[Charmaine T]

My dog has allergies as well. Unfortunately, when you try to find a single protein/carb diet, the highest rated foods will add something stupid like eggs or chicken fat, which are red flags to an allergy dog. Or they mix several proteins, which makes the feed no longer useable. I can’t feed my dog fish oils and have to give him omega 3’s via Flax Oil. My dog can’t tolerate raw. I may have to go to cooking to get around the issues with bagged food.

According to my dog’s dermatologist, the proteins to avoid are poultry (chicken and turkey) and lamb, since they have been overused in dog food. Duck, Rabbit, Kangaroo and Bison are considered “exotic” since they are not included in mainstream dog food. I’ve seen some brands offer water buffalo (Southeast Asia, India and China). Some of these manufacturers have got to learn that less is more. I will not feed Hills or Iams special diets from the vets. I keep hoping I can search this site to find a food that will meet my needs. Good luck to us all.

[anonymously]

Just curious. What type of allergy testing has led you to believe that your dog is allergic to peas?
Have you consulted a specialist? Have you ruled out environmental allergies via Intra Dermal Testing?

PS: My dog with environmental allergies and a sensitive stomach, does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. She sees a specialist once a year and receives allergen specific immunotherapy with excellent results. She eats a variety of foods as toppers.
Allergies are a lifelong thing, expect flare-ups, they don’t just go away.

[Kimberly R]

Do not discount the possible link to Peas as a source to a dog’s allergies. Peas, pea flour, pea protein, pea fiber is now in almost all dry dog foods to get the protein numbers up. My dog started to develop allergies, or what appeared to be allergies, 6 months ago, while on a very good grain-free dog food. It started with an itchy tail head, then itchy back, then some hives on the face to full blown facial, neck and spine swelling, with difficulty swallowing. After 6 weeks of allergy testing and food “trials”, every food, including treats, that contained a form of “pea” created the same allergy symptoms within a half hour.

A recent finding by truthaboutpetfood.com shows that pea flour/pea fiber/pea protein is an ingredient from China. It is very likely that the allergy is actually a response to a toxin or poison. This scenario is all too familiar. The problem is that now that this cheap protein is available, it is difficult to find a dry dog food without it.

[Jane D]

I breed Shih Tzu and have for the past 28 years. For the last fifteen they have been on Solid Gold puppy and dog food till this summer.
I have spoken to the owner Sissy( who I believe is in her eighties or just about there) and she told me she had sold only the manufacturing part of the company. She also stated it was in the contract that No changes were to be made to the recipes or the company reverted back to her. Well this summer all my dogs started throwing up! I mean constantly not just once in a while. I started looking for a new great food for them and one young man took the time to teach me about Acana foods and why they would be so good for my dogs!
I have one allergic to chicken so we started on Acana Grasslands and they love it! The puppies were put on Acana puppy and the loved it as well.
Go check it out at http://www.acana.com or http://www.acanadogfood.com, ask can never remember which it is.
READ how it arrives, how it is cooked and what is in it. It is certified human grade meaning it is fit for human consumption as it is made with the same grade of meats, vegetables, fruit etc that we eat!
It is cooked in its own juices with no added water( means your animals will drink more water of course) no additives, no bad stuff at all!
I am keeping them on it! They are very healthy which is important to me and the cost is about what I was paying for Solid Gold.
I am sold on Acana products!
Check it out for yourself!

[anonymously]

If it was my dog I would take him to the vet ASAP. He may have a urinary tract infection which is extremely painful. It may wax and wane but without treatment prescribed by a veterinarian (antibiotics) it will not go away and will get worse and may result in more complications. The vet may also need to do an ultrasound besides a urine test and blood work to rule out bladder stones and properly diagnose your dog. Sounds like he may have allergies too. Often there are genetic factors involved, the food may have very little to do with it. Use the search engine here to look up bladder stones, and allergies.

PS: I would just go to the emergency vet, now. Today. Urinating blood is serious and requires immediate medical attention.

[Bernadette S]

My daughter uses Nutrisource Grain Free for her St. Bernard, who has skin allergies. It seems to work well.

[Susan]

Hi Debbie, sounds like Environment Allergies, pollen, dust, trees, mites etc have you tried an antihistamine? & wiping him down when he comes back inside? here’s the raw diet my boy was put on, I went thru a Animal Naturopath Jacqueline Rudan in Australia she does consults over the phone & Skype, first I just sent her a few emails asking for help & what could be wrong with Patch, she emailed me back & said we need to strengthen Patches stomach his immune system… Patch was put on the Maintenance Diet, he has IBD & Skin Allergies or you can scroll down & click on the Skin Allergy Diet, pick 2 proteins, feed 1 meat for breakfast & the other protein for dinner pick 2-4 veggies & 1-2 fruits, make sure you peel & cut up all veggies & fruit then put thru a blender & then I was freezing 2 spoon sections of the veggie/fruit mix, I was adding 1/2 capsule human Probiotic to each meal, the probiotic was gluten & dairy free, 1/2 teaspoon DigestaVite Plus 100 & Jacqueline omega 3,6 9 oil…I added all this very slowly into his diet cause of his IBD, for a 18kg -30lb dog, I was told to feed 1 cup raw (protein) twice a day, I picked low fat meat, kangaroo & 2 spoons blended veggies/fruit twice a day, I picked chicken for dinner I picked broccoli, celery, zucchini, apple & carrot…..now I cook this diet minus any bones, Patch kept regurgitating & burping up the raw diet.. 🙁
Is he taking omega 3, 6 & 9 oil? a lady from a Face Book Group “Dogs issues and other information support group” contacted Jacqueline & her dog was lacking omega 3, 6 & 9 in her diet.. http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html

The Face book group “Dogs issues, allergies and other information support group” Petra one of the Admin ladies has a Beagle with bad allergies as well….

