[anonymous]

Pruritus can be very uncomfortable, untreated it can lead to skin infections, ear infections and malaise and sometimes even aggressive behavior.
This subject comes up at least twice a week. Rather than treat the symptoms and change the diet multiple ways. The first step would be to get h1s condition diagnosed by a veterinarian. Atopic dermatitis is often caused by environmental allergies, not the food.
Food sensitivities fluctuate and tend to result in gastrointestinal disturbances rather than pruritus. Food allergies are rare.
Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane, they may be mild and may be treated with prescribed meds such as Apoquel certain times of the year or severe and need year round treatment such as allergen specific immunotherapy (desensitization) which is now available sublingual (by mouth).
I got the best results after going to a veterinary dermatologist. I spent a year going back and forth to the regular vet and didn’t get any answers. Although, they did offer temporary comfort measures. Allergies are complicated, they don’t go away, there is no cure.
However there is effective treatment.

Here is my response to a similar question:
“Have environmental allergies been ruled out? What you describe sounds like that’s what your dog may have vs food sensitivities”.
“They usually start around 1-2 years old and get worse with age. Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane making it almost impossible to tell which foods work or not”.
“Everyone blames the food, but I have found my dog tolerates a lot of different foods since beginning allergen specific immunotherapy (desensitization). The treatment tends to be lifelong, but no more ear infections, rashes, anal gland issues (5 years in)”
“The initial testing, intra dermal skin testing is expensive, maintenance isn’t that bad.
For best results, an accurate diagnosis and treatment options that work, I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist. Allergies are complicated and often require the expertise of a specialist.”
And another:
“When you call for the appointment with the veterinary dermatologist, the office will explain how to prepare the dog for testing, depending on the results of the exam, the specialist may recommend intra dermal skin testing to identify environmental allergies. The expertise of the specialist in interpreting the results is crucial to the treatment he will recommend.
He may want to do a blood test, in my dog’s case we skipped it as he determined the symptoms to be clearly environmental.”
“We were in and out in about an hour with a list of allergies and a course of treatment to begin”.
“Allergen specific immunotherapy, 5 years in and my dog is doing very well, we see the dermatologist once a year”.
“Now, if your dogs allergies are mild/seasonal he may suggest medication certain times of the year instead”.
“Forget about hair and saliva tests they are scams (imo)”
“Ps: Let us know how it goes, I was very pleased with how smoothly the testing went.
They say it may take a while to see results, but I saw improvement right away”

If you click on my avatar and scan “replies created” you will find a multitude of comments I have provided related to allergies.
Ps: I can’t stress this enough. I would not apply anything to the rash, no over the counter meds, creams (nothing) unless recommended by a veterinarian that has examined the dog. Also, too much bathing may make the rash worse.
You can’t treat a condition until you know what it is 🙂

I agree with pitluv, if Iams works, stick with it. Maybe the fish doesn’t agree with him?

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Susan]

Hi Patterson, Iams don’t have the best ingredients, read ingredient list in the Iams Lamb & Rice, Lamb should be the only protein but there could be other proteins they often advertise 1 protein on the front of kibble bag & there’ll be chicken as well, then look for a better quality kibble minus the corn & other un healthy ingredients in the Iams formula..
My boy does real well on Lamb also he does well on “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, it just has Lamb & limited ingredients, there’s “California Natural” Lamb meal & Rice it just has 3 ingredients, you could rotate with a couple of kibbles once you have introduce them & he doesn’t react to them this way he’s not just eating Iams 24/7 also read the ingredient list to the Nutro Max G/F Salmon formula, he’s definitely sensitive to an ingredient in the Nutro Max formula…
Blood & Salvia food testing can give false positives the only true way is by doing an food elimination diet, once he’s doing really well on his Iams formula start adding 1 new food with his Iams kibble, add tin salmon in spring water, drain the water, cause salmon was in the Nutro max Salmon formula, see does he itch & scratch again?? if not then stop the salmon & add another ingredient that’s in the Nutro Max formula, this way you will get some answers & know what foods he reacts too….

“Canidae Pure” formula’s are pretty good, they have limited ingredients for dogs with skin allergies & food sensitivities, or look at “Canidae Life Stages” formula’s, there’s Canidae Life Stages Lamb Meal & Rice formula http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

I rotate & feed the Canidae Pure Wild Boar, TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & I’m trying the Hills D/D Venison & Potatoes vet diet, my boy has IBD & Skin allergies the Hills D/D Venison & Potato has just come to Australia, the D/D is for skin & food sensitivities, D/D has limited ingredients with single intact animal protein, grain free, gluten free, soy protein free, no beet pulp & is high in omega 3 what’s needed for skin allergies & IBD….
I want a vet diet where I know if Patch gets real bad with his IBD I can fall back on it, his environment allergies when get that bad by the end of Summer & put his immune system into over drive & starts attacking his intestinal tract, every March the end of Summer we are at the vets with Patch having an IBD flare, so when Summer comes back around this year I’ll start him on the Hills D/D Venison & Potato with the extra Omega 3 & ingredients to strengthen his immune system so by the end of Summer hope fully we will not be at the vets again in March with a IBD flare… keep a diary write down foods etc that cause a reaction, Food Sensitivities can take 1 day to react up to 6 weeks so best to test 1 new food for 6 weeks to see if there’s a skin reaction or intestinal stress….
For his inner hide leg put some Hydrocortine 1% cream on before bad at night or Sudocrem is excellent as well its for eczema, dermatitis & nappy rash or look for a baby cream with the same ingredients as the Sudocrem has, a lady found a baby nappy rash cream with same ingredients in America but I didn’t write down the creams name or she said you can buy the Sudocrem on Amazon, its excellent it acts as a barrier & relieves any itchy skin, red paws, itchy bum etc…

[S P]

Svan,

A sincere thanks for posting the information pertaining to contamination, however, one “caveat” needs to be mentioned: The majority of the report’s top rated brands are some of the worst foods that you can possibly feed to a dog! What a dilemma….

As a side-note, if interested in a fish diet for your pooch, I have been satisfied with a Canadian brand called ‘Holistic Blend/My Healthy Pet/Marine Fish 5 Fish/Grain Free’ (I “ditched” Champion/ACANA/Orijen months ago). This exact brand wasn’t included in the ‘Clean Label’ review, but I have been very satisfied with the results achieved so far (white Pitbull 70lbs – easy weight maintenance, small stool, no skin allergies or itching, no oily residue, and the food doesn’t smell bad, which is usually the case with other fish-based diets. Chewy is one of the few retailers. Try the 7.5lb. bag. -SP

[Cath N]

Call the company and inquire. I’d focus on the panting and obtain tests. A food journal is the only way to determine what she can tolerate. I used organic Paul Newman kibble which was the only one they would eat. The scant meat was placed in food processor and mixed with some kibble. No longer use kibble they are 16y.o., teeth are good and blood tests also good. But keep them on home cooked food and observe any ill-signs. Every one seems to have less food tolerance as we age, as well as dogs; have to keep a watchful eye. I’ve purchased 99% fat free chicken breast , however, dogs with allergies can’t tolerate. No fat, if possible. Remember, FOOD JOURNAL. Best of luck.

[anonymous]

@ Susie, Thanks for your input
You never know. That is why I suggested a return visit to the vet. Usually pruritus is indicative of allergies….
If you don’t catch those anal gland clogs in the early stages, sometimes they develop an abscess deep inside. It get’s hard and it won’t move out with manual manipulation.

[Ashley H]

I know I’m a lot late for this post, but was hoping to help incase anyone needed it! We try and use a minimalist diet for our dog with allergies. It isn’t a kibble, but works well! Great company and human grade ingredients. It’s called Honest Kitchen. They have a couple types of protein sources and limited ingredient diets. We have also used Open Farm and my sensitive guy does great on the fish formula. I’ve also heard ziwi peak and Timberwolf are excellent. Good luck to all!

