[Cheryl B]

I find that my highly allergic to all things chicken dog has been able to handle chicken fat, as chicken fat does not contain the same allergen as chicken proteins (including eggs). I am a huge fan of Natures Logic. Hard to find in retail stores- I order from Chewy. It was recommended to me 3 years ago and has been a lifesaver.

[Patricia A]

Jake first off make sure your Goldie has no flea dirt on him. Just pull a fine comb through fur and shake on white paper. You’ll see little black specks that rehydrate in a bit of water turning red with the blood. Fleas can live year round I think. For allergies make sure there is nothing in your home causing the paw and eye itching. Maybe scented carpet cleaner, those scented plug ins or even scented detergent you wash where she beds.
Make sure you wash off all her paws thoroughly when coming in from walks or in your backyard so he doesn’t scratch at face with paws full of pollen etc. You can try the change in diet without going hydrolyzed . Maybe SLOWLY, SLOWLY as not to cause more problems with stomach upset, switching to a food with a novel protein. I use Stella Chewy’s. If you look at their f/b page many positive comments. I also use Primal freeze dried as toppers.
Here is many products that you can look through for the ones that people said worked and see which one fits for your dogs symptoms .
Hope this helps.

[Jake G]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum but I really wanted to reach out to see if I could get some good advice. My 5 year old Golden has battled allergies since he was a pup. He also had puppy strangles so I do know if that had any long lasting effects or if the allergies are genetic.

I also used to think it was environmental because he use to do better in the winter. However, the past couple years its been basically year round. So I am thinking it could be food related. He has really dry skin around his eyes and muzzle while also licking his paws with some scratching. He does not have dandruff and no red marks around his stomach or anywhere else. The major areas are around his eyes and muzzle like I mentioned…does this give any indication if it might be food related or environmental?

I give him apoquel here n there but I worry very much about the long term use. Are there any natural allergy relief? I know I read some things about Callogen and Quercetin. Also thinking about putting him on a hydrolized diet but would rather try something else that has more nutritional value.

Any advice, comments or pointing me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jake

[Rachelle B]

My pup Walden just turned 4 recently. For the majority of the first two years of his life, he was on a Nutro chicken food, then a Blue Buffalo duck food. Then he started having issues with acid reflux, throwing up bile almost every single day. The vet recommended Hills I/D, I switched to that, and for almost two years Walden’s issues we’re almost non-existent (bile thrown up once a week at max). Back in November, he had what I believe I’ve researched and understood as an HGE. He suddenly had started to not be able to control his pooping, and was vomiting and pooping everywhere constantly. The vet found inflammation in his intestines in the x-rays and put him on Fortiflora and Metronidazole for I believe 10 days. I’d never had him on the Metronidazole, so I started the Fortiflora and was trying to start the Metro a couple days later over the weekend so I would be home and could see how he reacted to it. Well the next day the presence of blood appeared in the vomit and poop and he was very weak, so I rushed him to the vet immediately and they gave him a shot of penicillin and fluids I believe. He immediately started getting better and I finished up the antibiotics and Fortiflora.

After finally somewhat getting over the fear it was going to happen again, this February I started trying to transition him to a Hill’s Science Diet with chicken and after just a couple days of transitioning, I came home after Walden had been acting normal for days and he’d pooped all over the house again, this time however the blood was immediately there. I knew it had to be the same issue (even though the vet never found out the original issue) so I rushed him back there. They, like me, assumed it was the same issue (although they said the food change triggered it which I say is BS because that didn’t explain November), so rather than hundreds of dollars in the same tests as last time that showed nothing, gave him the same treatment, along with a diet of purely chicken and rice until his poop started firming up. I noticed after a few days his poop was still extremely runny, so instead of waiting, I started moving him back to his normal food. Poops started getting a ton better after less than a day off the rice.

Once he recovered from that, in March I went into overdrive. I’ve got to figure out what’s wrong with my sweet boy. He’d been regurgitating his food every so often and just plain throwing it up a few other times, but otherwise seemed okay. I brought him into my vet (Thursday) before things got to the emergency point this time. I’d done my research beforehand and I was down to a few ideas, with IBD, a food allergy, or an ulcer being the top ideas. The vet agreed and figured the way he’d been acting, especially with his increased issues of throwing up bile (he couldn’t go more than 5 hours without food), that it seemed like an ulcer. She prescribed Sulcralfate and Prilosec, along with weekly vitamin B12 shots for 6 weeks then we could re-evaluate if those should continue or not. Walden got worse quicker than he got better within that next week. To a point that he wasn’t keeping his food down at all and throwing up way too much. I went to my vet clinic Saturday, my normal vet not being there. They said his anal glands looked infected but otherwise he looked fine. I asked if there was anything I could do to help. She suggested the I/D low fat and told me to “go ahead and just put him straight on it, it’s the same thing just lower fat”. Okay I’m no vet but I’m not an idiot, my dog is already extremely sick, I’m not adding an immediate transition to a completely different food (which by the way, did have completely different ingredients) that I don’t even think is going to work. Well they did nothing that day so I figured I’d keep him on his meds and pray he got better. Sunday rolled around and he was looking worse. He didn’t want to jump around like normal, refused to eat, was constantly throwing up, and I couldn’t stand it. I took him to the emergency vet and they did some blood tests and everything looked fairly normal, so I had the choice to have him stay overnight and see a specialist and get an ultrasound in the morning (almost $2k), or they could give him a shot of anti nausea medicine to get him through the night for me to get him into my normal vet the next day. I had already spent $1,500 since November at this point and my savings was almost gone, so I had to go with just the anti-nausea shot. After he had that, he did much better throughout the night, and acted fairly normal the next day. He slowly started to get back to normal but just couldn’t last very long without eating still (feeding routine was 8am, 1pm, 6pm, 11pm).

