[Marylou]

Thanks pug mom sandy I have a lab pit mix that has developed allergy’s at age 9 to Peas,Sweet Potato’s, Chicken Meal ext…… How it started he would not eat first thing in the morning he would want to go outside and eat grass and vomit. So after some testing at the vets, we put him on d/d Potato & Venison Formula which he is doing excellent on this food. However the quality is not good. So I have been adding different foods in with the dry food to see what he has an allergy to plus adding a little dry food to the food to see if he has a reaction or not. To say the least I have not found a dry food yet that agrees with him. I just feel awful for him. My poor baby.

[InkedMarie]

I posted on your other thread.

[InkedMarie]

Why can’t you feed him separately? Feed him in another room or a crate. It’s not always feasible to feed three dogs the same food. By the way, a dog with allergies should probably be on a grain free food; rice isn’t the best ingredient for him.

[kwass610]

Thank you all for your insight! I don’t think he has had his thyroid checked, but we are due back to the vet in the new year, so I will ask. We take him to just a regular vet, so I will also look into the Holistic vets, thank you for the list! And I have never heard of leaky gut, so I guess that is something I will be looking into as well. Any ideas on good products to keep him from having to chew his feet? Even something topical – he just wont stop gnawing on them.

[Angeldogs]

Agreed, but in humans, leaky gut can also be caused by mast cells in the GI tract releasing mast cell mediators (histamines, etc.). Mast cells are everywhere in the body. This would be the same mechanism in the dog. So why it’s termed an intolerance, rather than an allergy, more or less escapes my logic.

I do agree that the standard treatment of steroids and prescription pet foods is not sufficient. They aren’t even things that I would consider doing when trying to solve a dog’s issues.

[DogFoodie]

Oh, and I was too late to edit…, but what I also wanted to say is that if it’s a leaky gut, it’ll take quite a long time, but it can be healed. Find something that he does well on and be prepared to stick with it for quite a while before beginning to transition to other foods.

It’s good he’s doing better on the Natural Balance, but it sounds like something still isn’t working for him if he’s continuing to have symptoms like you described after months on the food.

[DogFoodie]

I know Cyndi already bumped up your post, but I am too.

Bless your heart, you’ve really got your hands full! Just curious, has your vet checked his thyroid? Also, do you see a vet who practices traditional veterinary medicine or do you use an integrative / holistic vet? I’d visit a holistic vet; here’s a link to help you find one (it’s not all inclusive, but a good start): http://www.ahvma.org/Widgets/FindVet.html

It sounds as though, in addition to the environmental and food allergies, your little guy might have a systemic yeast infection which has evolved into a leaky gut. Someone has probably been feeding your poor little guy garbage for his entire life. I would start right away supplementing his diet with coconut oil and probiotics (you need to begin repopulating the healthy bacteria in his gut). It looks like your food allergies are: salmon, poultry mix, eggs, milk, wheat, and white potato. I’d look for something minimally processed ~ raw if possible; but if you’re choosing to feed kibble, I’d go for a grain and white potato (probably sweet potato, too) free food to switch him to as soon as possible. The first food that comes to mind is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets.

[pfegan77]

I just learned that my 3 year old Sheltie is highly allergic to Brewer’s yeast. I’ve been checking all the labels on the Halo food, various nutritional supplements and treats. There are a lot of different yeast products. Do I need to be wary of any type of yeast, not just Brewer’s Yeast? Does Brewer’s Yeast go by any other name(s) which would be listed on the ingredients?

Thanks so much for your help!

[Samoan81]

only help on food I could suggest is that A lot times its suggested to switch from land to sea then to air. SO if you pet is allergic to lamb or chicken which many are, switch to a food blend that contains fish formulas . If that doesn’t work go to air like turkey duck etc

That’s a big list of allergies. Poor baby needs a portable doggie bubble

I would wash all his new bedding clothes with dreft baby detergent

Im sure you can find plenty of items that are hypoallergenic

[Cyndi]

Sounds like you have your hands full. Thank you for giving this little guy a chance at having a normal life.

