[anonymously]

I have a dog with environmental allergies and she has been doing very well since starting allergen specific immunotherapy four years ago. Her diet is varied, a quality kibble with a bit of cooked meat, chicken, egg or turkey as a topper.
We just started Orijen 6 fish, but she also does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.

The dermatologist told me her diet has nothing to do with her allergies, she does have a sensitive stomach however. I add a little water to her meals also.

I would be careful about making dramatic changes to a senior dog’s diet, maybe check with your vet as there are prescription dog foods specially formulated for specific conditions.
I might be concerned about the possibility of diarrhea with all those veggies mentioned in your diet, I’ve never heard of DH Hash.

How about Malaseb shampoo? Weekly bathing might help. My dog gets bathed twice a week with Malaseb.

[Jen T]

Hi all, I have a Westie who is 9 years old and has issues with yeast infections due to environmental allergies. I’ve removed her kibble (turkey and potatoes) and all treats and I am trying out a Westie Diet recipe called Dan’s Highlander Hash which calls for: ½ pound ground turkey or salmon or tilapia, 1 raw carrot (substitute with celery stalk), 1 raw zucchini, 1 raw yellow squash, 1 medium apple – granny smith, and 2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley. I usually double the serving size to last for 2.5 days (she gets 4 small meals each day about 5 ounces).

Instead of turkey, I’m using salmon and baking it until it’s at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Is it safe to keep giving her this meal every day for two weeks? In addition to this meal, I add 1 capusle of Gentle Digest (prebiotic and probiotic) as well as 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric per day. I read salmon should be given periodically but since I’m leaving on vacation in a few days, I don’t want to dramatically change her diet with the pet sitter. Any advice?

[Marie P]

Hi There, I have worked with many pets and there owners for the past 9 years. I consider food and environmental allergies to often be the problem for most pets. Please check out my web site and ask for the Free 30 minute consultation http://www.dogfoodconsultant.com

Hope to chat with you soon via e-mail or telephone

Marie Peppers LPN Ma Ask the Pet Nurse

[anonymously]

Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist:

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.

[lauri g]

first of all a raw diet is far better as it goes thru a dogs system clean and the transition isnt hard to do. I constantly do research and have mine only on raw which i give whole prey as well as prey model that i get from hare today gone tomorrow and from local vets . I do not buy from grocery stores as they do have meat with hormones etc. If i had to buy from grocery it would be labeled organic only. I will be willing to help anyone that wants to convert to raw. because of a raw diet and all natural raising on my boys mine never have bad breath nor ever smell like a dog {like a wet dog does when it comes in from the rain} never have decay or tarter buildup on teeth and no medical problems . I am happy I have learned that kibble isnt the way to go as dogs are carnivores not omnivores . Just look at your dogs teeth they are not flat .. you’ll be surprised how much of your dogs allergies will go away.
you can check our page also on fb natures way carnivore pets

[alexis w]

in the mean time to make sure he is getting the right nutrients you could give him a supplement, I use Nupro All Natural Dog Supplement for my dog. I feed her a homemade diet and it adds in all the extra nutrients she needs just in case her food is deficient anywhere. Also I have never heard a dog being allergic to eggs, a lot of times what seems like an allergy is actually a nutrient deficiency(not a vet but from everything I have found in my 100s of hours of research thats what I have found). http://www.nuprosupplements.com/nupro-dog-supplement.html

also here is a link to my blog with some easy to make grain free homemade dog food, you can leave out the egg if you feel it is necessary: http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

[Susan]

Hi Sydney. your best sticking with limited ingredient kibbles, that way you have less ingredients that he can be sensitive or intolerant too & start reacting with skin problems…. Have a look “Taste Of The Wild” Grain Free formulas like the Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon, my boy does well on the Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, I try & stay around 40% & under for carbs, you add the Protein % + the Fat % + the Fiber % + the Moisture % & + the Ash % if there’s no ash % on bag or their internet site then just add 8% for the ash, now take the results away from 100 & you’ll have a the carb %….also rotate when you find a few kibbles brands he does well on, rotate them, you can do it monthly every time you have to buy a new bag of kibble….
My boy starts to smell real yeasty when the carb % is over 45% in carbs & when he eats barley, corn, maize, gluten meal, beet pulp & sometimes oats, depends where on the ingredient list the oats are, he starts to smell scratch & itch, it will depend on your dog, what he’s sensitive too, even the grain free kibbles can be very high in starchy carbs as well, have a look at Canidae Pure kibbles, they’re grain free, there’s Pure Wild, Pure Land, Pure Sea, Pure Sky, the Canidae Pure formulas were a bit too rich for my Staffy, he has IBD & got acid reflux when he ate the Pure Land, probably the Bison was too rich for him or the chickpeas…a lot of dogs do really well on fish kibbles that have skin problems, the Canidae has their Pure Sea… Canidae Pure Formulas are very dense, high in Kcals, you don’t need to feed as much kibble…. Canidae also have their Life Stages Formulas, have a look at the Duck Meal Brown Rice & Lentils Formula for large Breeds….. Patch just tried the Life Stages, All Life Stages Formula, it has Chicken meal, Turkey Meal, Lamb Meal as the first 3 ingredients then Ocean fish meal is further down the ingredient list & its around 39% in Carbs, or try another kibble that has a few different ingredients to the kibble he’s eating now, try & make sure there’s about 2 to 4 proteins as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th ingredients maybe try a grainfree kibble you’ve tried a kibble with grains also fresh foods are excellent give a few small sardines, the tin sardines in spring water as a treat or add to his kibble, at dinner time if you’ve cooked too much & have some left over veggies & meat make him a meal as well, I prefer fresh foods then feeding kibble, kibble is quick & easy for us…I try & feed 1 meal kibble breakfast & dinner a cooked meal, I cook then freeze meals…. here’s the Canidae page http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/ the new Pure Wild looks good, I’m waiting to try it, I live Australia & we haven’t got the new Canidae formulas yet 🙁 I love Pit Bulls being pure white, I hope he doesn’t get skin allergies as he gets older, my vet said he see’s more white, pink skin dogs with skin problems then dogs that are black or brown with dark skin, also are you washing him weekly in the Malaseb medicated shampoo?? bath in a antibacterial shampoo to kill the bacteria & yeast…I have a English Staffy he has skin problems only where he’s has white fur the brindle areas are fine & stomach problems…. I hope you have better luck with your boy, so make sure he’s eating a good diet & use sun screen on face head etc & give him a nice raw meaty turkey leg once a week for breakfast also in Australia we give Staffys whole coconuts to play with, you peel the husk off the coconut a bit can cause sloppy poos, then the coconut keeps them busy trying to open the coconut & drink the milk, keep 1/2 the coconut for another day, may cause soft poos depends on your dog..

