[gidget406]

I recently switched my 6 year old bulldog to natural balance (limited ingredient diet) sweet potato and chicken. It’s been a few months and since then his facial fold has gotten infected, his ears are bothering him, he’s constantly licking his feet and I just noticed that his chin is getting irritated and red. He’s also been eating grass every night consistently for the past week and not throwing up. His poops are regular but it seems like he’s drinking much more water. He just seems like a giant itchy ball of infection and I feel so bad for him. I need advice on what dry food has worked for sensitive dogs with allergies. What brands work? What ingredients should I be looking for? Does he need supplements?

[Mom2Cavs]

One of my Cavaliers (in my avatar pic, Laverne) has anal gland problems off and on. I attribute it to allergies with her. I have taken her, all the dogs, off all poultry. She is now eating for kibble Holistic Select grain free. It is a poultry free, fish based kibble with a pretty decent fiber content at around 6% max, I believe. It does have potatoes, but they don’t seem to be a problem with my dogs. I do top with canned foods and have been keeping them poultry free, as well. So far, I’ve been using Wellness for the majority….95% Salmon or Beef or Lamb, Beef Stew, and Simple Salmon or Lamb. This seems to be working. She hasn’t had any issues since I switched to doing this. I was using Zignature kibble, and will probably keep it in the rotation. I just bought some Big Dog Natural dehydrated raw in beef flavor that I plan on trying in the mix. I also add probiotics and enzymes to my dogs’ food. There are lots of them recommended on this site. Currently, I’m using Wholistic Pet Digest all Plus (or something like that lol!). This is all I do, no other supplements atm. Oh…I almost forgot, I do give a biscuit at night before bedtime. I’ve been using Wellness Lamb grain free or Whitefish (not grain free). Any soft treats given, usually during therapy dog visits, are Wellness Pure Rewards beef. As you can see, I like Wellness hahahaha. 🙂 I’m not saying this regimen would work for your dog, but to think about allergies….perhaps do away with chicken and definitely grains. Go from there. I’ve been battling this with Laverne for awhile now and I feel I finally have a handle on it.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[somebodysme]

I only recently read an article by Dr. Plechner who appears to be the pioneer of creating dog food for allergies and tests for allergies etc. Is anyone familiar with Dr. Plechner and his work and is this man truly a dog allergy expert as it would seem.

One thing that stands out is that he is saying that dogs with allergies should not be given sweet potatoes and you should try regular potatoes. Sweet potatoes contain estrogen which causes more allergies. He explains but I have ZERO medical training so it doesn’t really make sense to me. I mean it makes sense but I don’t understand the clinical part of it. He says that dog food manufacturers have put sweet potatoes to appeal to the humans that are buying the food and is not the best thing for dog food allergies and they can actually make things much worse.

He also talks of an issue in today’s dogs called “Plechner’s syndrone” which is a hormone imbalance which he claims is responsible for much of the dog food allergies we are seeing today. It has been brought on my breeding practices as best I can make out, according to him. He says that we should have our allergy dogs tested for this first thing if they are having lots of allergies. It can be treated, apparently with hormone therapy.

Here is a link to one article which is on Dr. Plechner’s website:
http://drplechner.com/learn/allergies/dog-food-allergies/

It is rather eye opening if he really does know what he’s talking about. Anyone know of his work and how valid it really is?

[bkagel]

Hi all. I have been using dog food advisor for quite some time. Here’s the deal. I have an 8 year old pap and I think she has ibs. She’s sensitive when it comes to grains and overly processed foods. The last dry food she was on was Merrick’s grain free buffalo. She was doing okay on that kibble but she get’s seasonal allergies. She was one yeasty dog! I slowly took her off the Merrick and put her back on her raw food diet. With a lot of baths, and her adjustment to her old raw food diet I thought we were good to go. Unfortunately she started having serious diarrhea, so she just ate cooked chicken with pro- biotics from Nature’s Farmacy. I cooked her a low residue food and then I started adding 1 tablespoon of acana per meal thinking I could switch her to acana. No way. I thought I was going to pass out from her second poop. Talk about foul smelling!!