When he’s gotten the blood tests at the emergency vet, they had noticed some levels that pointed towards the possibility of Addison’s Disease. This in my mind would be awful, but also I knew it was manageable in most dogs and it would finally explain all his problems, especially after he’d acted so much peppier with a shot of cortisone the day before his test. Well, one expensive test later with my vet and unfortunately it came back negative.

My vet then referred me to a digestive specialist because that was really next steps, we’d exhausted a lot of things. The specialist was wonderful, but the options were a vitamin blood test and ultrasound, which was going to be almost $1k. At this point I’d spent my entire savings. And trust me, I’d go into debt if I knew I’d be finding a the answer, but I was so scared another test would go by and still nothing, with what I knew would have to be an endoscopy next, that there’s no way I could afford. The specialist was great and completely understood, and said really the top 2 things she thought it could be (which I agree still to this day) were a food allergy or IBD. We decided to treat it like a food allergy and she gave me Hills Z/D.

Well, great news, I started transitioning Walden to Z/D over the course of 2 weeks (after the HGE incident I wasn’t taking any chances of switching him over too quickly). He started acting better as soon as he started getting that Z/D in his food (even though it was still mixed with his old). I then started checking out the ingredients more in I/D and I presumed that the #1 ingredient of rice and the main protein of chicken were what was the issue more than likely, because I just had a feeling he was very allergic to rice and I’ve always thought he has a slight sensitivity to chicken. A couple days ago he was fully transitioned to Z/D and ever since then he’s been acting much better. No more getting sick throughout the nights, he’s able to lay on his back and not choke on acid reflux coming up, and not to mention he WANTS to eat his food for the first time in at least 2.5 years.

The only problem now is, I started noticing yesterday morning that his poop had a darkish mucus in it. I was worried it may be blood but chaulked it up to my overreacting. Well his second poop that day definitely had a presence of some sort of red mucus in it that looked like blood. It wasn’t much, normal pet parents probably wouldn’t of seen it, but I inspect Walden’s poops very carefully because of his past issues (I’m sure my neighbors are disgusted watching me carefully dig through 2-3 times a day). When I moved it around though, it definitely had more of just a mucus look than redness, just like a normal stomach irritation. He had only a little bit in his last night poop, but the same thing again in his morning poop today.

I plan on talking to my vet again tomorrow about next steps, but I wanted some advice as well. Could this be his anal glands still being infected and causing small bits of blood (and I mean they’re very small, almost unoticeable… And his poops aren’t overly soft to where I would think this was another HGE yet)? Or could this be just because of the transition to his new food and it will more than likely go away? He’s acting completely normal and eating/drinking great or I’d be rushing him off to the emergency vet obviously (I even called them yesterday and they agreed to just keep an eye out for any worsening symptoms for now).

[alberta H]

Have not been able to get the Zignature turkey since about last December. They keep telling me it was because it became so popular they got caught off guard and could not keep up the demand but would soon (that was months ago) this came just after we started seeing discoloration of the turkey pate when opening the can. we told them but all’s they did was send a free case. we have switched to Fromm’s turkey and pumpkin but our girl does not seem to be doing as good as she used to on the Zignature. Has anyone heard what the heck has been going on? our girls has sooo many allergies (can’t eat anything with chunks, and no lamb, no beef, no fish, no milk and no potatoes. So trying to find her a food is so difficult. thanks for anything you might know on all this.

[Maureen R]

Greetings! Thank you so much! After some research I believe my dog hahas allergies as well as DLE. Due to the current situation my vet is not open and only emergent cases are being taken. So I am going to work on treating her naturally with organic food, vitamin e niacinamide and keep an eye on her flaking, runny sometimes inflamed nose. She coughs sometimes sneezes. I live in the Finger Lakes New York and just in the last week her nose has become terribly flaky and bled once. I softly ran a q-tip under the front to see if there was something in there and there was what seems to be a hardened scab that came out. Today I am going to try a 25 mg benydryl to see if she has relief. She has a bit of eye discharge. Nothing from the nose or eye indicates infection for example, no green or yellow or smelly stuff. Wishus luck and thankyou all.

[Melinda M]

My son’s dog now is currently living in a permanent cone of shame.
He keeps scratching this face and paws.
His skin is not pink.
His fur is thick and shiny
His stools normal
His blood work normal
He has been dewormed twice
He has been on antibiotics
He gets allergy shots 2 times a month
He is on Hills Z/D for 2 months.
He is STILL itching.
We cannot afford the 600.00 for allergy tests.
Suggestions?

[Michelle K]

I’m so sorry you are going through this. I dont know if food allergies cause diarrhea or not, you may want to give the vet s call to discuss.
My boy has so many food allergies. We had him tested at the vet. It was a blood test by VARL
They actually give you a list of suggestions for food after they complete the test too.
The one I use now is by blackwood. It’s a catfish blend. He is allergic to chicken, lamb and too many other things to name.
Good luck.