[Monique G]

I Have an 11 year old English Springier Spaniel and 2 dachshunds, one of the dachshunds has skin allergies and the Springer, I need advice on what to feed them it is definitely yeast been to the vets numerous trips. DONE with the steroids and Prednisone so frustrated don’t know what else to do ? What do you think about Dinovite and raw food meal ?

[Susan]

Hi, Elite looks pretty good, it might be a new food, wish we had it in Australia, it would be excellent for dogs with allergies & food sensitivities… I will post Elite on a Face Book group page for dogs that cant eat potatoes, peas, egg, chicken & grains….. when we get a new food in Australia I find it before our Australian Dog Food Advisor & I tell him & he quickly does a review on it if he has the time…….I like how they put the protein % from plant & vegetables sources & Carb % as well…they have nothing to hide they put up everything…

[M M]

For all those who feed vegan diet to dogs — what do you feed? Olga gave details on her homemade foods, but are there other commercial options out there to use as a supplement? We have been using V-dog but our dog’s stool has lately been a little loose with this after tolerating it well for years. I’m not sure if they changed their formula or if it’s just our dog. I need to learn home cooking for her, but I’d like to have an option for if we get too busy.

For all the detractors out there, she is highly allergic to meat kibble and fresh cooked meat, but I do agree philosophically with the veg commenters here. It seems commercial kibble is unhealthy for both dogs, the animals who end up in it, and the planet. I don’t think a dog or any animal can thrive on what amounts to baked crackers. She is strong and energetic on her vegan diet, but I’m really just looking for an answer from those with input on how to feed her a veg diet even when we can’t cook.

Thanks!

[anonymously]

My dogs do well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea or Nutrisca Chicken, for 1 dog I soak it in the fridg overnight in water or/and add a splash of water plus a tablespoon of topper like scrambled egg. Check Chewy.com

If his food sensitivities continue I would take him to the vet for a good checkup, who told you he couldn’t have egg? Was it a veterinarian? Food allergies are rare. Does he have GI symptoms? What do you mean by “food making him sick”?

I am going to try Orijen soon, it’s supposed to be the best. I only use the kibble as a base anyway, I will let people know what I think.

[Nancy B]

My boy is a rescue who I got from a shelter at the age of 7 months. He is allergic to egg and I am trying to find an all natural dog food without corn, wheat, any of the bad stuff in it and that will be god on his stomach but still give him the nutrition he needs. Right now we are feeding him Rice with chicken (plain) but thats not enough for him to eat forever! HELP?

[Susan]