She does well with a protein ratio of 28-32% and a carb ratio the same or lower level. I really liked brother’s complete, but realistically, I can’t afford it. I have two fur babies and while they are small I don’t know if I could afford them. At least with a 50 lb bag of Acana, I would be set for a good 4-5 months.

This is what I’ve tried over the years that hasn’t worked or I didn’t like:
back to basics-diarrhea city too much protein
Evo, Innova, California Naturals-she didn’t do so well on those as a puppy. Ibs flare ups etc.

Having written all of that, is there some grain free, potato free (or at least low potato) food I can get my dogs that I can get a sample packet(s) I can afford. It used to be that the stores would give you a sample packet. Pet people charged me $10.00 for a sample packet.

I live in Columbus Ohio. I usually go to Petco or Pet People because they tend to have the better foods in stock.
Please tell me there is help for this situation. She’s on the prescribed low resolution and she’s taking “their” probiotics. It’s only a matter of time 2-3 days until she’ll be back to normal. I have NO clue what to give her that I can afford for both of them.

[Saireah]

HDM: a few months ago, we talked about converting my 8th month old mastiff/lab mix to Dr. Tim’s GF Kinesis. One of my main purposes for this transition was to also put my 2 year old lab/vizsla on the same food as him.

He’s doing fine. In fact, they both love the taste. However, Quinn (2 year old) has been chewing her feet like crazy since she transition 100% over to Dr. Tim’s (3 weeks ago). She developed a rash on her stomach and I actually took her to the vet to get her on steroids as over-the-counter wasn’t working. Additionally, they gave me a pill to help with the itching prior to the steroids, but that also did nothing.

At first, I thought it was her allergies flaring up. She had to be put on steroids last summer. However, she had lasted all of the summer (June and July) without any itching while on Fromm’s Adult Gold. The reason I believe it may be the food is that she’s also thrown up twice since I started feeding it to her.

The basis for the background question is this:

In your opinion, can I feed Riggs (now 10 months — will be one year in mid-October) the Fromm’s Adult Gold? Note that I said Adult Gold, not Large Breed Adult Gold.

Quinn just hasn’t done well on any grain-free food that I’ve fed her. Acana, Taste of the Wild, etc. May be too rich for her. She did fine on Adult Gold — it’s just that I wanted her stools to be a bit firmer. That’s why I decided to try and make a household swap.

Would really love your feedback as I find it valuable. Thank you very much!

[theBCnut]

It may be wishful thinking but I certainly wouldn’t rule it out, especially since the problems are in damp areas of her body.

[Colorado huntress]

No comment, lol 🙂

[somebodysme]

She does have some booties. I will definitely be washing her feet if we visit again…oh and her private area too! GAH! The company is called “TruGreen” if that makes any difference. According to the man that came here to try and sell us, it’s supposed to be “perfectly safe and that’s why it’s called TruGreen because it’s safe for animals and humans”. So is that why they put out the warning after they get through spraying?…because it’s SOOOO SAFE? HA!

[somebodysme]

OH yes, sounds just exactly like my dog with allergies too. She’s a “lab mix”…AKA no one knows!

The vet did the same thing. What I did was go with a limited ingredient diet. I have her on Nature’s Variety LID Turkey which is doing an adequate job of keeping it under control. Remember that everything he consumes can contribute, not just their dog food. Treats and rawhide etc. even vitamins and supplements. People food…it can all cause problems.

Really the antiboitics help heal it up but then it just will come right back because they are killing the dog’s immune system.

I chose the NV food because it had the least amount of ingredients and not potatoes of any kind. I don’t even want her on sweet potatoes either.

Does he stink like strong cheese? If so that is yeast too so you don’t want a food with too many carbs or it will get worse. You’d also want to give a probiotic.

Just out of curiosity, what are you feeding him now?