I don’t have any advice, just wanted to bump up your post so hopefully someone knowledgeable can help you out. Good luck! 🙂

[kwass610]

My boyfriend and I have a 4 y/o rescue yorkie-poo that is most likely from a puppy mill, and is allergic to everything. We currently have him on Natural Balance Lamb and Brown Rice food, which the vet suggested, and cyclosporine. He is doing better over the past few months that he has been on these, but not perfect – his eyes still emit a sticky, chunky discharge and he has trouble growing hair around them, and he is constantly chewing his feet and legs, often until he bleeds. Sometimes he gets a black, rough pattern on his stomach skin, which I think was ID’d by a previous vet as yeast. What more can we do? The vet he used to go to just kept giving him steroids for years, which is why we found a new vet – I want to help him, not slowly kill him. He is allergic to bluegrass, fescue grass, ragweed, lambs quarters weed, marsh elder weed, sage, russian thistle, cottonwood/aspen trees, box elder/maple trees, walnut trees, birch trees, aspergillius, penicillum, candida albicans, nigrospora, phoma (all of these are fungi), mouse epidermal, dust mites, salmon, poultry mix, eggs, milk, wheat, white potato, cotton, staph, and malassezia. This is all from an official allergy test.
We also have two larger dogs (both around 70lbs) so its tricky to feed the little guy alone. Getting food that they can all eat is important, but we can give the little one meds and topical things separate from the two bigger boys.
Any advice is welcome, I am lost and frustrated, I just want him to be comfortable. It is so hard getting him sweaters, blankets, treats, food, bedding, shampoos, medications, etc. that do not have something in them that he is allergic to! We might have to replant the yard in spring if it turns out we have a type of grass he cannot tolerate.

[kwass610]

My boyfriend and i have a 4 y/o rescue yorkie-poo dog that is most likely from a puppy mill, and is allergic to everything. We currently have him on Natural Balance Lamb and brown rice food, which the vet suggested, and cyclosporine. He is doing better over the past few months that he has been on these, but not perfect – his eyes still emit a sticky, chunky discharge and he has trouble growing hair around them, and he is constantly chewing his feet and legs, often until he bleeds. Sometimes he gets a black, rough pattern on his stomach skin, which I think was ID’d by a previous vet as yeast. What more can we do? The vet he used to go to just kept giving him steroids for years, which is why we found a new vet – I want to help him, not slowly kill him. He is allergic to: bluegrass, fescue grass, ragweed, lambs quarters weed, marsh elder weed, sage, russian thistle, cottonwood/aspen trees, box elder/maple trees, walnut trees, birch trees, aspergillius, penicillum, candida albicans, nigrospora, phoma (all of these are fungi), mouse epidermal, dust mites, salmon, poultry mix, eggs, milk, wheat, white potato, cotton, staph, and malassezia. This is all from an official allergy test.
We also have two larger dogs (both around 70lbs) so its tricky to feed the little guy alone. Getting food that they can all eat is important, but we can give the little one meds and topical things separate from the two bigger boys.
Any advice is welcome, I am lost and frustrated, I just want him to be comfortable. It is so hard getting him sweaters, blankets, treats, food, bedding, shampoos, medications, etc. that do not have something in them that he is allergic to! We might have to replant the yard in spring if it turns out we have a type of grass he cannot tolerate.

[theBCnut]

In the veterinary field they SHOULD be seperating them. Intolerances are created due to an unhealthy gut and if the underlying condition is not treated then the dog will continue to have more and more intolerances. But unfortunately they usually just prescribe steroids for the itchy skin and do nothing else. It is usually up to the owner to educate themselves and figure out what to do to really help their pet.

Many vets don’t even recognize food intolerances for what they are. They may put a dog on Hill’s for a few weeks, but if the problem doesn’t go away they decide it must be an environmental allergy and they look no further. They don’t even consider that one of the nonhydrolysed ingredients in Hill’s could be a problem.

[Angeldogs]

Thanks Patty, I’ll read up more. I did find the info on the Jean Dodds DVM website. She measures differently from serum, but I don’t see much that’s different. I’m a little perplexed, though, as the allergic response is still controlled in the dog by the mast cell, as it is in humans. In human medicine, the medical field doesn’t usually separate intolerance and allergies. They are all considered a histamine response, and that’s the same mechanism that activates in a dog, whether you are measuring IGG, IGA, IGM, or a complement cascade. Because I suffer from extreme histamine reactions myself, I’ve studied the mechanism in order to LIVE, as my reactions are downright life-threatening. Hmmm…..