Hi, my boy has IBD & Wellness made his poos worse Wellness is very pea heavy & barley heavy…. Stay on the Purina vet diet for now if its helping & making the diarrhea stop, was she put on Metronidazole (Flagyl) ?? My Patch also a rescue dog that I ended up keeping,
had to stay on a vet diet for 1yr to let the bowel heal & get better, but at 9months I started trying new foods, I could always fall back on the vet diet when the new kibble didn’t work, have you tried cooked meals?? like Chicken & sweet potatoes or potatoes?? lean cooked meals normally firms up poos, I feed cooked chicken breast, sweet potato, broccoli, zucchini for dinner & a kibble for breakfast now but it has taken Patch 2 yrs for me to work out what foods he’s sensitive too….I got him at the age of 4 yrs old & who ever owned him just feed cheap super market kibble vet thinks he was sensitive too the kibble & they didn’t care about his diarrhea & kept feeding whatever was causing his diarrhea which has now cause his IBD so try not to let the diarrhea go on & on, when you start introducing a new food start using new food as a treat watch poo if poos seem the same after 2-3 days then start adding new kibble to vet diet….
these are the kibbles that didn’t give Patch diarrhea, Taste Of The Wild Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon, Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb,
Canidae has their Pure limited ingredient grain free formulas & their Life Stages Formulas stay around the same fat % protein % & fiber % as the vet diet if you can, you can go up a few % but don’t jump from 20% protein to 30% protein same with fat % if fat says 12% don’t get a kibble with 18-20% fat etc & look for limited ingredient kibbles less ingredients are better so there’s less ingredients for her to be sensitive to, I wonder as she gets older will she get itchy & have the skin allergies aswell :
I hate vet diets BUT they seem to work & help them get better when nothing else worked,
even though she on a vet diet you can replace 1 meal with a bland cooked meal then what I did was I seen Patch can eat chicken, salmon & sweet potato & Potato then I looked for a kibble that had fish & sweet potato or chicken & potato…
Patch cant eat boiled rice it irritates his bowel & gives him diarrhea… have a look at California Natural Lamb & Rice it has just 4 ingredients & a few dogs with IBD do really well on the California Natural kibbles…also Honest Kitchen Zeal you just add water you can buy samples but still feed 1 meal the RX Purina Vet diet…
add things to diet slowly & only do 1 thing at a time so if you give a piece of chicken as a treat don’t give any other foods kibbles etc that day so you will know what caused the sloppy poo if it happens…
http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products

[Pitlove]

Hi Martha-

No there is no one recommended food for a dog that scratches. Mainly because the reasons for the scratching are different with each dog and some have nothing to do with food at all. You may want to discuss the scratching with your vet and talk about determining what the cause is. I would personally be weary of mail in hair and saliva tests for food allergies. They are notoriously inaccurate.

Also wanted to note that it seems that the Glacier Peak test is still unavailable for resale. Been like this for a few months now I believe.

[kim b]

My little poodle had developed allergies at about 3 yo. It has taken me quite some time to find out what he is allergic to and I’ve found the culprits are wheat, corn, soy, oats, peas and now I can add garbanzo beans. I hope I can finally get this issue under control. I now bake his treats from scratch and have found some yummy recipes on Pinterest which are comprised of coconut flour. He loves them. It’s difficult being a fur mommy.

[DieselJunki]

It depends. Does your dog have food allergies or is it environmental or both? Notice any fleas?

Not all dogs have the same allergies, so we can’t recommend without knowing more information.

What is your dog currently eating? Has the itching always been an issue or is this something that has cropped up lately?

I will tell you that I have an Ambull which I thought originally had food allergies so we went raw for two years. He was still so very very itchy due to environmental alleriges. He does best kept inside with the A/C to keep the pollens and dusts out. Thankfully I’ve kept it under control by weekly baths and if we’ve had a day of hard play I rinse him with the hose in between baths.

[DieselJunki]

I wouldn’t feed them either. Matter of fact when others ask if they can give my dog a treat I always ask ‘What is it?’ and if it even looks like a milk-bone I nicely decline and just say he’s got allergies, which isn’t totally a lie.

What InkedMarie said, take as much time in choosing treats for your dog as you do choosing the food.

[DieselJunki]

My dog has been skin scrapped so many times and nothing ever comes of it but some bacteria, which we all know if they test a raw spot of course there would be bacteria, bacteria is all over our skin. I always decline anti-biotics and just treat the area at home myself. I believe my dog has more environmental allergies as apposed to food allergies because we did raw for nearly 2 years, just recently switched back to kibble and he has always been itchy. Spring is his worst enemy, and go figure, I just moved to Cali! He usually smells as well but it’s because he is constantly peeing on his darn legs, boy dogs are the worst sometimes. I bathe once a week with Zymox Shampoo and do the Creme Rinse (which I leave on). Throughout the week I will wet a cloth, put some of the Zymox Creme Rinse on and rub him down with it. It has a pleasant smell. I’m lucky though as I have a dog with a short coat, you’d have to really work to get the Zymox shampoo and Creme rinse in there. Zymox shampoo is enzymatic and I have had good success with it so far in helping to keep the irritants at bay for my dog. If you read the reviews online others with yeasty dogs it has helped greatly as well. There is another brand called Derma-Soothe Shampoo and Derma-Soothe Cream Rinse. I just bought them and have yet to use it so can’t say whether they are good but the reviews online are decent, I plan to use the Derma-Soothe when he’s really having a melt down, last week was pretty bad here for him but we made it. What I can’t stress enough is to follow the directions on the bottle, if it says leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes after you’re done lathering the dog up, leave it for 10, or even 20, then rinse, there is a reason for said directions.

+1 to going to the vet and having a skin scrap done to see if it’s really yeast but if you can’t afford it try to google how others treat yeast infections in their home. I hear a white distilled vinegar rinse after a bath and leaving it in (lightly drying but not fully) is a good way to help control yeast. But this may have to be a weekly or multiple day a week occurrence where you bathe and do the vinegar rinse to get the yeast under control.

In the mean time can we help you find a comparable priced dog food that is a bit better in the ingredient list? Maybe you can persuade her if the cost is about the same.

