during that time he got heart murmer, then startedgoing blind, he has a leaky heart valve, he gets yeast Infection at the drop of a hat. He has High blood pressure, a growth on his Kidney etc., etc. I took a can of this GOOD FOOD to the computer room and typed in to words I didn’t know what was, 1 was a ingredient found in CARDBOARD, yes sir ree, the 2nd was SAWDUST, I Almost fell off my chair. NO CANNED OR KIBBLE IN THIS HOUSE AGAIN.
Good luck you and your little fur kid. Cooking for them is fun. OH YES, when you cook your food you need to add 800-1000 mg. of Calcium Citrate OR 1/2 tsp. egg shells all ground up. Measure out 1-lb of food add it and mix it up until you are finished with the food you made. You can double or triple your food and put it into containers and freeze it. Works GREAT!!!!

[anonymous]

My dog with environmental allergies and a sensitive stomach does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea https://www.chewy.com/nutrisca-grain-free-salmon-chickpea/dp/35033
See the reviews

BTW: Food allergies are rare, food sensitivities usually tend to show up as stomach issues such as diarrhea and vomiting, environmental allergies usually manifest as “itching”
Hopefully it’s a mild case, seasonal….if that’s what it is. Try bathing with a mild shampoo such as Malaseb, see the vet if it gets worse.

[Lazaro B]

Hello,
I need some help in choosing a limited ingredient dog food for my dog. He is allergic to lamb and it looks like he’s allergic to chicken because he’s scratching. The scratching is not severe or moderate. He scratches he and there, no hot spots, no hair loss, no biting his skin. He does lick his paws on and off nothing major. He’s small and neutered and 7 years and 6 months old. I’m looking for something budget friendly 3 or 4 star rating. If it’s a 5 star rating, great but must be budget friendly. I’m willing to do rotational feedings. I’m even willing to purchase 3 small 5 pound bags. Should they all be mixed into the container where I keep them or not? At the present time, I’m feeding him WEF HEALTHY WEIGHT chicken. Yes, I know it was bought by Purina. One food I’m looking at is FROMM whitefish formula. I don’t want him getting overweight. I take him for walks 4 times a day. Hopefully the food contains not to much fat but just enough around 10-13% is fine.

[zcRiley]

My pups were on Orijen for the first two years of their lives. Then they became severely allergic to chicken. This sometimes happens if a protein is fed for long periods of time and there’s no rotation of different foods (which I didn’t know at the time). Otherwise, both brands are excellent with rave reviews. If I could, I’d switch back in a heartbeat.

[Alissa D]

We had the full range of allergy tests done through Heska and have been working with different vets trying to find the right combo of allergy medication, steroids, and immunothetapy. She’s allergic to 37 other common things besides her food allergies. Apoquel is finally available in my area so hopefully that works better than what she’s on now.

I’ll cook for her as soon as I’m home but I’m away at college and my mom just won’t make food for her. She’s super picky and won’t eat for days at a time if she doesn’t like it. She’ll be throwing up stomach acid before she decides to eat. There are more canned foods she can eat but she won’t eat any of them. That’s why I’m looking for dry food. Hopefully the one I found works. I ordered some and had it sent to my mom’s house.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Alissa D. Reason: Spelling error

[Susan]

Hi have a look at Artemis Osopure Turkey & Garbanzo beans or Duck & Garbanzo beans
but it has peas….Have you done a food elimination diet to be 100% that she is sensitive to all these ingredients?? Have you seen a Dermatologist instead of a vet?
I know you wrote you don’t have the time to cook but if you cooked once a fortnight or monthly & freeze the meals in sections…
I buy Lean Pork mince & add parsley, broccoli, carrot, kale & Almond & Flax meal & 1 whisked egg & mix all together & make 1 cup size rissoles & bake in oven then cool then freeze & also boil sweet potato pieces & freeze & take out the day before & put in fridge for the next day…. when I first started I only added pork mince & parsley then I slowly added the other ingredients to see how Patch went…..
Your not going to find a kibble that doesn’t have the all the ingredients she is sensitive too…maybe look at wet tin or the Honest Kitchen meals you just add water or you buy your own meat & add the Honest Kitchen base mixes…. have you tried Raw Diet the pre-made Raw??
Its very rare for a dog to be allergic to most proteins & when they are they will suffer with IBD…..

[Alissa D]

Hi!
My little yorkie is allergic to most of the common dry food ingredients. A few years ago I found two kinds she could eat but I can’t find them anymore. I’m looking for a new one, preferably one that comes in small bags since she’s allergic to storage mites as well. She’s allergic to beef, chicken, lamb, venison, milk, barley, flax, peas, and soy. She might also be allergic to fish, I can’t figure out the vet’s note on the paperwork they gave me and they didn’t remember what it meant from when they wrote it a few years ago. I’m looking for a dry food based on turkey, pork, rabbit, duck, or something else weird. The vet’s only suggestion was a kangaroo based wet food that she won’t eat. I’ve been searching but I can’t find anything. I also can’t make my own dog food right now since I’m away for college and my mom is taking care of her and doesn’t really have time for that.
Does anyone know of anything that might work?

