[InkedMarie]

Has anyone heard of using vitamin C for dogs with allergies/ear issues? A collie/sheltie rescue person suggested it to me for Boone.

[pugmomsandy]

Also, here’s an article about detoxing. Some believe and some don’t.

http://www.thewholedog.org/artHealingCrisis.html

also gut health info:

http://probiotics.mercola.com/probiotics-for-pets.html

There’s a buy 1, get 1 sale going on right now at Swansonvitamins.com for Dr Langers Probiotics!!

[somebodysme]

Get some of that Freshpet Select Chicken and see if she does good at your home…it could be possible it’s environmental. But HEY if it worked at your Aunt’s then sounds like you’ve found a food. It’s a 5 star food. If you are worried about her teeth, then just brush them.

[Spencers Mom]

Thank you so, so much pugmomsandy!! This is great information. Sounds like we were on to something with thinking moist formula may be better for him. This is fantastic. I will start looking in to the brands you mentioned. Also thank you for the info on the teeth cleaning. I had no clue what to do there. Thank you again for taking time to respond to my post. 🙂

[pugmomsandy]

Some dry foods have more preservatives (and longer ingredient lists) as it’s suppose to have a shelf life of almost 18 months. Also kibble isn’t necessarily great for teeth as kibble breaks apart before it gets a chance to scrape the sides of the teeth. Gnawing on a beef or pork rib bone or bully stick or marrow bone or cow hoof will help keep teeth clean. You can also give him some probiotics to help his gut recovery form Moist & Meaty and get healthy for better digestion. There are several canned foods which are single ingredient products – like Merrick grain free, Hound and Gatos and probably some more. There’s also some organic canned foods like Party Animal or Newman’s Own. Kibble is hard to digest and I would give some digestive enzymes with it. Dehydrated or freeze dried foods might also be an option for him. You just add water and it serves up like wet food. Although there’s a couple 4-5 star rolled/refrigerated foods to choose from if you want to continue with those. A moist food is always better for a dog.

[Spencers Mom]

Hi everyone, I have a 2 1/2 year old, male Yorkie. We had the pleasure of becoming his pet parents a little over a year ago. We are having issues with food allergies. He gnaws/licks his feet, so much at times their raw, he’s constantly scratching. No sneezing. When we first got him he was eating Purina moist & meaty/beef & cheese. We wanted to switch him to a little healthier product and to a kibble thinking a kibble version was better for his teeth. Since then, he has had issues. Funny he wasn’t having allergy issues on the Purina. We’ve tried Nutro, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance LID, Taste of The Wild High Prairie, even a prescription dog food from the Vet, (which made him vomit several times in just 2 weeks) and many more I can’t remember at the moment. Of those brands we’ve tried Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Salmon, Venison – which we have him on at the moment even Venison jerky treats. We’ve tried grain free, limited ingredient, etc. The Salmon made him vomit, may have been too rich for him. I’ve researched and researched, some posts I’ve read said California Natural was great for dogs with food allergies, but I’ve seen they have had several recalls lately. Little scared to try that one yet. We are at our wits end!! Hate to see our baby suffering. We are wondering now is it the meat protein (since we’ve tried so many different proteins) he’s having issues with or could it be the “dry” formula in it’s self. We left him with his Aunt for a week and she feed him Fresh Pet Select, CHICKEN. She said he didn’t scratch or gnaw any that week. So are we on to something, or just barking up the wrong tree (pun intended)??? Could there be some difference between the dry and wet formula that would cause food allergies??

[metalotaku]

so my dogs can’t have any food or treats with potatoes in it as i will go into anaphylactic shock when they lick me.

nor can they have food that has a strong fish smell or odor, as i’m super sensitive to smells and the main caregiver. i will get sick just opening the food bin.

my new pup as has an allergy to red food dye.

our last attempt at a dog food was blue bufflo wilderness, water fowl. as one of my dogs is a lab mix and it was suggested, however something in it didn’t sit well with him. he lost the ability to control his bowels. we immediately switched back to the old dog food we has been using first before trying different blue bufflo flavors. which was beniful. and his issues cleared up.

our dogs are currently on beniful which the new pup can’t have because of her allergy, and she is on iams puppy formula for sensitive tummies, as she’s fresh from the pound. which gave her a mix of dog chow and iams. they are a lab basset mix and boston terrier fox terrier mix

other considerations are i’m allergic to nuts. but haven’t seen this in a dog food yet. only been issue in treats.

if anyone has any suggestions for a dog food that meets these needs i’d really appreciate it.

