[Susan]

Hi Sade.
Your dog might have Seasonal Environment Allergies & Food sensitivities the 2 normally come together & as the dog ages the allergies get worse not better…

Have a look at “Canidae”Pure Petite, Small Breed formula’s or there’s Pure Sea, Pure Wild, Pure Land formula’s, Canidae kibble size is nice, small & easy to digest you will see a big improvemnet with the skin, most of the Pure formula’s are chicken FREE
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products. I’ve read that chicken fat has no protein in it, & the protein is what the dog reacts too… but when they have both Food & Environment allergies it’s hard to work out what is causing what? So Elimination Food Diet is best to do in teh colder months not Spring Summer or Autunm too many allergens..

Baths the best to do, are you bathing twice a week too wash off the allergen’s on paws & skin? I have found “Malaseb: medicated shampoo to be very good, it kills any bacteria & yeast that’s on the paws & skin, puts moisture back into the skin & makes skin nice & soft, I also use Hydrocortisone 1% cream when paws are red & itchy at night you check all over dogs body & paws look for any red irritated paws & skin look inbetween toes & pad lightly apply some hydrocotisone 1% cream, by morning paws will be all clear again, then I use “Sudocrem” before Patch goes outside for walks etc, Sudocrem is for Dermtitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash & acts as a barrier & protects the skin & paws, really good thick cream, Amazon or Ebay sell Sudocrem & the Malaseb medicated shampoo..
Start keeping a diary & write everything down, as te years pass you well start to see a patten & can work out if it is Seasonal Allrgies, another really good food to add to diet is Green Lipped Mussels chwy sells teh “K-9 Natural”Green Lipped freeze Dried Mussels give 1-2 mussels a day as treats, Mussels are high in Omega 3, EPA & DHA

You need to keep on top of things & with the weekly baths or bath as soon as he starts licking & chewing paws with the Malaseb Shampoo to relieve his itchy paws & skin, diet high in Omega 3 faty acid, applying creams & using baby wipes to wipe skin, fur & paws down after ghe comes back instide & when you dont want to bath you’ll start controling the problem, but allergies don’t get better…
A really good Face Book group to join is “Dog Issues, Allergies & Other Information Support Group” there’s a Dermatologist in the group Karen Helton Rhodes she also has her own site called “Canine Skin Solutions inc”

[anonymous]

If you don’t have good results within a reasonable amount of time, or the symptoms have been going on for 1 year/ 4 seasons without significant relief or the symptoms are severe.
I would ask for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. There is a BIG difference between a regular veterinarian and a veterinary specialist.
PS: I went back and forth for a year, tried more than one vet with poor results regarding my dog with allergies.
Got positive results after 1 visit with a veterinary dermatologist.

[anonymous]

It may not be about finding the perfect food. What testing led you to believe that your dog has these specific food allergies?
Because, food allergies are rare. Pruritus tends to occur with environmental allergies.
For best results (if your regular vet has not been helpful) make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist, asap. That is the only way to get an accurate diagnosis, testing and treatment options
You will get all kinds of misinformation on the internet. Use the search engine here to look up allergies, see my posts.

[Sade C]

I have a Pomeranian Chihuahua and he has allergies to everything. He is 4 years old and weighs between 10-13 pounds. He’s allergic to chicken, grains, and gluten. I tried Solid Gold Barking To The Moon and Natural Balance L.I.D., and they were ok but one had chicken fat which made him itch and the other someone told me was not good for him. So I’m at the point where I don’t know what to get bc I’m confused. I need help finding the perfect dog food for him.

[Susan]

Hi Anand.
I just click on your “Drools Focus” link & it looks pretty good, it tells you how much raw protein is in the food 40%, normally pet foods never write how much meat protein % is in their formula cause of the plant proteins like Chickpeas, Lentils they also up the protein %…. People don’t reliese ingredient list are written when the ingredients are raw, so after ingredients are cooked they move into different positions on the ingredient list…
Just make sure you rotate between a few different brands that have different meat proteins & ingredients so your boy eats different ingredients & he’s not just eating the same brand 24/7, rotating kibbles & foods strengthens the immune system & reduces the risk of allergies & other symptoms developing later on, also some kibble/brands are very high in toxins as we are learning, there’s no testing in pet foods for toxins…. Google “Toxins & Contaminates in Pet Foods”.

[Panya V]

Our Jackaranian will be turning seven this month and he just had his first bout of pancreatitis. He had been slightly overweight at 18 pounds before his illness, but is now back to his ideal 16 pounds. I’ve read that pancreatitis can reoccur, and that it requires a low-fat food. He’s had Halo Spot’s Stew Wholesome Chicken Recipe ever since we rescued him at six weeks of age, and the adult formula had 16% fat [min.; 18% DMB]. We had been thinking we could simply continue to feed him a lesser amount of this kibble and supplement with whole foods [he loves fruits and vegetables] to reduce the amount of fat in his diet; on the advice of his vet, this is what we did to get his weight down when he was overweight a few years ago. FYI, he also gets a bit of flax oil almost every day [he and our cat think it’s as a treat]. But now Halo has reformulated most of their foods and we can’t buy it any longer due to new allergies; we can’t have anything with fish, seafood, pork, and preferably no chicory. That is making it extremely difficult to find a kibble of good quality which isn’t too expensive for our budget [Halo was already at the top]. He’s always done so well on the Halo — regular, solid, drier BMs, no gas [only when he’s had too much fruit, and then the farts scare him because it happens so rarely! lol], shiny coat, lots of energy, etc. — the weight gain was usually due to my husband inadvertently over-feeding by rounding over the measuring cup. 😛 I’m positive we wouldn’t have to worry about the mental side of a food switch, since he’ll eat just about anything if we let him, though I am worried about how his gut will react to a different food, especially since we’re quickly running out of his supply of Halo. This very site helped us research foods when we had our first dog [whom we had to put down a few years ago due to a brain tumor] — so we’re hoping that we can find some help again.

[Susan]

Hi Jenny,
Acana is very rich dense kibble, my boy wouldn’t be able to eat Acana, it has organ meats & Lentils, Acana is excellent if you have a dog who can handle all these ingredients…She might be sensitive to an ingredient as well,
Have a look for formula’s that have sweet potatoes, potatoes after the meat proteins, do not feed any formula’s that have chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) or Lentils as these ingredients can cause intestinal stress like they do in humans…

My boy has IBD, Food Sensitivities & Skin Allergies & finally I tried “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb formula, people in the EPI & IBD Face Book groups were having really good results with TOTW & it has been excellent with my boy IBD, TOTW Roasted Lamb is my go to kibble if my boy starts doing sloppy poos while eating another brand kibble, also “Canidae” Pure formula’s & Canidae’s new All Life Stages, Turkey Meal & Brown rice large breed limited ingredient formula… https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

But first if your near a “Tractor Supply” shop get a small bag of “4Health” Special Care, Sensitive Stomach, it has a GSH picture on the front of the white kibble bag, the 4Health Sensitive Stomach formula has limited ingredients, Egg & Potato really good when a dog has stomah/bowel problems & then rotate & slowly introduce “4Health” Special Care, Sensitive Skin formula it’s Hydrolyzed Salmon or try the 4health Turkey & Potato it’s in the brown kibble bag, just make sure you read the ingredient list as all formula’s have different ingredients…. the fat is around 14% & protein is around 24% it depends which formula you get, start with a formula that has the least ingredeints cause she may have food sensitivies….read the ingredient list to the Acana formula she’s eating & try & aviod some of those ingredients when you pick a new formula’s around 15%-fat & 26%-protein no higher.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/landing-pages_brands_4health-special-care.html

[Michael R]

A little confused. You have rated Nutro Dry Dog Food Limited Ingredients 4-4.5 stars in your reviews but yet it is not on your recommended list in Editor’s Choice? If there’s something wrong with what I’m feeding my Golden I need to know. He is full of allergies with a sensitive stomach and it has worked well. I’m specifically talking about Salmon and Lentiles formula. My guy did great on Venison and Sweet Potato but the situation in New Zealand made it impossible to get so I’m struggling. He doesn’t seem to like the lamb, and is allergic to chicken, which makes me wonder why so many of your reviews are with chicken because it’s one of the leading allergens in dogs!