[anonymously]

excerpts from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
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 than in itching problems.

http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist
http://www.acvd.org/

[anonymously]

What type of allergy testing has the dog had? Intra Dermal Testing is the most accurate. By shots, the only shots I know of that work are Allergen Specific Immunotherapy.
It can take a while to see results, as much as a year, but it is wonderful when it works.

Maybe the vet that is treating him for hypothyroidism could recommend a
specialist/dermatologist. I would be very leary of any mail-in saiva or hair tests, I have heard that they are inaccurate
/forums/search/allergies/ via search engine, you may find some tips.

[Debbie K]

I have a 9 year old beagle diagnosed with and currently being treated for hypothyrionism. He has also been suffering from allergies. We’ve tried allergy shot that no longer work and tried changing to different kinds of dry dog food. Now we’re trying the raw diet. He loves it, however I’m unsure of what protein and or grains he should be eating. He is miserable and I’m trying everything I can think of. I appreciate any help.

[Margaret C]

My dog had Giardia and Coccidia when she was a puppy but any vet’s fecal test should find those. Coccidia isn’t always treated as it’s fairly common but my vet treated it as it was only found after three cycles of treatment for Giardia so she felt it best to treat since she was a small puppy.

Considering all you’ve tried and the fact that chicken and rice doesn’t help which is a tried and true solution usually, I would suggest switching out your water. It could be that your tap water has excessive fluoride or other treatments that are disagreeing with your pup. My parents had to switch to bottled water (they just buy the generic at the grocery store in large containers) when their cat wasn’t tolerating a normal diet and had constant urinary issues as well as diarrhea regardless of food.

I also can suggest from personal experience that if you buy high quality no-grain food (you’ve already invested in so much so I don’t think you’d mind. 😉 ) you will typically find your pet’s bowel movements to be smaller and solid as they digest more of the food and don’t have filler waste. I use Wellness Core for both my cat and dog. Each receives a quarter can of wet each day to ensure additional water volume and no constipation. The rest of the day is dry. Wellness Core doesn’t have any grain in it which grains tend to be more prevalent in allergies and inflammation.

Hope some of that helps. 🙂

[Cindy T]

Hello! I just adopted our 8 week old Malshi (Maltese/Shih Tzu). The breeder had him on Purina Pro Plan Focus and I knew we were going to change that. After to speaking to vet, she recommended either Royal Canin Puppy or Nature’s Balance. I decided to go with Royal Canin because I had always heard it is a good food and they do a lot of science based research when creating their foods. I also decided not to go with Nature’s Balance because she did she she usually sends allergic dogs that way and since we don’t know of any allergies yet with our little guy, I decided not to do that. After looking at the reviews on this site, I am dismayed to find that the Royal Canin food I chose (shih tzu puppy food since he seems to pull more to the shih tzu side) doesn’t have fabulous ratings here. Only 2.5 stars. Why do vets seems to like the foods that are never highly rated? With our previous dog, a different vet also recommended food that didn’t get great ratings here. I asked this new vet about Blue Buffalo and she said it is a good food but she thinks that it is too rich for lots of dogs and can cause diarrhea. SO whats a person to do? My vet says that having some grain is not bad for them and actually ok to do which seems to be opposite of what the other school of thought is. I just don’t know the right thing to do for my little guy. Please help!

[anonymously]

Newman’s Own Organics canned turkey (95%) is a decent topper, imo.
I use Nutrisca salmon and chickpea dry food as a base, it seems to agree the best for my dog with allergies and a sensitive stomach (she is 1/2 shih-tzu), the others like it too.
I also use Nutrisca canned foods, 4 years now, no problems.
Check out chewy.com for prices and delivery.

Homemade and tips, see general guidelines http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

[Heather V]

This is the first time I have EVER visited a site while researching information for my gang and encountered people as amazing as all of you. I was so overwhelmed with the kindness shown to first time dog owners, or perhaps first time having an issue. I use natural “everything” as much as I can and I’m constantly researching. Some of the rude, condescending and down right brutal responses I have witnessed from those believing they wrote the holy grail on dogs simply because their “bitch” had a few litters. You know the type..large asses, wearing men’s jeans, flannel shirts , muck boots…to the grocery store. Those manless heifers would do well to remember that at some point they also had their First dog. You guys are to truly be commended for sharing your experiences with others in such a respectful manner. Thankfully I gleaned a lot of information regarding my Blue Nose and her hairless back.She is my first female (bitch)ever. A week before her spay appointment my (bastard) male lol, got her right through the damn crate !!! Between serious food allergies and a liter of beautiful puppies I was at my wits end. Thankfully things seem to be turning around, thanks in part to posts on this forum

[Frances W]

I just purchased Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix, Grain Free and Poultry Free. It says the #1 Ingredient is natural salmon. I didn’t find this particular food in the reviews. It will work well for us as one of our dogs is allergic to poultry, but want to verify that I can generalize from the C&P Ultramix reviews in terms of its quality. Has anyone used this?