[labgirl]

hi ! i have my guys on this food and my one lab has allergies and a super sensitive stomach, i switched right onto this stuff, coming off of acana. No issues. I feed my guy and within 20 minutes a beautiful poop!
what a great food . im so happy to hear more people on it and dogs doing great !

[somebodysme]

Isn’t that sarcoptic mange? It didn’t spread to you? I kind to thought that if she had that, then I’d have it too? I suppose it could be. The patches that pop up are red and inflamed looking, go away in a couple days…she is then left with a gray skin patch but there isn’t irritation on the skin anymore. Is that the sort of rash it would cause? Also, her back doesn’t itch. That’s one reason I thought maybe it was demodex because supposedly demodex doesn’t itch but sarcoptic mange does itch.

I’m really beginning to think that it was something that she had eaten that caused that to come up and get inflamed. It is all fading away now and she is on nothing but her food (NV LID Turkey) and a probiotic. All treats are just her kibble and no other supposedly LID treats anymore. No other supplements. There was a treat I’d bought that sounded like she shouldn’t have any problems with it..sweet potatoes and turkey and very little else but I do believe that was what she was allergic to. I think she’s allergic to sweet potatoes and white potatoes. I won’t know until I can add one new thing at a time though.

Thanks for that suggestion though, if it doesn’t go away I’ll ask the vet about that for sure!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by somebodysme.

[dogmom]

I am new to this thread, but thought I would offer some notes on this allergy thread….

I have 3 GSDs that started itching and scratching like crazy – they were pretty miserable. Took them to vet. Diagnosed as allergies, and we went through months of trying this or that and spent a small fortune. Finally after probably 6 months of frustration, with our dogs not improving, and starting to get red patches, scaly patches, and fur falling out, and we started to wonder about scabies mites. Normally these don’t appear on Healthy dogs (our dogs are pampered, well fed, therapy-trained, and well-groomed) so we asked the vet, and he said “maybe”, and we asked about trying a treatment for that before doing expensive allergy testing on the dogs. It turns out that most places require a course of mite treatment before they want to do allergy testing anyway.

Long story short – we put our dogs on Revolution, and they got much better – tho it takes some time before the mite bodies under the skin stop causing the itching. Now 3 months later, our dogs don’t itch, their fur has grown back from the bald patches, all the redness is gone, and life is good.

So you could look into that for the problem. As it turns out, scabies is almost always first diagnosed as allergies. It is almost impossible to find with skin scrapings because they are microscopic.

Quite the learning experience.

[theBCnut]

Yes, freezing the food kills the mites, but their bodies are still in the food so this won’t help a dog with allergies to the mites.

[Mom2Cavs]

What is your pup eating now? I have a friend that has an English Bulldog (all white) and he has allergies so she needs a hypoallergenic food. I would definitely go with a grain free if it were me. Also, I’m not sure if a Bulldog is considered a large breed. I know some can weigh in at around 60-70 lbs. If they are, then I would go with a food that has a calcium/phosphorus percentage suitable for large breed puppies. There is a list on this forum of foods that fit that bill that I would use until he is done growing. I don’t have large breeds, though, and I’m sure someone with more knowledge will post soon.

[kateagray]

Hi!

I’ve been posting in different threads with questions on different dog foods/supplements and then just realized…HELLO…there are forums on this website as well, thanks to Inkedmarie who suggested I check out a sub forum with different dog foods that were grain free with no potatoes. Thanks! I’ve decided to send my question out forum wise instead of post wise so I can keep better track of the advice that I am receiving.

Here is my dilemma:

In 2006 I took Nikki, my 13 year old Miniature Schnzauzer in for allergy testing – she is allergic to pretty much everything environmental is what I found out. She was on a duck and potato formula then. She had a couple of bouts of pancreatitis due to some pain medication she was prescribed for something else and then because someone in my family was naughty an fed her some sausage. My vet put her on a prescription diet of Purina HA. I believe that my vet is being super cautious as schnauzers are prone to bladder stones, pancreatitis/hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism. Nikki seems to do ok on this dog food, which I get but every time I ask her for an alternative she says absolutely not this is the only dog food she can tolerate. I don’t like that answer. There has to be alternatives.