[HEAHEA14]

I HAVE A 4-5 MONTH OLD BLUE HEELER BORDER COLLIE MIX. I’VE BEEN FEEDING HER ZIGNATURE TURKEY. SHE USE TO EAT IT ALL, NOW SHE DOESN’T EAT HALF OF IT. I AM LOOKING FOR A GRAIN FREE DOG FOOD. SHE HAS ALLERGIES CONSTANT SCRATCHING AND BITING, SHE IS A SHELTER PUPPY, SO REALLY DON’T KNOW HER BACKGROUND. ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

[anonymous]

I am not familiar with this problem. Check http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
Vets tend to participate, They can’t give you specific advice as they have not examined your dog.

My dog with allergies sees a veterinary dermatologist once a year. We are very pleased with the treatment.
We saw a couple of regular vets prior to going to the specialist, with less than optimal results.

[anonymous]

It’s all trial and error. It sounds like you are finding out what works best for your dog.
If you are going to rotate, I would stay within the same brand for best results, in your case, Firstmate/Kasik.
But I would finish one bag first, then start the next, rather than have 2 bags open at the same time. Kibble goes stale fast.
For example, my local pet supply store had a good deal on Zignature catfish, so I have a couple of large bags to go through, after that it will be the whitefish (our favorite), next I will try the trout/salmon.
One of my dogs (allergies) does best on fish formulas, my other dog eats anything. So, fish it is!
But I add stuff to the kibble anyway.

[Therese M]

Thanks for the replies. She’s an underweight rescue so we’re looking for higher calorie food which is how we found firstmate. Sheceats the same volume every day so we need to pack more calories into that until she gets a little bigger. She’s getting 2 cups of firstmate per day and one cup of some other random thing she doesn’t love that we’re trying to get rid of. Yesterday was signature duck. Today is fromms gold.

She absolutely loves the firstmate but I really wonder if it’s worth $70 a bag. There aren’t many other foods that cost more. It doesn’t seem particularly awesome except she likes it and hasn’t liked prob 20-30 other things we’ve tried. She doesn’t have food allergies, is fine with or without grain, hates salmon, does poorly on overly rich foods. We also tried the firstmate chicken but she didn’t like it. She seems to not love chicken in general. We’d like to keep her with a food with roughly 500 calories per cup for at least another month. If there’s another option I’m missing I’m happy to try something else. She really likes the firstmate fish combo and no one else has that so we’ll stick with that (firstmate or kasik- both are the same) but maybe rotate it with a different lamb food? Or am I overthinking this and just give her what we have now? Thanks for any thoughts you have.

[Blkdoodle]

We were having some of the same problem with our dog. I bit the bullet and had an allergy test run on her and found out she has allergies to some of the ingredients in dog food, potatoes being one of them, and border line allergies on others. So far she is eating and liking a lamb dog food that does not include potatoes, fish, etc. Good luck. Our 3 yo weighs 78 lbs.

[Susan]

Hi Atlas,
I would feed the Natural Balance Fish & Potato for 4-6 months to let his Gi tract settle & heal or start him on the the brand that is cheaper, the Kirklands Natures Domain Turkey Sweet Potato formula this way you have some of the Natural Balance Fish & Potato formula to introduce with the kibble & just feed that kibble for 4-6months then once he seems stable rotate between a few different brands with a different protein source… & make sure they do not have Chickpeas & Lentils..

He’s probably growing it’s called “growth spurt” it happens between 8-12months old, google Growth Spurts in dogs….
You could give him a meaty raw bone, no cooked bones, this way he chewing & keeping busy & he’s eating something & you could feed him 3 smaller meals a day instead of just 2 larger kibble meals a day, that will keep him feeling fuller.
I follow “Rodney Habib” on his face Book page watch his videos, his vidoe’s are quick & to teh point & really good, he recommends blueberries, apple, healthy whole foods added as a topped to kibble fed dogs I give the toppers as a treat instead, if your dog likes cooked food instead then feed him cooked meals & try & feed less kibble he’ll be healthier….

The only problem I have with fish kibble they are higher in toxins & contamintes.
Have a look at Clean Label Project 2nd test study on kibbles, wet foods & treats, alot of the expensive brands some of their formula’s came back very high in Toxins & Acrylamides & BPA & BPS… Kirkland had a few formula’s, so did TOTW & I think Nature Balance had a few brands high in toxins, you’ll have to look thru & see which formula’s only got 1-2 stars
here’s the link below click on it, read thru then scroll back up & look to your left & click on “Dry Dog Foods” you’ll see all the 5 star foods then go to pages 11 thru to 16 is teh start to all the bad 1 star brands & the formula’s that tested very high in toxins. Just stay away from these formula’s if you can…..
The last 2 Summers I’ve been rotatating Patches kibbles to a fish kibble cause he has skin allergies in Spring & Summmer months & fish formula’s are higher in Omega 3, my vet & I couldn’t work out why poor Patch was doing really well thru the Winter months then after I started feeding him new fish formula’s that didnt have any ingredients he is sensitive too “Wellness” Complete Health, White Fish & Sweet Potato, he got sloppy poos & was unwell, so I put him back on his TOTW Roasted Lamb formula he was good again then I introduuced & tried “Earthborn Holistic” Ocean Fusion after 1-2 months later he became ill again, same with “Holistic Select” Salmon it took 3 months he became sick & wouldnt touch his food if ever your dog wont eat a kibble dont make him, take the food back, I keep all my recipts, then I tried the TOTW Pacific Stream Salmon formula which is the Kirkland Nutures Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato formula, he kept vomiting up the TOTW Salmon, then last April CLP released their first ever pet food testing & I was shocked there were 3 of the foods I feed Patch in the top 10 worse pet kibbles all these formula’s tested very high in toxins, now CLP has just relesed their 2nd test 1 week ago join & get their emails click on link below also on your left click on “Brand Report Cards”
Some people say CLP is this & that, all they want is money, yes they need donation to test pet & baby foods that’s how we get it for free.
My dog & other people dogs have been very sick after eating these 4 & 5 star brands that DFA gives & they have tested very high in toxins, when you go & look at these brands up in the DFA “Reviews” section, read all people’s post, my dog is sick, my dog died, my dog has diarrhea, I know some dogs may have health problems but there’s some foods like TOTW’s High Prairie formula where a heap of dogs became very sick all of a sudden after eating the TOTW High Prairie & Pacific Stream formula’s these formula’s both tested very high in toxins in CLP 2nd testing…
I’d rather be safe then sorry & when you have a dog with a sensitive stomach & bowel these’s are the dogs that become very sick first, Purina rated good with some of their formula’s but some of Purina’s formula’s didnt rate good at all, like Purina’s Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach formula it rated 3rd worse formula with the higest amount of Toxins.. there’s more information on different pet foods on Clean Label Project F/B page…
Im staying away from fish pet foods, I buy human tin salmon in spring water give that as a small meal with sweet potato for Patch
http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/pet-food-study-2-0/