[Kathleen H]

Actually his weight is great! he weighs just under 10lbs. He is technically a mix of a shortie and parsons. He has the long legs like his mother, His dad had the short legs. He was also the runt of the litter. He looks buff. He runs and jumps and plays like a puppy at times. The last vet visit his vet said he and my 12 yr old Border Collie mix are very healthy for their age and look half their age! I have been giving them both CBD pellets made from the entire hemp plant the last 4 yrs which IMO has helped their coat and their old age everything. Back to my JRT Einstein, I walk him every 4 hours. It does seem like the lipoma has been pressing near where he urinates and I have seen his little ” wee, wee” when he is having a bowel movement the past month…I had NEVER seen it ever as he was neutered as soon as he was able years ago. The only difference is the switch of food. I have considered grain-free but having eliminated corn, wheat and soy in the kibble they had been eating did improve both of their coats and my BC mix no longer has skin allergies.I do believe they need a few grains. Im just wondering if the fat content in the food could just be adding to the bulk in his stomach.and he is not digesting it well.It has had no ill effects on my BC mix. As I stated he does relieve himself, both ways every 4 hours when I take them out as does the BC mix. The Vet did say the lipoma might eventually get in the way of him urinating but advised against surgery at his age even several years ago. I absolutely hate the idea of going back to kibble full-time because of the vitamin D that sometimes gets through in almost any brand!. I know I will get backlash from this but I was feeding them Rachel Ray Nutrish Real Chicken and veggies recipe which was a come up from the Beneful they had always eaten as einsteins parents ate it and I just kept him on it after I was able to take him home. When I rescued My BC Mix..he just ate what Einstein ate. I spend more money on my dogs than I do myself! As far as vaccines go…They got whatever was required up until 3 years of age, the distemper/parvo and something else combo. They only get Rabies every 3 years. They did, however, get the distemper booster two years ago. I had a vet when I lived in PA tell me unless my dogs were around other dogs they really did not need that vaccine after the age of 3. Well, when I moved back to NY this vet said she had heard that from a lot of people and talked me into getting that done several years ago. That was only because I have an RV and my dogs are in the woods a lot. I did not get them the Lyme disease shot because I believe that their monthly Advantix II should take care of ticks anyways. I believe less is best! Idk I guess I will just talk to their vet about the food when they go to their wellness exam in about 6 wks.I guess what it really boils down to is at 12 years of age I know my time left with them is less than the time I’ve had with them and my anxiety gets the best of me. Thank you for your response and I am sorry this has been such a long reply!

[alberta H]

Need a pate food without potato… (our girl is allergic to beef, fish, lamb, corn and potato. We were giving her Zignature but their turkey has been backordered for MONTHS> so frustrated and running out of time. most others all have potato or potato starch. any suggestions greatly appreciated. again that is for wet/canned.

[alberta H]

Oh geesh wish someone would do this for the canned dog food… i am desperate. have a dog allergic to beef, fish, lamb, corn, POTATO….. getting seriously frustrated.l (and she cannot eat chunk or dry dog food) so must be canned.

[anonymous]

A Veterinary Dermatologist can do a skin test that will tell you exactly what environmental allergies your dog has.

Food sensitivities tend to fluctuate so the blood test is not accurate even when done by a vet.

The mail order hair/saliva tests are a total scam.

[Teagsmom]

My dog has a food intolerance but went through tests to find out. She licks her paws at times but it has nothing to do with food. I’m not sure how any vet can say for certain that a dog is allergic to something without doing any tests. Regardless, Primal Duck is a great option along with Go! Duck (both are sold on Chewy).

[haleycookie]

How about doing research of your own? Find a low carb food and feed that. You’re dog will be more satiated and loose weight while keeping muscle. Vets usually don’t know much about nutrition unfortunately. The big three are all filled with carbs which will lead to weight gain in most dogs if not careful. As far as allergies go. My lab has seasonal allergies outside so I have to wipe his paws off and his lower belly if he walks in grass while outside. That helps a little but some of those allergies aren’t possible to completely get rid of.

[anonymous]

Regarding allergies, your best bet is to go to a board certified Veterinary Dermatologist (asap) for exam/diagnosis/treatment.

Continue to work closely with your General Practice Vet regarding GI issues.
It’s not the chicken (just my opinion based on my experience with a allergy dog)

This is a good weight management food, run it by your vet https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-weight-management-gold-food-for-dogs

Add water to all dry food, and use wet/canned food when possible.

PS: They (dogs) all act like they are starving, no matter how much you feed them. They are scavengers. Don’t be fooled 🙂

[Michelle D]

I have been through several types of food with my 1.5 year old Beagle. When he was a puppy we had him on Science Diet and then Fromm. He had urinary crystals and was placed on Royal Canin Urinary S/O. He had problems with scratching his face, chewing paws and ear infections. I chose not to use the Apoquel the vet suggested and asked if food could be changed. After neutering him at a year old with the vet’s approval, we took him off the urinary diet and put him on Victor grain inclusive Ocean Whitefish. The itching and ear infections stopped but he gained weight and had gastritis a couple times. He was placed on Science diet canned low fat gastrointestinal and had some paw chewing and face scratching so switched to Pro Plan Sensitive Salmon. The itching, paw chewing occurs when he goes outside sometimes but not nearly as bad as it was. However, he needs to lose weight. He is a 15 inch Beagle and 37 lbs. The vet only wants him to have a cup a day and said I could use green beans. They only like the Big 3 food companies so I am limited on recommendations. Of course he acts like he is starving all the time and has started some bad behaviors in an attempt to steal food. I am searching for a weight management food, but most have chicken. I am not sure if the allergies were to chicken, corn, wheat or soy…they possibly could be environmental also. I have read up on so many foods here and then read reviews with scary stories in the comments sections and just don’t know which way to go. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