I called them back recently and got a different vet in her practice – my regular vet is out for a time due to sick family member, and he couldn’t figure out why Nikki was on this dog food. He thinks it’s because of the food allergies. I ask him what food allergies and he can’t answer me. I thought she was on this food due to a sensitive stomach. So, I’m confused. I was also told to give her rice cakes as treats and tofu to give her any medications so that is all she has been getting. She can’t eat anything other than that is what she tells me and she pushes low protein which I’ve been reading may not be the answer. She’s been on this prescription diet for a few years and everything I’m reading now says that it might not be good to have a dog on that diet for so long. She’s been on and off antibiotics, anti bacterial pills, temaril p for years to help with her allergies and yeast infections. Nothing really seems to help and I’m worried I’ve just completely ruined her system with years of this. Purina HA has a low protein (18%) and fat content (8%) with hydrolyzed protein of soy. I honestly feel I can do better by her with a different dog food.

About a year ago Nikki was diagnosed with Melanoma. A tumor on the pad of her paw that was removed (but not a clean removal). She has been taking the Melanoma Vaccine every 6 months. The cancer does not look to have come back so far. (knock on wood) She also has gallstones that don’t seem to bother her but do show up in x-rays. She has a heart murmur and Also, on her last urinalysis I was told there was protein in her urine. We did a protein/creatinene ratio and it came back ok, so I’m told I don’t need to worry about that right now.

I’ve been researching dog food and supplements now for about 2 weeks and am now more confused than before. I purchased a probiotic from Nusentia (waiting to get it in the mail) that supposedly should help with her yeast issues and possibly allergies.

Do I stay with her current food and just give supplements or do I completely switch foods over (slowly)?

She’s 13 years old with a lot of health issues – I don’t want to rock the boat, but I also want to do my due diligence in finding her something to make her healthy and happy for the remainder of her life.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide. I may have left some things out and if so, I’d be happy to clarify.

Kate

[theBCnut]

DE won’t help in this case. With an allergy to storage mites, it doesn’t matter whether the mites are dead or alive, just like if you’re allergic to chicken.

You are best off ordering a food direct from the company, then when you get it divide it into containers and put it in the freezer. Grain free will have substantially less mites, but if it is made somewhere where they also make grain inclusive foods, it’s no kind of guarantee. Storage mites can crawl from pallet to pallet and they can be on the equipment. Look for brands that are in heavy plastic or foil bags. Don’t overlook treats, they are a huge source of storage mites.

[Gus]

So to add one more issue to the search I’m looking for grain free, poultry free, large breed puppy food. My pup is 6mo old and has been itchy since day 1. A vet told me puppies don’t typically develop food allergies so young but, flea treatments and oatmeal shampoos haven’t helped at all. He has been on Natural Balance which gave him very runny poo, Innova lg. breed puppy and then it got recalled and we couldn’t get it anymore and now Orijin lg. breed puppy. Chicken and turkey have been ingredients in all of those so I’m looking for a grain and poultry free large breed puppy food but am not having any luck with the large breed puppy aspect. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[somebodysme]

It erupts with red sores all around in the bald spot, then in a couple days it is like it’s healed up and turns grey with no pustules but remains bald. Could it be an allergic reaction to some plant, like a cedar or juniper plant or a yew that she’s going into/under? Nowhere else but just that area though, nothing on her face or head etc. It does not appear to itch either, she’s not trying to scratch it. There were a few of these when she was at the vet and he didn’t seem too concerned by it. Like I’ve said, he connected it to food allergies and said it could also be environmental allergies too. We are starting with food. He did say that if it doesn’t improve that we may consider taking her to a dermatologist and have allergy tests run.

Patty, I have some Vetericyn, you think I should try that huh…

• This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by somebodysme.