[Susan]

Hi Simon, I feed the Canidae Pure Wild Boar grain free limited ingredients low carbohydrates… look at the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior for your older dogs, rotate with the Royal Canin Dental vet diet, feed one formula for breakfast & the Canidae formula for dinner but first introduce the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior over 7-10 days…
If Moose hasn’t vomited or doing sloppy poo’s & is doing well, then just keep feeding the Canidae, it’s probably all a coincidence with what’s happening with Moose… I have a dog with IBD & skin allergies & he does real well on Canidae, we’ve tried the Life Stages, All life Stages & the Life Stages, Platinum & Pure Land…..
When I rescued my Staffy he was terrified of thunderstorm & fireworks he came from the quiet country town & I live in town full of loud noises, ships blowing their horn etc..
I just made Patch feel very comfortable, held him & showed him its all OK & showed him Jeremy our old cat, he’s OK he’s not stressing, it didn’t work ignoring Patch, it seem to make him worse, he’d shake & vibrate for hours, 4yrs later he’s really good now, when there’s a storm or New Years fireworks, he’s not shaking or panting, he goes to sleep now, they just need to trust in our words & everything does work out OK…..Sometimes comforting them does work…..
You could try a natural remedy called “Rescue Remedy” you put a few drops on their tongue the Rescue Remedy calms them down before going on a long trips, loud noises etc, it’s sold pet shops & Chemist works really well I’ve been told, the lady that baths Patch said she uses Rescue Remedy drops on her old dog, she’s a real stress head…..

[pat c]

Hello. I’ve read these forums with interest and would sincerely appreciate a recommendation from those more knowledgeable than I.

We adopted our first dog about a year ago. She’s a 30 pound total mutt (some american staffy). She’s in good health with no major issues. Some eye gunk that mostly cleared up with better food and some dandruff and maybe light allergies (nothing diagnosed). She’s gotten very fussy with her dry food and I’d love some good recommendations on what to try next. I’ve read a lot but I’m not an expert and it seems like every time I see positive review on something, I find negative ones as well so I’m pretty confused and would rather seek guidance from those who know, than keep trying to guess! 🙂

After switching her off the crap they were feeding her in the shelter, we’ve cycled through
– Nutro,
– Orijen Adult Grain Free (which she was on for a while and she seemed to like but we stopped when we saw the negative reviews and new location/forumla),
– Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food (she didn’t seem to like it that much and he stools were much softer)
– Wellness CORE Grain Free Original Turkey & Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food (liked it more than TOTW but still iffy), and now
– Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food, Wild Game Duck, Turkey, Boar & Rabbit (likes it a touch more than the previous blend, but doesn’t love it).

Throughout this time we’ve also mixed in Stella & Chewy’s dinner patties which she LOVES. They just seem too expensive to offer as her entire diet.

Lately, she has a lot less interest in all of the foods above and will sometimes even refuse to begin eating, or not finish, unless we mix something else in. Now I am crumbling in one Stella & Chewy’s pattie with her dry food to get her to eat.

I’d like to try a couple of new options but am overwhelmed but the amount of information on the different types of foods, flavors, acceptable ingredients, and different types of diets and 5 star reviews out there.

Based on the above, I’d sincerely appreciate a couple of other good recommendations for a picky eater. While the Stella & Chewy’s feels a bit expensive as a primary meal, assume cost isn’t really a factor here.

Thank you SO MUCH in advance for any advice!

[Susan]

Hi Melissa,
sounds like you have a puppy with a very sensitive stomach/bowel, he may suffer with skin allergies as he get’s older, there’s a few Goldendoodles with sensitive stomach & skin on a Face Book group I belong too….
Food sensitivities/intolerances can take anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks to react to a certain ingredient & have Intestinal stress… sounds like there’s an ingredient in the Fromm he’s sensitive too..
My boy has skin allergies & food intolerances & can’t eat high fat meals, tapioca, beet pulp, liver, barley & high fiber kibbles & too many proteins & ingredients he gets stomach up sets, acid reflux, sloppy poos/diarrhea & he wakes up 2am, 4am or 5am crying at the front door to be let out to have diarrhea, sometimes you can hear loud grumbling noises coming from his bowel (Wind)….
You’ll have to start working out what agrees with him & what doesn’t, keep a diary & write down foods, kibbles etc that don’t agree with him & try & work out if there’s an common ingredient, I ended up doing a elimination food diet..

I’ve had great success with “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it is a single protein formula with just lamb meal & has limited ingredients, grain free & is a all life stages formula, has the matching wet tin food…… https://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

When a dog knows a food/kibble causes pain, upset stomach, wind, nausea they’re hesitate to eat it or don’t eat it at all, listen to your dog when he doesn’t want to eat something, he’s telling you, mum this makes me sick, offer to feed something else, he might prefer a wet tin food, cooked, raw or rotate between 2 brands of kibbles that’s what I do, so he doesn’t get sick of eating the same kibble formula, Patch gets Canidae Pure for breakfast & TOTW for lunch & dinner…but you have pup I don’t know how it works rotating Puppy formula’s if it’s Ok….ask & email the kibble company, they would know….
TOTW have vet nutritionist that email back & give advise…

Canidae is another food I feed the Canidae Pure Wild Boar, all the Pure formula’s have limited ingredients.
Canidae have a 3 large breed puppy formula’s, 2 in their “Life Stages” formula’s dry & wet tin, Canidae have a new Large breed puppy Turkey & Brown Rice that has only 1 protein Turkey Meal that’s not too high in protein or fat & can be feed all stages of life Puppy, Adult & Senior large breed…
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey-meal-brown-rice-dry-formula
or Canidae Life Stages Large breed Puppy Duck Meal & Lentils wet & dry
or Canidae’s “Under The Sun” Large Breed Puppy Chicken dry

Maybe try a kibble that has limited ingredient & only 1 protein & see how he goes, no more then 8 ingredients so there’s less ingredients to cause any problems .. Read the ingredients, fiber, fat & protein % in the Nutrisource Puppy formula & the Fromm Heartland Puppy & see is there heaps of ingredients? how many different proteins? is the Fat, Fiber & Protein on the higher end?
Best to buy from a Pet Shop this way you can take it back for a refund & try another food if he doesn’t really want to eat it…..

[Susan]

Hi, pea flour & pea starch isn’t as bad as pea protein, Hills Vet Nutritionist explained to me it’s the protein in foods that the dog is sensitive or allergic too….
I would avoid eating peas if your 100% sure he can’t eat peas……
Have you tried a vet diet & done a proper food elimination diet? either using a vet diet or a raw diet?
this is the only true why to find out what foods your dog has intolerances too…. also another way is thru the winter months your dog will do better then as soon as spring & summer come your dog gets worse then it’s seasonal environment allergies what my boy suffers with as long as I feed him foods he’s OK with we have a good winter until spring & summer come around ….. it’s so hard to work out what is causing what….best to feed a raw limited ingredient diet then start the CADI injections…It’s too hard to do food elimination diet while feeding a dry kibble too many allergens to deal with in a kibble…

Join this face Book Group, “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” there’s a new injection that has just come out made by the same makers of Apoquel called “Cytopoint” CADI injections, the way CADI injection works is it blocks the receptors completely & stops the itch where Apoquel blocks the reaction from the allergen receptors, so many dogs in America are enjoying an itch free Summer since having the CADI injections, it last 4-6 weeks, apparently the more CADI injection your dog has the injection seem to last longer & longer till he needs the CADI injection, find a vet or Dermatologist in your area & ask what they think of this new drug… my vet said results looks excellent….

More info in this group from parents & their happy dogs, CADI isn’t in Australia yet but hopefully we’ll get it this spring/summer, we had an awful Summer so good luck, make sure you give baths to wash off the pollens, dirt. grass etc the days your dog isn’t doing well..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/

[anonymous]

The shots, are not medication. Allergen Specific Immunotherapy (desensitization) is the most natural way to treat environmental allergies. It is now available sublingual (by mouth) if you are squeamish about shots.
There is no cure for allergies. However there is treatment, it tends to be lifelong.
Avoidance does not work, it’s impossible. for example, the common house dust mite (common allergen) is around all year round and on the skin of all living things.
For all you know, your dog’s allergies may be mild/seasonal and receptive to medications certain times of the year.
Intradermal skin testing done by a dermatologist is the most accurate way to identify environmental allergens.
I skipped the blood test on the advice of the dermatologist (treatment specific to my dog)
per the search engine
/forums/search/environmental+allergies/
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[anonymous]

You can use the search engine here to look up environmental allergies.
Until you get the environmental allergies under control, changing the food will make little to no difference.