[Colorado huntress]

Yes, standing in that grass for 10-15 mins where they use Turf Green could definitely be causing these flare-ups! You might think about not bringing her over there, especially when she has open sores. If you do bring her over there, what about using dog booties? I would also suggest rinsing her feet off ASAP after she’s been on ANY grass that might contain chemicals…

[somebodysme]

Patty, you don’t think it’s just wishful thinking to connect the two outbreaks with standing and sitting in their grass? Her feet and her privates were itching and she was sitting on the grass so her privates would have been touching the grass/chemicals. We do not use any chemicals at all…yes our grass look just heck but…whatever…HAHA! At least I keep it mowed. 🙂

[Colorado huntress]

Yes, I agree w/Patty, definitely sounds like allergies. My lab was a little itchy & also her ears were a little yeasty – as soon as I took her off of her kibble that had white potatoes, w/in a week all her problems went away. She seems fine w/sweet potatoes. Also, are you feeding out of a stainless steel bowl? Ceramic can make bumps on their chins & my vet said that it can change nose color to some degree! Plastic is not good to feed out of either – & I always use hot water to wash their bowls after every feeding.

[theBCnut]

It definitely sounds like food allergies. What is he eating?

[theBCnut]

Oh yes!!! It is “generally” safe for pets, whatever that means. Many pets are more sensitive to chemicals than that though.

[somebodysme]

I’ve written several comments here about my dog’s paws being red and irritated. She had a terrible case of infected paws back during the winter and they are finally healing all nicely and BAM they broke out again out of the blue. They were still kind of pink so still quite sensitive. I assumed the outbreak was caused from a change in food which did not occur until two weeks on the food. I took her off the food I’d tried and back on one that was doing pretty good though not perfect at all but her paws were not inflamed anymore and she did not scratch at them.

So I started thinking after they began to heal all up again and then BAM they break out again. This time there was no change in her food! Each time they’ve broke out, she had been over at our neighbors visiting for a few minutes in their grass the day before and they use that TruGreen stuff each summer. Could standing in that grass a few minutes(10 or 15) be enough to cause her paws to get all red and get pustules on them? It’s supposed to be safe for pets after it dries.

I’m just trying my best to come up with some logical explanation for the sudden irritation. Yes a change of food could have caused it the first time but then it happened again for no apparent reason. I had noticed that after we went on our walks around the neighborhood, that her paws were a bit irritated so I began to rinse them off when we got home and after that is when they really began to heal up nicely and the hair was growing back in finally. Then the sudden inflammation happened.

• This topic was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by somebodysme.

[maverick]

My dog was diagnosed with SARDS/IMR in April. In addition to finding a successful treatment with Dr. Plechner, I switched his diet from Purina One to Blue Buffalo. They have a simplified Salmon/Potato recipe that has helped. Here is some more info from Dr. Plechner’s website regarding food allergies that may also help. http://drplechner.com/learn/allergies/dog-food-allergies/

[idahogal]

We have a 2 year old yellow lab retriever that we love dearly-he currently weighs about 75 pounds. He is constantly licking and itching. He does not have fleas that we can see-and we maintain his flea medicine. He also has ear problems-mostly one ear. The vet has seen him many times and treated him with antibiotics and steroids. I don’t like having him on these all the time. He was also diagnosed with “teen-age” acne under his chin. We were told to use sensitive acne wipes on those and make sure his bowl is not rubber, and always clean.
All of things we do-but I am beginning to think it is food allergies with everything. Can someone please help and give us some advice? Dog food, treatments, etc.
Thanks so much!

[idahogal]

We have a 2 year old yellow lab retriever that we love dearly-he currently weighs about 75 pounds. He is constantly licking and itching. He does not have fleas that we can see-and we maintain his flea medicine. He also has ear problems-mostly one ear. The vet has seen him many times and treated him with antibiotics and steroids. I don’t like having him on these all the time. He was also diagnosed with “teen-age” acne under his chin. We were told to use sensitive acne wipes on those and make sure his bowl is not rubber, and always clean.
All of things we do-but I am beginning to think it is food allergies with everything. Can someone please help and give us some advice? Dog food, treatments, etc.
Thanks so much!