[somebodysme]

I’d like to know if this sounds familiar to anyone…I’m pulling my hair out trying to figure out dog allergies. Back history story. My dog had all the classic allergy symptoms of watering eyes, gunky ears, scratching her ribs, gnawing the knees, inflamed elbows and of course infected paws, and this odd rash on her back at the approximate spot of the Frontline application . We had our vet visit and was given an antibiotic shot and cortisone shot and then pills to follow up with and the infected feet healed up and the scratching went away etc…but the odd rash on her back pretty much stayed the same. In the mean time, we were told to change her diet so I researched and ended up with Nature’s Variety LID Turkey and all seemed well…the rash started going away and all of her allergy symptoms are now gone except for that back rash. All of a sudden, the rash has begun to come back. Let me describe it…It is in anywhere from dime to quarter sized bald spots with red skin..the red skin will then go away and the skin will turn gray with no apparent irritation…the hair doesn’t seem to want to grow back in those gray rash spots. When she was at the vet, the vet had just lumped the rash in with allergies. He even did a scraping for demodex which none was found. At first I thought it was from an application of Frontline as that is when it all started…but it has been over two months since she’s had frontline(MANY baths later) and the rash is still there and now is popping back up, yesterday she had two new rash spot pop up! She has been on NV food for about three weeks and rash just started back a few days ago. She is on nothing but NV and a probiotic. I have taken her off of everything trying to make sure it’s not a supplement or vitamin. What I can’t figure out is all the other allergy symptoms have vanished but this back rash is now coming back with a vengeance! Does this sound familiar to anyone? Maybe ringworm or some other non-food allergy related rash? HELP!!!! Would it make sense that all the other symptoms went away but this other symptom of food allergies came back? To me it doesn’t!

[InkedMarie]

Have you tried THKs Zeal, fish based?

[NectarMom]

I am glad to hear something positive about this particular food since I just ordered the CC Venison. I do not have the issues you have with your baby but mine do have yeasty smell to them and yeasty ears and itchy constantly. One of mine has something else going on that I am hoping it isn’t the same issue we had before. I think shes allergic to turkey and may be having intestinal allergies to it so we are switching.

Did you just do a switch over with your dog or did you mix with his previous kibble? Glad your baby is doing so well on CC 🙂

[bomashisha]

I have been feeding my lab Muenster Dry Dog Food for several years with no problem. He recently developed allergies and even though we are not sure they are caused by his diet, we decided to change to Nature’s Variety Instinct Chicken Kibble. Everything was going along fine for a few days but now his elimination habits have drastically changed. He used to go to the bathroom twice a day, once after breakfast and once after dinner when I take him for his walk. For the last week, he is just about stopped going to the bathroom after breakfast. He continues to go to the bathroom during his walk for the most part, but occasionally, he doesn’t eliminate until later on in the night. Also, he has way more flatulence than previously and it has a very noticeable odor. I am not sure if just feeding the kibble is what is causing the problem since it appears there is very little fiber in it. What do you all recommend as a supplement to the kibble? Thank you.

[networe]

Hi,

I am allergic to sea food (salmon,fish etc..) and would like to find something nice for my puppy without those ingredients. Rated 4 to 5 stars.

Thanks 🙂

[NectarMom]

Thanks HDM I will keep that in mind. I am hoping that CC works and if it does then I will be rotating through the proteins they have but I don’t think the Bison is out yet so if this Brand works hopefully the Bison will be out soon.

Thanks Bella, Yes it sure is very frustrating as I hate seeing my sweet girls so miserable.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by NectarMom.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Sorry to hear your girl is having so many issues! Let everyone know how the Canine Caviar works out. If it doesn’t work you may want to check out Addiction’s foods. They have many kibbled, canned and dehydrated foods marketed towards dogs with allergies/sensitive stomachs. They have several novel proteins – kangaroo, venison, brush tail, eel, buffalo, etc. Most of their foods are low in fat as well.

[Anonymous]

Good luck. It is so hard when you are running our of options.

[NectarMom]

Going to try canine caviar venison diet and see how things go. It got excellent reviews so maybe we just need to get away from turkey all together. Wish us luck because we are running out of options for a half kibble diet.

[NectarMom]

I meant no other issues were found besides Pancreatitis and Salmonella bacteria through all the blood work and test she went through, my IPad wouldn’t let me edit the post. Thanks for any advice on a food you think she might can handle.