[Pitlove]

Hi Jillian-

My pitbull had Malassezia yeast overgrowth as well, due to his food allergies. It was so bad they thought he had demodex mange. Yeast is naturally occuring on the body, however when the immune system is suppressed (as it is with food allergies), the yeast overpopulate because the body is too out of wack to keep it under control. Since doing a food trial through the vet and getting him on a fish and grain based diet, his yeast is gone. I would definitely have a skin scrape done at the vet to determine if it is infact yeast that is causing the smell. Then you need to figure out the primary cause. Each case is individual to the dog and what works for one may not work for another.

[Shelley S]

I use Acana Grasslands for my dog. I have done a LOT of research into dog foods and their ingredients and this is the one I use for my dog. I feel it is important to have a product whose ingredients are sourced in the US and Canada rather than elsewhere. Chicken allergies appear to be rather common and Danes do tend towards sensitive skin. Here are the ingredients of Grasslands… Deboned lamb, lamb meal, duck meal, whitefish meal*, whole peas, red lentils, field beans, deboned duck, whole eggs, deboned walleye, duck fat, herring oil, lamb liver, herring meal, sun-cured alfalfa, pea fibre, whole apples, whole pears, pumpkin, butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, spinach, cranberries, blueberries, …
When you want to talk about healthy treats let me know lol 🙂

[Martha O]

What food is recommended for a dog who scratches constantly

[Pitlove]

I was told by many people to avoid chicken for my food allergic pitbull as well. It turned out beef was in fact the problem. In fact he does not do well on any red meat. Could be the same for your pup and that is why she is reacting to the Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy, as it has lamb in it. We also switched off NexGard for the same reason (the beef), as per the vet.

Large Breed Puppy formulas are designed with a growing LBP in mind. They will not cause your pup to gain weight unless you overfeed. It is a tired old myth to feed a LBP an adult maintenance food, though a lot of breeders, dog clubs, and vets still recommend it. You are absolutely making the right choice in keeping her on a large breed puppy food.

No self respecting vet will suggest an allergy blood panel as they are notorious for being inaccurate. The only way to properly diagnose a food allergy is by a food trial either with a homecooked diet of a single novel protein and carb or the hydrolyzed protein vet diet. That is what we did for our pitbull and he is doing excellent now on a fish based diet that is grain inclusive. He does terrible on grain free foods.

[zcRiley]

FROMM PRAIRIE GOLD (large breed dry kibble with NO CHICKEN)
Fromm Prairie Gold is a line of grain-free, red meat recipes that are naturally formulated with beef, pork and lamb and are also enhanced with probiotics to aid digestion.
(Side Note: Puppies need extra nutrients but yours is just 2 months shy of switching to adult food so it’s fine).

ALLERGY PANEL TESTING: http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com
You’ll be amazed to find out to which proteins your dog is intolerant, plus 100 other foods found in dog food.

After analyzing my own pups’ allergies (they became allergic to chicken during year 1), they now thrive on Zignature Zssentials. You can read the ingredient list on Chewy.com.

[theBCnut]

I use it fairly often and am using it now. Two of my 3 dogs do really great on it. The third dog has food allergies, so can’t use their brand.

[Shawna]

I personally would definitely consider something in the diet as a potential cause of your pup’s issues (but not “meat” in general). They are now finding that food sensitivities and allergies can trigger a WIDE range of symptoms. As an example of how diverse symptoms can be, they have discovered that gluten (which is a protein) causes “cramping” in Border Terriers “Canine epileptoid cramping syndrome in BTs is a gluten-sensitive movement disorder triggered and perpetuated by gluten and thus responsive to a gluten-free diet.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26500168

It might be worth trying an elimination diet however it is often beneficial to have a vets assistance with this as even though the pup seems to be feeling better in general, symptoms can actually get worse short term. Even after the offending food, if that is the problem, is eliminated, the body has to get rid of the histamine etc that was elevated by the problem food — which manifests as symptoms.

Regarding the fish oil / tochopherol comment – tochopherol is simply vitamin E. I have read however that the source of the tochopherols can be problematic as much is sourced from soybeans. For those that react to fish oils with added tochopherols it might be worth investigating if the vitamin was sourced from soybeans.

[Susan]

Hi sounds like food sensitivities/intolerances & environment allergies, have you looked at doing the Jean Dobbs salvia testing to get an idea what foods she may be sensitive too, I know people say these test are not 100% but it will give you an idea what foods she may be sensitive too there’s also salvia & hair testing that test for food, mites & tree/plants….. she may be sensitive to dust mites??? also my boy can not have a kibble that’s high fat, high fiber/carb diet, no fish or salmon oils they all cause acid reflux stomach problems…
Can you start to cook for her or even if you feed a cooked meal that’s been pre cooked sectioned then frozen & you take out the night before & put in fridge for next day & feed a kibble for breakfast & cooked for dinner, also change the kibble, stop feeding kibbles with potatoes & specially when potatoes are first ingredient like the Natural Balance is, its too much starchy carbs…..a good kibble should have 2-4 proteins as 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th ingredients then a carb…..
Some grain free kibbles can be very high in starchy carbs…. I have found Patch does best on a kibble that’s lamb chicken fish & Brown rice or a Fish Kibble with sweet potatoes but the fat has to be 10-14% fat or he gets his acid reflux & it must not have fish oil or Salmon oil or he starts grinding his teeth with real bad acid reflux.
He eats Earthborn Ocean Fusion, Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, Canidae Life Stages, all life stages formula, Canidae Grain free look at the Pure land, Pure Sky & Pure Wild they all have no potatoes & Carbs are 40% & under
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Have a look at the Honest Kitchen aswell
Shop All Dog
look at “Brave” & “Zeal” carbs are 35% or the base mixes you just add the protein….