[Susan]

Hi Elena, if the Metronidazole helped then ask vet about Tylan Powder, it has less side effect & is suppose to have no side effects like Metronidazole has, Patches vet wanted Patch on low dose of Metronidazole for 6 months but he started acting weird & real paranoid after takin the Metronidazole for 1 month, so I tried the Tylan Powder 1/4 teaspoon once a day, you put 1/4 teaspoon in empty capsules & give with Dinner every night once a day, the Tylan Powder taste awful, so make sure you put in empty capsule, can turn them off meal… In America you once could buy the Tylan Powder over the counter from Pet Shops but I’ve read you now need a script from vet…
Join this Face Book group called “Dogs With Inflammatory Bowel Disorder”
someone on that site may know where to buy the Tylan Powder online, I live Australia & we need a script….also there’s a few dogs with Food Allergies & Food Intolerances….Have a look at IAMS Vet Formula Skin & Coat Plus Response KO, it’s just Kangaroo & Oat flour & Beet Pulp that makes poos firm, fat is 12% & no other ingredients to irritate the bowel…. https://www.iams.com/dog-food/veterinary-formula-dog-food-skin-coat-health-ko

I feed boiled chicken breast & boiled potatoes, broccoli & zucchini & add a small tin of salmon or make a big batch & buy the big tins of Salmon…. I don’t mix any kibble with the cooked meals, I feed 4 small meals a day, I give cooked for breakfast & dinner & kibble for lunch & a late dinner this way its not expensive feeding the cooked meals & the weight stays on… I feed a Fish & Rice kibble with no other ingredients…..

Boiled rice can irritate the bowel, my boy can not eat boiled rice, but he can eat kibbles with rice that’s been grounded up….

Can you find a kibble that is just turkey & rice or chicken & rice or lamb & rice where the fat is around 10-12% no higher?? fat can cause diarrhea….
Have you tried the “California Natural” Lamb & Rice it has just 4 ingredients, Lamb, brown rice, rice & sunflower oil, I don’t know if C/N is money back guaranteed, if it doesn’t work you can get money back, some kibbles are only guaranteed if the dog doesn’t eat the kibble, so Patch has not liked a few kibbles lol, the Pet Shops know Patch and are very good when we have returned kibbles, they didn’t mind….it becomes expensive when they cant eat a kibble….
A few dogs with IBD & Food Sensitivities are doing really well on the California Natural kibble, stay away from kibbles that have peas, barley, chick peas, lentils, too many ingredients, only limited ingredients with just 1 protein & 1 carb like the California Natural has… http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products/1181

You may need to see a specialist that specialises in IBD/food intolerances, my boy had an Endoscope & Biopsies done, then was put on Vet Diet “Eukanuba Intestinal” low Residue kibble, its just Chicken, rice & corn, that was the only vet diet that worked for him, he had to stay on the Eukanuba for 6-12 months to let his bowel heal, (he was a rescue) then the next 1-2 years I tried every kibble & found the only kibbles that work were kibbles with just 1 protein & 1 carb, no peas, gave bad wind pain & farts, kibbles with potatoes/sweet potatoes gave him diarrhea but he can eat cooked fresh potatoes & fresh sweet potatoes, so the potatoes in the kibbles mustn’t be fresh & green or rotten potatoes,thats why I like rice….
You will work it out hopefully but try & not let Penny have diarrhea too much, it will cause thickening of the bowel lining as she gets older…..ask vet about the Tylan Powder or try & buy it online, poos are firm the next day….as long as she isn’t eating something she is sensitive too..

[anonymously]

I was wondering how your dog is doing this morning, I was concerned about what you said about his breathing and lethargy “breathing very heavily”
I hope you were able to reach someone covering for his vet, if he hasn’t improved.

Side effects:
“Cephalexin is a very safe and effective antibiotic to treat bacterial infections. The side effects are rare and include loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, are rare. Allergic reactions such as itching, rash and difficulty breathing may occur. Side effects in dogs may also include drooling, rapid breathing and excitability. Fever and vomiting are additional side effects that may occur in cats”.

[Babi S]

Our Lhasa poo has allergies. What food is best for her. Wet and dry.
Any advise is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!

[anonymously]

excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
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 than in itching problems.

I assume you have checked via the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/

My dog was tested for environmental allergies by a dermatologist and has responded well to allergen-specific immunotherapy. We didn’t do the blood test for food allergies. As food sensitivities tend to fluctuate anyway.
I would never consider any mail-in saliva or hair test. Most people complain that their dog tests positive for everything!

The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

[Naturella]

Hey, all! It’s been a while! I’ve been in and out every once in a while, but mostly been busy with work and being offline while not at work.

Well, all is good, except the day has come that I believe my non-picky, will-eat-anything, didn’t-used-to-be-allergic-to-anything dog may have developed some allergies.

Over the course of 6+(ish) months I have noticed that he has been extremely itchy while on the following foods:

Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural
Wellness Core Original
Castor and Pollux Organix GF

Somewhat itchy on:
Solid Gold Winged Tiger Quail and Pumpkin Cat Food

And had 2 days of diarrhea after consuming 1/2 of a cherry tomato.

Common denominators:
chicken/poultry
potatoes
tomato pomace (in 2 of the foods)

Naturally, I believe Bruno has developed some sort of an allergy to the above 3 items, so after I had had enough of watching him scratch himself hairless, I ran into my favorite store and explained the situation, and left with a bag of Zignature Trout and Salmon to try and heal my pup.