[Angeldogs]

THANK YOU for the heads up on Pinnacle Trout and sweet potato! Not a single allergen, and it’s readily available in the stores!

BLESS YOU!! I just got word a few minutes ago that my boy is ADOPTED!!!! One of my favorite deaf dogs in the kennel! Now I just have to find them an easier way to feed him, as not everyone has the bandwidth to feed raw. (I’ll try with them, though!)

[Duke The Boxer]

Thank you so much patty. I feel so foolish I meant to post this I’m the large breed thread. -.- duke had a reaction to the nv rabbit but ugh it’s so difficult and frustrating trying to specifically narrow it down to what ingredients he is allergic to. I want to try the pet pantry buffalo and duck formula because it looks good on paper. I want to find foods with as little fillers and plant protein in it. I want as much meat protein as possible.

[A.Sandy]

Hello Rhonda,
There are plenty of good choices like spring naturals, merrick, taste of the wild, petcurean, Fromm and many more. Try fish flavors to soothe skin, and transition slowly. All made these mentioned are made in the USA. The good thing about your size dog is it’s less expensive to feed even very high quality foods. Don’t be afraid to rotate flavors frequently so she doesn’t get bored, and stay away from science diet and grocery brand pet foods to prevent illness and upset tummies. good luck!!
-Ana
pet nutrition expert/advisor
@pupcatfacts
pupcatnutrition.com

[RhondaP]

I had my mixed Fluffy Chinese Crested breed on Science Hill wet food.. She got bored with Chicken and so we gave her beef.. I am pretty sure she was allergic to the beef, and now the chicken seems to be bugging her as well. I am at a loss for what canned good to give her. She does not like dry! She is 10 pounds.

Any help would be greatly appreciated… I will only use American manufactured brands:)

[theBCnut]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7848179
http://nutriscan.org/the-nutriscan-difference.html
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/07/26/a-great-tool-for-dogs-with-rumbling-tummy-gas-diarrhea-or-vomiting.aspx
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2111&aid=143
http://www.1800petmeds.com/education/food-allergies-intolerances-pets-33.htm

https://www.tumblr.com/drjeandoddspethealthresource/25934674990/dog-food-sensitivity-versus-dog-food-allergy

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/food-allergy-myths

[Angeldogs]

My understanding is that allergies and intolerances come from a mast cell response, much as it works in the human body. Can you please direct me to some reading material? Mast cell mediators include histamine. In the human, GI symptoms, itching, etc are all mast cell mediator responses. (I have mastocytosis).

I frequently see hyperactivity, too, as a symptom of food allergies.

[theBCnut]

Is your dog having true allergy problems or intolerance problems? True allergies are rare in dogs, hives, anaphylactic response, facial swelling, breathing issues, and dogs that have true allergies may be much more sensitive than dogs with intolerances, which are far more common. Intolerances cause generalized itchiness, intestinal upset, body odor, greasy coat, yeast infections, ear infections. A dog with allergy/intolerance issues can have generalized reactions to all proteins from a particular source, but is is still a protein reaction. And there are other types of intolerances that are to other things like MSG or chemicals, but they aren’t “allergic reactions.”

[Angeldogs]

I’m not sure how that works. I just know with my own allergies, that I can’t have eggs, chicken, and will react to down. I assume that the dogs are the same.

[Angeldogs]

I’ll check out the Pinnacle trout and sweet potato. Thank you!

[Mom2Cavs]

How about Pinnacle Trout and Sweet Potato?

[theBCnut]

Allergies are to specific protein sequences, so no, not necessarily. I have a dog that can’t have chicken muscle meat, but is just fine with chicken livers. Chicken fat should not have any of the chicken protein in it at all because of how they process it. I’m not saying that it is impossible for your dog to have a reaction, but it is highly unlikely.

[Angeldogs]

I would think that if he is allergic to chicken, that he would react to chicken fat, no?

[theBCnut]

Since dogs react to protein, chicken fat should not be a problem because the way they render it should make it pure chicken fat. Those foods might be worth a second look.