For the best results make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist (asap).
If the symptoms have been going on for 1 year 4 seasons without a significant response to treatment by your regular veterinarian, it is time to consult a specialist.

You could ask your veterinarian about an elimination diet/prescription food, if you have not done so already. However, food allergies are rare and food sensitivities fluctuate.
Don’t be fooled by saliva and hair food sensitivity mail-in tests (scams).
If you are receptive to science based veterinary medicine, you may find this site helpful
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies
The veterinary dermatologist will accurately diagnose your dog, then you can evaluate your treatment options. Best of luck.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Susan]

Hi Randy thank-you for rescuing a Staffy, Staffys are one of the most miss label breeds in the world, Staffy’s are LOVING, very smart, easy to train & love their humans, known as the Nanny Dog early 1900’s in the UK….
My boy Patch is a English Staffordshire Bull Terrier also a rescue, the most friendly dog I’ve ever own, he has to stop & say hello to everyone when on our walks & loooovvvees kids…. When I got him he was in real poor condition, weeing blood, pooing blood, skin problems & now suffers with IBD, skin allergies & food intolerances, some staffys have an iron stomach, while other staffys have sensitive stomach & sensitive skin, like most breeds, so just keep an eye out if your girl does start to itch & scratch, could be she’s sensitive to a food or can be flea or environment allergies…Diet is the key to a healthy pet..
I have feed the “Pro Pac Ultimates” Bayside Whitefish & Meadow Prime Lamb grain free kibbles, Patch did well on both formula’s & had a very shinny coat, kibble was easy to digest & poo’s were nice & firm…. The maker’s Midwestern Pet Foods make “Earthborn Holistic”, “Pro Pac Ultimates” & “Sportmix, Wholesomes ” formula’s

My boy also does real well on “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it’s a single protein Lamb Meal with limited ingredients, excellent for sensitive stomach & skin, TOTW has their High Prairie with Roasted Bison & Venison, Canine grain free formula, it’s higher in protein 32%min & fat 18%min, only has 29% carbohydrates… TOTW also has their matching wet tin foods… https://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

“Costco” sell Kirkland Signature, Nature Domain, Salmon & Sweet Potato is made by TOTW & is the same as the TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula & cheaper…. 39lb for $39.49 http://www.kirklandsignaturepetsupplies.com/natures-domain-brand

There’s also “Canidae” Pure formula’s Pure Wild Boar is really good. http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/ products

I would start with a formula that’s not too high in fat & protein, the TOTW Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, has 1 protein Lamb meal & limited ingredients & the fat-15% & protein-25% is moderate, not too low or high, or Kirkland Signature “Nature Domain” formula’s or Pro Pac Ultimates Bayside Whitefish, just incase she was feed a low quality kibble that was low in fat & protein, this way she shouldn’t have any Intestinal Stress while being introduce to a better quality formula’s…. Slow & steady is best & then start rotating between a few different brands with different proteins, this will strengthen her immune system…
also follow “Rodney Habib” on his face book page, he has really good info on Pet Nutrition, how to read dog food when reading the ingredient list video, he does easy to follow videos, there’s 1 video Rodney has, showing just by adding 2 spoons of fresh whole foods to your dogs bowl of kibble reduces the risk of her getting cancer & other health problems later in life, tin Sardines, Salmon, Tuna in spring water, give fresh meaty bones twice a week for her teeth, chicken bones are nice & soft & easy to digest…. Save the Rodney Habib “DIY health tips” link I posted above, it’s has really helpful information & all his videos he has made….. https://www.planetpaws.ca/category/diy-pet-health-tips/

Please post some photos of your new girl & her name….take a photo when you get her then after you’ve had her for 6months see the different after being feed a healthy diet…

[pitlove]

Hi Randy-

I have an American Staffordshire Terrier who just made 3 in May. You will absolutely love the breed. Really any bull breed is great.

Mine unfortunately is plagued with a lot of the normal skin problems that come with Pit bull type breeds. Food sensitivities and environmental allergies as well. It is possible, but not certain that yours as a rescue could come with those same quirks.

The food that changed my dogs life was Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach. I find a lot of Pit bull types do well on fish because of the high levels of fatty acids. To me that food has a very balanced protein, fat and calorie level for the activity level you are describing. 26% protein, 16% fat and 447 kcal/cup. Now depending on just how active she is, you may want to consider a performance food like Bully Max, NutriSource Performance or Pro Plans Sport line.

[anonymous]

Not unusual at all, many poodle, terrier, schnauzer, shih tzu breeds are considered “brindle” and change colors, usually go lighter. Black turns to charcoal, brown, red tones, the whole gamut.
Unless the dog is chewing on it’s paws and legs due to allergies, that could cause discoloration also. I doubt the food has anything to do with it 🙂
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[pitlove]

Hi Kristen-

I do understand how some people, even veterinary professionals might have come to that conclusion since what you’re saying can be true for Candida yeast (gut), however Malassezia yeast that lives on the surface of the skin is not effected by starch. Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, not starch loving. And not dietary fat, think oils on the skin. You simply can’t make yeast work differently than it does despite even the most well meaning opinion.

Also regarding the sugar arguement. Don’t forget, glucose is needed by the body to survive. It will convert other nutrients into glucose whether fed carbs/starch or not.

The dog in my avatar has food sensitivities and we were able to keep his yeast under control with a kibble that was almost 50% carbs/starch. He is doing excellent on it. Far better than when I was fooled by Karen Beckers advice of simply avoiding carbs and not actually finding out what was causing the yeast. His immune system was suppressed by his allergies and caused the yeast bloom. Once we figured out a food he could eat, the yeast stopped. Only time he gets it now is when his seasonal allergies hit around this time of year.

[anonymous]

Ps : There tends to be a genetic link (allergies) so you may not want to breed this dog.
See what the specialist advises. Good luck

There is no cure for allergies, but there is effective treatment, tends to be lifelong.

[anonymous]

Make sure you check with the dermatologist before the appointment, the dog has to be off steroids for a month prior to testing.

Also, I caution you not to use any over the counter solutions or make drastic changes to the dog’s diet, unless an examining vet recommends it.

I had a shelf full of various shampoos and stuff, even had an air purifier and a dehumidifier. Wasted all kinds of money. Nothing worked till we saw the specialist.

Zignature Whitefish is a good kibble for dogs with allergies.

PS: I almost forgot, a meat grinder that went to the Goodwill!! Raw made them vomit. The food had nothing to do with it.,.

[Susan]

Hi Tiffany, yeasty ears can be from an ingredient your dog is sensitive too & you haven’t eliminated it from her diet yet even thought you have changed kibbles there may be any ingredient she is very sensitive too, here’s a link “Facts & Myths Yeast Dermatitis” written by 2 Dermatologist Karen Helton Rhodes, have you seen a Dermatologist yet??
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs scroll down & read the section about “CARF” Cutaneous Adverse Reaction Food

I would start a raw elimination diet this way she isn’t eating a dry kibble & isn’t eating the same ingredients that’s in most dry kibbles, my boy can NOT eat carrots he starts shaking his head, scratching his ears, ripping at his ears 20mins after eating a meal that had carrots also chicken is another ingredient my boy reacts too badly…..