Now, I am somewhat familiar with elimination, and I have never noticed excessive itchiness when I have given Bruno raw or dehydrated chicken bits, so I am not even sure it is the chicken/poultry that is the problem and I may need to just give him a break and feed the plain fish Zignature for a bit to see if the itching clears up (I also plan to equip him with Dr. Wysong’s sensitive skin shampoo), but I would love to be able to feed my usual toppers to kibble, which include raw egg, various canned foods which some do have chicken or other poultry, coconut oil, yoghurt, and other dehydrated additives (whatever’s on sale really). I was told to eliminate all additives (besides lukewarm water and limited coconut oil) for 2 weeks to see if there is an improvement. I will do it and see how it goes, and hppefully I will be able to return to the usual or somewhat modified toppers, and if any of you has an idea or a suggestion, I am very open to hearing it. 🙂

[El]

Here are some of the side effects from the active ingredient in these chews (chlorhexidine gluconate) in humans.

“Applies to chlorhexidine topical: compounding liquid, mucous membrane insert, mucous membrane liquid, topical dressing, topical liquid, topical pad, topical soap, topical solution, topical sponge

Gastrointestinal

In clinical trials, 56% of chlorhexidine oral rinse users had a measurable increase in staining of teeth, and 15% experienced heavy staining. Stains may generally be removed by conventional professional prophylactic techniques. Staining of rough areas may be permanent. Stains are general dark brown to blackish.

Staining will be more pronounced in the presence of heavier accumulations of unremoved plaque.

Staining due to chlorhexidine may be due to the interaction with dietary compounds such as coffee and tea.[Ref]

Gastrointestinal side effects have been reported the most frequently with chlorhexidine oral rinses. These have included staining of teeth and tongue, increased calculus formation, alteration of taste perception, bitter taste, burning, numbness, dryness, and soreness. Aphthous ulcer, grossly obvious gingivitis, trauma, ulceration, erythema, desquamation, coated tongue, keratinization, geographic tongue, mucocele, and short frenum have been reported rarely with chlorhexidine oral rinses. Gastrointestinal side effects associated with chlorhexidine oral rinses without oral hygiene measures have included increased gingival bleeding after gentle massage.

Parotid gland swelling has been reported rarely.

Gastrointestinal side effects associated with chlorhexidine cleanser have included a single case report of acute gastritis.

Gastrointestinal side effects associated with chlorhexidine cleanser enema have included a single case report of acute colitis.

Gastrointestinal side effects associated with the periodontal chip have included transient toothache (50.7% vs 41.4% placebo), including dental, gingival, or oral pain, tenderness, aching, throbbing, soreness, discomfort, and sensitivity.[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity reactions to chlorhexidine have included allergic contact dermatitis, pruritus, vesicle formation, urticaria, dyspnea, and anaphylactic shock.[Ref]

Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported after the use of products containing chlorhexidine as a preservative or devices coated with chlorhexidine, including allergic contact balanitis and anaphylactic shock.

Patch testing using chlorhexidine has revealed positive reactions in more than 2% of patients tested. In eczema patients, the rate may be as high as 5%.[Ref]

Ocular

Exposure of the eye to chlorhexidine cleanser, generally during preparation for facial surgery, has resulted in eye pain, edema of the epithelium, keratitis, inflammation of the conjunctiva, corneal epithelial cell loss, chronic corneal ulcers, and opacification. Corneal transplantation to correct permanent damage has been required in some patients.

Allergic conjunctivitis is rarely associated with the use of contact lens solutions which contain low concentrations of chlorhexidine as a preservative.[Ref]

Ocular side effects associated with chlorhexidine cleanser have included ocular toxicity.

Ocular side effects associated with chlorhexidine containing contact lens solutions have rarely included allergic conjunctivitis.[Ref]

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included cases of sensorineural deafness following direct instillation of chlorhexidine into the middle ear.

Nervous system side effects associated with insertion of the periodontal chip have included headache (27.1% vs 27.5% with placebo chip)

[Kim E]

I bought the salmon and chickpea for my 6 month old puppy. I was feeding him natural balance kangaroo and sweet potato due to his skin allergies. The NB dog food stopped his itching with in 3 days! Great right? But what’s not is the $22 for 4 lb. It lasted him about a 1 week and a half to 2 weeks if I remember correctly. The size were about half an inch in diameter for “puppies to adult”. I went to visit my parents who live town with no petco and ran out of NB. I went to heb and saw grain free heritage ranch 6lb bag for 8$ I was a little skeptical. But I thought worse case scenario I just pick up a bag of NB when I’m near a petco (which is what I was already planning on doing. Gave my pup a cup and he started eating right way. They are 1/4th the size of NB food, which I feel like is way more suitable for a puppy. It seems to be working for his allergies as he is not scratching or biting his feet constantly. So for me this is great because it’s less than half the price f NB, I get more product, and my dog loves it. I will add that I tried the HR with lamb and brown rice which is soy/wheat and corn free. This does cause my puppy to scratch against the carpet for about 1-5 minutes after eating. I believe this is because this formula does contain grain. We will be sticking to HR salmon and chickpea but if your dog isn’t alergic to grain I’m sure the lamb formula would be just fine

[Natalie R]

InkedMarie: thanks! We are trying to transition her (we have some fish to add once per week, and we recently added the egg), but since she’s still having problems with basic bones and pollen allergies, we’re being slow with the transition. We will probably introduce the fish in a few days, and we have some turkey for tonight. She had allergies when we introduced it at thanksgiving, and we wanted to wait for them to subside before we tried again in case it was actually a reaction to turkey or we would have continued sooner. Still, I hadn’t seen any recommendations for just HOW many kinds of meat should be in rotation, so that is very useful! Thank you very much!

DogFoodie: thank you! It’s always good to have reassurance.