[aimee]

Hi Lori,
I think you are referring to Candida when you say you think your dog has yeast overgrowth inside his body. Candida normally an innocuous inhabitant of the bowel can invade other areas. Occasionally a dog can get Candida in the urinary tract, seen secondary to Diabetes for example. Candida inside the body is very rare and almost always occurs secondary to some other illness. You’ll have signs like fever, abdominal pain, weight loss, lack of appetite .. these dogs are very very ill and usually die.

That said some years back a few loud voices attributed a myriad of problems including allergies to “yeast overgrowth” in the bowel. The idea has been abandoned by nearly all medical personnel because there are no medical finding to support the concept. A few people are holding tight to the idea despite lack of evidence that it occurs.

There is so much misinformation out there….be careful when researching as it is easy to go down the wrong rabbit hole

[Lori J]

Heres the kicker~ I think that maybe Ted has the yeast over growth inside his body and not just on his skin ~ he was on antibiotics a few months ago for a ruptured Cyst. I have been looking at the Calf Naturals also ~ I think that the kangaroo & Lentils may be a good start and may cover all the bases~ The med vet Dr is not Ted’s Cardio Dr ~ just a list I found online. When I asked Ted’s Cardio~ he just said he can have reg diet but some foods have way more sodium than others and I just want to stick on the lower side. Thanks so much for all your input. I really appreciate it!! I have spent the last few days trying read up allergies/ types of yeast/remedies/foods ~ its been crazy!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Lori J.

[aimee]

Hi Lori J
Keep in mind grain allergies are rare and that carbohydrates in the diet do not feed yeast on the skin. So sad that people that should know better write articles and post videos saying that you need a low carbohydrate diet to conquer yeast infections…. you don’t. The fact is that the type of yeast on dog’s skin is a fat loving yeast. Give some of these guys all the carbohydrate they want and you know what happens…. they die because they need fat to live. But even if they were carbohydrate loving yeast. How would the carbohydrate get from inside the digestive track to outside the body which is where the yeast are? Hmmm see where that falls apart?

Point is you don’t need a low carb food…. you need a controlled sodium food. I took a look at the MedVet list.. lots of choices there including grain free options like Cal Natural kangaroo and lentils.

Have you looked at Nature Variety Instinct dry line? You might find something there, for example they are reporting their limited ingredient Duck as 0.3% Na =74mg/100kcals, limited ingredient turkey is 0.4 %=97mg/100 kcals Ultimate protein Duck 0.4% =89/100kcals. If you think one of the Natures Variety products would work check with the company to make sure the website info is accurate and check with your vet.

[anonymous]

What about Pro Plan? https://www.k9ofmine.com/best-low-sodium-dog-food/ excerpt below

1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula
About: Pro Plan Focus is a salmon-and-rice-based recipe that is designed for dogs with stomach sensitivities or food allergies. Salmon and rice are typically not allergens and most dogs are able to digest this food easily.
Price: $$
Features:
Salmon is the first listed ingredient.
Made with antioxidant-rich ingredients to help promote immune system function
Fortified with omega fatty acids to ensure joint, skin and coat health
Made without any artificial colors, artificial flavors, corn, wheat or soy

PROS: Purina Pro Plan Focus has the least sodium per calorie of any of the five foods recommended here. Most dogs appear to love the taste, and it may also provide some relief from food allergies.

CONS: Additionally, Pro Plan is made without any probiotics to help regulate intestinal function; however, it does include prebiotic ingredients, which can help support any beneficial bacteria already present in your dog’s digestive tract.
Ingredients:
Salmon, Canola Meal, Brewers Rice, Barley, Oat Meal, Fish Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Salmon Meal, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Inulin, Fish Oil, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Sodium Selenite. J-4449.
Sodium Content:
50 milligrams / 100 Calories

[Amanda P]

I had the same issue with husky. I found out from other owners that many huskies have allergies to chicken. The moment I took it out of his diet (I feed him purina one lamb and rice) he stopped suffering from diarrhea.

[anonymous]

You’re welcome.
I provided information about sodium via the link in my second post in this thread, including below:

“Here is the correct sodium levels for all of our Zignature formulas:”
Salmon-0.72%
Venison-0.60%
Kangaroo-0.67%
Whitefish-0.51%
Duck-0.70%
Lamb-0.62%
Trout & Salmon-0.57%
Turkey-0.54%
Zssential-0.52%

Also:
Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice

best-low-sodium-dog-food

I have found that my dog with allergies does best on a limited ingredient diet, Zignature whitefish is our current favorite, in conjunction with other treatments (veterinary dermatologist) I avoid potato too, some kibbles are loaded with it.
Nutrisca is another good food, with no potato, you may find it to be a bit more reasonable.
However, from what you have described your dog’s allergies sound mild/seasonal.
In example: skin intact, no scabs, no pruritus, no ear infections.
I would continue to work closely with your vet, there are more treatment options available now, if these things occur. If those paw pad wipes are effective, I would continue, especially after the dog has walked on wet grass covered in morning dew.

[Susan]

Hi Lori J,
are you washing your dog paws in “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, the Malaseb is excellent for yeasty paws, skin & kills the yeast & bacteria & can be used daily as it’s a mild shampoo, it keeps the skin beautiful soft & moist….
You have to work out what foods your dog is sensitive too & what is causing the yeasty paws, it might be a grass allergy? it may be food sesnitivities? that’s a MYTH about potatoes all starchy foods causing yeast in dogs, it’s only when the dog has a senstivities to certain ingredients it starts to react itch & scratch & get yeasty smelly paws, ears, skin, gas, sloppy poo’s etc.. Yeast happens when the dog has become very sensitive to an ingredient he’s eating or environment alergies.
Start your boy on a good probiotic as well, Probiotics are best given inbetween meal, when stomach acid is low in stomach, its normally when you wake first thing of a morning or I just give inbetween meal, I buy & givemy boy the “Yakult” probiotic drink, you buy at the supermarket, Patch gets 1/4 & I drink the rest, cost about 40 -50c a day they come 5 in a pack sold in the fridge section where the milk normally is.