[Josiesmom]

@Patty My vet seems a little unsure or even kind of flippant about yeast issues. Though let me just say, he has been very open minded about some of this (like food changes), I do feel like his ultimate answer is to take her to the specialist b/c he thinks it’s IBS and get her scoped, etc. He said that may not provide an answer, etc. though. So I’ll spend thousands…for to what end? I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help her. IF it will help her.
She does chew on her feet, has had a recent ear infection which we got cleared up, etc. Someone said allergies (which makes me leary of different foods), someone else said that’s definitely yeast (which I’m still learning what to do/not to do). Ach!! It’s really enough to make a worried dog mom throw her hands up. SO confusing but I really appreciate any input. I think I’ll stick with Brothers for now and pray that the Fruitables on top of the Beef doesn’t make her hate it. 🙁
I hear they are coming out with a new formula in a month or so that may work better for her…

[Josiesmom]

Aww, your Harry sounds like my little Josie. It’s so tough bc you don’t know right away what will/won’t work. The vet thinks she might have IBS but I think testing for allergies makes more sense like you have before we go down the dark road of IBS. I guess it isn’t right to keep blindly trying all these foods, I need to just get her tested. 🙁
Natures Logic sounds interesting, thanks for the heads up! I’m always interested to hear of new foods working for ppl in similar situations. The breakdown and description sounds like it has meat protein (which is good) but website says it’s plant based. I’ll dig into it a bit deeper, I’ve got to get something ordered tomorrow…Stella and Chewys breaks my bank bc of how fast I go thru it…

[SandyandMila]

My dog’s skin gets red when we come in from our evening walk. I might have to decrease the amount if time shes exposed to the outdoors. 🙁 I do bathe her often. I also have tried bee pollen recently but not seeing much of a difference. I do like using coconut oil in her food and topically and seems to work better. Have you tried coconut oil, Pugsonraw?

[theBCnut]

My dose is one tablespoon per day and before you ask, yes you can add that to whatever. I sweeten tea with it or have peanutbutter and honey for breakfast.

BTW, I do give bee pollen granules to my dogs and I think it helps them.

[Pugsonraw]

I think I’m going to give it a try for my pugs….I was at the farmers market this morning and found a raw honey booth so I bought a jar. I cracked it open when I got home and did a taste test. I can’t see how the dogs won’t like it! It was delicious!

I’ll start with a small amount and see how it goes…..

[DogFoodie]

What’s your human honey dose, honey? ; )

[theBCnut]

I use local raw honey for myself. I went from taking antihistamines and decongestants daily to taking them occassionally. I’m allergic to everything airborn and the honey has helped tremendously. I get small things of honey so I have to get new very often. I do still have some issues but nothing like I was before, of course some things just aren’t in honey, like dog and cat dander. I don’t use honey on my dogs, but I have read several accounts of people having success with it.

[DogFoodie]

I love local honey! My follow through is terrible, so I’ve never had any luck with my allergies using it, but that’s only because of my inconsistency. I readily admit my faults. : ) I have a friend in the area and he’s diligently used local honey with great success. I did recently buy some bee pollen myself at a local orchard and need to start giving it a try. My daughter’s allergies have kicked in and she can’t swallow pills (she’ll be 13 tomorrow!), so I had been thinking of using honey for her.

In my mind, I kind of think of honey and bee pollen like a flu shot though, in that honey is seasonal and what you’re buying is probably from the past season as opposed to the current season, and is it going to be effective for current allergens. Meaning, does it contain the stuff that is currently problematic ~ would you be better off buying honey from last Fall to use this Fall?

I’ve never used it for my dogs, haven’t needed to I suppose, but I imagine it would work for them as well as it does us ~ it might take a little work to mix it into their food, or maybe not as I think about it.

I’ll be curious to hear what others have to share about this!

[Hound Dog Mom]

I believe Patty has had some luck with this. I can’t stomach the taste of honey so it’s nothing I could ever do, luckily neither my dogs or myself have allergies anyways. I do take bee pollen though and so do my dogs.

[Pugsonraw]

I was reading an article in the WDJ that talked about giving dogs with allergies local raw honey to help exposé them to pollen in your area so seasonal allergies aren’t as bad.

Has anyone tried this? I’m curious if this works…….