I rescued a 5mth old kitten that had a real bad mite infestation the RSPCA treated her ears killed the mites but then when I adopted her she was still shacking & scratching her ears, I took her back to RSPCA vet & they did ear scrap & she had bad infection from the mites, so they gave me drops to put in her ears twice a day & I had to come back in 1 week, another ear scrap & she still had ear infection so I had to continue with the antibiotic ear drops twice a day for another week, she was eating Hills Kitten dry food at the time, the Hills Kitten kibble was given to me when I adopted her, after 6 vet visits & antibiotic ear drops & ear cleaners the infection cleared up but she still had itchy skin & would scratch whole body, so I stopped the Hills dry kibble & tried a grain free Wellness Kitten kibble she was still scratching then I started her on a pre made raw cat diet & Ziwi Peak air dried raw Mackerel & Lamb 2 weeks later NO MORE scratching & ripping at her ears & skin…. Stop feeding dry kibble, either feed a raw diet with 1 single novel protein source or try a Freeze dry raw with just 1 novel protein a protein she hasn’t eaten before Rabbit, Kangaroo, Lamb, Pork, Ziwi Peak has their air dried raw or wet tin food raw
If this doesn’t help after 2months no treats no other foods except her raw or freeze dried diet, then book to see a Dermatologist & tell the Dermatologist what you have tried….
It might be environment allergies but I doubt it, ears are normally food related…..
Good-Luck it would be very uncomfortable for her…

[anonymous]

Go to a Veterinary Dermatologist asap, get an accurate diagnosis and treatment options.

Per the search engine: /forums/topic/i-can-only-find-one-dog-food-my-dogs-allergies-tolerate/

Have environmental allergies been ruled out? What you describe sounds like that’s what your dog may have vs food sensitivities.
They usually start around 1-2 years old and get worse with age. Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane making it almost impossible to tell which foods work or not.
Everyone blames the food, but I have found my dog tolerates a lot of different foods since beginning allergen specific immunotherapy (desensitization). The treatment tends to be lifelong, but no more ear infections, rashes, anal gland issues (5 years in)
The initial testing, intra dermal skin testing is expensive, maintenance isn’t that bad.
For best results, an accurate diagnosis and treatment options that work, I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist. Allergies are complicated and often require the expertise of a specialist.

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

[LeAndra I]

Hi all,

I have two small breed dogs and I would very much like to switch them to a raw diet after lots of reading and research. I have a 5 year old, 16lb Chihuahua/Miniature Pinscher Mix and I also have a 5 month old, 6lb Chihuahua/Jack Russell mix. Both dogs suffer from vaccine allergies and are more susceptible to outdoor allergens as well. The 5 year old has also had allergic reactions to some dry kibble. With their allergies and sensitivities, I feel as though a raw or BARF diet will be more suitable for them.

I want to do this slowly and the right way to make sure their meals are balanced and while I can find tons of information out there on what to feed in order to create the best nutritionally balanced meal, I cannot for the life of me seem to find any good examples of graduated meal plans that detail what to feed when starting out over the first few weeks and how much. For example, is it better to start with chicken or turkey? When exactly do we want to begin incorporating veggies and which ones are best in the beginning? How long do we wait before introducing the offal? What about the green tripe? Etc.

I’m aware that a good probiotic is important so I don’t have any questions in regards to that but I need some help on coming up with a good intoductory meal plan for my pups. Especially since they are different ages and weights. My vet office of course is not on board with a raw diet since they are seen at Banfield and thus recommend the kibble sold in the pet stores like Science Diet and Blue. Any insight? It is greatly appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi Deborah, with Colitis you have to work out what ingredients your dog is sensitive too?? looking at the ingredients in the Purina EN they aren’t the best he probably would have been better on the Purina HA but its vegetarian diet I will not feed my dog especially when I know he can eat pork, Lamb & Beef, so I can’t do that to him he’s suffered enough with his IBD…. Look at the EN ingredient list it has Chicken By Product, whole corn & rice etc, so stay away from those ingredients…..
My boy has IBD started with Colitis, after trying most of the vet diets that mainly have Chicken & didn’t help him I finally I tried “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, it’s a single protein (Lamb meal) with limited ingredient kibble or there’s the wet tin as well… or have a look at the “Canidae” Pure limited ingredient wet & dry or “Zignature” but I have never tried Zignature dogs with Environment allergies seems to do well on the Whitefish or Salmon formula’s BUT Zignature does have Chickpeas & Lentils so this will either be a good thing or bad as Chickpeas & Lentils can cause wind/gas something a dog with Colitis doesn’t need…
….I would honestly give the Taste Of a Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb or TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon….these 2 formulas have just 1 single protein with limited ingredients…or Canidae Pure Wild Boar buy a small bag Patch does beautiful firm poos & doesn’t react with his Colitis no more & no more pooing blood… Since eating the TOTW & Canidae Pure Wild formula.

[Christine S]

My 12 year old golden was hospitalized for pancreatitis in January. Blood tests and ultrasound also showed an infected gall bladder; it was twice its normal size. She was treated with Enroflaxacin, Metronidazole and Ursodiol with 20 mg Famotidine 2 x a day and put on a strict GI diet. I’ve been giving her Purina EN Gastroenteric and Hills ID GI Chicken and Vegetable Stew, 4 meals per day. The vet said we should just keep her on that to ensure pancreatitis doesn’t return. Ultrasound and blood tests since then show she has recovered and indicate that she’s got no other issues, except we can’t see the stomach. The thing is, I noticed that between a half-hour to 2 hours after eating, she starts panting and yawns. She also bow stretches several times throughout the day. I can tell she’s uncomfortable but she doesn’t vocalize and she always looks forward to eating. She’s also gotten pretty sluggish on our walks. Until the pancreatitis she would always trot and I could barely keep up with her, and I walk fast. Now she’ll trot some then slow down to a crawl and walk with her mouth open, I can hear her huffing so I think she’s uncomfortable. We’ve tried several times to treat with omeprazole including liquid Carafate, but she got diarrhea so we stopped it. This last time we got her on 8 days of the omeprazole before the diarrhea hit. The vet now thinks the diarrhea is a food intolerance to something in her diet. So it would have to be one or both the GI foods, or the boiled chicken we were giving as treats. I’ve since eliminated the chicken, so she’s not getting any treats. I should also add that she’s getting canned food, not kibble because she would pant heavily after the kibble, even when moistened. Anyway, the vet recommended Royal Canin Hydrolized Protein (RCHP). I transitioned her on that over a period of 5 days based on vet’s recommendation. On her 3rd solid day of only RCHP, we opened a can at lunch and noticed it had a fishy smell. Piper started to eat it then suddenly stopped and wouldn’t finish it. Nothing except the severe pancreatitis attack stops her from eating. She always looks forward to eating. I offered some EN and she gladly ate that, so there was something wrong with the RCHP. I opened another can and I thought it smelled ok but my fiancé said it didn’t and wouldn’t let me give her anymore. So I had to get her back on the EN. The thing is it seemed as though it was helping. It seemed like she wasn’t panting as much, and she wasn’t scratching her ears as much or at all which is something I hadn’t really paid much attention to with all the other symptoms. She hasn’t had ear infections and other than biting at her hind ankles occasionally, she doesn’t show signs of allergies. (She doesn’t have fleas.) I read through a ton of responses to other posts and thought I would try Natural Balance LID Duck and Potato, because it wasn’t $5 a can and it had low fat, or so I thought. I didn’t realize that the fat content wasn’t converted like it was for the GI foods, which I learned after reading many of Susan’s posts. I only gave her about 1/4 cup and she really looked uncomfortable after that, I’m guessing due to the fat content. She also had really bad gas. So she’s back on strictly EN until I figure out what to do next. Honestly I’m afraid to try anything else but I really don’t like the ingredients in the vet prescription diets and she’s been on them since January. I don’t see us cooking her food and I have some reservations about going back to raw given the possibility of inviting bad bacteria into the mix. My other concern is should I give her antacids or not? A dog that doesn’t make enough stomach acid can have the same symptoms as one with too much stomach acid. The vet said it would be rare for her not to have enough stomach acid and thinks we should try the omeprazole again. I’d like to know she needs it before giving it to her because it seemed like it would make her more lethargic. Is there a test without having to scope her? I thought about trying a novel protein but would have to go with goat or kangaroo as she’s eaten just about everything else, in every form, due to our other dog being an extremely picky eater (a Hovawart.) I would love to hear your suggestions, or any ideas you have based on her symptoms. Treating GI issues really is difficult, especially when you’re the only one in the house that thinks her panting and yawning are signs of discomfort!!

[zcRiley]

Same exact thing happened to my boys but after switching to Orijen Adult when it still came from Canada. The #1 kibble proven for stomach sensitivity is The Zignature line of dog food. No chicken, potato, egg & a slew of other things. Read the reviews. My babies are now 4 yrs old, big healthy strong with zero allergies and award winning poop LOL!