Baths are you doing weekly baths? I use the “Malaseb” medicated shampoo in Spring Summer, bath every 4-7 days, whenever Patchy is real itchy & has his red paws/toes, itchy bum, etc …… I also use Hydrocortisone 1% cream, every night when Patch is sleeping, I do the skin body check for any red toes, red paws, white fur thinning out above right eye etc & lightly apply some Hydrocortisone cream next morning itch & redness has all cleared up also I use the “Huggie Baby Wipes” Cucumber & Aloe, when we come home from a walk or he goes outside, I wipe Patch down, a new baby wipe per section of the body, these Cucumber & Aloe wipes are really good, sold in Supermarket baby section, I think you can get special wipes for environment allergies & hot spots as well, there’s a Face Book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support” group, one of the admins uses the special wipes & has started cooking & using “Balance It” to balance the diet……

Normally when they have Food Sensitivities/Intolerances they will have stomach & bowel problems & itchy skin…….My Patch gets he has Seasonal Environment Allergies & Food Intolerances & Sensitivities to certain foods, I did an elimination diet, then started adding foods… there’s no point trying a vegan diet, the carbs would be thru the roof 50-70% carbs like the vet diets have & you want a low carb diet……dogs are made to eat meat, have you thought of trying a Raw diet?? Patch did real well on Raw diet his skin cleared up within 1 week BUT cause he has IBD he kept regurgitating water up into his mouth, I think it was the Digestive enzymes the Naturopath made me use cause of his IBD I was so worried he’ll get diarrhea from the raw diet, so we used digestive enzymes & I think they digested the raw to quick & Patch was burping up & water was coming up into mouth… I’m going to try the raw again next Summer…..
I would honestly start again with the diet building up the immune system probiotice foods high in probiotics Kefir/yogurt etc & see if you see a change, if your on face Book Monica Segal has a group called “K9Kitchen” she has put up a easy recipe to make called “Omega 3 Boost” cookies, I’m going to make some for Patch, I really believe you need to boost their omega 3 & some kibbles are very high in omega 6 & very low in omega 3 then the dog starts having skin problems, stop the fish oils & try other things that are high in omega 3, olive oil, sardines in Spring water are good 1-2 a day this way its given thru foods… also what tin foods are you feeding? I was feeding tin foods at night as well & they were making Patch itch they had gelling agents in them something in the wet food made his paws go real red & he’d start licking his paws & get itchy, try replacing the wet tin foods with cooked meals… I’m feeding boil chicken breast, sweet potato not much only 1/4 to 1/3 cup & broccoli & 1 cup chicken, cook & add greens zucchini celery spinach etc… I feed more protein then carbs in the cooked meals…1 cup meat 1/2 cup veggies…

[anonymously]

Because, it is controversial as to whether or not probiotics and such do that much, if anything.
And sometimes supplements can cause harm. Example:
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=probiotics

In response to: “I’ve starting give her a probiotic and am going to switch shampoos to something to treat subhorreic dermatitis. (Both through my own research, which to vet said would be good. Just wondering why they didn’t suggest it themselves in the first place.) Maybe it’s time to switch vets again”.

PS: Some of those shampoos can be very drying and irritating to the skin. My dog with allergies gets bathed once or twice a week with Malaseb in conjunction with other treatments.

[anonymously]

Sounds like an Internal Medicine Specialist might be your best bet.
I understand your frustration, my dog with environmental allergies is stable now x 4 years. But, I went to 3-4 vets in a 1 year period before I found a specialist that did the allergy skin testing, diagnosed, and prescribed a treatment that works.

The first step is to get a diagnosis, then evaluate your treatment options (imo)

PS: The initial testing is the worst of it ($)
But, we now only see the specialist once a year.
Other than routine care (annual heartworm test) we have not had to go to the regular vet.
Also, I would hesitate to give this dog any vaccines if she is not medically stable.

[anonymously]

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.

[anonymously]

Age 7 is considered a senior, the vets often recommend an exam and lab work at this stage, if you haven’t done so. Excessive licking and hot spots is an indication that something is wrong, I think a visit to the vet may be in order.
I would discuss diet changes with the vet before taking her off of a prescription food.

“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea that in itching problems”.
http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm

Check the search engine here for allergies: /forums/search/allergies/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies You may find some helpful information at this site.

Regarding bladder stones:
/forums/topic/crystalstone-in-bladder/

Often when the infection is treated (antibiotics) and water intake is increased the condition clears up, unless they have another type of stones, also. They can have more than one type. Often there is a genetic component.

The best thing you can do is to increase water intake and offer frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate. Sure, dogs can hold it, but that’s not good for this condition, You want to keep the bladder flushed. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.
PS: Has your dog had an x-ray to rule out calcium oxalate stones?
I use a potassium citrate/cranberry supplement I get from Chewy.com. It depends on the type of stones.
It is best to get approval from the veterinarian that is treating the dog before adding anything, and I would go along with the prescription diet for now. PH levels fluctuate and it takes a while (sometimes weeks) to see changes, at least that is what my vet told me.

you may find this site helpful: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/ Recent blog about cranberry supplements.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/ Regarding raw diets.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by anonymously.