[anonymously]

Did you check the search engine here? I do not agree with all of the opinions expressed. /forums/search/allergies/

Do not put anything on it, it will only make it worse.
Assuming your dog is in good health and has seen the regular vet recently.
The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.

Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
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 than in itching problems.

PS: If you wait, it may get really bad, keep an eye on the chest area for a bright red rash developing. When this happened to my dog I had to go to the emergency veterinary clinic. They usually prescribe steroids to stop the suffering and to temporarily get the situation under control. The Dr there reprimanded me for putting witch hazel on the rash. There are prescription creams that a dermatologist will prescribe that help, but usually only in conjunction with other treatments.

[Susan]

Hi Howard, did she take Metronidazole (Flagyl)? its an antibiotic for the stomach & bowel, also smell her breath does it smell & what of?? that’s how I know what’s happening with my boy when I smell his breath, when my boy starts doing the yellow mushy poos I have a few scripts of Metronidazole the vet has given me & I put Patch on the Metronidazole with food for 10 days & change diet, also I cook potatoes instead of rice, boiled rice can irritate the bowel…. Australian vets are using boiled potatoes now instead or the old fashion boiled rice..
When Patch has had the gurgling pinning bowel noises it was either from the boiled rice or an ingredient he was sensitive too, then over the years I found he has food sensitives…. He has had Pancreatitis when I first rescued him, vet put him on a vet diet for his skin allergies & the fat was toooo high at 19%…..now I cook chicken breast, potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, sweet potatoes, it depends some days I add Kangaroo rissoles some days or I add salmon in spring water drained, I put it all thru a blender for a few seconds….
I cant get The Honest Kitchen in Australia if I could I’d be feeding Patch the “Zeal” the fat is only 8.50% its low in carbs & limited ingredients & fish as protein so easy to digest, for the days I’m lazy…..http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal

I wouldn’t be feeding a raw diet with those symptoms, or if you do want to feed a raw diet, I went thru a Naturopath cause Patch was diagnosed with IBD & needs low fat diet & has Skin Allergies the raw worked for his skin but not his stomach (IBD) he kept regurgitating & burping up the raw Kangaroo & blended raw veggies but when I bake the kangaroo into rissoles & boil the same veggies, he’s OK, so I cook instead now & freeze meals…..

Sounds like you just haven’t found the right diet yet or she may do what happens with Patch, he needs his foods changed every month when I feed kibbles or he starts reacting to an ingredient, I posted a link about this I’ll try & find it, he cant stay on the same kibble too long he starts doing yellow sloppy poos….
Go supermarket get a couple brown potatoes, 1 small sweet potatoes, 1 zucchini & a small broccoli head, peel boil & put in containers in the fridge also maybe change the chicken to turkey or try the chicken & potato & see if there’s any gurgling pinning bowel noises & yellow mushy poo, if its still making loud noises change the protein, no chicken…maybe at first just do the chicken & potato & see if there’s improvement in stools, if there is then add some zucchini wait 2 days look at poos if poos are firm then add broccoli or whatever you want to add, then after a couple of weeks start adding some tin salmon in spring water drained to get all the healthy omegas & vitamins from the salmon, I add 1/2 a small tin per meal but you could make a few meals for a couple of days having a smaller dog… if you do see vet ask for a script for some Metronidazole its good have in cupboard when this happens, she may have too much bad bacteria in the stomach/bowel (S.I.B.O) & needs the metronidazole to fix everything up again….

[jewel0247]

Hi,
My 12 yr old dog is hospitalized with pancreatitis (on fluids, bowel rest)… She also has elevated liver enzymes. Before getting sick, she was fed darwins in the morning with coconut oil and natures variety instinct in the evening with probiotic. She was doing great with her skin and allergies…

I want to modify her diet to less fat… Any suggestions? Cancelled darwins and was thinking either honest kitchen preference (add ground turkey) or natures variety instinct rabbit. She’s very picky..

Should I start her on milk thistle or sam-e?

Thank you for your time

[Thaylia S]

Good evening, Mike!

Please consider adding Nature’s Logic to your list of Editor’s Choice foods. I have a 12-year-old female Samoyed who has had problems with food allergies for the past several years, and when I changed her food to Nature’s Logic at the suggestion of the good folks at our local holistic pet food store, Brookside Barkery and Bath, in Kansas City, MO, her skin has cleared up beautifully!

I feed both the canned and dry formulas to my two babies, and they love it! It is a little pricy, but so worth it in my opinion. As I tell my friends who say they would NEVER pay more than $XX for a bag of dog food, I would rather pay up front for the best nutrition I can find for my critters than pay later at the vet!

Thank you for your consideration of my suggestion for your list. 🙂

[Susan H]

It sure sounds like she has food allergies. I, personally, would try feeding plain old chicken and rice for a while, then consult the list and start on a raw product or any limited ingredient (/?s=limited+ingredient+dog+foods) food. I like the raw because of the lack of additives.

My old (16, 13 and 11 yrs) dogs are getting a combo of Orijen freeze dried, Natures Variety raw and green tripe. We had some skin and coat problems and this seems to be clearing it up. It'[s not an inexpensive way to go, but neither were all the vet bills.