[haleycookie]

The only case where a dog should be permanently on a soy based food is if they have EXTREME allergies to every other protein. Which is incredibly rare and will probably be a life long struggle for u and him if that is the case. Diets like the one he’s on are usually given for elimination diets to narrow down ingredients the dog is sensitive to. I’ve have seen ppl who feed chicken based diets and the dogs are horribly allergic to chicken but when switched to a fresh or raw food diet they don’t have the reaction anymore. If you’re interested in adopting the dog I would see if the rescue (or your vet) can refer u to a vet nutritionalist whom can make u up a proper balanced diet using fresh foods that wouldn’t flare up his allergies.

[AntiCorn D]

We have a 4 yo Westie that is plagued by digestive problem: vomiting bile, constant licking, diarrhea, stomach noises. She also has severe allergies here in Florida, possibly lawn care related. She is on a hydrolyzed protein diet which is somewhat helpful and we’ve tried omeprazole with some help. I tried giving her a teaspoon of plain greek yogurt when her stomach growls and gurgles, and often it cures the sounds immediately. H pylori infection hasn’t been ruled out. She did end up with mild pancreatitis one time when she was vomiting a lot, also had some diarrhea; probably just dehydration, but lab work did show elevated pancreatic enzymes. I found this thread while searching for a raw food diet that may help the puppers. I was thinking about starting her on such a diet to see if it would help.

[Michelle K]

Has anyone heard of or tried the “coast and Range” dog food brand? I believe they are based out of Illinois. I have a hard time finding food for my dog because he is allergic to so many things. This brand would be an option… I just dont know anything about them, and they have not been reviewed nt anyone yet!

[anonymous]

First of all the folks at the shelter are not veterinary healthcare professionals. I would ask to speak to the vet that examined the dog and prescribed the therapeutic diet. Your request will probably be denied.

I would then request to take the dog to a vet of my choosing for an examination (you pay). The diet you mentioned is probably a food trial to rule out sensitivities so I would suspect that the dog may be suffering from allergies.

If this is the case the dog will need to be under the care of a veterinary dermatologist for the rest of it’s life.
There is no cure for allergies but there is effective treatment.

And, NO, there is no substitute for prescription dog food, the one you mentioned goes through a special process so that the dog will not respond to any of the ingredients. Hence, the price.

All commercial dog food is subject to cross contamination. If you think the cost of the dog food is too much I would not adopt this dog. Allergies usually require lifelong treatment, they have flareups so it can be expensive.

BTW: There are no veterinary healthcare professionals affiliated with this site. Some of the regulars give dangerous advice involving raw diets and such.

Good luck

[Joel P]

I checked the BBB after reading Pat’s review where Pat said they have to many complaints. The facts are there were 13 complaints. Only one had to do with anything with a pet after consuming Nutra Thrive. One consumer said her dog had an allergic reaction while another said her dogs would not eat it. The other eleven were about shipping , billing and refunds.
Blanket statement and misleading reviews really get on my nerves specially after I check out their claims and find the truth.

[Larry A]

I have 5 pitbull puppies and 2 dachshund mix with allergies. We have tries a variety of food. We now feed them Nulo FreeStyle with not egg or chicken anything and they love it an the allergies are far better. We switch between fish and turkey. The medal version does have chicken that is the main difference also a little less expensive.

[Muttjunky]

Thanks guys for the tips. We have racked our brains for months trying to determine anything at all that could be causing the upper respiratory issues. Nothing comes to mind that has changed. His blankets are washed in “Hypoallergenic” soap, and I also have seasonal allergies myself so we use nothing scented, not even our deodorant or soap. Due to our history of adopting older dogs, we don’t have carpet anymore, we installed tile floors and use throw rugs which are washed often, nothing different since the day he was adopted 4 years ago and this started one year ago. Scoured outside as well looking for anything new, and nothing, but it seems to be steady with Freddie regardless of season. I had hopes that the hard freeze would end his issues, but nothing different. Vet gives him clean report, blood work good, appetite good, just damn post nasal drip and eye discharge…looks like my friend who has a bad case of hayfever in spring, but freddies lasts all year. Thanks again

[anonymous]

@ Muttjunky: “Should I see a dermatologist?”

Allergies don’t always have dermatological symptoms. Please discuss with your General Practice Vet as to which specialist you should be referred to. As he has not responded to the treatment provided so far.

Either dermatology (dermatologists treat allergies), Internal Medicine or a ear, nose and throat specialist.

I assume your General Practice Vet has ruled out medical conditions, done lab work and other diagnostic testing? If not, start there. ASAP

PS: Let him skip meals if he’s not interested. As long as he’s drinking water. Just offer him his meal twice a day, pick up after 10 minutes if not consumed, store in fridg and offer at the next mealtime. If he doesn’t eat solid food times 3 days go to the vet to find out why he has a poor appetite.