For freeze dried, Primal nuggets is the best. However, I just use it as a topper by crumbling over the food. And broccoli.

[HoundMusic]

Honey Bar; please, don’t take that propaganda movie to heart. I don’t doubt the producers honestly believe much of what that video contains, and mean well, but take it from someone who first came across those scare-mongering websites & videos about commercial dog foods around 2001 – the old adage that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions has never been more accurate then when it comes to the controversy surrounding certain dog food brands/ingredients.

The first thing you should know is that Science Diet is not harming your dog. Tumors are mainly genetic. I even have one older dog who developed a fatty lump in the exact same spot that his mother did. I have also had Beagles with cancer eating different brands of canned, dry foods and the raw diet.

Another thing you have to realize is that movies like the one you watched are propaganda films produced by people who have an ulterior motive. That means, they deliberately tell you half truths and play on your emotions, while hiding the fact that the main reason they are against certain companies is because they are large corporations making more profit than those people deem acceptable. They’re called anti-corporation. And some of the big dog food manufacturers, like Iams and Science Diet, feed the formula to dogs and take blood tests periodically to test the results before it is put on the market. Often, this is confused with animal vivisection, and so you will find people who don’t care if the food is good or bad, it’s just that they don’t like the company’s practices.

There are people who would rather your dog fell apart on a “holistic” food (these are all marketing gimmicks) with no such testing behind it, than something sold by one of the larger corporations. I call them Dog Food Social Justice Warriors, because science and facts go out the window, while emotional appeals and propaganda are all they have to offer. They bash ingredients known to be used in certain brands, and hope people will blindly believe that if they say corn will make your dog have allergies, it magically will, or that Ingredient X will cause cancer, then it will, with no scientific proof whatsoever.

I don’t doubt dogs do well on all different kinds of foods, from raw to grocery store to home cooked to high dollar “holistic”, but none of these methods are wrong if your dog is doing well. It sounds like your dog is VERY well taken care of. Twelve years old is great for a Lab, and if I were in your shoes, knowing today what I didn’t know in 2001, I would leave the dog on the food he’s been eating, and maybe add some small amounts of home cooking or replace a meal here and there with a home cooked substitute if you’re worried. Because switching foods for older animals can definitely do more harm than good. High protein diets like raw can also place a strain on the kidneys, liver and affect the immune system of an older dog in a very bad way 🙁 The raw fed sister of one of my show champion dogs also developed a chronic ear/eye infection which was not treated with conventional medicine, and eventually, after about two years, caused infective endocarditis. basically, the infection traveled to her heart and caused a murmur. So yes, even raw has its risks.

I have lost dogs to cancer on several types of diets, RAW INCLUDED, but one thing they all had in common, from canned to dry to raw, was that they were high meat/high protein diets. Older dogs may need *slightly* more protein than adults, but we tend to feed adult dogs far too much protein as it is, and keep in mind that most of the small company owned holistic diets have no research behind them and have dangerously high mineral levels due to the high protein content. When I said that the road to Hell was paved with good intentions was that by switching a dog doing well on one feed for so long, you might wake up a problem that was lying dormant or cause problems feeding a diet geared more towards marketing trends than what your dog actually needs. Good luck with your dog, and maybe take a look at other sites like the Science Dog Blog or SkeptVet to hear the other side of the story.

https://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by HoundMusic.

[anonymous]

I thought I would bump up this thread. Nutriscan is being talked about in “comments”
I no longer post in comments (by choice)
So I am hoping the folks that are considering buying Nutriscan will see this.
Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist is the most accurate way to identify environmental allergies. There is no cure for allergies but there is effective treatment, often the expertise of a specialist is needed.
Food allergies are rare and food sensitivities tend to fluctuate.
Often a vet will recommend an elimination diet/prescription food to identify food sensitivities.
Also: /forums/topic/suggestions-welcomed/
And if you use the search button you will find more.

[Bennett B]

Hello! I rotate my dogs through Fromm, Orijen and TimberWolf Organics – various recipes of each. They do the best on TimberWolf Organics. I have noticed no digestive issues at all when using TimberWolf — always nice firm stools, and no skin allergies. Even when making a wholesale switch to TimberWolf with no gradual changeover. With Fromm or Orijen they need a day or two to adjust and for their stools to firm. My only complaint with the TimbeWolf is product supply. There are many times you have to wait for several weeks for specific recipes as they are ‘out-of-stock’. Else, I find it to be a wonderful diet for me two dogs. And they love it, too.

TimberWolf Organics — I Enthusiastically Recommend it! Thank you!!

[Dana F]

I had my adult Collie on the Orijen Red and Six Fish (Canadian version) and he thrived on that food. I was so impressed and so was my dog. I did try the U.S. version of Orijen and I hate to say it but initially my Collie refused to eat it and when he finally did he suffered from stomach cramps and diarrhea.

Fortunately, I had ordered Horizon Legacy in anticipation of problems with Orijen since I had read so many reviews where owners reported both vomiting and diarrhea. As soon as I switched him to the Horizon Legacy, with no transition, his digestive issues stopped and stools were firm. Plus he loves the food!

He’s been on Horizon Legacy for several months now and his coat is still shiny, soft, no yeast smell in the ears and his allergies have not re-emerged.

I’m very disappointed with Orijen but I am happy to have discovered a replacement that is working well for my Collie.

[Wendy C]

Hi Susan,

I’m new to DFA. I just came across this forum last night. Other than my insta account, I have never posted before because I thought I was dealing with an entirely different issue. Acid Reflux never even occurred to me since I was directed to bronchial issues and allergies. I’m having mixed emotions, relief that people are experiencing the same things I’m dealing. I belong to a dog community (dog training group) and no one in my group has seen or experienced it, plus guilt and sadness that my dog, is in pain or very uncomfortable.

I am going to speak with my vet tomorrow. I’m armed with a list and videos and I will get some referrals as well.

[anonymous]

It depends on the dog. My dog with environmental allergies and a sensitive stomach does well on Nutrisca, Salmon and Chickpea , so I don’t change that.
My other dog seems to be able to eat anything, so, I have been trying different kibbles by Natural Balance and mixing it in with the Nutrisca for him, I don’t like that they use a lot of potato, but otherwise it’s okay. I don’t rotate kibble, I stay with one or two brands that agree with the dog.
Toppers change about every 3 or 4 days……depending on what’s marked down at the local market. Again, the freezer comes into use.

[Susan]

Hi Matt,
Sounds like your dog has Seasonal Environment Allergies & Food Intolerances. My boy has both, his vet said if they have food sensitivities they normally will have some type of environment allergies as well… as soon as I read your post about his hives on his legs, tail & abdomen I knew environment allergies probably from grass, tree or plants pollens, that’s what Patch gets as soon as Spring starts, my vet said, keep a dairy & as the years pass you’ll start to see a pattern & I did every spring Patch has itchy hives all over his body & face/head, red paws when he walks on wet morning grass, a yeasty smelly mess, but thru the cooler Winter months he’s pretty good, no itchy skin or red paws as long as he doesn’t walk on wet grass or eat any foods he’s sensitive too, Winter we get a break,…
Baths are the best thing you can do, bath as soon as he’s real bad with his hives & itchy skin, give him a bath, I do weekly baths now but I was bathing every 2nd 3rd day at one stage, I use a medicated shampoo “Malaseb” medicated shampoo it’s mild & can be used daily & kills any bacteria, yeast on the skin & keeps their skin nice, moist & soft, when you bath your washing off any allergens, pollens & dirt that’s on their skin, I also use creams on his paws, head around chin & around tail & bum area when he’s bum surfing on my rug, “Sudocrem” is excellent it stops his itchy bum within mins of applying it, Sudocrem is a healing cream for Nappy Rash, Eczema, Dermatitis, Pressure Sore etc, sold in the baby section at any Supermarket or Chemist, the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects their skin especially their paws & where their skin is red/pink on stomach area & back of legs, I’d love to show a before & after photo’s after a lady applied the Sudocrem to her dogs red stomach, it’s posted on the Dog issues allergies F/B group link below. I also use Hydrocortisone 1% cream at night I check Patches whole body before bed & if something is still red like in between his toes, I get a cotton tip & thinly apply some Hydrocortisone 1% cream, when he wakes up in the morning all his paws are nice & pink all clear again, you can put on socks & bandage around the paws to stop any licking as licking makes things worse, best to bath the paws in Malaseb & dry them off then apply the Sudocrem,