[Angeldogs]

I rescue deaf dogs of all breeds. Allergies are really common. I highly recommend finding a vet that sends allergy tests out to Spectrum Labs. The results include food proteins, carbs, grasses, trees, and other common household issues like dust, etc. It’s been very helpful for us. Just wish finding a kibble for the allergic dogs was as easy…..some of our dogs are raw fed so we can control the ingredients.

[Angeldogs]

Yep….have one big guy here that is allergic to peas, white potatoes, venison, chicken and turkey. Confirmed by allergy tests by Spectrum Labs, which I highly recommend if you are struggling with food issues and skin rashes.

You’d think that I’d have an easy time of finding him a kibble? Nope. I have been doing ingredients research on every brand of food that is relatively easy to find…..shocking! Just because it states sweet potatoes……well, I keep finding potato gluten or white potatoes on the same list of ingredients. Or LID foods that list lamb or beef as the protein source with chicken fat in them.

So far, after two days of reading ingredients on websites, I found ONE kibble: Canine Caviar Lamb and Pearl Millet.

I’m currently feeding him raw ground beef mixed with Sojos Grain Free, and being careful about treats, which are mostly raw beef bone treats.

Really frustrating that the names of the food indicate limited ingredients, but they are NOT.

[AReim]

I have an 11 yr. old American Eskimo with chronic acute pancreatitis. I’m beyond worried now as he is consistently losing more weight. He should be around 21 lbs and he is now at 15 lbs.

We have struggled with his condition for years and at this point I have no faith in what the vet recommends. I stumbled across this site this morning while researching solutions for my other dog – a very itchy mixed breed (I’ll deal with that is a separate post). There seems to be a lot of well informed people here and I am hoping someone may be able to help me.

After a severe attack several years ago, a full work up (labs, x-rays … the works) the vet informed me that his intestinal and stomach lining are “thicker than normal” and that it was likely a birth defect.

With that diagnosis, he was put on Hills Science WD canned formula. (Cerenia was also prescribed to treat the acute attacks.) We’ve tried other “vet recommended” foods but always end up back with the WD formula because he seems to tolerate it the best. I’ve even spoken with Hill’s Science “dieticians” but they are ALL CLUELESS (including the vet) as to what else might work better. The vet & dietician have always advised that hi-fat content is what will usually triggers the attacks but that is all they can tell me. They have never recommended grain-free or organic – or addressed potential food allergies as an aggravator.

All of his routine check-ups & labs show him to be otherwise healthy. His poop is usually normal. (However, we do have a poop eating problem and I sometimes wonder if it’s because he is SOOO hungry because he’s not getting enough nutrition.)

His attacks are episodic. Sometimes he is fine for weeks – other times we may have a couple of attacks in a week. His typical symptoms include any combination of: gurgling tummy, vomiting (sometimes bile, other times completely undigested food), abdominal pain (he won’t lie down for hours – I’ve had to hold him so he could sleep), and refusal to eat. On a rare occasions he’s had diarrhea and I’ve had to take him to the vet for an IV due to dehydration several times over the years.

Any help, advice, or recommendations that will help me get some weight back on him and help with the pancreatitis would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

[Duke The Boxer]

Hey patty im sorry to bother you but i have been looking at the list over and over and i cant decide what to get. I wanted to switch from chicken and turkey as that has been his last 2 foods and i believe he is allergic to turkey since his nose and feed are pink always. I was looking at the pet pantry buffalo and duck dog food. also i was looking at zignature trout meal and also i was looking at the earthborn meadow feast and costal catch. Can you please maybe recommend preferably a beef or fish based dog food? I would love you forever 😀 and this isnt specific to Patty anyone who is reading this and has a large breed dog please chime in what food you have used that isnt chicken based

[boxermum]

Can anyone suggest a better alternative to Natural Balance LID Sweet Potato & Fish dry food? My 1.5 yr old boxer has been on this food since he was a young puppy up until about a month ago when he suddenly decided he didn’t like it anymore and I stumbled across this site and saw it was only rated at a 3 anyway. I’d like to get him on a food that he both likes and is better for him, but I originally started him on it a year ago because it was the only food that wouldn’t give him diarrhea, and I’m discovering this is still an issue. I don’t know if the problem is a sensitive stomach or allergies. If it’s allergies, I haven’t been able to narrow it down to anything specific.