Have a look at “Canidae” the Pure Formula’s, the “Pure Meadow” Senior is really good formula to feed a senior dog you’ll see a big change within 3 weeks, or look at the “Pure Wild” Boar, they are money back guaranteed if you have any problems & email for teh sodium % but I’m pretty sure the sodium is low here’s the link sometimes it’s best to pay a little bit more for a dogs food then it saves the dog not getting itchy yeasty skin & an expensive trip to the vets & medications.
Canidae do make a cheaper food called “Under the Sun” that also has had great reviews. https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

Your best to join this group on facebook called “Dogs issues, allergies and other information” group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/
& get some correct advise from a Vet Dermatoligist that specializes in the skin & dogs with other health problems & other people that have dealt with the same health problems as your boy has, there’s heaps of really good advice & if any advice given is in correct, Admin steps in & corrects it, epecially about potatoes causing yeast in dogs, its one of the most posted posts cause of all the lies on the internet, it’s a really positive group it’s also has a Dermatologist, Karen Helton Rhodes DVM DACVD who frequents the group & she has her own f/b group called “Canine Skin Solutions inc” she’ll answer any questions you may have. Here’s one of her links “Facts & Myths about Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs” http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs
Your best to wash paws daily in an anti fungal medicated shampoo like “Malaseb” & wash off any allergens on his paws & any yaest off his paws to make him comfortable & to feed a diet that your boy hasn’t eaten much off or eaten before so he probably won’t be sensitive too those ingredients but it’s best to do elimination food diet & work out what ingredients he’s sensitive too ??
I use creams on my boy yeasty paws, I have found creams to work the best, apply after you have wash his paws, my vet recommends Hydrocortisone 1% cream it’s sold in Walmart probably under a different name, you lightly apply before bed & during the day if dog seems stressed about his paws & is chewing & licking them, then you can put on some socks, I use those elastic bandages, you cut amount needed & use the bandage tape to stay on, this is if the socks keep falling off but this is only needed if he’s licking his paws thru the day or night & won’t stop his licking them making his paws worse & red, best the air gets to his paws thru the day, I also use another cream called “Sudocrem” of a morning before he goes outside, Sudocrem is in the baby section or sold on Amazon or Ebay, the Sudocrem acts a barrier & protects the paws from allergens like grass, dirt etc when walking outside & the Sudocrem stops the paws from itching & stops the reddness, Sudocrem is for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, Pressure Sores in Australia it’s a very popular cream for dogs with skin problems & babies as well at a good price around $8 & it last forever, you can look up the ingredients & try & find a cream that has very similair ingredients, a lady from the F/B Dogs issues & allergies group found a cream with very similiar ingredients to the Sudocrem that worked for her dog itchy yeasty paws but I can’t remember the name of teh cream, I should of written it down, once you change Teds diet, start bathing & washing his paws & body at least twice a week & using the creams, you’ll see a big difference in Ted he’ll be happier comfortable & acting like a young pup, my neighbour has an aging dog as soon as he started to eat the new Canidae Pure Meadow Senior kibble after just a couple of weeeks he was like a young pup again, his skin & coat looks heaps better & nice shinny, no more bold patches, his fur has all grown back, he’s like a different dog, just changing a dogs diet can make a real big difference….
Good-Luck hope Ted feels better real soon, I have to go & bath Patch its his weekly bath today, now I have everything under control he’s doing real well, I hate giving him baths but its just something I have to do other wise I have a itchy whinging dog telling me he’s itchy he starts to get cranky rubbing & slidding his body on the carpet, he has seasonal enviornment allergies & food sensitivities….
Spring has just started in Australia & it’s going to be a hot Summer, you might find Ted is better thru the cooler Winter months as long as he’s eating the right diet he isn’t sensitive too & then Spring/Summer comes around & Ted starts to get real itchy & smelly again, that’s Seasonal Environment Allergies..

[Lori J]

Thanks for replying~ I did buy a bag of Zignature but then noticed salt as an added ingredient so returned. As of now ~ the cardio Dr does not have him on a restricted sodium diet just reg diet~ I just dont want a food that is high in sodium as Im sure that it wouldnt be in his best interest long term. I am leaning toward it being environmental allergies but think I need to change the food anyways for the yeast so want try something w/o chicken / grains/ potatoes just in case

[anonymous]

If your vet is recommending prescription food, I would go with that.
Otherwise, ask your vet if Zignature kibble would work? No chicken, no potato.
Ask your vet if frequent bathing with a prescription shampoo would help.
Check with your vet, but if the dogs symptoms are related to environmental allergies, changing the food will not have any effect.
PS: No commercial dog foods are low sodium, only prescription food is low enough in sodium to meet the criteria for a dog with a cardiac condition. I would assume the requirement for a low sodium diet would take priority over other issues.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by anonymous.

[Lori J]

Hello,
I am wondering if anyone could recommend a lower sodium dog food that is good for a dog w yeast on the paws. 10 yr old Ted a poodle/mix has a enlarged heart/murmur and also a yeast problem on the 2 front paws where he can lick.The vet did a slide to confirm ~ he also has some staining under the eyes and some of skin appears to be black but he does not itch/scratch.Not sure if he has eviromental allergies or is allergic to chicken etc. He was also on antibotics a few months ago due to a ruptured cyst so that could be the reason for the yeast overgrowth. He currently eats Wellness heathly weight,I was also mixing in a lil Honest Kitchen in but stopped a couple of months ago b/c it was getting a litte expensive for 2 dogs.Anyhow I am confused what food to try that it not chicken, w/o potatoes etc as I would like to get this yeast under control w/o adding too much soduim. Thank you so much for any adviceas its so confusing!

[Susan]

Hi Meghann,
Stop feeding the Wellness Core, cause he has had Giardia his bowel would still be inflammed & needs to heal & rest & he needs a very easy to digest kibble, did the vet recommended feeding him “Hills I/d Digestive Care” dry kibble? it has everything he needs B-12 to heal his bowel & is very easy to digest, my boy had to stay on a Intestinal low fiber vet diet for 9-12months as soon as the 9 months was up & Patch had done firm poos every day, I started to introduce a new kibble that wasn’t too high in protein & not too high in fiber or fat around 25%-protein, 15%-fat & under 4% for fiber, & under 370 Kcals per cup, he needs to stay on the Metronidazole (Flagyl) for 21-28 days, the first 14 days he has to take Metronidazole twice a day every 12 hours with a meal then reduce to just one tablet a day at night with a meal for 10-14 days…..