[Lana A]

I don’t understand why DogFoodAdviser gave new Champion Dog Food made in US one of the highest rating in spite of so many complaints.
I went to my pet store few days ago to pick up the dog food and since I know the owner, we chatted for like an hour, she told me she used to order Orijen and Acana every single week by truck load and it would be gone within a week. She didn’t order new for the last 3 weeks and still have on the shelf the ones she ordered a month ago. She told me she never had to hear so many complaints in such a short time for a single company. Main complain is dog scratching, something in new formula cause allergies. Few vomiting and diarrhea. I’m so happy that I didn’t take the chance to try the food made in US and transitioned my dog to the different brand while I had Canada made Acana.
C C, your case is the worst I’ve heard so far and kind of similar what my dog went through few years ago when Canidae changed their formula, in addition to your dog symptoms my border collie also was pooping blood. Vet visits with all the tests cost me a lot. He was on rice and chicken for over a month. What really helped my dog was my veterinarian advise to get heavy on probiotic in addition to chicken and rice. I started my dog on Wholistic Pet Organics Acidophilus, double of recommended dosage for the first week, then went with regular recommended dosage for his size. My vet was right, I saw the difference within the first few days. Now my dog getting probiotic daily and it does wonder to his sensitive stomach.
I hope your dog will feel better soon.

[Stan S]

One of my dogs had a food intolerance and was allergic to chicken, turkey and grains, especially corn and wheat. As I changed his diet plan he incurred to diarrhea. A friend of mine, who is also a vet, suggested that I try a probiotic supplement from Ample Nutrition. That was about a month ago. Since then, I have definitely seen some improvements. I mix the supplement with his food every day and he gladly eats them. Ample Nutrition has an excellent options for dogs.
I can provide a link to their website, you can go through it.
Complete Dog Prebiotic & Probiotic
Hope this helped.

[Jenn H]

My pup, his mother and a littermate all began suffering from similar skin problems at the beginning of spring. Not to the severity of your dog. It appears to be environmental allergies with them.
For my puppy I would use a product I have for my horse. Eqyss Micro-Tek shampoo. “Soothes on contact”. Then I would spray the really bad areas with Eqyss Micro-Tek Equine Spray. (They do make it for dogs. It’s the same stuff, but more costly.) This stuff is amazing. I’ve used it on myself.
For his ears I use epi-otic from the vet. When I ran out I put the equine spray on a cotton ball. Make sure to dry out the ears when you clean them.
He also gets raw honey from a neighbor 2x/day. That has been the ultimate fix. As long as he gets the honey he doesn’t have any problems. After 1 wk without it he begins to get itchy and hot spots. Same with his brother.
Honey must be raw, wildflower honey that is within 50 miles from home.

Food intolerance could certainly be a factor for your dog. I would try an elimination diet if you think that’s a cause.

Tick borne diseases can go into remission and you may never have another flare up again. I have another dog that has had Ehrlichia and now Lyme. I have a bunch of horses with Lyme also. I haven’t known any of them to present with those symptoms you described.
You really need to make sure the dog has a tick borne illness before giving doxy. It’s a pretty hardcore antibiotic. You certainly don’t want to give it needlessly. It can also cause stomach issues. Maybe your dog isn’t breaking down proteins well. If they do have a tick borne illness then the immune system is already taxed. The slightest allergen can become a big problem. My girl takes a probiotic (2 hrs before or after her antibiotic when on it) to help her immune system and minimize the side effects of doxy as much as possible. Fortiflora has been working great for her. She’s on it indefinitely right now, but I continue probiotics at least 2 wks after antibiotic treatment has stopped.

[Ryan K]

My 14 year old Old English Sheepdog is pretty much at the end phase of her life and we are all heartbroken over it. She has been fairly sick over the last few weeks with a lack of appetite and her hind legs giving out. Our vet has said that she has nerve degeneration in her spine that is causing her back legs to gradually slide out from under her. With a small dog this is a bit easier to handle with carrying them and getting them around but with a 65 pound dog it’s not that easy. I wondered if there was any supplement that people have given their dogs for aiding the nerves in regenerating or getting better? I read that the mushroom Lion’s Mane is great for humans but haven’t heard how much a dog could tolerate. I would love to keep my dog going cause she’s so vibrant despite her age and these new hindrances. We love her so much and this has been a rough couple weeks with thinking the end is near. Is it a waste or stupid to try new supplements at this point? I brought her in to the vet today thinking it was the end for her after a long night of heavy panting and only eating canned food that she KNOWS has no pills in. She has suddenly become a detective with finding her meds hidden in wrapped treats and spits them out and it’s just crazy! But, he said that although she is old and not feeling well he thinks she looks good and can go a bit longer and he didn’t recommend euthanasia which was a relief. I don’t want to prolong her pain or make her stick around just to avoid that decision.

Any recommendations for senior dog supplements for the nervous system would be great. Also, she is allergic to brewers yeast so I have to avoid that ingredient. Thanks!

[Michael F]

Hi, I was just wondering what part of the country do you live in? My border collie did well in Arizona but did horribly bad in Florida and they put him on Atopica which did seem to help, in between he had also been on several vacations to Michigan where he was also much better. In the end it was determined that he actually did not have allergies like the vets thought, he had lymes disease which had gone undetected in Northern Florida as they don’t have it there and unknown to us their snap test used there did not test for that. Once we treated him for Lymes and stopped the Atopica all problems went away, he did live to be almost 17 years old, however because he had lived with untreated Lymes disease for so long he developed bad lymes related arthritis in his later years. Inconclusion it seemed the Lymes disease was creating his allergy problems, even so, the problems were not as severe in the other states as they were in Florida, although we did still live in Florida for awhile after having the Lymes treated and he did not seem to be bothered anymore. Like you we tried many different foods and special bath’s but nothing seemed to help. He suffered for 4 years before it finally stopped and then lived another eleven years and felt good.

[anonymous]

Please consider making an appointment with a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, asap. Environmental allergies have nothing to do with the food. If you care to disclose the state/location you are in, I will do a search regarding a dermatologist. Allergies don’t go away and they get worse with age. The good news is that the condition does respond to treatment, but, it is lifelong treatment as there is no cure.

per the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/

PS: I had to change my user name to anonymous 101, formally anonymously….in case that concerns some of the regulars here.

Hope this helps:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.