[Susan]

Hi Boo, stop feeding the can wet food, I was feeding a wet can food & my boy started to scratch & shake his head, I was feeding the wet tin food of a morning & his kibble for dinner, since I’ve stopped the wet tin food no more scratching, I started a elimination cooked diet for breakfast, I knew his kibble wasn’t making him scratch its Fish & Rice kibble, he cant eat the grain free kibbles tooo many starchy carbs, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca, Carrots, Peas, etc, with his new elimination diet when I added carrots he started to scratch again & shake head (ears)….you need to work out is it from food or environment allergies??
Be careful with the apple cider vinegar & lemon juice that will dry out the skin & make the itch/rash worse, also bath in Malaseb Medicated shampoo every 5-7 days when rash is bad bath time…..I apply Hydrocortisone 1% cream on my boy red paws & under his mouth when if real red & itchy… you can buy the Hydrocortisone cream over the counter at the chemist, thinly apply the cream of a night at bed time & thru the day if needed… or try the Sudocrem its in the baby section, its for eczema, dermatitis, nappy rash etc….

[anonymously]

Did you check the search engine here? I do not agree with all of the opinions expressed. /forums/search/allergies/

Do not put anything on it, it will only make it worse.
Assuming your dog is in good health and has seen the regular vet recently.
The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.

Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
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 than in itching problems.

PS: If you wait, it may get really bad, keep an eye on the chest area for a bright red rash developing. When this happened to my dog I had to go to the emergency veterinary clinic. They usually prescribe steroids to stop the suffering and to temporarily get the situation under control. The Dr there reprimanded me for putting witch hazel on the rash. There are prescription creams that a dermatologist will prescribe that help, but usually only in conjunction with other treatments.

[Dori]

Kevin R. One of my girls, a Maltipoo, was riddled with food intolerances, sensitive and allergies and also environmental issues. Her dermatologist/allergist here in Atlanta, Ga. at Blue Pearl Georgia Veterinary Specialists suggested that I not do that particular testing nor the skin testing and shots. He told me it would be a very long process and the duration of the injections would probably be long term as she was such a mess. He advised me that the very best way to deal with her situation was to attempt to either do an illumination diet or try to figure out and eliminate ingredients in her diet and also to remove all, or as many, toxins in the home environment. I no longer burn candles, no air freshener sprays, no plug ins. I switched to natural type cleaners. Never ever any type of carpet freshening powders that are then vacuumed up. Hardwood floors are cleaned with a solution of vinegar and water. I also wipe her paws (all three dogs actually) when she comes in from out in the yard. I switched to a landscaping company that only uses organic products. I removed all the lawn in our patio/back area where they play and potty to stone, gravel and flower gardens….annuals and perennials. Just early on this year I had two types of testing done solely out of curiosity on my part because I had spent years “fixing” her issues to see what they would come up with. I did the Nutriscan Saliva test by Dr. Jean Dodds first and I believe the cost was around $250.00. If memory serves me that tests for 20 items. Though the test was informative as it did have things that I had already eliminated from her diet I did find that the test showed that she was sensitive to one of the few foods she actually does very well on. I then heard about a test called Glacier Peak Holistics on an allergy group I’m on. That tests for 200 including food and environment which cost $85.00. It is a food and saliva test. I that test was spot on for every single thing that through the years I had eliminated from her diet. The food that she does well on was not something that came up as a sensitivity on that test. It did come up with with food ingredient that I was not aware of and that was cucumbers. From time to time Katie would itch, not a lot but it was there. Turns out that they must have coincided with times that I shared cucumbers with the girls. I eliminated the cucumbers and she’s never scratched again. I feed all three of my dogs commercial raw frozen diets rotating brands and proteins with the exceptions of the ones that Katie cannot tolerate. For treats they get fresh fruits and veggies. I’ve been feeding them this way for a little over 4 1/2 years. Switching to the raw frozen was how I was able to eliminate her food issues as it was the quickest way to eliminate soy, grains, all fowl, corn, white potatoes, tomatoes, white rice, all night shade plant ingredients which are all pro inflammatory. I got Katie at the age of 9 weeks old and at that early age she was an allergy sensitive mess. It took me two years to go through the elimination process with her. She is now 6 1/2 years old and a happy camper. Quite comfortable and happy in her own skin. I continue to wipe all three toy dogs privates and paws with warm clean wash cloths. I should mention that I also have a “no shoes” policy in our home. No one, including repairmen, etc. enters our home with shoes on. It would defeat all I’m doing by dragging in environmental stuff that’s on the bottom of their shoes. Everyone is perfectly happy to go along with my wishes and as a matter of fact through the years more and more people that I know have gone with the “no shoes” in the house policy. I also purchased one of those iRobot Roombas that is programmed to go on daily and then I do a deep in the wall vacuuming once a week. It sounds like a lot but when it all comes together it’s all really easy and has changed her and our lives around.

Edit: I will add that there are some people that do not believe in the allergy tests that I have had done on Katie nor their efficacy. All I can say is that they really were spot on with Katie’s issues. Both companies will send you the kits that you need to do the testing with detailed instructions, you send everything back to them and typically in a week or so you’ll get an email with the results. You can then call them and they will go over the results in detail with you.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Dori.

[Kevin R]

Hi Dori, thanks for the advice. I have a Westie. She’s not that close to the ground, but I wondered about this as well. Being a Westie, she has her share of allergies and it sounds like this could be the cause. I don’t know though. I may try the washcloth like you mentioned. I’ve been using the baby wipes, but like you say, they don’t appear to be as effective as one would like. Thanks again.

On another note, does anyone else have any other opinions on the intradermal allergy testing? Anyone currently doing immunotherapy and having success? Thanks.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Kevin,

I have a Cavalier that has had vaginitis, the result of a recessed vulva as well. She doesn’t have any allergies or food sensitivities at all. I’m lucky with her – she’s my easy dog. Her infection was treated with antibiotics and Mal-A-Ket wipes.

Did your vet first rule out a bladder infection or urinary crystals?