[RescueDaneMom]

Yes, mix the PF into a paste and add it to the food with the pumpkin, probiotics, and enzymes. I don’t have any personal experience with parasites but I know it can take awhile for dogs GI tracts to recover from damage. It’s possible you just haven’t found the right food yet. Do you think he’s allergic to chicken? Was he scratching/biting/chewing when he was on the chicken-based foods? That’s good that he’s not doing it now.

[Brittany Mom]

I had a Brittany that was allergic to 26 different things. Among the foods he was allergic to were beef, pork, and lamb. He ate chicken, turkey and venison most of his life. He was also allergic to barley, tomatoes, soy, kelp, beets, and a number of grasses as well as dust, wool, and feathers. I don’t know how he could be allergic to feathers and be able to eat chicken, but poultry did not affect him. For chews, we used to get him ostrich and emu bones. He passed away at 10 1/2 years old from hemangio sarcoma.

[theBCnut]

That’s crazy!! Puppies start to eat solid food starting at about three weeks old. Mother dogs regurgitate already eaten food for them if softened food isn’t supplied by humans. By 6 to 8 weeks old they are ready to eat almost everything that an adult dog eats.

For dogs to allergic to meat in general they would have to be allergic to themselves and that would be fatal.

[omar zafar]

Actually it depends on dog breed, Some dogs are allergic to meat. And meat, pork, beef, chicken is not good for puppies, they only need liquid diet like milk and milk products.

[bkagel]

My mom also told me to contact Chewy and let them know she’s having an allergic reaction to that mix of dog food. Ask for a credit or an exchange. Do you think they will do that since it’s been a couple of months?

Since I brushed her out she’s not as itchy/scratchy. She has a double coat so I have to remember to try to brush her out more often. This is another reason to remember to brush her out on a schedule that is better than what I have now.

[OhBichonPlease]

I definitely think you should switch to higher-quality foods… for the picky eater especially – what little he will take down needs to be properly nutritious and high quality since he isn’t eating enough/well. I would transition slowly to minimize upset or selective eating of familiar kibbles and try fasting for a day with no treats or extras [I know it’s hard] before introducing small amounts of a new kibble. You can even try providing 2-4 different kibbles at a time – maybe something in the mix will appeal to your dog especially. You may want to look for a kibble that has a slightly higher fat content or salt as both of those are appealing and will encourage eating and may help get your picky eater to a better state of health. The different ingredients can help your dog adjust to new foods better and will only help/improve nutrient absorption and gut health provided there are no allergies/intolerances. Many local pet shops can provide free samples so you can try adding small amounts of new kibbles without spending much money. Adding some wet food or high quality meat toppers might also entice and encourage better eating habits. You may have to experiment, but tuna, salmon, plain cooked shredded meats, yogurt, canned pumpkin and other pantry items may help establish better habits and digestive health. Warmed peanut butter can also be drizzled over kibble instead of mixing and clumping it up in the bowl. Sometimes piles of food can be intimidating and food may need to be spread out more. Or your dog might not like her food bowl for some reason – try switching to a cereal bowl or a pie tie and see if that helps. Some dogs like to be sneaky eaters so hiding food in several places or the putting the dog bowl in unexpected places or outside might help. Feed your dogs separately [and maybe even at different times of the day], feed well [high quality kibbles and nutritious toppers/extras/treats] and congratulate, encourage and reward with enthusiastic praise every single time your picky eater takes a mouthful of food and actually swallows it.
You may also try making your own dog treats out of the above ingredients or buying canned food and instead of serving it at room temperature or warmed, try freezing it in ice cube trays giving those to your dog on a towel or an easily cleaned floor. Laying down a special mat or picking a quiet corner and acting like a mealtime is very special may also help her your picky dog more excited about dinner. Some dogs really like munching on frozen foods even when they won’t touch them at other temperatures.
When my picky eater isn’t eating I give her a little pepcid [we suspect semi-regular heartburn] and then act really excited about opening a can of high quality wet dog [or occasionally cat or puppy – vet’s recommendation for getting food in when nothing else works.] The smellier the better [canned green tripe works wonders but is best fed outside. I also had amazing luck with small cans of Weruva – it looks/smells like human-grade baby food and is expensive, but the quality is obvious and the food was eagerly consumed both wet and frozen].] I give her a little straight out of the can right off the spoon so she feels like it is human food and a nice treat and then drop some in a dish with kibble. I won’t mix it in anymore because too often she has shunned to food once she discovers the hidden kibbles and I don’t like throwing food out [the neighborhood cats have gotten very friendly since her leftovers get tossed on the pavement for them – I am sure it’s better than whatever they are fishing out of the trash, small birds, squirrels, etc]. But sometimes she will eat up the wet food in one section and then start eating mouthfuls of kibble afterward – progress!
When our girl is especially reticent about eating kibble we move her food into the room where we eat dinner and hang out in the evenings and sometimes have to pretend to eat kibble, hand feed her or toss pieces onto that evening’s dinner plate to get her to start eating. Once she realizes she is indeed hungry she usually goes back to her bowl and only needs encouragement to keep eating [Good girl! What a good dog you are for eating kibble! Good dogs eat their food!] every other bite. She still looks at us for encouragement while eating and I sometimes have to tap to bowl or shake it to remind her there is still food to be had.] I give her a half cup of food at a time and she never eats more than half at night and usually doesn’t empty her bowl entirely until the next afternoon. [She is slightly less than 15lbs and eats approx 300-400 calories a day in food and treats, as far as I can figure.]
I had never met a dog previously who didn’t like and look forward to dinner time, but our rescued Bichon needs to be coaxed and encouraged to eat almost every bite, every day.