Take back the Wellness Core it’s too rich, very dense kibble, high protein & probably high in fiber, no good for dogs when their stomach & bowel isn’t working properly & is inflammed, get refund & buy either “Taste Of The Wild”, Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb or look at “4Health” Duck Meal & Potato, Pork Meal & Potato or the Turkey Meal & Potato read ingredient list & get the kibble with the least ingredients, I think the Pork formula has the least ingredients like the TOTW Lamb formula & has only 332Kcals per cup, look for kibbles with Sweet Potato & Potato, if you can get the TOTW Roasted Lamb formula try this formula first, within 2 days poos will be firm again… 4Health is sold at Tractor Supply

I don’t know if it’s the lower fiber, low Kcals per cup, or the probiotics they use or cause they use purified water ?? maybe all these things put together is what makes TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb really work & help dogs with EPI, IBD, IBS, Diarrhea, after you change his food & he’s finished the course of the Metronidazole & he’s been doing really well for a while then all of a sudden you see him doing sloppy poos for 2 days straight put him back on the Metronidazole for 10-14 days give Metro twice a day every 12 hours with a meal then reduce to 1 Metronidazole at night with his dinner for another 10 days, my vet writes me a few repeat scripts & I can get out at the Chemist when I need it….but since feeding the TOTW I haven’t needed to give the Metroniazole only when I have rotated a kibble that didn’t agree with him & put his stomach/bowel bacteria out of wack again or he starts getting his bad acid reflux (Helicobacter-Pylori) he gets put back on the Metronidazole…
Then once your boy is doing really well for 9-12mths start rotating & change brand & look for a different protein source with a few different ingredients & slowly introduce the new kibble with his regular kibble over 1 month peroid, this way he’ll have 2 different brands that agree with him with a different protein source, I rotate between Lamb, Pork & Turkey, rotating between a few different brands is good to do just incase the brand your feeding has toxins or is not balanced properly your changing his kibble & he’s not eating the same brand formula 24/7 year after year… but you only start Rotating his kibbles when you get his bowel healthy again, I rotate between 3 different brands, I always feed TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb formula Patch always has very firm poos on his TOTW Lamb & I rotate with a Australian brand MfM Turkey & I just started to try Hills pork meal formula cause I was given a Hills Voucher…
Rotating will strengthen his gut/bowel, just make sure when you pick a new kible you stay around the same fat, protein & fiber % & Kcals per cup as the brand of kibble he does really well on…
Wellness Core could be too rich & the protein % is probably way too high for him at this stage, “Wellness Core”, Ocean fish & “Wellness Complete Health” White Fish were both on the “Clean Label Project” bad list for kibble with high contaminates & toxins.. Which wellness Core formula are you feeding?
http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/pet-food/

My boy is a rescue & has IBD & Environment Allergies & every Spring Summer Patch gets bad itchy skin so the beginning of Spring his vet said try & feed him a fish kibble that’s salmon higher in Omega 3, so spring 2015 came & I rotated with a fish kibble I feed an Australian made MfM Salmon kibble Patch was fine no diarrhea no waking me up 1am 4am with diarrhea etc, the next year in Spring I feed a new fish kibble Earthborn Holistic Ocean Fussion then around 2 months later he got his diarrhea back same with the next fish brand Wellness Complete Health Whitefish & sweet potato, then I tried Holistic Select Salmon & Potato poos were excellent he was doing good then 2-3 month later he became very ill his vet kept shaking her head & couldn’t work out what was wrong, he was fine eating the Australian made Salmon MfM kibble & he had no diarrhea, we couldn’t work out why my boy was doing really well, no diarrhea no vomiting then he ate the different American fish brands & he was really unwell, then I saw Clean Label Project in May/June & the brands I was feeding him were on the worse contaminates & toxins list, “Earthborn Holistic” Ocean Fusion Whitefish-7th, “Holistic Select” Salmon -10th & “Wellness” Whitefish I don’t know where teh WellnessComplete HealthWhitefish came but Wellpet who makes Wellness has a lawsuit against them now cause of the finding from the Clean Label Project testings..
It’s best to stay away from any kibbles that have fish in them especially when they have a sensitive stomach/bowel. I rather add fresh human tin salmon as a topper & give the K-9 Natural freeze dried Mussels as treats now to up his Omega 3 in his diet for his skin…

Your boy will get better but it just takes time, even if you have to put him on a vet diet, the Hills I/D Digestive Care dry for 6 months it can be given to puppies, then rotate & feed a limited ingredient kibble, my vet said it takes a good 9-12 months for their bowel to heal & recover, Probiotics are best given inbetween meal when their Hydrochloric acids are low in the stomach & the live cutures in the probiotics make it past the stomach into the small bowel & make sure you change his water twice a day, as soon as Patch drinks out of his water bowl I change it, I see bits of food down the bottom of his water bowl..
keeps us up dated with what worked..

[Judy G]

My boy (standard poodle) is a rescue and came to us with diarrhea, ear infections and was very skinny. After many vet visits and nothing was helping I started researching. Found he has many food allergies – chicken, beef, lamb, grains and the list goes on. He can eat salmon. Have had great results with Canidae Pure Sea. It is limited Ingredients, grain free, has antioxidants and probiotics, and is an all life stages dry food. I have found that Chewy.com is the cheapest and easiest place to purchase. Hope this helps.

[Susan]

Hi Croeber,
I think it is really important to rotate between diiferent brands & feed a diffferent meat protein source & different ingredients, a rotational diet allows a beter chance of providing a more complete & balanced diet, while most dog food sold has been balanced to meet nutritional guidelines there’s always a chance that one brand might be a little deficient in a nutrient compared to another brand, by rotating a variety of foods your pet is less likely to suffer any deficiencies & rotating helps strengthen the dogs immune system & may reduce the risk off allergies or sypmtoms developing later on as teh y age this is very important for young animals…
You know your girl does well on Merrick so now look for another brand with a different protein source & different ingrdients but stay around the same protein % & fat % it doesnt have to be exactly the same fat & protein 1-3% higher or lower… some people rotate with the same brand that’s not a good idea, say that brand has toxins or high contaminates in their fish formula then the other formulas may also have the fish meal or whatever is in that brands meats etc so best to look for another brand it doesn’t have to be real expessive to be really good, look at “Clean Label Project” pet food testings some of the very expensive brands had the highest toxins & Purina got 4-5 stars ause of the lean meats tehy buy, Turkey & Chicken are suppose to be very clean meats….

I can’t be too fussy with what I feed my boy, I have to feed him what agrees with him, he was a rescue I rescued at age 4, he suffers with IBD, Skin Allergies & food intolerances, vets & his nutritionist said he probably was feed the same cheap Aldis dog food & when he was reacting with diarrhea & vomiting the owner didn’t bother changing his food or the owner changed & feed another poor quality brand that had the ingredients he was sensitive too & was reacting too, he is a prime example of a dog feed a very poor diet & was never introduced to a lot of different foods…probably why he ended up at the pound cause of his IBD, when I got him he was pooing blood & weeing blood, vet said the weeing blood would have been from being used for breeding..
I’m feed “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb grain free with Lamb meal, sweet potato, potato, peas, egg, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, formula, TOTW Roasted Lamb is Patches go to kibble that he does the best on so far…
I’ve just finished introducing Hills Science Diet, Sensitive Skin formula it’s a grain formula with rice, corn, pork meal & egg formula, I’m trying this in my rotation cause it has Pork Meal & Hills gave me a free voucher-$140, my IBD boy does really well on his cooked Pork rissoles & Sweet potato, so when I saw Hills had a Pork meal formula I had to try it & see how he does on it & he’s doing really wll he gets bad acid reflux so its very hard finding foods that agrees with his stomach & he doesn’t grind his teeth & doesn’t swollow & swollow & lick his lips, I was rotating & feed “Canidae” Pure Wild Boar & I tried the Pure Meadow Senior, “Canidae has some really good grain free & grain kibbles….
I have to give treats instead of adding foods to his kibble, he gets 1-2 freeze dried, “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels, the mussel shell is high in Glucosamine & Chondroitin for his joints & bones.
“Love Em” Mini Cookies Chicken Liver & Cranberry with DHA for immune support biscuits an Australian Brand, I’ve just started these, he was getting peeled apple pieces, he gets his Yakult probiotic drink, he gets about 1/4 of the Yakult probiotic drink in between feeds when his stomach acids are low so they dont kill the live bacteria in te probiotic & I drink the rest of te Yakult drink, he gets his yogurt ice cream only about 1 teaspoon after his dinner & if I’m running late or on the computer he tells me about his ice cream yogurt he whinges & barks at me till I get it out of the freezer. I can’t remember what else he gets at teh moment, I’ve had him 5 yrs this November & he has tried heaps & different brand kibbles & foods the Australian kibble brands are really good but some are way to high in protein & fat for him, no vet diets have worked for Patch, TOTW has been the best dry kibble so far that covers all his health problems, I’ve strengthen his gut (immune system) heaps since I got him 5 yrs ago he was always very sick before, but now he has a beautiful shinny coat, he is very healthy runs, jumps acts like a puppy doesnt seem to have any arthritis yet, (fingers X) he’ll be 9 years old on the 20th Novemeber & it’s the same day I rescued him 5 years ago his “Got You Day” he was being Put To Sleep on his birthday..