[NectarMom]

I do know what to make of it other than my Shihtzu is now allergic to turkey protein. This has been an n going problem with her and the symptoms are she is constantly turning around looking at her rear end as if something is bothering her. She has thrown up once in the last couple of days and now I started cooking ground white turkey and adding in See spot live longer dinner mixes and she ate some at first and now she totally is refusing any and all food. We are on Turkey and egg kibble and have been for a while. She is my one who was hospitalized a few months back for Pancreatitis and what my vet thinks was Salmonella Bacteria. $1300 later and blood work and a lot of test sent off coming back nothing. Now shes acting the same way once again. It did get worse when I fed her the all white ground turkey so I am seriously thinking she has issues with turkey.

What is a protein that likely dogs are not going to have an allergic reaction to? I am talking intestinal allergic reaction. I have tried Rabbit and she does not like it and I have tried Chicken and same reaction as turkey so I am at a loss on what to feed since beef seems to be high on the list of allergic reactions. I need limited ingredient foods. This is really getting frustrating. Years ago I never had these issues with any dogs. Seriously what in the hell are they putting in foods these days?

[theBCnut]

Regarding bee pollen, if you can find a local source, it works better than commercial. Local will have the pollens from the specific stuff that is bothering your dog. If she is having contact allergies, instead of just rinsing her feet you might want to rinse the whole dog, or well up the legs and the belly, if it is contact to grass.

[SandyandMila]

For those who use bee pollen, which would you recommend? Currently I’ve been using quercetin, bromelain, krill oil, coconut oil, ACV and newly rooibus tea to aid Mila with her seasonal allergies, and I also clean her feet everyday day and tend to her hot spots but would like to try bee pollen. As soon as the nice weather hit along came allergy season. We were enjoying long walks in the evening once it was cool out but have been doing it less since her allergies have been getting worse. 🙁 Which bee pollen do you recommend, is it in glandular form, local? What would be the recommend dose for Mila (almost 16 months old and 50 lbs.)? Thanks in advance!

[pugmomsandy]

somebodysme,

Do you also give fish oil and coconut oil for allergies? A Pugvillager is having good success with her pug’s allergies with colostrum and quercetin.

[somebodysme]

We are doing good on Nature’s Variety the LID Turkey one so far. Horrible allergies before! If you notice also that the Nature’s Balance isn’t fish and sweet potato, it is SWEET POTATO and fish. I just can’t see how a diet mostly sweet potatoes is a good thing. The doctor recommended that but I just didn’t want that for my dog.

[jaxsmom]

We have a 6 month old lab mix puppy that has developed a poor appetite and weird eating habits within the last month. He was on blue buffalo lamb and oatmeal puppy food for a couple of months. One day he started getting diarrhea and was acting less energetic and wouldn’t really eat without much coaxing. So we took him to the vet and there were no issues. The vet recommended Prescription Diet food for digestive health and we tried that. He seemed to like that and we decided to slowly get him back on his old food and he would eat his old food when it was mixed with the Prescription Diet. We wanted to get off of that since the first ingredient is corn and get back to something more natural. We tried switching to the blue buffalo large breed puppy chicken and rice to see if he liked that flavor instead. But he really doesn’t have much interest in it and won’t eat it all of it. He will usually take a few kibbles and bring it to a rug and eat it there and then walk away for a bit. His stool is sometimes solid, sometimes loose and it varies how many times he goes in a day. He sometimes has gas too. He also itches his ears and paws a lot, so we are thinking he might have allergies. Does anyone have a suggestion for a dry food that is natural and in the same price range as blue buffalo? Should we get a large breed puppy food? We are considering Hollistic Select as an option.
Thanks for the help!

[Jo Ingram]

I owned Oorang Airedales for 15 years and after losing both within a year and two weeks, I adopted a mixed breed german shepherd/border collie from a local pound last Fall. I named him Rain because it was raining when I picked him out and raining when I picked him up. The pound estimated his age at 0-6 months but I believe he’s alot older than that. I think he was at least a year old when I adopted him.
I fed my Dales “Taste of the Wild” and homemade treats but this boy suffered through terrible bouts of the runs when I tried their diet with him.
I backed off on the protein and tried him with Kibbles & Bits. It has so far cured the runs but he’s so hyper that I’m suspicious of the ingredients affecting his system. I’m thinking somewhat like a kid on a food that he’s allergic to. When I saw the ingredients and rating on this website I can see that I was correct to have concerns.
So, I need help trying to figure out what I can feed this poor kid without having another physical crisis but still see if I can help him calm him. The Airedales are rumoured to by hyper because of their terrier breeding, but believe me, they had NOTHING on this guy. Sometimes the way he just “goes off” would make an observer believe he’s totally insane. He’s not – he’s actually a great dog 90% of the time. I think I’m causing these meltdowns with what I’m feeding him. I bought a low price biscuit for him two weeks ago and within 36 hours he was completely out of control. That was when I realized I am causing the problem with his diet.
Please, has anyone some guidance or opinion that could help me?