[anonymous]

Make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist, asap, for exam/testing and effective treatment options.
Many allergens are airborne and present all year round (indoors/outdoors)
You are wasting your time changing foods over and over again. Meanwhile the dog is suffering (from the symptoms you describe).

Hope this article helps: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2010/06/evidence-based-canine-allergy-treatment/

you can use the search engine there to look up allergies and other topics.
Good luck

[Muttjunky]

So my 10 yo rescue dog Freddie, is so damn picky its frustrating. I need something that fits this category!!

-Chicken free (trying to eliminate chicken as his possible allergen)
-Canned with not a pate texture…he likes chunky or stewy
-Carageenan free is best but negotiable
-I have had Zignature, which looks great on paper but the texture is a big no-go. Royal Canin hydrolyzed is a NO for him too he said last night at dinner.
-Does anyone know the texture of the Merrick Limited Ingredient?

Our issue isn’t digestive, it’s upper respiratory allergies, he has had a constant immune reaction ie: Eye discharge, post nasal drip that of course he swallows, I wish he could just blow his nose! I have changed nothing in the house at all and have had him for 4 years, this started a year ago. Can’t be outdoor allergies as it’s constant is winter, summer, and never better or worse. He’s been to vet, there is no lung involvement and antibiotics had no effect, and she found no evidence of infection. I want to help him so bad.

Any suggestions would be so welcome! Thank you!

-Muttjunky

[anonymous]

Make an appointment with a board certified veterinary dermatologist, asap. The blood test that you paid for is notorious for being inaccurate.
The dermatologist will most likely recommend a prescription (hydrolyzed) food trial. The dog will not react to any of the ingredients. You could ask your general practice vet about it while you wait for the appointment with the dermatologist.

Food sensitivities tend to fluctuate. Environmental allergies are more common and if you are not seeing results from the treatment that your general practice vet has provided, time to see a specialist.

The most accurate testing for allergens (not food) is intradermal skin testing can only be done by a dermatologist.
ASIT (allergen specific immunotherapy) is the treatment for environmental allergies that has the least possibility of side effects, it’s not even a medication. It allows the dog to naturally desensitize from allergens.

I hope the articles you will find at this site and the comments that follow them help: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/10/evidence-update-evidence-based-canine-allergy-treatment/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 11 months ago by anonymous.

[Amanda B]

Hello everyone,

My best friend recently had an allergy test done on her almost two year old Black Mouth Curr, the results came back with 21 allergies. 8 of those allergies are beef, rice, sweet potatoes, kelp, brewers yeast, eggs, venison and corn. We have been searching the internet looking for dog foods that do not contain these and have sadly have had no luck. Her vet was not very much help at all and we’re not sure what to do. She has even considered making her own dog food however most recipes we come across have these ingredients as well.

Any suggestions?

[Lynne C]

hi, after lots of money spent and vet visits, you should know that those blood test kits are bery inaccurate for food allergies. There sre lots and lots of false positives and negatives. The ONLY way to truly identify food allergy is by an elimination diet. This involves either feeding a novel protein source or a hydrolyzed diet like royal canin for 8-13 weeks then intrducing foods one by one, and seeing reactions.
Each new food is tested for 2 weeks.

[Kristiina D]

Hi, i’ve actually noticed the same! We were just discussing her behavioral change, weight gain despite us cutting her feeding dose to half and bad breath. I not sure it is the food but this has been a major change for her. She has severe allergies so food options are limited.

[Walter P]

To extract blood from their host, fleas first “spit” into the place where they are going to bite to dilute the blood enough to suck it into their throats.

The saliva released during this process is what causes most allergic reactions in pets or people.

The allergic reactions, in turn, cause much of the itching leading to skin damage from the scratching.

Thus the bite of even one flea, for a sensitive person or pet, can result in severe skin problems that can last for weeks to months.

This sensitivity can be eliminated by returning the pet to health with holistic approaches.

Some dogs and cats are practically immune to flea bites, but there are others who develop flea allergy dermatitis which causes intense itchiness, pain and swelling etc.

Dog itching remedies

Vitamin E.
Just like it’s excellent for your skin, and help clear up wrinkles, Vitamin E also helps soothe the dog’s itchy skin and make it healthy.

Tea.
You can use chamomile tea and herbal tea.

Put it in a sprayer, then put it in the fridge and let it chill.

Oatmeal for dog itching.
Now you’ve probably heard of this one before, but it is one of the tops, and it works.

Oatmeal will soothe your dog’s itchy skin, so grind it up in a coffee grinder or a blender, and rub it into your dog’s skin.

Source: Natural Remedies To Cure Dog’s Itchy Skin

[Jessica M]