Steve Brown was asked if you had to pick 1 food to add to your dogs diet to make it healthier what would you add & Steve said, “Mussels” you can buy them in the freezer section or buy freeze dried mussels, Mussels are very healthy they have Manganese, Iodine, Fats, Vitamin D he said alot of raw diets are short of Manganese, Iodine fats & Vitamin D so add about 1-2 mussels a day + 1 tablespoon salmon & a pinch of Kelp to your dogs diet….

Follow “Rodney Habib” on his face Book page, you’ll learn heaps about adding really good healthy fresh whole foods to your dogs diet…
Sounds like your doing a pretty good job already….

[Susan]

There is no miracle cure when a dog has skin allergies unless your dog never had envrionment allergies to begin with cause environment allergies don’t get better with time, allergies get worse as the dog ages, you can use medications, weekly baths in a medicated shampoo to wash off the allergens on the dogs skin & paws will relieve the dogs itchy skin, paws & apply creams, there’s a new drug called “Cytopoint” injections seems to work really well but you can never eliminate & fix envrionment allergies…
If the dog has food sensitivities/intolerances the owner can do an food elimination trial & work out what foods are causing itchy, yeasty paws, skin & ears gas/wind, sloppy poo’s etc once foods are removed that the dog is sensitive too then you can eliminate food intolerances, like my vet has told me, food sensitivities & environment allergies normally come together the dog normally has both & it becomes a vicious cycle, you remove all the foods your dog can’t eat & the dog is better thru colder months (Winter) then Spring comes around & the dog start to itch & reacts again from environment allergies…. as the years pass the weather is becoming warmer, some days we have 4 seasons in 1 day, more & more dogs & cats are suffering with allergies now….

There’s allergy shots or oral drops known as immunotherapy, the injections seem to take longer to work & need to be given every 3-6 months, the oral drops are given every 1-3 months & seems to work quicker then the injections, immunotherapy only reduces symptoms, immunotherapy can not eliminate symptoms… Immunotherapy is very expensive, first you need to work out what in the environment your dog is allergic too by having an Intradermal Skin test then the Hyposensitization treatment is done, so best to get pet insurance before you visit your vet to get a referal to see a Dermatologist, it’s time consuming & expensive……

I choose to use NO drugs on my boy, I have found baths given twice a week or weekly baths have relieved my boy itchy skin & paws, I had to work out what foods he was sensitive too by doing a food elimination diet & work out what was causing his yeasty itchy ears, itchy paws & smelly skin, I use creams, apply “Sudocrem” before leaving home of a morning, I apply on his paws & where his skin is itchy or red, the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects his paws, pink skin on head & body, then of a night I check out his whole body, I wipe him down with those baby wipes, I buy the Huggie Coconut Oil baby wipes, I wipe his body then get new wipe & wipe each paw with a new baby wipe, then a new wipe & wipe his head etc down, I do this the days I haven’t bathed him, then I use “Hydrocortisone 1%” cream where the skin is red & itchy… Once you work out what works best for your dog stick with the routine & make your dog comforable….also feed a diet high in omega 3 fatty acids, give 1-2 mussels a day I buy the “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels freeze dried treats, buy tin Sardines in olive oil or spring water, add a couple sardines to 1 of your dogs meal a day or 4 times a week or Tin Salmon add 1 spoon to 1 of your dogs meal a day… you will see a big difference in your dogs skin after doing the things I’ve have written above…..

[anonymous]

You guys are listening to the wrong people, imo.
If you have consulted with a veterinary dermatologist and did not get good results.
Find another veterinary dermatologist, that’s what I did. And it worked, my dog has been symptom free for the most part, times 5 years, treatment is lifelong.
Use the search engine here and look up “environmental allergies” see my posts.

Also, http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/09/naet-a-cure-for-allergies-not/comment-page-1/#comment-121032
Read the comments…..

[J K]

Hello! I just wanted to pop in and thank everyone who contributed to this thread! I have a 5 year old Border Collie who I adopted two years ago. She has had skin infection/allergies/yeast problems since before I got her. I adopted her without knowledge of the issue, and once I found out, the foster told me it was just hot spots from skin rubbing against itself. Being a first time dog owner, I just believed her.

Anyway, problem got worse and here I am 2 years later, after spending about ~$7,000 on different medications from different vets. She did an allergy test with a dermatologist and is now on allergy vaccines, but I have a feeling that it isn’t tackling the correct problem. I think it might be yeast? She frequently tries to lick or chew her feet, gets red sores on her underside, and it often starts around her nose/lips/chin area. She has black skin on her underside as well.

This thread has given me hope after being hopeless! I just ordered NutriSource Seafood Select and am considering adding Dinovites at a later point. I started feeding her Greek yogurt a few days ago. Hopefully I can update you with good news in the future!

Taek K, if you’re still here, can I ask how you prepare the food for your dog? I’m not sure what the best way would be for the salmon or the veggies. Cooked/uncooked? Canned? Fresh?

[Dana F]

Holistic Blend Grain-Free Marine 5 Fish All Life Stages Dry Dog Food. This is an excellent dry dog food made in Canada. My Collie, like so many other dogs, did not do well on the U.S. version of Origen after having been on the Canadian version.
I tried many brands of kibble before coming across Holistic Blend and found that my dog preferred the 5 Fish version. He is thriving on it. His coat is soft and is coming in thick once again. His allergies are improving, his weight is steady, his stools are compact and consistent and best of all, he loves this kibble.
I am more than pleased with Holistic Blend so far which is why I am recommending this food as a brand for Editor’s Choice!

[Judy G]

I feed my standard poodles Canidae Pure Sea. One of my pups has many food allergies and does great on this food. There is no chicken or chicken meal in it. It is limited Ingredients, grain free, has antioxidants and probiotics, and is an all life stages dry food. There are other flavors available in this formula. I have found that Chewy.com is the cheapest and easiest place to purchase. Hope this helps.

[Judy G]

I too have done a lot of research over the years on dog food. Trying to find that right food for my pups. I am feed all 3 of my standard poodles Canidae Pure Sea. One pup has sever food allergies. They are doing great on it. No digestive issues, no ear infections, no diarrhea or vomiting.