[jamiek]

I happened across this thread while googling something and couldn’t help but registering just so I could reply. There are many well meaning but sadly uninformed thoughts here. I have a phd in animal nutrition and really encourage all of you to get your nutritional advise from your veterinarian not from a forum of people with opinions formed from the Internet. Dogs DO NOT “need” animal protein. There are several complete vegetarian diets on the market. Most dogs also do not “need” to eat a vegetarian diet. There are many dogs that have severe food allergies and their quality of life is greatly improved by a strict vegan diet. There are also MANY dogs whose lives are shortened by eating a diet too high in protein. It does not matter much whether that protein is from animals or plant based. A high protein diet is very hard on the kidneys and will eventually lead to premature renal disease. The trend of the pet food companies pushing a high meat diet is very scary. Especially for older pets. The argument that that is how our dogs ancestors ate is ridiculous. Their ancestors were not spayed or neuter, they were not on flea, tick or heartworm prevention, they were not vaccinated. There are reasons we don’t treat our pets as there ancestors lived. We love them, want to take the best care of them we can, and remember, their ancestors didn’t live very long. FYI, I’ve had dogs that have eaten foods with meat, 1 dog who eats vegan because of severe allergies, and 1 dog who ate vegetarian based on the recommendation of a veterinary neurologist for the treatment of a medical condition. They have all thrived. It’s not a question of meat or no meat for the average healthy dog. It’s a question of the correct balance of nutrients. Too much protein is just as bad as not enough. PLEASE consult your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist, not a random person with an uninformed opinion and an Internet education when it comes to the health of your pet.

[somebodysme]

Nah, I think that’s pretty much par for the course.

[Anonymous]

Your vet wanted you to feed him Iams…I’d look for another vet.

[somebodysme]

bullterriermom, I haven’t had allergy testing done yet, we are just trying elimination and I’m hoping to find a good food. I put her back on NV LID the Turkey one and she is actually doing good on it and the feet are slowly but surely healing all up. Her rash on her back has magically healed up out of the blue. I really can’t help but think it was demodex and just getting healthy and taking supplements and vitamins have healed up up. I really do not know what caused her feet to flare up.

As far as diagnosis, it was just the vet that told me all her rashes and hair loss and scratching was most likely food allergies and he made some suggestions. It was just up to me to research a good food to start with. He wanted to put her on Iams.

I understand is quite pricey to have accurate allergy testing done though.

[bullterriermom]

If you don’t mind me asking around how much did the allergy testing cost? I am considering getting it done for my girl, I prob will tack on another $200 to what you paid bc I live in NY lol.

[somebodysme]

Emily, is you dog having problems on the BB? If not, then just keep feeding it. I >think< the no potato issue is mostly with allergies and yeast problems. If he doesn’t have problems then a potato formula should be OK. It’s just high in carbs/sugar so it bothers dogs with yeast problems.

[dog34747]

The cheese smell, aka “Frito Feet”, is from yeast overgrowth on the skin. If you google it, you’ll see it’s very common side effect of excess yeast on the skin. My current dog does not have this, though he does have yeast allergies and gets ear infections. However, my previous dog had severe yeast/cheese/Frito smell all over his body, not just the feet and he bit, gnawed, scratched and itched almost non-stop, all day, every day. The vet said it was caused by allergies. He recommended bathing him 3 times a week to help relieve the overgrowth. That did help, the smell went away temporarily and he was less itchy but it always returned within a few days. A daily dose of Claritan or generic, really helped. Do not use the “D” formula that has a decongestant in it and is usually kept behind the pharmacy counter. He was about 50 lbs and I gave him one pill per day, it gave him some relief but 2 pills per day were too strong and he seemed drowsy, probably should not exceed 10 mg per 50lbs. Also putting about 1 to 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in the water bowl every day helped him too, he was a little less smelly and itchy.

Really, that dog should have been on a grain-free food but I couldn’t convince my ex to do it. Technically the dog was his, so I could only do so much to provide relief.