[anonymously]

I never had any blood tests (to identify allergies) done on my dog, just the skin testing by a dermatologist.
The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.
Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
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 than in itching problems.

PS: A lot depends on the expertise of the specialist to get the solution right, regarding allergen specific immunotherapy. Even when it is effective, sometimes the solution has to be tweaked from time to time. And it can take a year or so to see dramatic results. In my dog’s case I saw improvement right away, however, they still have flare-ups…

[anonymously]

Allergies usually require lifelong treatment. They don’t just go away. From what I know and have read, environmental allergies could cause the symptoms you describe. The same way they can cause inflammation, pruritus, ear infections, etc.

I did the same thing with my dog with allergies, she was doing so well that I was able to decrease her allergy treatments. She was fine for a few months but recently had a flare-up. So, we are back to the beginning. Luckily she responds to immunotherapy and is doing well. We only see the specialist once a year, otherwise, he returns phone calls.

PS: Lesson learned, going forward I will be more cautious about making changes in any regimen that is working for her.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by anonymously.

[Kevin R]

It is. So can environmental allergies cause this issue? She used to be on Atopica and I’ve taken her off of it. So far, she’s been doing pretty good. Still a little itchy, but not near as bad as she was before going on Atopica.

[anonymously]

Is this the dog you posted about before? The one with allergies?
“She is a very allergic dog”
If so, the same advice applies. I would see a specialist. Her problems could be related to her environmental allergies (or some other medical issue) and have nothing to do with the food.

[Jenn H]

Pitlove you are absolutely correct. Every dog is different. My point was that when weeding out the protein sources as possible allergies chicken is a good place to start, then beef, then the next most common meat….
It would be nice, easy and convenient if all dogs could eat the exact same things.

[Susan]

Hi Natasha, how old is your pup? & have you wormed her? My boy was eating the Wellness White Fish & Sweet potatoes Complete Health kibble, about 2 months ago, he was doing OK poos when I started introducing the Wellness White fish & Sweet potatoes kibble & mixing it with vet diet kibble…. I use a vet diet kibble that he does good on, to fall back on when something goes wrong with his poos……He suffers with IBD food intolerances & skin allergies….. after 1-2 weeks eating the Wellness kibble, he started farting, having bad gas pain & doing sloppy yellow poos, so I wormed him with Milbemax an all wormer cause he was due to be wormed & I changed his kibble back to his vet diet kibble & started cooking & freezing & feeding a cooked meal for breakfast, Chicken breast, potato, broccoli, sweet potatoes & zucchini, but at first I just feed chicken & potatoes to see his poos stayed firm & they did then I added 1 new veggie per week, only if his poo was firm….
I’d worm your pup if she is due soon to be wormed & change her food, try a different brand a limited ingredient kibble like “California Natural” Lamb & Brown Rice Puppy it has only 5 ingredients, the Wellness brands have tooo many ingredients to pin point which ingredient is doing this if it is an food sensitivity, if after trying another limited ingredient food & the poos are still yellow go & see a vet, she may need some “Metronidazole” antibiotic for the stomach & bowel….
Here’s California Natural site it has better ingredients then the American Vet Diets have, its good to have a food that you know they do well on so if you have to you have a kibble or wet tin food you can feed quickly if needed… In Australia our vet diets have better ingredients, its probably our strict custom laws…. http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products
Or you could try “Daves Pet Food” if you don’t want to cook Chicken, he has Delicate Chicken & Rice that puppys can eat…. look at the ingredients to the Puppy kibble it has too many ingredient like the Wellness… http://davespetfood.com/product/daves-delicate-dinner-canned-dog-food/

[HammockLover]

I just adopted a second dog yesterday and the shelter switched over to this food (they used to use Science Diet). I got really excited at the prospect of saving some money and the convenience of getting it at the grocery store (currently I use Merrick Grain Free) so the first thing I did was come on here to see if it was reviewed.

While it isn’t reviewed, I just got done going through the ingredient list to at least see which ones are controversial and thought I should share here:

***I couldn’t find info on the following ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Manganous Oxide, L-Carnitine***

Spray Dried Egg Product – Cheap protein filler, a by-product remaining after making liquid eggs for humans.

Tomato Pomace – Cheap fiber filler, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex – A controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.

The last one is what concerns me, so I plan on sticking with Merrick. I apologize if I missed any, this was just me looking at about 15 dog food reviews here and cross referencing the ingredients.

[Rebecca S]

Some of the common allergic symptoms seen in dogs are Chronic ear inflammation, Itching, Paw biting, Obsessive licking etc. There are certain meats and grains that might likely to cause your dog with allergy. These food items are pork, rabbit, beef, chicken, fish, egg soy and corn. Consult some good doctor or follow the below link. Like animals human do get allergic of some food. Check out few below healthy recipes for better health.
http://www.yellowpages.com/weston-fl/mip/moon-thai-japanese-inc-4618031

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Rebecca S.

[Katie D]

@Xavier G
We had a Weimaraner with the same symptoms. She had a lot of different allergies. I mean her vet records were like a novel and we were advised by many vets to give her a Benadryl daily for them. You can try going without it in certain seasons and see if it’s possibly just seasonal but it really helped Abby.

[Rebecca M]

Thanks! Regular dental cleaning his entire life and brushing. Vet thinks it is a genetic thing. I have though about allergies, but the other pap also had loose stools. Maybe I moved to canned too quickly.