Good luck, keep experimenting with higher-quality foods and ingredients and don’t give up!

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi BlueEyedGirl-

First, if you want to upload a picture as your avatar you need to go to gravatar.com. You can also add a picture to a post using photobucket. Copy and paste the image link into your post and it should show up.

Now onto the food…Wellness Core Puppy is a great food, but it is a BIG step up from Hill’s. To play it safe, you might want to gradually step up the quality food. You could start with Nutrisource Large Breed Puppy. Nutrisource has a reputation of being an easy food to switch to. Then you could transition to Wellness Core. 3-4 foods in a rotation is good. That would be my minimum. If your dog doesn’t have intolerances or allergies then you could find many foods to keep switching through.

Because you don’t know if she is a large breed or not, I would play it safe and feed large breed puppy appropriate food. Feeding lower calcium won’t hurt a small/medium breed dog. In my opinion, it’d be better to err on the side of caution.

I think that the amount of calcium that they get from treats is pretty negligible. However, if you are very concerned, I think dehydrated/freeze-dried tripe would be a good choice. Tripe has balanced Ca/P and I believe it is lower in calcium than some other treats. Freeze-dried liver may also be good.

There are more knowledgeable members on here that can give you more feedback and correct me if I’m wrong. I hope this was helpful to you. Have fun getting ready for your pup. It’s so exciting getting ready to bring a new dog home. 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

I don’t know what his allergies are exactly, but from what I’ve read Nutrisource grain frees may be a good fit. The gf lamb and their seafood select don’t have potatoes at all, I believe. Check ’em out here nutrisourcedogfood.com.

[PippaY]

Hi all,

My 18lb Welsh Terrier has a mild-moderate case of Protein Losing Enteropathy.

Our Vet specialist has recommended a Purina HA diet that’s made of “hydrolyzed protein”. Unfortunately I’m wary of anything made by Purina and hydrolyzed protein sounds horribly processed. So I’m looking for suggestions.

I’ve read that MCT oil (for humans) can help. Not sure how much to give her..

What about kibble and/or raw food? Brands and types would be appreciated if you’ve had success with any.

I switched her from Purina Pro Plan sensitive stomach (salmon) variety to Orijen’s Fish formula and “Primal”‘s raw lamb wet food. Her spirits are good. She’s eating well and she doesn’t seem to be losing weight around the middle..though I suspect that she might be losing muscle mass.

Other things to note:
She’s allergic to chicken and starts to itch just looking at it. Not sure about turkey or duck.

Thank you!!

[RVPets]

We have a 7 year old German Shepherd and we have been struggling to control a systemic yeast infection for the past 9 months. Our old vet (I do mean old now) kept putting him on antibiotics, saying it was not yeast, but never doing a skin scrap. Our new vet checked first and immediately told us it was yeast. He wants him on a no carbohydrate/lo. starch diet and has suggested a more holistic approach to controling the problem. We are very pleased with the results so far. He’s grown back most of his hair and his odor has diminshed considerably.