The only way to know what foods your boy is sensitive too & can eat, is to do a “Food Elimination Diet”… you can use a vet diet like “Royal Canine” Hypoallergenic wet tin food, then once your dog is doing well & not reacting start adding 1 new ingredient to the R/C HP wet food, every 6 weeks add 1 new ingredient, no treats or any extra things are to be feed while your doing an elimination food diet, it can take a dog 1 day up to 6 weeks to react to an ingredient & show symptoms, that’s why sometimes you’ll start a new food & think your dog is doing really well then 3-4 weeks later he’ll start reacting to an ingredient in the new kibble…
Probably half the foods you think he’s sensitive too he isn’t..
I tested & added ingredients that are in the kibbles I wanted to feed… I worked out my boy reacts to chicken, he gets red paws, itchy yeasty smelly skin & itchy bum after I added raw & cooked chicken to his diet, carrots made his ears real itchy & he’d shake his head 20mins after eating the chicken & carrots he reacted, oats & barley made Patches poos very sloppy, I always thought potatoes & peas were causing Patches yeast problems cause potatoes are a high sugar starch but later I learnt a dog will only get yeasty smelly skin, paws & ears if they’re sensitive to a certain ingredient (CARF) or have environment allergies.. Read this link “Myths & Fact about yeast Dermatitis” scroll down to “Carbohydrates & Sugar in your dogs diet. http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs, Dr Karen Helton Rhodes DVM DACVD often pops into this Face Book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” join you’ll learn a lot..
Once you have done the Elimination diet, you’ll know what foods are causing what but its best to do a elimination diet in the cooler months Winter when pollens aren’t as bad as the Spring/Summer months..
Can you cook or feed a raw diet? you’ll have better control with your dogs diet, even if you do what I’m doing, I feed a few meals “Canidae” Pure Wild Boar kibble & the other meals are wet tin food Royal Canine HP wet tin or cooked pork rissoles with sweet potatoes. Patch eats 4-5 meals a day, he has IBD as well, if you join the Face Book group I recommended above https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/
you’ll read some people post their dogs are allergic to mites & the mites are in the dog kibble, or your dog may be allergies to dust mites in your house…. dog allergies starts to get very confusing & as they get older they get worse, but once you get into a routine with weekly or twice a week baths, apply creams, using Huggie baby wipes Coconut oil wipes or Cucumber & Aloe wipes when the dog comes back inside wipe him down days you don’t feel like bathing him & work out his food intolerances.. it gets better..
Here’s a link for Canidae Pure formula’s, the omega 3 is balanced in Canidae kibbles, some brands of kibble are too high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems in dogs.. http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Zignature is another food people say has helped their allergic dog….Make sure your dogs diet is high in Omega 3 it will help with their allergies, ad few sardines to 1 of your dogs meal a day.. buy tin sardines or salmon in spring water also green lipped mussels are good to give as a treat.

[zcRiley]

Stay away from Purina, and brands they bought out. Try the Zignature line of dry dog food. #1 for allergies and gastrointestinal issues.

[Rachel K]

I mix animal sources in food; when feeding fresh foods it is crucial to avoid deficiencies.

The aim with mixing it up in regards to avoiding food allergies/intolerances developing when feeding dry is to make sure the dog doesn’t eat exactly the same thing day in day out for the rest of its life so you’d mix/rotate over time so they aren’t eating the same thing 🙂

[anonymous]

Food allergies are rare and food sensitivities tend to fluctuate. That being said, the minute over processed amounts added to foods, dried egg, chicken fat, etc. May not affect a dog that has a “chicken meat intolerance”
Also, there is a lot of cross contamination that goes on in pet food manufacturing plants.
So, if you truly want to avoid certain ingredients/proteins, I would talk to your vet about a prescription/elimination diet.
Or, consider having more testing done by a specialist to clearly identify the problem.
Ps: Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea has no chicken fat, just a dash of dried egg.
Check chewy dot com for ingredients list.

[Susan]

Hi Jessica, my boy has IBD Skin Allergies, Food Intolerances & Pancreatitis….he needs a diet high in Omega 3…When I have feed any vet diets for his IBD & Skin problems that had fish, oil, soybean oil, coconut oil he got bad acid reflux, same with premium kibbles, if they had fish or salmon oil, he’d get acid reflux, he grinds his teeth when he gets his acid reflux….. I’m the same I cant take any fish oil supplements, I get acid reflux…

The other day I won $100 to spend at the Chemist, I asked the lady pharmacist what can I take for my arthritis, I need Omega 3 but every time I’ve taken fish Oil capsules I keep burping up the fish taste & get acid reflux, same as my dog, she told me Krill Oil capsules are more milder & are easier on the stomach, good for people with digestive issues like yourself, so that’s something to remember..

I follow “Rodney Habib” on his facebook page & I’ve learnt a lot about healthy foods
to add to Patches diet, I’ve also be adding them to my diet as well lol
Almonds are very high in Omega 3 fatty acid, a dog can have 3 Almonds a day but I bite 1/2 of the almond & I give Patch the other 1/2 of the almond this way it’s the size as a small kibble & I tell him to chew it, I started with just giving him 1 almond a day then after 5 days, I gave him 2 x 1/2 almonds a day, till we got too 3 almonds a day….
K-9 Natural, freezed Dried Green Lipped Mussels are very healthy & not greezy….
Sardines, Salmon & Tuna in spring water or Olive Oil, not brine, I give Patch small tin salmon, all water drained, I add some boiled sweet potato & broccoli as a small meal…. Patch has a beautiful shinny coat but I do feed “Canidae” Pure Wild Boar kibble for a few of his meals, I rotate between a few different things & have made his gut healthier & stronger, when I rescued him he couldn’t eat anything without having sloppy, bloody poos or up 2am having diarrhea it was awful, now 4 yrs on & he can eat pretty much anything as long as it isn’t any food’s he’s sensitive too….
I’ve read a few dogs haven’t done well on the Honest Kitchen formula’s, I think it’s the freeze dried pieces of veggies & meat, they stay small, hard & don’t reconstitute back to bigger, softer veggies & can’t be digested properly causing intestinal problems……
Dogs can’t chew their foods like we do & don’t have salivary amylase (digestive enzymes in their salvia) so they can’t break down the Cellulase walls in the vegetable, fruit or grass,
Cellulase digests plant matter, that’s why when you feed a raw diet you have to blend & break down the veggies, fruit & make them into a pulp liquid…Same when a dog eats grass it either comes back up vomit or comes out in their poo undigested, the Chlorophyll in the grass settles their stomach…. I let Patch eat a little bit of grass no longer then 1 minute, it can cause diarrhea, it cleans him out…
*Foods High in Omega 3 fatty acids are
Spinach
Chia Seeds
Flax Seed Oil cold pressed
Canola Oil Patch does best when the kibble has Canola oil, Flax Seed Oil (No Acid Reflux)
Almonds
Walnuts
Green Lipped Mussels
Sardines, Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna
Soybeans
Tofu

[Susan]

Hi Charisma
What are you feeding him, what medications is he on?? has he been checked for Helicobacter & acid reflux? had Endoscope + Biopsies done?
He sounds like my boy 4yrs ago, when I rescued him he was put on a vet diet for his skin allergies, the vet diet gave him Pancreatitis fat was way too high 19% fat & that was the start of Patches misery, I found with my boy the vet diet dry kibbles made him worse….
My boy was diagnosed thru Endoscope & Biopsies, it said IBD {to look further with exploratory surgery} I wouldn’t do & Helicobacter-Pylori…… the Pancreatitis, food intolerances & skin allergies we already knew, he’s at his best now finally after 3yrs, he’s better in the cooler months, no environment allergies, his immune system isn’t in over drive…..
When Patch was having the rumbling, grumbling bowel, pacing back & forth wanting me to rub his stomach/pancreas area, wanting grass 2am 4am & thru the day, later I learnt it was Colitis from food intolerances/sensitivities… do you know what helps the best when this was happening, liquid Mylanta, not pink Pepto Bismol that has asprin in it, plain & simple liquid Mylanta, 5mls, 1 teaspoon would settle all the gases going thru his stomach & bowel…….
Are you seeing a new specialist, someone with new eyes, with all his results?? I keep diaries every single year & read back, this vet told me to keep a diary …. I saw 4 vets until I found Patches vet he see’s now & she also suffers with IBD, she understands & knows what I’m talking about when I tell her about Patches symptoms……