[zcRiley]

I dog sat a 10 yr old with half missing/bad teeth. I put the kibble into our Ninja blender & pulsed it to a chunky powder. No water needed, easy to eat. Is your Pap’s mouth in pain? Dental cleaning helpful? C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste nightly does wonders. Also check for allergies/diseases for the diarrhea, it may not be the wet food causing it.

[Taylor S]

Hello Guys,
Our dog suffered from severe skin issues, primarily rashes under our boxer’s armpits and his belly. I was so fed up with stuff that did not work both from the web and our vets I read extensively on the benefits of SCFA’s and probiotics for helping dog’s allergies. A research journal lead me to a particular flax seed developed by a farming co-op that grows a specific flax seed for dogs. There website included canine products with their flax. I used the VitaHound product that includes enzymes and probiotics with the flax, and it worked, no more rash and no more itching. So great to see someone advocating for this type of approach, keep posting on the benefits of SFCA’s and probiotics, the vet profession needs to help their patience use these compounds to help their suffering dogs and not have to figure it out on their own. I look forward to visiting your site keep up spreading the word.

[Tiffany B]

Can anyone recommend a chicken-free food for a large breed puppy?

My Dogue De Bordeaux appears to be allergic to chicken. I’ve tried several different large breed puppy foods, and she throws up all of the chicken based ones. Right now I’ve got her on Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy because it’s the only large breed puppy food I’ve found that’s based on lamb. However, she doesn’t seem to like it and will only eat it if I mix in some FreshPet roll. She also seems to scratch a lot, so I don’t think it’s agreeing with her skin. (Not to mention she’s been having a lot of gas. . . .)

All the other large breed puppy foods I’ve found are chicken based. I’m open to putting her on an adult or all life stages food since there are more chicken-free options, but most of them don’t provide the calcium and phosphorous info.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Tiffany

[alberta H]

Hi Sharon… we have a 14 year old moxie who was having the same problems …. and a lot more. We had our regular vet do an allergy blood test and that did show what she is allergic to food wise. Found out we have been feeding her food she was horribly allergic to and have since changed. But, we still have to give our gal 1/2 a benedryl during certain times of the year when she starts sneezing and reverse sneezing. This helps. The problem with possible food allergies is huge though. Many homemade dog foods have rice or corn and in our pups case she was extremely extremely allergic to both those things. Because of this the vet tried 3 different dog foods (one was this dyrolized dog food and it almost killed her ..literally). So for right now, she is actually on a dog food with rice AND corn and doing fine. We were told that sometimes even with allergies a dog can handle certain foods. So it is very confusing. In our case though we wound up going to a holistic veterinarian. Because our doxie has a history of pancreatitis many of the things she is NOT allergic to (test showed she is not allergic to pork) she can’t have because of the fat content. But she is getting a holistic concoction that has been keeping her pancreas soothed and working well now and she is oddly on a food she should be allergic to but is not. If she can’t handle this dog food she is on now our holistic vet has some other recommendations we will try but for now she is doing fantastic. We believe this is because of this holistic vet (she is a “real” vet who has been to school for other things and believes in more than the standard veterinarian ways. She actually saved her life after the hydrolized dog food almost killed her (from the other vet).. So perhaps getting with your vet about 1/2 a benedryl? then a allergy test? Great luck though… our doxies are special !!!

[anonymously]

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies. If I were you, I would consult a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist or dermatologist. Diet/food may not have much to do with his symptoms.
At age 16, I would let the dog (if it was mine) eat whatever he wants, in moderation.

PS: Check out the search engine here at this site, lots of info.
I assume your pet has had a senior workup, if not, that might be a good place to start. The veterinarian may be able to prescribe medications (depending on the results of the exam) that will keep your dog comfortable.

[zcRiley]

Zignature Zssentials is a budget friendly food that worked for all of my AmStaffs’ ailments for a year now. Nothing else was working due to their allergies, diarrhea, dandruff etc. It’s their main entre but I rotate their side dishes of dry & canned for nutrient variety. Read the ingredients on Chewy.com. They offer free fast delivery. Also, Aroma Paws Honeysuckle Jasmine all natural shampoo is specifically for dry skin & dandruff. I bathe once every 2 weeks.

[Susan]

Hi Allison, the black spots are yeast, a lot of people think grain free kibbles are the best, but they’re not, most of these grain free kibbles are higher in starchy ingredients like Potatoes, peas, tapioca, chick peas, lentils, etc… I’ve found that kibbles with Sweet Potato & Barley with no peas or Sweet Potatoes & Quinoa with no peas or another grain works better then these grain free kibbles with starchy potatoes, starchy peas, starchy tapioca, chick peas etc….

It’s very rare for dogs to be allergic to a protein…..Grains, Starchy veggies yes they’ll get itchy, smelly skin, red paws, itchy smelly ears, etc, you wrote “we tried different kibbles in the past” were they all grain free?? with starchy veggies ?? you changed the protein but did you change the ingredients?

Wash dog in Malaseb medicated shampoo weekly until the scratching goes & the black spot start to go away..Malaseb is an anti-bacteria shampoo….a dog probiotic will also heap strengthen the good bacteria in the gut & make the immune stronger to fight off any yeast over growth..
Try & feed something else besides kibble, “The Honest Kitchen” Zeal is low in carbs…. or the Honest Kitchen has their Base Mixes & you add your own meat… http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal
K-9Natural Freeze Dried is also very low in carbs… Ziwi Peak another excellent Wet tin or air dried food your dogs will love Ziwi Peak its expensive but worth it.. http://www.ziwipeak.com/
there’s a heap of really good foods around instead of kibbles…. Kibbles need the carbs to bind the kibble….