[InkedMarie]

If by chance you have a dog with allergies, be careful what you buy. I’ve been told that the mixed tocopherols in some of them contain soy. I have an allergy boy who can’t have soy. I buy sockeye salmon oil from Vital Choice, more costly probably but it’s just salmon oil.

[rogerharris]

Here are top 10 wholesome dog treats you can make at home:

1.Dog Cookies: Include kiss me cookies, peanut butter cookies, pink delight paw print cookies, etc. that are specially made for puppies.

2.Pumpkin: You can use wheat cream or rolled oats with pumpkins. There is no need to cook first; you should bake for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F. This treat is made mostly for senior dogs.

3.Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Biscuits: This vegan diet is great for gluten intolerant dogs. You can use millet, almond, rice, corn or oat flour if your dog is allergic to wheat.

4.Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits: The treat is meant for dogs with arthritis and/or diabetes. This dish should be refrigerated overnight or for one and a half hours then baked for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

5.Oatmeal Bark Bites: This treat is good for dogs with pancreatic or liver disease since it has low animal protein and fat.

6.Veggies Treat: The treat contains low levels of phosphorous and fat. This is restricted for diets that curb liver and kidney diseases. When cooking, include vegetables like zucchini and sweet potatoes which are low in phosphorous.

7.Crispy Yam Doggie Snacks: Bake slices of sweet potato and make the dish sweet, salty, crunchy or spicy.

8.Vegetarian Muffins: Include ingredients for vegetarian diets like apples, carrots, wheat flour, molasses, oats, etc.

9.Beef Dog Treat: These biscuits are meant for dogs that love meat.

10.Chicken Dog Biscuits: To make the treat, you have to use organic low sodium chicken broth that is organic.

These and other dog meals are easy to make and the ingredients are readily available. These recipes are a great way to offer wholesome treats to your dogs unlike the commercial foods in the market which cause kidney complications. Make your dog treats from 100% natural and organic ingredients.

[BlondieMIA]

Ive been searching the web for some numbers, just out of curiosity I suppose, of what the best selling dog foods on the market are. I mean, we all agree that there are many dog foods that are on our personal do not buy list; whether it be because our dogs may not like the food, or because we do not like whats in the food, then theres the dog foods that people say they buy, but the real truth lies in the actual sales of these foods. I started searching for top dog food sales for the most recent year & I can’t seem to find anything definitive. I was looking for quantity as well as top sales. For example, Yum Yum Food sold 10,000 pounds of dry dog food or 2000 bags of dry dog food (I wouldn’t know how the companies break down their “quantity” sales). Then also Yuck Yuck Food sales were at $1.2 million. (both dog food names are just made up). Does any one know how to collect this data or find it? Any help would be appreciated.

Why did I start to search for dog food sales?
Well, I have 5 dogs. I love them all dearly, but dog food prices have really seemed to sky rocket. Back when I only had 3 dogs, they all ate “good” dog food. (Taste of the Wild). I actually switched from Eukenuba (excuse my spelling) because my oldest, Nikita, started to develop skin problems & allergies. Then when the youngest 2 we rescued joined the family, I was feeding them all Taste of the wild. But the $60 something plus tax with everything else, my 2 trips a week to the pet store was exceeding easily $300…$1200 a month just in food, treats ect. (edible items) So, I started buying both Taste of the wild and some less expensive food. My thoughts were to feed Nikita TOTW, & feed the others a mix of both. But of course they all want what the other has & lets face it, sometimes you just want Mc Donalds.