They break your heart watching them suffer, I didn’t know a poor dog could suffer so much with all these symptoms, now when I read a post, I know what that person & poor dog is going thru….
I have to feed 5 smaller meals a day, I can’t feed 1 whole cup of kibble for 1 meal, he gets bad pain, I can only feed 1/2 cup kibble at one time, that’s hand feed, I feed 2 kibbles at one time in a raised bowl so he chews the kibbles & doesn’t just swallow the whole hard kibble, I only feed kibble at 7am, 9am, 5pm, 1/2 a cup & wet tin vet diet Royal Canin Hypoallergenic at 12pm & 8pm, I have to rotate Patches kibbles, as soon as I see he’s not well & starts his whinging & lifts up his right paw for me to rub his stomach/pancreas area I know something is wrong & rotate kibble & foods, I stop feeding whatever he’s eating & feed something else…..
Hills vet diet kibbles & Royal Canin vet diet kibbles made poor Patch worse…only the kibbles…..

[Susan]

Hi sb020,
My boy is a Staffy same as your girl got the white fur & pink skin he’s 8 & 1/2 years old now & has IBD, Pancreatitis & Skin Allergies & it has taken me 2-3 years to work out his diet for all his illnesses, I found “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb limited ingredient, single protein kibble helped with his IBD & firmed up his poo’s, he seems to do real good on the TOTW kibble, it only has 338Kcals per cup & TOTW uses Purified water & Patch doesn’t get his Pancreas pain, no acid reflux, no vomiting & no nausea, but the fat is 15%max…. then I tried other kibbles I thought he can handle the TOTW 15% fat kibble but I didn’t realise the Kcals were over 400 Kcals per cup, so that means the kibble is more dense & is harder to digest, he gets his bad Pancreas pain & whinges for me to rub the area where his Pancreas is when he eats kibbles over 380Kcals per cup… also when a kibble was higher in carbohydrates & fiber, over 4%-fiber he gets his acid reflux & Pancreas pain & seems unwell, then I read higher fiber diets aren’t good for dogs with Pancreatitis…..
Now I rotate between a few different foods, I feed 4-5 smaller meals a day, Patch can’t digest 1 cup of kibble all at once, it must start to expand & sit in his stomach & something happens & he start having his pain, so I give about 1/2 cup kibble at 7am, 9am 5pm & then his wet tin vet diets at 12pm & 8pm…. I was cooking for Patch lean pork mince rissoles with a whisked egg, some chopped up broccoli, chopped parsley, a leaf of kale & 1 grated carrot all made into a small round rissole ball & baked in the oven then I boiled some sweet potatoes all cut into 1 spoon size & I’d freeze sections so I just took out the day before & put in the fridge to thaw, I added NAS Digestavite Plus powder to balance the meal but the beginning of this year I changed where I buy my lean pork mince from & the fat must have been higher & Patch started vomiting & vomiting up un digested rissole he got his bad pain right side & was put on the Hills I/D Chicken & Vegetable stew, I think they use chicken & pork liver it doesn’t have as many ingredient & there’s no Beet Pulp like all the other Hills I/D wet formula’s has, he starts his scratching & is a bit itchy but he gets better with his Pancreatitis & like my vet says just bath him twice a week & add his cream….
I do not use any of the Vet diet dry kibbles they are all too hard to digest, I do a simple test, get a glass of very warm water & put about 2 kibbles in the cup/glass, a good easy to digest kibble will float to the top of the water & only take about 15 to 30mins to go soft all the way thru, all the vet diet kibble & other some premium kibbles sink to the bottom & can take up to 3 hours to go soft all the way thru Purina, Sensitive Digestion, Hills vet diets & Royal Canin vet diet kibbles are the worst for digesting & these formula’s are for dogs with intestinal stress ….
When I was feeding kibbles that were hard to digest I didn’t know & poor Patch got his pain, nausea & would sometimes vomit back up all the in digested kibble 4 to 8 hours later, it would say easy to digest on the kibble bag…
“Canidae” is another excellent kibble look at their “All Stages Platinum” has both grains & potatoes but very easy to digest & is around 8-9% in fat, fiber is 4%max, Kcals are 342 per cup & Canidea “Pure Meadow” grain free, 10.80% max fat.. http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
You don’t mention are the foods you feeding wet or dry or both?? was the vet diet the wet tin food & which I/D formula is yoiur girl doing good on? I feed the Hills I/D Chicken & Vegetable stew 156g tin & the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic wet tin food cause Patch has food intolerances, I cant feed certain ingredients he starts getting real yeasty & itchy skin, paws & ears, chicken makes his paws red & skin itch but it doesn’t bother his stomach & bowel & cause any Intestinal stress, so I rotate when something has chicken in it & he only gets it a few days then I stop & feed the Royal Canin HP wet tin food, you may find it easier to go thru a Nutritionist to make a special diet & use “Balance it” to balance the meals.
https://secure.balanceit.com/ there’s recipes on this link for Balance it..
Maybe stick with the Hills vet diet for a few meals & feed another brand kibble for the other meals, feed 4 smaller meals a day, like what I’ve been doing with Patch & he’s doing well again…..

If you go on this face book join this group. “Canine Diabetes Support and Information” then look for the “Files” on the left side & click on the 2nd document “CDSI Diabetic food options chart” scroll down to the wet tin foods as some of the kibbles are low in fat BUT are too high in fiber for a dog with Pancreatitis just read the fiber % on any dry kibble you feed & stay around 4% fiber & avoid any weight management/weight loss dry kibbles some are lower in fat but they add more fiber to keep the dog feeling fuller longer….
also when you read the fat on a wet tin food, the fat hasn’t been converted to dry matter (Kibble) the wet tin foods on this chart have all been converted, eg: 11.11% fat DMD there’s a lot of really good wet tin food formula’s if you live in America on this chart….

When you look & read at a wet tin if you read say 4%min fat when you convert 4%min fat that’s around 16-20%max in fat its best to email the food company & ask what is the fat % in ????? when converted to dry matter..

I hope you’ve gotten some good information from my experience with Patch & your girl gets better….

[anonymous]

When you call for the appointment with the veterinary dermatologist, the office will explain how to prepare the dog for testing, depending on the results of the exam, the specialist may recommend intra dermal skin testing to identify environmental allergies. The expertise of the specialist in interpreting the results is crucial to the treatment he will recommend.
He may want to do a blood test, in my dog’s case we skipped it as he determined the symptoms to be clearly environmental.
We were in and out in about an hour with a list of allergies and a course of treatment to begin.
Allergen specific immunotherapy, 5 years in and my dog is doing very well, we see the dermatologist once a year.
Now, if your dogs allergies are mild/seasonal he may suggest medication certain times of the year instead.
Forget about hair and saliva tests they are scams (imo)
Ps: Let us know how it goes, I was very pleased with how smoothly the testing went.
They say it may take a while to see results, but I saw improvement right away 🙂

[Karyn G]

My mix pup started having seizures at age 2.5, she was also diagnosed with severe allergies at 6 m. She was on Heartguard and Nexgard. We made the connection that one of the 2 were a catalyst. The box on the Nexguard stated that it should not be given to dogs with seizures, so why didn’t the vet know that??? Last month we changed her to Frontline Gold last month. No problems on that dose. She went without a seizure for over a month, which was miraculous. Well, I gave her Frontline Plus on Sunday May 7th, and this morning, May 8th she had a grand mal at 4:45 am and a tremor seizure at 4:54 am. I am just now finding out by this blog that other dogs are experiencing the same issue with Frontline. I will be looking for a natural flea control medicine. Any suggestions???