[anonymous]

Dermatology – Common Issues

See excerpt below, click on link for full article

Ear Diseases
Otitis externa is the medical term for ear inflammation. Most cases of otitis externa also have an infection that is causing the ear inflammation.
The structure of the ear in dogs and cats can make them more prone to ear infections. The ear canal in dogs and cats is longer than the ear canal in people. The ear canal is also “L-shaped” with vertical and horizontal parts.
Because only some dogs and cats develop ear infections, other conditions often contribute to the development of otitis externa and ear infections in your pet.  Allergies, parasites, and masses or tumors can all cause ear irritation and infection. Allergies are the most common cause of ear infections in dogs and cats. Since an ear infection can be secondary to an underlying problem, it is often important to diagnose and treat the cause of the ear infection while treating the ear infection.
An ear infection can develop into a severe health problem for a dog or cat. Left untreated, ear infections can spread deeper into a pet’s ear (middle ear infection) and cause permanent damage to the ear canal (ear canal mineralization). Some chronic ear infections can develop resistance to antibiotics and become untreatable with medications.

[anonymous]

I would go back to the vet, as soon as possible. You have to treat the infection first. Chronic ear infections are of a symptom of environmental allergies. Talk to your vet about what diagnostic testing is indicated.
He may refer you to veterinary dermatologist for intradermal skin testing.
Supplements will not help. Prescription ear drops. (antibiiotic and steroidal) will.
Use the search engine here to look up “environmental allergies” and see my posts

I would not ignore the infection. More serious problems could occur. This is not a do it yourself. Go to the vet.

[zcRiley]

Get two separate fecal tests done, one for Giardia and one for Clostridium Difficile.

Then do a test panel for food intolerances and allergies. I used Glacier Peak Holistics (saved my dogs’ lives).

While you wait for these results, (fast him for 8 hrs) then feed your dog a formula from Zignature dog food, #1 for sensitive tummies. Worry about your large breed needs after you know what ingredients to which he’s intolerant.

Dogs go into dehydration mode immediately after the first bout of diarrhea, so if it’s been on going, he may need a fluid IV treatment at the vet. Diarrhea is not normal, so when it occurs, you need to backtrack on everything your pup consumed.

[haleycookie]

Hi check out this article from a couple years ago it’s got lots of useful info and experiences from other dog owners with kidney disease. /forums/topic/food-suggestion-for-dog-with-kidney-disease-and-allergies/

[anonymous]

First of all, seizures are a neurological disorder, it has nothing to do with the food.
Sure there are triggers. The amount of rosemary used in processed dog food is minute and unlikely to be the culprit (imo) I suggest consulting a veterinary neurologist.
The general rule of thumb is that if the dog is having 1 or more seizures a month the dog needs to go on daily medication.
If the symptoms are related to environmental allergies and your regular vet agrees, ask for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist, for intradermal skin testing.
You can use the search engine here to search both, “environmental allergies” and “seizures”.

[Sue W]

I got my first rescue dog in 2008 – and he had at least 2 – 3 seizures a week – we got him tested for allergies and then removed all the allergens from his food and environment(the best we could of course – he’s allergic to grass) And now he has 1 seizure maybe every 7 weeks. My suggestion is get him tested for food allergies – we did the whole spectrum of allergens but getting the ‘food allergens’ tested first would probably help a lot.

[Susan]

Hi,
join this face Book Group called, “Dog, Issues, Allergies and other information support group” there is a post by a lady Mary Kennedy & her girl Rosie is 11yrs old having the same problem as Daisy is having, she has posted photos, Rosie is a cream retriever, she is lying down in her photo’s…. she has been to UC Davis 3 times they were use less she said, now she is seeing a vet & he has just punch holed some of her skin to be sent off & be tested… Mary is stressing out & can’t sleep worrying about Rosie…

[Susan]

Hi Heather,
Daisy needs a diet high in Omega 3, have you tried a salmon/fish diet yet? you write you give her Omega 3 but what brand are you using, is it a New Zealand brand? in America they tested a heap different brands of un opened fish oils supplements off the shop shelves & 70% of them were no good, a waste of money, then they tested the fish oil supplements from New Zealand & their fish oil capsule were of better quality, the whether is cooler in NZ, so there’s no damage while being made.. Oxidation occurs when unsaturated fats such as omega -3 fatty acids EPA & DHA are exposed to heat, light or oxygen…how you’ll know if capsules are rancid/oxidized the smell is awful, smells real fishy smell & the gel capsules may have discoloration… store any fish oil in fridge…
same as oils in a kibble as soon as you open bag of kibble & the oxygen hits the kibble the oils start to oxidize, they say you have 2 weeks life on a kibble, so make sure its put in an air tight container & stored in a very cool place in the house, alot of people put their dog food in the garage or hot shed…
Cause you don’t know if the fish oil capsules are good or bad, best to buy tin sardines in spring water or olive oil, take sardines out of the tin & put in a glass air tight small container, store in fridge & give Daisy 2-3 sardines a day either as a treat or as a topper on her dry food….
I would start looking for a Salmon dry formula but not Orijen or Acana, Orijen & Acana tested high for toxins & contaminates….
Have a look at “Canidae” Pure Sea formula, alot of dogs with skin problems do really well on the Canidae Pure Sea formula, ingredients are good, its high in omega 3, feed for 2-3 months then rotate & feed the Canidae Pure Sky it has turkey meal & duck meal, turkey & chicken are cleaner meats, or rotate with the Canidae Pure Elements also the wet tin foods are really good to use as a topper, read thru the ingredient list see which formula you prefer but make sure you rotate with the Pure Sea especially when Spring & Summer is coming start back on the Canidae Pure Sea, https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

or try a vet diet try Hills new “Derma Defense” wet & dry, it’s a vet diet for Environment allergies, skin problems, with high levels of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acid, the Omega 3 is high at 1.80% the Omega 6-3.96%, the Omega 3 should be around 1/2 of what the Omega 6% is, alot of pet foods aren’t balanced properly & are very low in Omega 3 & very high in Omega 6, they’re not balanced properly & cause skin problems….
Hills Derm Defense helps strengthen skin barrier, formulated to help soothe & nourish skin & coat, helps skin recover naturally, supporting a healthy immune system, works with proprietary complex of bioactives & phytonutrients, antioxidants, including vitamin E, high levels of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids….
I know I lot of people don’t like the ingredients in vet diets, but they’re formulated for certain health problems, you could give the Derm Defense a try for just 3 months & see does her fur start to grow back, you’ve got nothing to lose also Hills is guaranteed to work or money back, contact Hills speak with one of their Vet Nutritionist & see what formula they recommend… I rotate & feed the Hills D/D Venison & Potato Skin health & Stomach, my boy has IBD & Skin Allergies or try the Canidae Pure Sea & Pure Sky formula’s first & see how Daisy goes…. Canidae will be cheaper then the vet diet… Canidae gets 5 stars on American consumer affairs site, Canidae grow all their own vegetables, Canidae is a family run business…. what your feeding at the moment isn’t helping, so you have nothing to lose..
also shampoo what are you bathing Daisy in to moisturize & nourish her skin?
Start bathing Daisy weekly with Malaseb medicated shampoo to wash off any allergens on her skin…

[Heather C]

Thank you for your reply. I guess that neither vet, nor the derm, thought it was serious enough to test for allergies, since she doesn’t itch or scratch, but something has to be causing these symptoms. I’ll definitely ask my vet for allergy testing and hopefully we will get some answers. Fortunately, I have Nationwide pet insurance, which has been fabulous, so that will help reduce the out-of-pocket costs significantly. Thanks again

[anonymous]

Obviously your dog may have environmental allergies. Intradermal skin testing is the only accurate way to identify the allergens. I can’t believe your veterinary dermatologist hasn’t recommended this?
Then you can identify the treatment options. Allergen specific immunotherapy (desensitization) subq or shots is the most natural treatment.
There is no cure. Atopic dermatitis is a serious condition and requires lifelong treatment. It has nothing to do with the food.
The skin discoloration you describe is hyperpigmentation, common in dogs with environmental allergies.