Now, I am aware of whats in certain foods and whats better for my dogs to eat. If I were able to, I would feed them the best of the best. If someone asks me what I feed my dogs, to be honest, my answer may vary depending on whose asking. The only one I know Im 100% truthful with all of the time is our vet. It seems dog food brands are becoming a “human” category. If I were to meet a person with a LV purse & a yorkie in it, Im most likely to say that all my dogs eat the best foods. Why? Im not sure, but I feel if I were to say for example, Pedigree, you might as well tell the woman you live under a bridge. The conversation would most likely end quickly & she would run in the opposite direction. (yes extreme, but just so you get the point.) Does buying Pedigree make you poor, cheap, uneducated about dog food or d. all of the above?

So that being said, Im curious to see quantity sales numbers vs revenue. How many people are actually buying quality dog food? How many pounds of dog food did pedigree sell vs taste of the wild or blue? I bet blues $$ numbers are up there, but Im assuming pedigree exceeds most in quantity (lbs).

Whats your perception of the top brands sold? Food for thought… Thanks in advance to all that can help me get this solved. 🙂

[somebodysme]

Huuummmm…I wonder how that millet would be with the allergies or yeast problems? The reasoning behind using millet sounds valid…more logical than potatoes which a wild dog(wolf) would never ever eat…would they?

[alsmomma]

I’ve been buying my beagle this brand of treats because they’re made in the USA and are 100% human grade treats. My beagle LOVES these treats! However, we’ve been noticing for several weeks now that she’s been vomiting a yellow foam (sometimes it’s white or brown foam). The ingredients of these treats (as listed on the package) are chicken and rosemary. I’m wondering if this is the cause of her vomiting, maybe an allergic reaction or something? Two or three times I didn’t give them to her and we don’t think she vomited but there’s almost no way to know for sure. Can anyone weigh in on this? If not the treats, what else could be causing the vomiting?

[somebodysme]

As far as the astaxanthin that you suggested, do you just buy it for people usage? What mg pill do you buy? I give her a product called PB8 for a probiotic one pill each day. Human dosage is 2 per day.

See I just KNEW that her demodex had come back judging by her appearance but the vet didn’t see any sign of demodex and suggested from her appearance that she is suffering from allergies and most likely from her food. So we’ve been on Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch that did not seem to agree either and she was eating grass like she was possessed…HA! Her scratching was coming back and her ears were bugging her too. I bought a small bag of Nature’s Variety LID Turkey and have been giving her this for a couple days and the grass eating and slightly soft stole has already gone away. Luckily she is able to switch foods without any problems.

[somebodysme]

Laughing about the Beneful comment Cyndi…my dog has been through several expensive dog foods trying to find one that’s not causing allergies and my husband says to me yesterday “what about that Beneful dog food that’s supposed to be so good?” HAHA! UGH! 🙁

[somebodysme]

Long story short…my dog’s paws became infected after an allergic reaction to road salt over the winter. I tried everything to heal them up but ended up having to get a shot of anti-biotics and then a round of pills. Before that she had also been on antibiotics for UTI and demodex. So she’s been on lots of antibiotics and she’s only 15 months old. Her feet are healing up but there’s still a bit of dry scaly spots on them….I do not want to see them blossom back out into infection and swelling. UGH!

She also has some sort of allergies causing itching, red ears and watering eyes. She was tested for demodex but three scrapings came back negative.

My question after the brief history of her is: What supplements can I give her to help boost her immune system to counteract all the negativity of those antibiotics in her system. I’m giving her echinacea, vitamin C, B complex, A, E and cod liver oil. Also a human grade probiotic. Good? Bad? She is now on NV LID Turkey for her diet. A small amount of canned to give the pills with.

[rypke1]

Our dog has always had a gorgeous coat, no skin issues at all anywhere on his body. He got tired of the dog food we had been giving him so we switched him to Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Bison. He now has eruptions of these red oozing bumps on his elbows and the area around his muzzle is red and very irritated looking. I’m sure it’s probably an allergic reaction to something in the food as it has happened only since feeding him this. Has anyone else had such a reaction from this food? I’m of course switching him back to what he’s always been on immediately and I’ll just spice it up with some added meat to get him to want it again. Just makes me sick that I’ve done this to him and caused this reaction. Any input about this is appreciated. Thank you…love this forum Rypke

[somebodysme]

That sounds about right Patty. Plus if the dog is getting upset stomach, that really doesn’t mean an allergy but a food intolerance. Like for instance, pinto beans make me sick but that doesn’t mean that I’m allergic to pinto beans…but rather that I cannot digest them. So digestive enzymes would be in order.