I’m trying to reply to Gregory b so hopefully this isnt just a general reply but anyway I’m confused as to why your vet would say not to use any product that says to consult your vet first. EVERY single supplement and vitamin on earth says to ask your Dr before using it so why would it be different for dogs? The reason youre supposed to check is because every dog and human is different. Just because your dog had an allergic reaction to an ingredient doesnt mean the whole company is a scam. For instance they could be using a simple filler ingredient and just hypothetically lets say the ingredient was harmless blueberry extract. Well my friend is allergic to blueberries so she would have a horrible reaction to any supplement that contained blueberry in any form. That diesnt mean the supplement is unsafe! Everyones health is different and anyone could be allergic to anything and some supplements cant be taken if youre on certain rx meds etc. Like youre not supposed to take beta keratin if youre a smoker because it causes kidney damage or something. You should ALWAYS check with your Dr before taking any vitamins or supplements and thus you should ALWAYS ask your vet before giving your dog any vitamins or supplements. That’s just how it works and I cant believe youve never seen a bottle of vitamin c that says “consult your dr before taking this supplement”. It doesnt mean vitamin c is dangerous for gods sake. Some people posting here are just really ignorant. Lots of people and dogs are allergic to gluten or wheat or corn etc which are totally harmless so before you start calling companies scams and saying their products are dangerous id do a little more research altho I thought the vitamin thing was common knowledge. Also when a person begins a new vitamin regimen with high quality supplements and a lot of them, the body can react badly at first. It happened to my mom. Shes just very sensitive. You really shouldnt be shocking your dogs system and giving them the full doses all at once. I’d reccommend starting off with just a small bit of supplement powder and slowly increasing it. When I start my dogs on new food, if I dont go suoer slowly introducing that new food, my dogs will barf and be sick for a couple of weeks. It doesnt mean the food is poison or generally dangerous. Come on people use your brains! I’m considering buying this product but I’m definitely going to clear it with my vet before actually putting it in either of my dogs food. Are there any updates on the whole ordering problem on the website? Is there still no way to manage your account/shipping type of options? I also read that some of the ingredients are worthless when taken orally so thats the kind of thing id want more info on.

[jim N]

our rescue silk terrier apx 10 years old suffered from extreme diarrhea with blood and mucus beginning bout 5 years ago, after a bunch of vet visits and Rx $$$$ he would recover then revert. we tried chicken and rice, recommended by many and found many dogs are allergic to chicken. we tried every brand and specie of dog food. same result. we then were recommended by vet to put our dog on a strict hydrolyzed protein diet and it is working out very well for him. it has been about 3 years on this diet and he has very few episodes if we watch what he eats. If we give him table scraps, which he loves, even tiny amounts, we can see results next day in his too soft poop. we have another dog, a malteepoo King Charles about the same size and weight and they eat side by side as best buddies. he has no dietary issues but…we had to put out only one kind of food, because they share everything. so now both dogs have been on Rx hydrolyzed protein by Royal Cannin for a few years and both are doing very well. Occasionally we supplement their diet with canned pumpkin and it helps with constipation or loose stool. we are never sure what they eat as they are roaming around in dog parks.
it is about 2.5x the price of other quality dog food. for our pups it is a no brainer as we thought the silky would die from the problem. I am now looking at probiotics, prebiotics and digestive enzymes to help both dogs with digestion and good health. PS they eat grease too often, hence the probiotic thoughts

[haleycookie]

I break out in hives over stress sometimes haha. It could really be anything. As I’ve gotten older the last few years I’ve even developed allergies to things I’ve been exposed to all my life. If they come back then you’ll know it’s something he’s still being exposed to and you can figure what to do then. But hopefully it’ll just be a one time reaction.

[Dewper]

I came home from work the other day and my 7yo boxer beagle had what looked like lumpy fur. Later it spread and both of his sides were covered in it. I didn’t recognize it as “bumps” until then because his fur just looked weird like he got into something. I assumed it was some sort of allergic reaction and took him to the after hours vet. He responded to the Benadryl and they sent him home. They said there’s no way to know what it was from.

No new food or treats. No new chemicals or detergents in the house. It’s winter here and the ground was frozen solid, and he’s outside in our grass and woods several times a day every day of his life! So I’m having a tough time just writing this whole thing off and not worrying about it.

Any ideas what may have caused this would be appreciated! Thanks!

[haleycookie]

KD is almost nothing but carbs with a tad bit of fat and even a smaller amount of protein. I would honestly switch to a canned or raw/cooked diet. You’ll want low phos which is what KD does in the cheapest (but most expensive price tag) way. I would ask the vet to be sent to a vet nutritionalist to see if they can help u formulate a high protein low fat low carb diet for your dogs using fresh ingredients. You’ll see the fat melt off your male and his allergies will likely improve as well.

[Yianna S]

Hello, my dog is a maltese, 10 years old and lately she has allergies. I’ve been feeding her from day 1 with Orijen (red, but now Senior). I am looking information for Acana Lamb & Apple, and if it is suitable for a 10 years old dog.
Thank you!

[Sheila J]

My boxer, Walter has had 2 surgeries, and has severe adhesions. They can’t do anything about it because it’s where his pancreas, stomached, and intestines all meet. His scar tissue has even started to grow blood vessels in which his pancreas is feeding. He’s slowly starving. I have found 1 thing that might work. It’s the only thing left, unless we can find a specialist to operate, but with the blood vessels growing in the scar tissue, and the tens of thousands of dollars we’ve spent within the last 5 years to get no answers except allergies or pancreatitis, we don’t have it. So, castor oil is the last shot we have. I’ve found many incidents of it helping people, so why not animals? You rub it on their skin, put an undyed patch on it, or soak the patch I it, then put it I the area of problem, wrap with Saran wrap for an hour. Do this a couple of times a week, it’s supposed to soften the scar tissue. I am praying it works. Good luck to all of you and your fur babies

[Sheila J]