[poconnell]

We have a Westie and a Cairn Terrior, they both have allergies to Wheat (as I do)! We feed them dry dog food that we buy from our local Pet store and we mix chicken thigh meat in with it and they will not eat the food without it. We feed them once a day, I leave the dry dog food in their dish as they basically just eat the chicken, but they do get the dry food as well. Is one time a day not enough, this has always been a concern of mine. Oh, and they do get treats, maybe too much. Thanks for any help you can give.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Well, if your dog as food allergies the first priority should be to find a food with out the allergen. What’s important to you in a food? Everyone has different criteria so you could get a million different answers. Concerning kibble I personally look for foods with at least 30% protein and 15% fat. I like to avoid foods that utilize a lot of ingredient splitting and/or plant-based protein contents. I like the majority of the protein to be animal-derived. I would avoid foods that are fish-based or high in omega 3’s. I like a company that is open about disclosing where their foods are manufactured and where their ingredients are sourced. The customer service has to be good – I will not purchase food from a company with poor customer service. Although not a deal breaker, I prefer foods that utilize fresh meat and meat meals as opposed to just meat meals.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[amirco]

Hello,
1.what questions should i ask myself before deciding what is the best dog food for my dog?
2.how can i find what food will be the best for dog with allergies ?is checking that the cause for the allergy is not one of the ingredients is enough

[Kazimber]

sorry I skipped a few words,

I also have my 4 months puppy EBulldog on TOTW Pacific Stream and he is doing good but also wanted a second choice since I’ve heard about their plant recalls and to have some variety in his meals also. I have read about how dogs develop allergies after staying forever with the same protein source. Suggestions for him would be appreciated!

[KatB]

Hi!
So, have been reading a lot about dog foods and various kinds, as well as dietary supplements for my two fur babies. I am looking for some help and suggestions from others who may be experiencing similar issues. So a little background first…..

I have two labs, a male yellow that is 6 going on 7, and a female black who is 4 going on 5. They are pretty healthy I am happy to say! My boy the yellow though, has sensitive skin and has been an itchy boy for most of his life. This past year, he was bitten by something in the back yard that gave him hives and an allergic reaction, treated by benedryl. He has also developed a skin infection on the underside of his chin twice this year. Baby girl the black does not have the skin problems he seems to have, however she got a a bacterial infection on her tummy twice this year. They have been on Kumpi, and have always loved it. Due to the skin issues and infections that they both suffered this year, and also due to the high caloric count that Kumpi has, I decided to try something else.

So we switched to Blue Wilderness, the chicken formula. We are on the 2nd bag now. They love the taste and eat it just fine. After reading about the high protein diet, and taking into consideration the skin issues, I also just started adding probiotics (Probiotic Miracle) and Celavin Omega 3 Oil. Am starting with smaller doses…..today is the 2nd day they have gotten a full 1/4 tsp. of the probiotic, and they also got a 1/4 tsp. of the oil. So far haven’t noticed anything different, but also no ill effects.

What I am noticing in the yard though…..loose and very fragrant (and not in a good way!) stools. I am hoping that the probiotics will start to kick in and help with that, but am wondering if there is an average time frame to start noticing a difference? They also seemed a tad gassy for awhile, that seems to have subsided, but probably still a bit too early to tell. Their stools are also not consistently loose…..some look pretty good, but not as firm as I would like to see. I would also like to find a food that might reduce the amount of stools that I am seeing. I read somewhere recently, may have been here, that a lady had her dog on a food and routine that has resulted in one stool per day…..wow! While I don’t necessarily expect that kind of result, it does seem like they are pooping a lot.

This whole subject of best food(s) to feed is mind boggling to me….so many variables. A dear friend who is very health conscious, both for herself and her dogs, feeds hers Natural Balance (Dick Patten). But since they have now been sold to Del Monte, I have some real concerns that the good reputation they have built for their foods will soon go the way of many foods that have been bought out by large corporations. I am not necessarily ready to give up on Blue Wilderness, but am also reading that perhaps a potato free food may be a better choice. Sweet potato would be ok I think, from what I have read, but “regular” white potatoes can be an allergent.

So looking for some good advice on what to do here…..hang in and see if the probiotics start to kick in and do their job, or keep looking for a food that I can be confident is safe for them, and might help my itchy boy be more comfortable. The probiotic jar is such a small amount for the price…..I am willing to spend on my babies, that’s for sure! But it would be nice to find a food where I could potentially limit the supplements. That may be the ideal world. Would love suggestions on more cost effective probiotics and if I’m on the right track!

Any and all comments and suggestions welcome! I know that there are a lot of you who have done tons of research more than I have, and am hoping to get some shared knowledge that might help.

Thank you in advance and I look forward to hearing your comments! It is very much appreciated.