There is no cheap way out of this, testing will run. close to $1000, maintenance will run a few hundred a year.
There are no miracle cures for this condition.
Use the search engine to see my posts, /forums/search/environmental+allergies/
Good luck

[Heather C]

Hi, My boxer-lab-mystery mix, Daisy, is 2.5 years old and has been experiencing patchy hair loss on and off for 18 mos. I have taken her to 2 vets and a vet dermatologist. She’s had biopsies and blood work. Her thyroid is fine, she has slightly elevated hormones, but otherwise they can’t find a reason for the hair loss. She was diagnosed with a form of alopecia (which can be allergies, seasonal, eclipse, anything, etc.). We got her when she was a few months old and her puppy food was blue chicken dinner. When we switched her to adult food, we changed to beef (blue bison dry and blue beef wet). I noticed the first round of hair loss when we changed her food from beef back to chicken after a few months. We thought the hair loss was normal shedding at first, but it started getting patchy. Her skin on belly and legs also got a lot darker. She has been off of chicken for a year and she still has periodic shedding. She currently eats Merrick Texas Beef dry and Blue beef dinner wet. I changed the dry food to Merrick because the Blue did contain some chicken in it. She seems to feel good and doesn’t itch or scratch. I recently reduced the size of her meals because she needs to lose 7 pounds. She has started losing her hair again since I reduced the volume, but i doubt that would be the cause. I also use an omega 3 oil on her food but it doesn’t seem to help at all. Her coat is fairly shiny in the sun but it’s pretty much bare on her belly and her legs. I would like to find one food that would help her issues.
Any advice out there would be much appreciated. Thank you

[leslie s]

I’m sorry it has taken so long to reply. Holly has been tested at the vets for her allergies. So we know what to eliminate I think each and everyone of you for your help and I really would appreciate Links. When I Google the brands your suggesting I am only seeing a couple without peas and barley.

[Susan]

Hi Leslie,
are you 100% sure your dog can’t have these ingredients? have you done an elimination food diet to make sure…cause your ellimation alot of brands as most grain free foods have peas & most grain foods have barley….
My boy has IBD, environment allergies & food intolerances/sensitivities, he can not eat chicken, oats, wheat, barley, chickpeas & carrots & I’m pretty sure corn, corn gluten meal & tapioca as well but I never had any tapioca or corn meal to try in the food elimination trial cause when tapioca or corn/maize has been in the vet diets he has tried for his IBD his skin became very smelly of yeast & itchy, for 1-2 yrs I thought he couldn’t eat potatoes, turkey & peas, then finally vet said do an elimination diet & worked out the foods he can’t eat, we were going around & around in circle, I couldn’t feed any grain free formula’s cause they either have potatoes, peas & chickpeas, he does sloppy poos, diarrhea from barley & chickpeas are the worst for gas/farts, wind pain, carrot causes itchy ears & he shakes his head & ears after he eats any foods with carrots, when he eatas chicken he gets red hot paws 15-20mins after eating raw or cooked chicken, with barley, oats & wheat he gets his yeasty itchy smelly skin, sometimes if the ingredient is further down the ingredient list he’s OK….
Food allergies are very rare to have, they normaly have food intolerances/sensitivities they are more common….

“California Natural” has their Lamb Meal & Rice adult large bites only has 3 ingredients & Chicken Meal & Rice has 4 ingredinets http://www.californianaturalpets.com/

or there’s vet diets “Hills” D/D Potato & Venison grain free, gluten free, soy free, there’s no cross contamination, it’s a bit expensive but Patch loves it, he can’t eat that many kibbles so I rotate with his “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, & keep looking so we can find another new food to try… but if your dog can eat raw, raw diet is the best or home cooked meals, or raw or cooked for 1 meal & kible for the other meal or those Rolls in teh fridge section, we have really good limited ingredient rolls in Australia called “Prime SKD”rolls cooked Crocodile, Kangaroo, Lamb, you must have the same in America some type of cooked roll meat for dogs…. Good – Luck I’ll keep my eye out

[leslie s]

I have a 5 year old Shepard that has food allergies to peas and barley/ Any ideas on what kind of dry dog food can i give to her? Thank you for your help.

[anonymous]

When my dogs go in for their annual exams, my vet will always ask what I am feeding them and then comment on how good they look. My vet has never recommended any specific commercial brand of dog food.
I have had dogs that needed to be on prescription food in the past, with good results.
Usually I discuss with the vet what would be appropriate for a food change, or not, once the dog is stable (about 6 months) or what I can add to the prescription food.
My dog with environmental allergies, the veterinary dermatologist determined that her allergies were not food related and approved of whatever I was feeding her as long as it was aafco approved, he also liked that I was using a limited ingredient food (just in case she also had food sensitivities), adding a topper and adding water.
My friend’s dog was doing okay on Fromm, but needed occasional prn pepcid for gastrointestinal upset. Since switching to Zignature about 1 year ago, the dog looks better and has rarely needed the pepcid.
The owner does note more frequent bowel movements, but she is okay with that as the dog is doing so much better otherwise.

[anonymous]

Zignature is a quality food. I have a poodle mix with environmental allergies (she receives treatment from a veterinary dermatologist) and a sensitive stomach.
She did well on Nutrisca Salmon for years, but due to recent changes within that company, I decided to switch to Zignature Whitefish or Catfish kibble as a base about 2-3 months ago, excellent results. I have heard good things about their canned food also.
Often I just cook up a bit of protein something to add to it along with a splash/1/4 cup of water.
My other dog likes it too 🙂
Ps: In my opinion, you are overthinking the whole catfish thing. Look at what humans pay to eat lobster, lol, are they not bottom feeders? What about krill oil? Fish oil? Don’t we take these supplements ourselves and add them to our dogs diets?

[pitlove]

Yes it could be, but those symptoms ring more true to an environmental allergy than a food one.

I would put her back on a very simple chicken and rice or chicken and corn based diet designed specifically for large breed puppies. The ones that stand out to me are Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy and NutriSource Large Breed Puppy. Leave her on that through the winter to see if the symptoms subside. If they calm down in the winter, this may indicate an environmental allergy. It may take a while to determine what the cause of the itching is. Possibly another full year to see if the symptoms arise again during summer.

Do you by chance live in the South? Environmental allergies are rampant down here because of our humid climate.