[anonymously]

“She was looking to learn raw since her dog was experiencing Cushings symptoms from taking steroids for 4 years as a treatment for allergies”.

That is why it is best to consult a specialist/dermatologist if the allergy symptoms have been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief despite treatments from the regular veterinarian.

Prednisone is usually ordered to stop the suffering caused by excessive scratching/pruritus. It is a temporary fix. Most likely the allergies are environmental and have nothing to do with the diet, that was my experience.

A lot of folks refuse to consider going to a specialist because of the cost……therefore the regular vet has no choice but to continue to treat the symptoms.

My dog enjoys seeing her dermatologist, since she is stable we only go once a year.
PS: She can eat a variety of foods, chicken included, cooked of course!

My senior dog gets constipated if he doesn’t have water soaked kibble (Nutrisca) everyday.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by anonymously.

[Rox B]

Pitlove: I had and intern from a vet’s office join my raw group. She was looking to learn raw since her dog was experiencing Cushings symptoms from taking steroids for 4 years as a treatment for allergies. I don’t know anyone feeding raw whose dog takes steroids for allergies. Thousands of people are getting great results from feeding raw. An article by 4 vets is not going to change that.

[Melanie B]

My Great Dane Herc has been having hair loss and dandruff issues for the last couple years. He is really not itchy and doesn’t lick or scratch. We initially thought is was a reaction to his neutering at a year, but it continued on. I was feeding him Acana Wild Prairie at the time and wondered if it was a food allergy. I switched him to the Pacifica for over 6 months and nothing really changed. After the feeding trial I switched him back to a chicken formula (Boka brand) and spoke to my vet who recommended an anti-dandruff shampoo. We diligently treated him with the shampoo and he improved a bit but was never really better. I recently had a full thyroid panel done on him to rule out hypothyroidism. The tests came back that he has euthyroid sick syndrome which can be caused by allergies. My vet believes he has some seasonal allergies but also probably a food allergy. We have currently switched him to Satori Lamb (which my severely chicken allergic JRT is on) and are treating him with an allergy specific shampoo and spray. Thinking back on this whole ordeal, I remember putting my JRT on the pacifica with Herc and I had to take her off of it because she was reacting so poorly to it. I even contacted the company to see if there was something that could cause her to react (they said no). So now I’m assuming he probably has a chicken allergy just like my other dog. Has anyone with a chicken sensitive dog every had issues with Acana Pacifica? My JRT has eaten many fish based diets before and after with no issues.

[M F]

I find this an interesting topic. I had two dogs who lived to be 17 and 18 years old. One a Border Collie and the other an Icelandic Sheepdog. The started out there lives in Arizona and then spent time in both Florida and Michigan and then back to Arizona. Anyway, when we lived in florida my Border Collie became itchy and was diagnosed with allergies, in Florida their snap test does not test for Lymes disease as it is not prevelant there. Finally after three years with no good results, I am up in Michigan with the dogs and find out the Border Collie has Lymes and have him treated and all the allergy problems go away. Quite interesting. We always used frontline on the dogs and also checked daily for tics, It still didn’t prevent the Lymes disease. I now have two dogs again an Icelandic Sheepdog who is 4 now and an Australian Cattle Dog Mix who is now 5. I winter in Arizona and summer in Michigan. When I got the cattle dog I decided I would vaccinate him for Lymes because of spending time in Michigan, after the Lymes Vaccine he developed ITP and almost died, he never has gotten Lymes though, therefore I decided not to vaccinate the Icelandic Sheepddog, she ended up with lymes at age 1, was treated and has been doing well, I do worry about her though because my Border Collie who had undiagnosed Lymes for three years developed sever arthritis. Anyway I just wanted to share my story, because although all these dogs were on frontline and also checked for tics daily, two of the four ended up with lymes and the other two did not. I also want to mention that while the Michigan property is in the woods, they do have a grass fenced yard, which is mowed short and treated for pests at the beginning of the season with an organic product two months before the dogs arrive. I’m not a believer in using pesticides around my dogs, yet I do use the frontline. In conclusion I am not sure of the best thing to do, I do know I will never give another one of my dog’s a Lyme Vaccine after what happened to my boy. I haven’t had any adverse reactions with the frontline, however I only use while in Michigan for about four months per year, fortunately in the area of Arizona I live the rest of the year we don’t have a big problem with fleas and tics. I’m not even so sure about the frontline though because it didn’t prevent two of the four dogs from getting lymes. I would not feel comfortable giving my dogs an oral flea and tick preventative, seems like giving them poison but, I don’t know enough about that oral medication to give sound advise.

[Thomas N]

Last fall we rescued a female miniature schnauzer that is approximately 4 years old. Our vet recommended a lower protein and lower fat diet. Of course she also recommended Royal Canin’s breed specific kibble for the miniature schnauzer. I will not feed her that food. Based on her recommendation for protein and fat levels and the fact that she may be allergic to chicken I currently feed Fromm Gold Coast Weight Reduction formula which is 25% protein and 10% fat. In researching nutrition for this breed there is not much commentary relating to lower protein and fat as being essential, just making sure that the food is a high quality. There was one site that did mention 21% protein.
Does anyone here have experience with this breed that might suggest proper protein and fat levels and a recommendation for a specific food.