KatB….dog mom!

[InkedMarie]

It’s hard to know what works for each dog. People say, myself included, to try grain/potato free. Then, my friend with the frenchie had luck with Aqualuk so who knows? My Boone is yeasty, I think. He does paw lick, alot & only once has he caused any damage by licking. My problem is his ears. I can live with paw licking because it could be behavioral but not ear infections.

So, to know whether it would work for your dog, who knows? I just know it worked or my friends dog. I’d think the food would be the same for all size bags, unless they had an ingredient change.

[somebodysme]

I keep hearing good things about Annamaet Aqualuk or the brand in general. Would this work for a yeasty dog? At this point I really don’t know what she’s allergic to. She had been on the Zign. for two weeks with absolutely no signs of allergies as far as scratching goes and it’s a lamb based food but it contains fruits and vegetables. On the NV LID Turkey she still scratches a little bit but her paws were fine on that and it has pretty much nothing but turkey, peas and tapioca and vitamins. Usually I can tell immediately if something is bothering her because she will begin to claw at her sides like when I gave her a rawhide to test, that happened in two days so I knew.

Another weird thing is she seems to do good until I buy a large bag of food but is fine on the tiny bags. Could there be some difference in the kibble used in large bags? I was thinking that maybe they package them somewhere different OR they may use more preservatives for the food that goes into a large bag? When I bought a large bag of NV, there was a definite difference in the appearance of the kibble..I will attest to that much! It also had a lot of “dust” (ground up bottom of the barrel kibble) in with the food which I was kind of miffed over.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by somebodysme.

[InkedMarie]

Yikes, darn auto correct! Even tho it has potatoes, she finally got them cleared up with Annamaet Aqualuk.

I need to always proof read when on my tablet!

[somebodysme]

Marie, the last sentence must have gotten auto-corrected, it doesn’t make sense…what did you mean to say?

[InkedMarie]

I’m just throwing this out there but a friend has a frenchie with horrible red, raw paws. Even tho it has potatoes,she finally to them learned with Annamaet Aqualuk.

[theBCnut]

Do you know what your Dachshund is actually allergic to? We can’t make a good food suggestion without that. We can explain how to start an elimination diet to figure that out, if you don’t know.

[Kazimber]

Hi there! I am new to this site and really like it! I am a dog lover…I have a 9 year old Dachshund who is allergic to most foods. My vet has him on Royal Canine Hypoallergenic but after reading food ratings I really want to switch him to a higher rated brand. I also have an English Bulldog puppy 4 months, on TOTW Pacific Stream but is shedding a lot, actually too much. Any suggestions for my 2 children would be appreciated!

[kobe]

thank you so much Mrs.Nix

to HDM AND MRS.NIX,

MY BERNESE PUP HAS HAD GIARDIA TWICE- I BELEVE IT IS GONE BUT I HAVE ONE QUESTION–MY DOG TYPICALLY HAS STOOLS THAT ARE MOSTLY SOLID BUT THE END OF WHICH IS QUITE SOFT AND NOT AS FORMED-IS THIS A POTENTIAL CONCERN?

LASTLY-TO HOUND DOG MOM–THE ISSUE OF GRAIN CONTAINING FOODS VS NO GRAIN–WHAT DO YOU THINK OBJECTIVELY? DO DOGS THRIVE BETTER ON ONE OR THE OTHER?IF THERE ARE NO CORN ALLERGIES-IS THERE A REASON TO USE GRAIN-FREE?

THANKS AGAIN

KOBES’S DAD

[Max2Tucker]

I have a three yr old Anatolian with severe allergies. I recently had blood test done for food allergies. It came back with sensitivity to potato = 245, milk = 233, barley = 188, beef = 163, brewers yeast = 143, rice = 120, chicken = 118, lamb = 112. It has been a challenge to locate dog food products that do not include these products. I am currently using Blue Buffalo Basic grain free mixed with a can of the same product. She is on daily 10 mg of prednisone as well as antihistamine, lanoline rise and twice monthly bathing. I have read as much as I can get my hands on. I would appreciate any new ideas or a new approach.

[theBCnut]

Just white vinegar will do. I don’t know if ACV would be better. Yes, just leave it on.