We add Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (with the “Mother”) to his drinking water and we wipe him down with a vinegar and water mixture (50/50) and we are cleaning his ears with the same solution daily. We have hi on a partial raw diet that we have been adding a high quality dog food too (about half raw half dog food).

My problem is that we are having a hard time finding a food that he can eat due to food allergies. Has anyone tried Canidae Grain-Free Pure Elements for dogs? It does not have anything on his “don’t eat” list, but I’m not too sure about having sweet potatoes in the top 5 list of ingredients.

Has anyone else tried this with a “yeasty dog”? Did it help or make it worse? We are trying very hard to find a solution, but we simply cannot feed an all raw diet right now.

This is a list of ingrediants:
Lamb, turkey meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, chicken fat, menhaden fish meal, potatoes, suncured alfalfa, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, mixed tocopherols (a natural source of
vitamin E)

[Dog Warrior]

has any one ever tried this product on how to make homemade recipes, I am actually thinking of getting it to help me prepare more recipes for my little cutie. i don’t know whether to buy it or not. but i need something my she’ll love very well.. what do you guys think? should i get it? @somebodysme can you help me out here.. anybody??

[somebodysme]

Yes, with the help of her rescue, we figured out what she can eat. She is now perfectly fine. Once she stopped eating all these supposedly 4 and 5 stars foods and got on a food that had no allergens (to her) then she just healed right up and is doing fantastic. Just because a food is rated 5 star at this place doesn’t mean it’s going to be the fix all for an allergy dog. She is extremely allergic to rice and peas and lord only knows what else…but not allergic to what the people here will tell us are common allergens…for my dog she apparently is not allergic to “common allergens”. I no longer look to DFA for assistance when it comes to dog food. She’ll eat this(horrible terrible sickening food) until it no longer works or until hell freezes over…whichever comes first…HA!

[shawnapage]

WOW! im new on the forum and i hope your poor dog is feeling better since it is 3 months later…but if not… I have found that my local RESCUE groups..(not pounds) have a HUGE knowledge of everything that can go wrong with a dog.The rescue i got my dog from has a forum on her website.She also tells in detail how she is handling different things that are going on with some of her rescued dogs with health problems.(For example she just rescued an entire litter of pups with mange.They were so compromised healthwise that she could not give them the regular demodex (not sure of exact name) dip that they give mange infected dogs.She had experience and treated them in several holistic ways until they were strong enough to receive the strong stuff.) Maybe a local rescue would have some tried and true fixes for you! Good luck!

[cherikeeusa]

I will be getting my large-breed puppy in about a month. My pup is a Goldendoodle, a Golden Retriever/Standard Poodle mix; they are well known to have a propensity toward grain allergies. I would like to provide a rotational diet for him, adding homemade meals (Sojo balanced) as well as grain-free, white potato-free dry foods topped with canned foods, sardines, etc. Can anybody help me with what sort of time-table for changing up his meals should be? Also, I’ve seen someplace that pork is a definite no-no, and chicken has a fairly high risk of allergy. True? Or…? In addition, any suggestions you might have for which brands I should start with would be very helpful. A full dietary plan would rock since I know next to nothing! LOL! I know…newbies suck right?!

[Jeancar]

My vet is suggesting a food trial for my 5 yr old cocker spaniel. He has unidentified allergies(chews his feet, and “goobery” eyes). We’ve tried several allergy meds, and he is presently eating “GO” salmon. He recently had crystals in his urine, so he’s taking a supplement for stone prevention. He will have to stop taking supplements during the food trial. He also has a sensitive stomach, he takes Pepcid to control acid production. Are there any foods that deal with more than one problem?

She has suggested Hill DD potato venison. She feels the protein level is low enough to avoid bladder stones. This sounds reasonable to me, just interested if anyone else has the same issues, and possible feedback.

[theBCnut]

Congratulations!!

[mfulton7]

Since I switched my pup off of EB Coastal Catch she is doing great! She’s on the meadowfeast formula. I’m assuming the issue was with fish and not the peas. I’m also happy to report they transitioned just fine. So now I can start rotating foods 🙂 I’m so thankful for everyone’s help its truly appreciated!

[theBCnut]

I’ve got to imagine canned food with peas is much less pea heavy than a pea heavy kibble.