Hi Susan. I know this is a very old post I’m replying to. How is Patch? My dog, Walter Boxer Dog, has had , and still has pancreatitis. But, it doesn’t always mean that’s what he’s suffering from. For years, and thousands of dollars, we have taken Walter in because of the same symptoms as Patch. Everytime we were told it’s pancreatitis. We knew there was something else, but we were treated like we don’t know our dog.. he kept getting more sickly, puking after every meal, or every dring of water he took. And it was sudden, he would spray half way across the kitchen. Finally enough is enough. Took him to a different vet, and he checked his pancreas… It pancreas was perfect. He went on to say allergies. Shots and that damn hills bros z/d.. boy did he push that z/d. Walter seemed to get better for a month, then it’s been all down hill since then. Kept taking him to the vet every other week, and a few emergency visits, thousands of dollars, and he just kept pushing that damn dog food. 5 months of this. I did some reading and I had some questions and when I asked the vet, he was pissed off, he said, who you gonna trust, menit the internet. Well, not him considering he kept giving the same treatment even though it was obviously not working. Both of the vets said it might be us, who are causing Walter to be sick, because we want to believe he is, even when he’s not. Our auras. Well, off to a 3rd vet. This time we found out what is causing our dog to lose 30 pounds cause he can’t keep his food down and is in pain all the time. Scar tissue! Scar tissue from his 2 surgeries. There’s nothing they can do, now. It’s in a spot where his pancreas intestines and stomached all meet. She said maybe a specialist could help, but Walters body has started to form blood vessels in the scar tissue and the pancreas is feeding that way. His intestines have stretched out as large as his stomached from all those years of his food not going through like it should and backing up. We have soent, what might end up being his last years of life, I’d say about 20 thousand dollars for him to be miserable. Now, we have nothing left for a specialist that he needs to possibly or not, save him. So, if your dog has been in any kind of trauma, or has surgeries, or anything that may cause scar tissue, get it checked out ASAP before it’s too late. Lots of times they can scrape it and there’s no problems. So, in the long run, you’d save money and unnecessary suffering for you and Patch. Just a suggestion. We really have no options. Walter is only 6 and I want him to see 7 8 10. So, anyone have any thoughts on castor oil? We have no other options to save him. I heard castor oil softens scar tissue. Well, it’s the only thing we have left. Susan, I hope you and Patch can nip this in the butt, and have many years together. Remember, you know your dog the best, not your vet. Go to another vet if yours is not doing any good. Don’t waste your time money and Patch getting the same diagnosis, but no improvments .

[GSDsForever]

Retry (apologies for duplicates, if they pop up):

LOL! I just saw your post afterward, as I was sending the last one.

I would love to live in New Hampshire. What an awesome, beautiful state — and such rich history! My dogs & I would love the seasons and colder weather. Unfortunately, I am stuck for a while elsewhere (lol).

I got excited when I found the Farmina Light formula, as it’s got to be better than what you’re currently using for dry. Then I compared, and I got more excited for you.

You’re very welcome. We all need a little help sometimes!

My own girl is doing really well at this point, but food allergies can make finding foods & selecting them challenging, not to mention this whole DCM-diet concern! I feel like no one can make foods without pulses/legumes anymore, esp. not higher protein ones. So frustrating. And foods aren’t very hypoallergenic, food allergy friendly!

[Jerry R]

Well no wonder some of you are jumping from one dog food to the next because of issues. Pototoes? Seriously? If raw potatoes are toxic to dogs why would you feed kibble that has potatoes in any form?
And seriously hay? Sorry I find that unbelievable. Grains and cereals are the main cause of food allergies in dogs. I wonder how many of their ancestors were out grazing in a hay field?

As far as labels go, I wouldnt trust a dang thing any of them said anyway. As a truck driver, I’ve been in enough dog food plants to know I wouldnt feed that garbage to my dogs. Dead animals rotting away that stink to high heaven are ground up and put in dog food.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by Jerry R.

[GSDsForever]

Jessica,

I hope your German Shepherds are doing well & you were able to find a good food that works for them! How are they?

Thank you for your kind words above and you’re welcome. I especially love helping w/other GSDs! What an amazing breed we are blessed to have in our lives.

I was just thinking about our exchange going back a few months, since we were talking specifically about gluten & celiac disease for you. If you are still around or check back here, I’d love to hear your thoughts for my own dog. As it turns out, we’ve recently learned that she may be allergic to wheat. She had a pretty severe allergic flare.

What I know about this in dogs is really just that: wheat is a common food allergen in food allergic dogs, while gluten intolerance in dogs has only been found as a rare inherited condition in Irish Setters (Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy).

[haleycookie]

Dogs are actually mesocarnivores. And should be on a diet with <~30 carb. Which youll never find in a grain in food. In fact I’d say 90% of grain free kibbles aren’t even formulated that way. That’s why it’s important to find a meat based kibble as just a base. Add in less processed foods like canned, freeze dried raw, bone broths, and frozen raw etc for a better more varied diet. Raw and home cooked properly formulated would be best. Especially for a dog with allergies where u want to control the foods they ingest as most of not all dog kibbles are exposed to cross contamination in factories.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by haleycookie.