[James S]

Hi!

I have a new Labradoodle puppy who will grow to 50-60 LBS as an adult. He is gaining 2LBS a week average between 3-4 Months (8 LBS in 4 weeks) I have him eating Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken, for med – large breed Puppies, just requested the Calcium and other specs from them directly, they are below.

Hundchen Flocken is 1.8% calcium, 1.14% phosphorus, 1% potassium, and 375 kcal/cup
Wolf Cub is 1.3% calcium, 1% phosphorus, 0.8% potassium, and 345 kcal/cup

Should I switch to Wolf Cub or something else, he has allergies and was very itchy on the Breeders Food (Costco Chicken and Rice) Much better now on Solid Gold. Any experienced input would be appreciated, thank you!

[bkagel]

DO NOT BUY from this provider!!! Not only do they use 2d and 3d meats, which is bad enough!! I have been feeding it to my dogs for almost 2 years. I always wondered about the stamp NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Red Flag!!! Red Flag!! Then I heard about the 2d and 3d meats, my one dog’s allergies seems to have increased. They love it on the first day but when I take a cut up piece from the freezer it’s a different story. It goes bad so quickly and it smells FOUL!!! I switched from Hare today for now. I am going to try an organic meat csa over the summer if I can find the meat I need for my dogs.

Nasty nasty stuff!!
Stay away from any any protein that states “protein denatured by alcohol” bad mojo!!

[Carolyn J]

So many dry foods contain salmon or salmon oil. My dog is allergic to salmon. He had severe itching and hair loss. Does anyone know of a good dry dog food that doesn’t have salmon or salmon oil as an ingredient?

[anonymously]

No, sounds like it might be allergies. Check the search engine here for allergies: /forums/search/allergies/

Sounds like a visit to the vet may be in order.

[Michael C]

I use pumpkin with my dogs too, but was not aware it is a pro or prebiotic, but yogurt is and I use a dollop of plain, no fat yogurt with my dogs meals too. I did get a probiotic from our vet for one of our dogs, it’s called Probios Daily Digestive Dog Tabs. My vet also talked to me once about food allergies and how tough they can be to find. She said the protein in the food is the thing you need to change, and you need to change to a protein the dog has never had before, she mentioned Kangaroo was a good one to try (unless you live down under, maybe). Zignature makes a kangaroo food. She also said you have to feed the new food to the dog for eight weeks in order to tell if it is going to do any good as it takes a while to completely get rid of any trace of the prior protein your dog ate, so if you didn’t stick with any new food you tried for at least eight weeks, you may not have stuck with it long enough.

[Kirk R]

I am looking to find a good probiotic and digestive enzymes supplement for dogs. I have a 7 year old English Bulldog who is absolutely my best friend. I believe he has food allergies that are causing chronic ear infections so I have been switching his food to hopefully solve the food allergy mystery. I have been fed him Taste of the wild, Zignature, Fromm Gold Coast – all limited ingredient and no wheat or chicken and I now have him on Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hydrolyzed Protein Moderate Calorie Dry Dog Food $100/24lbs – bit expensive . Switching foods sometimes cause diarrhea so I have been mixing pumpkin in his food as a probiotic/prebiotic (I forget which it is) in hopes of building up his immune system in his digestive track. That is what has led me to search for Probiotics and digestive enzymes. Any suggestions to help my buddy out sure would be appreciated. Thank you

[anonymously]

@Anne
Thank you for posting, I often feel like an outsider here because I recommend taking a dog that is suffering with allergies to a dermatologist.

It was the only thing that I found helpful, the regular vets mean well…but if you have a serious condition that doesn’t respond to treatment and diet changes, seek out a specialist.

I’m glad your dog is stable, I agree about occasional flare ups. It is what it is.

[Anne B]

One of my dogs, a pit bull mix, is allergic to dust mites and mold, which are nearly impossible to totally eliminate from the environment…..We found this out through allergy testing…..We know he is having an outbreak when he starts scratching and his skin becomes inflamed with little bumps all over………..My vet told me to bathe him twice a week with Malaseb, and she prescribed some Omega 3 capsules….Can’t remember the brand name of the capsules, but they were on the expensive side………Supposedly these prescription Omega 3 are formulated for better absorption…….We have been doing the bathing and the prescription Omegas and have seen a lot of improvement, but he still has a couple of outbreaks per year during the summer when the weather gets warm, and then we have to take him to vet for antibiotics to prevent skin getting infected…..We also have his sister, a littermate, who has none of these problems at all….And they both eat the same food–so we’re pretty sure it’s not the food causing his problems….

So to sum up, his allergies are controlled, but not totally cured, because it’s impossible to eliminate all the allergens from his environment…..Having a dog with environmental allergies is a lot of work, but I suggest getting your dog tested to find out if he’s allergic to anything, including ingredients in his food, and getting a skin scrape done.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Anne B.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Anne B.