[gsdmama]

My dog gets seasonal allergies, so every spring (Around this time yay! lol). Going to try adding some coconut oil and wild alaskan salmon oil to her regular dry food but honestly I feel like the quickest relief for her is just a trip to the vet. I hate to give my dog drugs but she gets horrible hot spots and a few days on Apoquel clears them right up.

[anonymous]

Well, if your pup turns out to have environmental allergies, diagnosed by a veterinary dermatologist, you may want to advise your family member not to continue breeding the dogs, or at least consult a veterinary health care professional first. Best of luck

[anonymous]

Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist is the most accurate method to identify environmental allergies. Food allergies are rare, the dermatologist told me I could skip the blood test (specific to my dog’s treatment)
The ingredients you have mentioned are impossible to avoid, unless you consult a veterinary nutritionist and have a special made diet recipe. A lot of cross contamination goes on in dog food manufacturing plants.
It may be best to find a vet that you trust and work with him.
Ps: There is no cheap way out of this. Environmental allergies are complicated, there are effective treatments, they tend to be lifelong.

[anonymous]

For best results, consult a veterinary dermatologist. Get the dog properly diagnosed first, then you can evaluate your diet and treatment options.
By any chance was this a pet shop/puppy mill dog? Because a lot of breeders continue to breed dogs that have environmental allergies even though they shouldn’t. There is a genetic link.
I have an allergic dog, she is doing very well under the care of a veterinary dermatologist, sees him once a year. It’s all good. And, she tolerates a variety of foods, but does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea
Raw made her sick, emergency vet visits and all.

[Donna B]

Thanks for the replies! Winston had allergy bloodwork done through the vet’s office, spectrum labs. Can I assume these are correct? If so, even if I ignore the skin and saliva test, Winston has a number of food allergies (and yes environmental as well) that makes finding food difficult. The Zignature and Canide brands both contain foods that the bloodtest says he is allergic to. His food allergies are:
Peas
Sweet Potatoes
Pork
Soy
Oats
Peanuts
Kelp
Brewer’s yeast

thoughts?

[anonymous]

Have environmental allergies been ruled out? What you describe sounds like that’s what your dog may have vs food sensitivities.
They usually start around 1-2 years old and get worse with age. Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane making it almost impossible to tell which foods work or not.

Everyone blames the food, but I have found my dog tolerates a lot of different foods since beginning allergen specific immunotherapy (desensitization). The treatment tends to be lifelong, but no more ear infections, rashes, anal gland issues (5 years in)
The initial testing, intra dermal skin testing is expensive, maintenance isn’t that bad.

For best results, an accurate diagnosis and treatment options that work, I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist. Allergies are complicated and often require the expertise of a specialist.

[Susan]

Hi Donna,
I bet if you did the Salvia & Hair test again you’ll get different results, the only way to test for food intolerances/sensitivities is to do a food elimination diet, you start with 1 novel protein & 1 carbohydrate, or use the Vet diets like the Royal Canine, Hypoallergenic wet tin food, R/C HP just has a Hydrolyzed liver protein & pea fiber as the carbohydrate & is high in Omega 3 fatty acids what is needed for dogs with skin problems, then once your dog is doing well you start adding 1 new ingredient for 6 weeks, remove new ingredient if your dog has any side effects, then start again with another new ingredient, it can take from 1 day up to 6 weeks for a dog to react to an ingredient & show symptoms…
*For Skin Allergies the best test to do is the Intradermal Skin Test where they shave the fur on one side of your dogs body & then inject the allergen under his/her skin & see if he reacts, then once you know what in the environment irritates your dog they make up weekly injections to give your dog…
*Baths – bathing weekly or twice a week or daily washes off any allergens, pollens & dirt that’s on their skin.. bath relieve the dogs itchy skin I use Malaseb medicated shampoo it can be used daily.
*Food have you tried “Zignature” formula’s yet? a lot of dogs with food intolerances do really well on “Zignature”
I feed Canidae” Pure Wild Boar Canidae has limited ingredients..
Join this face book group, “Dog Issues, allergies and other information support group”
they have heaps of info, a lot of people are using the new drug called CADI injections, some people have said as soon as their dog had the CADI injections it stopped all his itching… Apoquel can cause too many side effects in dogs the makers of Apoquel make CADI….
Normally when a dog has Environment allergies they also have food intolerances/sensitivities also, my boy has both Seasonal environment allergies & food sensitivities & suffers with Intestinal problems when he’s sensitive to a food & gets red paws, itchy ears bum & skin….

[Matt A]

Brief backstory: 4 year old beagle who was completely healthy for the first 2.5 years of his life besides a slight chicken intolerance. I found 3 types of non chicken grain free dog foods that he did well on and would rotate every bag without issue. Seemingly within a few months of him being neutered he started developing protein allergies to all of his dog foods and nearly every other dog food I tried.

His symptoms are: yeast infection in his ears, licking/itchy paws, a more vibrant pink belly than normal, intense itchiness around his body with about a dozen hives on his legs, tail, and abdomen, butt scooting, and a heavy metallic smell from his rear end.

So far the only food that he can tolerate without symptoms has been Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Fish which seems to have had a formula change since I last purchased it. The challenging thing has been finding food without Chicken, Duck, Beef, Pork, Grains, white potatoes, or Lentils (Primarily Peas/Chickpeas). It seems as though when you go grain free you get a bunch of peas and white potatoes. Since I last purchased this food they seemingly have added white potato protein which may trigger my dogs allergies in the near future. I cannot locate a bag of the old formula nor can I locate another salmon+sweet potato formula that isn’t augmented by white potatoes and/or peas. I am getting desperate. Any help or advice is appreciated.

[anonymous]

Apoquel is prescribed for environmental allergies, not food allergies (rare) or food sensitivities that tend to fluctuate.
Hair and saliva mail in tests are a scam.
I would suggest that you take your dog to a veterinary dermatologist for testing and an accurate diagnosis and treatment options.
Environmental allergies are complicated, there is no cure but there is effective treatment.
Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=Allergies
and check the search engine here for allergies and see my posts,
example. /forums/topic/environmental-allergy-relief/
/forums/search/Dr+Dodds+nutriscan/

[Donna B]

I NEED HELP! My sweet boy was identified with allergies a few years ago. We found a food and he was doing well. Now he is breaking out and has to be on Apoquel. He has been on it for several months. Wanting to get him off it, I did a fur and saliva test for sensitivities. Between the two lists, I cannot find food. I even tried to make food and it was a no-go. Perhaps someone here knows of a food. Here is his list:
ALLERGIES: Pork
Soy
Oats
Sweet Potatoes
Peas
Yeast
Peanut
Kelp
SENSITIVITIES:
Grains inc; rices(wht & br), corn, barley, quinoa,rye, wheat, millet,
buckwheat, spelt
Potato
Kangaroo
Lamb
Fish Oil, Fish Meal, Salmon and Trout
Green Beans
Dairy except Goat and Sheep milk
Apricots
Cucumber
Turnip
Honey
Mint
and a few other spices
Your help and suggestions are welcome!!!!!

[Donna B]

Thank you for trying to help us….

I NEED HELP! My sweet boy was identified with allergies a few years ago. We found a food and he was doing well. Now he is breaking out and has to be on Appoquel. He has been on it for several months. Wanting to get him off it, I did a fur and saliva test for sensitivities. Between the two lists, I cannot find food. I even tried to make food and it was a no-go. Perhaps someone here knows of a food. Here is his list:

ALLERGIES: Pork
Soy
Oats
Sweet Potatoes
Peas
Yeast
Peanut
Kelp
Sensitivities:
Grains inc; rices(wht & br), corn, barley, quinoa,rye, wheat, millet,
buckwheat, spelt
Potato
Kangaroo
Lamb
Fish Oil, Fish Meal, Salmon and Trout
Green Beans
Dairy except Goat and Sheep milk
Apricots
Cucumber
Turnip
Honey
Mint
and a few other spices

Your help and suggestions are welcome!!!!!