[Shayne, Ultimate Pet Nutrition]

Hi Anna, I’m Shayne from Ultimate Pet Nutrition. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review about your dog’s experience with Nutra Thrive. I have not heard of this happening before, so I would like to fill out an Adverse Reactions Form. Our sole mission is to improve the health and happiness of all pets. We would never create a product that we did not believe in, let alone, a product that is unsafe for consumption. We believe in our products which is why every product is backed by a 90-Day Money Back Guarantee. I wanted to mention that we always ask that our customers consult their pet’s veterinarian prior to starting any new supplement to ensure that it’s safe for that specific pet to take depending on their medical history, allergies, etc. In addition, if our customers find that their pets are reacting negatively to any product, it is always recommended to stop giving them that product immediately. I am so sorry for this upsetting experience. Please e-mail me at [email protected] so I can issue you a full refund and fill out the Adverse Reactions Form. I’m so sorry to hear about your upsetting experience but I look forward to making this right. I’ll keep a lookout for your e-mail.

[GSDsForever]

If you would like to try a controlled therapeutic hypoallergenic diet (by prescription) first, commercial options, here’s one I think would be worth trying:

Farmina Vet Life Ultra Hypo
https://www.farmina.com/us/dog-food/farmina-vet-life-canine/72-ultrahypo-canine.html

The single protein is fish and it is grain inclusive.

It combines using an alternative/novel protein that is not known to be a common allergen in dogs AND is hydrolyzed, breaking the amino acids down thereby making it even less likely for a dog to experience an allergic reaction. It is hydrolyzed to 6,000 daltons.

This diet has gone through a clinical research trial to establish its efficacy for dogs with food allergies or intolerances. I like the company & its foods, the use of fish as the hydrolyzed protein source, and its simple clean + quality ingredient list. And this is likely to be a very highly digestible diet — making the lower protein (~20% DMB) while doing a food trial less of a worry.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by GSDsForever.

[Hav mom]

Try the dehydrated food by The Honest Kitchen, Grain or Grain Free Turkey. Easy on tummy, good food. Turkey usually
preferred for sensitive allergic dogs and sensitive tummies.

[GSDsForever]

Hi Nikki.

Two grain-inclusive foods I would recommend are (Eagle Pack) Holistic Select Adult Radiant Sardine, Anchovy, & Salmon, from Wellpet (Wellness brand), and Annamaet’s Option (Wild Salmon).

I would start with the Holistic Select, and see how your dog does first, as Annamaet also includes lamb. So it would be a step up, introducing 2nd protein, after seeing how your dog does with fish alone.

Farmina is another excellent European food, made in Italy but available here. But its grain inclusive line does include a cereal grain in the wheat family, a relative of common American wheat, along with oats. Wheat is one of the most common food allergens for dogs, almost as common as chicken. Therefore while I think what Farmina is using is wholesome, a dog allergic to wheat might still react to it.

I don’t like Taste of the Wild at all — but they do make a grain inclusive line (which I still would not recommend).

The most common food allergens in dogs are beef, dairy, chicken, wheat, eggs, soy, and corn. Beef is actually more common than chicken as an allergen; I think we just hear more about chicken from pet owners as more foods are chicken based.

But keep in mind that dogs with food allergies can often continue to react to new foods for quite some time, when they are not *actually* allergic to the new food ingredients. For this reason dogs need 8-12 weeks on a new food for pruritus (itching) and any other symptoms to resolve. Whatever your dog has had before, your dog may still react to, prior to getting symptoms under control — which can, but not always, require a full therapeutic trial on a novel protein (or, alternatively, hydrolyzed) first.

Has your dog had fish before? It is not a common allergen for dogs and would be a good place to start. If this change in diet doesn’t resolve things, I would recommend doing a formal diet elimination food trial w/a controlled novel protein.

The other thing to be aware of is that most commercial diets have issues with cross-contamination, which means that ingredients (like chicken or beef or wheat or corn, etc.) can be in the food without being listed on the label.

*Some* reputable good companies will take extra precautions to prevent that, knowing that a particular diet is being fed due to food allergies and intolerances — while others, despite being marketed as limited ingredient or alternative protein diets, do a pretty poor job at this, aren’t knowledgeable about it, or don’t care, and do nothing to prevent it.

[Coleen A]

So my purebred Catahoula Leopard dog has been having a run of UTI’s. He is 1yr 4 months, we have checked his protein levels non-UTI and during a UTI, elevated only during a UTI and we have done x-ray for bladder stones (negative).

Vet wants me to find a food that has a protein count of no more than 20%….he IS allergic to chicken which makes this even harder.

Currently he eats Sport Dog Dock Dog blend, and Canine Caviar topper…He is suppppppper picky about his food, which of course is unlike a Catahoula to begin with.

Any recommendations would be helpful….we tried the raw diet option, it did not work out for him.

[Jerry R]

The vast majority of vets have little to no experience in pet nutrition. The little they do have is what kibble companies that pay for their education tell them. This is no BS either.
Science diet is a major contributor to their education which clearly explains how such a poor dog food can be #1 vet recomended.
Don’t let people like anonymous contribute to these myths about raw feeding and meaty bones.
Vets are counting on exactly that because feeding raw significantly cuts into their livlihood in greatly reduced vet visits for health issues from allergies to arthritis.
My 18 month old red longhaired dachshund recently got an A++ clean bill of health from his dr. after a brief exam while getting his rabies booster giving mention to his very healthy skin and coat and unusually clean, white chompers not normally seen in his breed.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by Jerry R.

[Zoe E. W]

Read the detailed tips. Thanks to Chris for shearing your tips. But I saw many English bulldogs have some problem with their regular food. Some fish food and the chicken food also may have problem with allergies. What types of food should I need to provide my English Bulldog with allergies.