[somebodysme]

I’ve read good things about Canine Caviar too, no one near me sells it though. I agree with Sandy, start with a LID and go from there. I recently tried Earthborn Holistic’s Coastal Catch but after two weeks I didn’t see any change at all with my dogs allergies…am trying NV LID now. Unless you get allergy tests done, it’s just trial and error. I’ve even heard that the allergy test isn’t really all the great either…any opinions on that subject? $300 isn’t all that bad if it tells us accurately what to feed our dogs!

[paige-s]

I just wanted to start a thread to tell everyone about Canine Caviar 🙂

Its very similar to a raw diet but in kibble form. There is many options to choose from aswell.
Grain free has 3 options – venison, duck, herring (all are single protein, no potatoe)
Lamb and pearl millet
Chicken and pearl millet
Special Needs
Puppy grain free

The special needs diet can replace almost all Science diets from a-z from the vets office. Personally i have my girl who has a liver disease on it and is doing better then ever.
Its great food for diabetics, sensitive stomachs, dogs who throw up alot, colitis, ibs, kidney problems, pancreas problems, and more.

the food has a proper alkaline level and pH level as well. i have seen this food do fantastic things for dogs (i work with clients directly helping choose dog foods and nutritional based questions).
For any dog with allergies this food i great because there is no grain, no potato, and no chicken in 3 of its options.
For dogs with sensitive stomachs, colitis, ibs, any tummy problems, the entire line has pre and probiotics in the food too, as well as peppermint to help calm the stomach. Check the food out for yourself and put your dog on it and you will see amazing results.. !!

[muddy little mutt]

Okay thanks :)..I really think it’s environmental because she had a flare up after playing around outside. She has dry skin in the winter but no itching. I’ve been changing up her food so I don’t think it’s a food allergy.

[pugmomsandy]

Does she itch all year? Can it also be in part to a food intolerance? You can try Herbsmith’s AllerQi, a tablet with stinging nettle (sometimes it’s with quercetin) and also feeding a food with a “cool” meat like duck. A paw rinse (water and vinegar) before coming inside the house. Also coconut oil – 1 teaspoon a day – may help with allergies.

[muddy little mutt]

My vet believes that my dog has seasonal allergies. She scratches her neck and ears. And chews on her rear paws. He said 1000 mg for my 20 lb dog, since that’Can is the standard human dosage. What else can I do to help her with the itchiness?

[Cavalierluvr]

What type of issue is you dog having? I originally thought my 4 year old Cavalier was allergic to Chicken and/or dairy products. He would get an upset stomach and would always want to go out and eat grass so that he could vomit, not his food, but mostly bile. I would switch brands (I was using Fromm Gold) to Canidae Lamb and Rice. It would make a difference for a while and then it would start all over again. Switching a recipe would help occasionally until this past Spring and nothing I did seemed to help. The vet checked him out and found that he had quite a bit of yeast in his stool. Grain-Free foods didn’t really seem to help him, so the Vet recommended a probiotic. He had Purina Forti-Flora in stock, but after 2 weeks it wasn’t making a difference. I went on a forum here and someone recommended Mercola Complete Probiotic for Pets. What a difference this product has made! I saw immediate relief. It’s hard enough trying to get your pet to switch to a new dog food if his original recipe has already been changed. I would highly recommend giving the probiotic a try! Good Luck!

[NectarMom]

We feed Hare Todays ground rabbit mixture in the morning and in the evening we feed Brothers Turkey and Egg. We have been back on Turkey and egg kibble for approx 8 weeks since our bout with Pancreatitis and now We have been feeding 1/2 Raw and 1/2 kibble a day and my dogs are more itchy than ever. I am wondering if it is the carrot in the kibble because carrot has natural sugars in it and sugar feeds yeast as in result causing sugar to feed on the yeast so I am wondering since the ingredients are similar in the Turkey and egg as Natures Variety Instinct but NV has no carrot added , I would switch to the NV Rabbit LID. Yes once again considering a food switch because it is not atopic allergies, for them to smell yeasty it is food allergy. I kept going back to turkey and egg because I was told it takes 6-8 months to rid their systems of Candida but after doing a ton of reading up on it and asking another legit source it should only take 3-4 months at most. Any thoughts?