[kathleen f]

Hi Jennifer,

I have a beagle cross which I rescued 7 years ago. He is now eight years old. When I first got him he scratched himself and bit his legs until they were bleeding. After many visits to the vet they finally did allergy tests and found he was allergic to beef, chicken, duck and just about everything growing. I tried fish, lamb and turkey based grain free foods. They helped a bit but he was still scratching a lot.The vet prescribed atopica capsules which worked well for ages but then started to make him a bit sick and lethargic. so stopped them.A friend suggested yumega oil. I bought a bottle over a year ago and put a measured amount over his dry food every night. He has stopped scratching and biting his legs and his coat is looking great. I also give him a monthly bath using ruggle-it shampoo which works a lot better than the malaseb from the vet. I hope this is of some help

[Megan Z]

This food is garbage. The first 5 ingredients of your dogs food should be free of grains and actual meats! Never should you feed a by-product and a meat meal like chicken or beef meal aren’t much better. We just adopted an American bulldog who is on this food and his previous owner couldn’t figure out his skin issues. After looking at the ingredients of his food I immediately identified the problem. Even though it’s grain free, this is absolutely not a suitable food for dogs prone to sensitives and allergies. Feed what you will, but dog owners need to do some research. It is possible to feed premium at a fair price if you can’t first feed raw.

[anonymously]

My dogs do well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea and Chicken dry as a base, over 4 years. One is a small breed with environmental allergies and has about 3 small bms a day, it is what it is.
The other two go about 2X per day. The old guy was a feces eater in his youth, but he doesn’t bother any more…my other feces eater got cancer and passed away at 9+ years.

Check Chewy . com for prices, I am thinking of trying Orijen but I can’t get beyond the price tag.
All 3 of my dogs went to the vet for annuals recently, lab work etc, all tested within normal limits. So, I am hesitant to try anything new, for now.

[anonymously]

Just curious, what test indicated she had all these “food allergies”?
Oh, and food sensitivities fluctuate.

Has the dog had a senior workup? There very well could be other reasons for symptoms (although you never described any) have you ruled out medical, via lab work and a good physical exam by a veterinarian?

“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea that in itching problems”.
http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm

Check the search engine here for allergies: /forums/search/allergies/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies You may find some helpful information at this site.

[FIREMAN29]

Hello, I’m new to this forum but desperately need some help. I have a 5 1/2 month old almost 60 lb amstaff male who has constant on and off diarrhea. I apologize for the lengthiness but theres a bit of a back story to give context. We got him as a rescue by proxy. His mother was rescued by a firefighter friend of mine when she wondered into the firehouse one day. Little did he know that this 9 month old sweetie was preggers. Nonetheless, he took her in, had the litter in his home and posted the puppies up for adoption. My wife and I wanting to get a rescue naturally jumped at the chance to take a pitty home with us. He was 6 weeks old and 6.5 lbs and they had already been weaned and eating Purina Beyond Superfood Blend Salmon flavor. Once that was done, we did the 10 day transition to Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy food and he loved it. One day around 10 weeks old he just stopped eating his food and refused to eat it. We contacted our vet and she suggested switching foods, we took the opportunity to switch him to a grain-free and healthier brand (Blue Buffalo Wilderness) once again using the previously mentioned transition method. The transition went fine and he loved the food. Then around 12 weeks he started having diarrhea every second or third day with the days in-between having normal stools. (Mind you, he also was having terrible allergic reactions to his vaccinations and was constantly on prednisone, benedryl, flagyl, and a probiotic). So we figured his digestive issues stemmed from his vaccine issues. His last vaccination was in the second week of February so its been two months. In that time he’s been teething, causing untold destruction, and still having those digestive issues along with a reduction in how much he’s been eating. We’ve done the chicken and rice to help his stomach several times as well so that he’ll eat.

Most recently, the vet gave us a canned food designed for digestive management to use for a week that would help his stomach out. She suggested that the Blue Buffalo may be too rich for his stomach and that we may need to find another brand. I spoke at length with my local pet store manager (Pet Supplies Plus) about this matter and he gave me several suggestions that would possibly help me. So I brought home a small bag of Wellness Complete Health Puppy Food and the pet stores brand called Redford Naturals for all life stages. Once he had constant solid stools with he canned food we began the transition to the Redford brand using the canned food as well. He seemed to be doing very well with the new food and eating it like he used to when he was a small puppy; till today when he started having diarrhea again for his second morning poop.

This is incredibly frustrating, and I have no idea where to go from here. We can’t afford to get him wet/canned food as he would go through it way to fast. And we want the best health for him so that he can have a long healthy life with us. If there is anyone who can help with this we would appreciate it immensely! Thank you.

[Kathy P]

I use Heartgard and Nexgard for my dogs and this combination was suggested by my vet, although I stopped buying them from him because of the cost. You could buy them online like from amazon or petbucket.com, and you won’t need any more medication unless your dog has some skin allergies or other bone-related diseases.

[Amateria]

It’s funny you should mention that because Ivory Coat came out with a new formula for just that reason, despite confirming that chicken fat in this case should not cause a reaction it did for some people, so they created a new fish formula less the chicken fat.

So I believe that chicken fat on the rare occasion can indeed cause allergic reactions to dogs with a chicken allergy, but from what I’ve read over several articles it’s like getting unlucky and getting the short end of the rope because it seems to pretty rare.