[Susan]

Hi, are you on Face Book? if you are join this group “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group”, there’s a few people in this group that use Automatic Dog Feeders” https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/

[Pitlove]

Hi Debbie-

Glad you found something that works for your dog. I just wanted to make a note that your vet saved you a lot of money by advising against blood testing for food allergies. It IS in fact very inreliable.

If you ever find that the Kangaroo diet is not working, the golden standard of testing for food allergies is a proper elimination diet with either a homecooked diet with a novel protein and carb (one of each only) or a presciption veterinary diet in which the protein has been hydrolyzed. Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein would be the best one to use as it outpreformed Science Diet in effectiveness when feed trialed. They can eat that food and only that food for 2-3 months, no treats, table food, nothing. It’s tough to do but so worth it! We did that for our pitbull who has food sensitivities.

Hope your lab has continued success with Zignature!

[debbie k]

I have an approx. 5 1/2 yr old Lab which I rescued and have suffered right along side of him since day one with allergies, it kills me to see my baby so miserable! I have tried every food known for “sensitive stomach” “allergies” ” gluten free” etc I have taken him to the vet and begged them to do an allergy test multiple times only to have my vet tell me it’s a waste of money and not accurate he was on 2 benadryl a day and it didn’t help. Anyway I will spare you EVERYTHING we tried and get to the point… I had wonderful people open a store called pawtopia across the road from where I lived in Oklahoma and I decided to drop in to check them out one day, I got to talking to the husband and wife that ran it and told them of all my problems with rocky and they said have you tried kangaroo? I looked at them like they were nuts and said no, they talked me into trying “Zignature kangaroo formula” food and some whole 100% pumpkin (2 tbs a week) and within a week my rocky was improving, no more hair falling out when I pet him, no more digging at his butt (eww gross I know) no more bright red snout, no more gas, no more itching, red watery eyes!!! My baby was starting to feel great and it showed more and more everyday. I’m still to this day not sure what all he’s allergic to but I have determined he cannot do chicken, turkey, gluten, salmon etc but I found something that he can have and decided to leave well enough alone. I hope this helps someone somewhere out there because I know I was going out of my mind trying to find something for my lab son whom I love dearly and hated seeing him so miserable, I tried every expensive dog food you can name and even tried making everything homemade and nothing has worked like the zignature kangaroo formula along with pumpkin for little treats. Good luck and hope this helps someone!

[Cannoli]

I agree with anonymously. I don’t trust supplement companies that state their supplements are miracle wonder pills that can prevent a plethora of ailments.

These are the questions I ask myself when I rarely use supplements, hence I would ask the same questions to companies who make supplements for my dog.

1) Has the product triggered any health warnings or sanctions
Searching for a product or its maker on the FDA’s website will unearth any safety advisories or sanctions issued against them. The agency also maintains a list of all recent recalls and market withdrawals. I know this is tough but if this company makes human supplements it might be good to know if they ever had any human supplements recalled.

2) Has the product been tested by independent labs?

A reputable supplement company must have DNA testing to prove that all of there ingredients actually are what they state it has.

3)Is the product too good to be true?

For example they write “Nuvet contains those ingredients and can help strengthen the immune system to help prevent the development of allergies.” There is no supplement that can help this.

or this “Nuvet plus contains those ingredients and can help strengthen the immune system to help keep the body in balance, and less likely to develop the medical conditions that can lead to seizures.” more none sense.

4) Do I really need supplements? If so, am I taking the right amount?

a supplement may have considerably higher quantities of a vitamin or mineral than it says on the bottle. Because certain vitamins degrade over time, manufacturers often provide more than the labeled quantities, to ensure there is still the labeled amount at the expiration date

You should really be careful with giving your dog supplements. There are too many snake oil salesmen in this unregulated industry

[Rick Dunn]

No disrespect intended here but unfortunately Jakes_Mom “A healthy dog eating appropriate food does not need vitamin supplements.” could not be more wrong.

Even the best researched, sourced and prepared foods either commercially available or homemade (which includes raw diets) fall short in all of the essential vitamins, minerals, metals and nutrients that a dog is intended to have in it’s body by nature. Subsequently their bodies become out of balance which in turn compromises their immune systems. This is a proven fact and just can not be disputed, justified or excused away by anyone.

Proper supplementation brings the body back into balance and allows the immune system go back to its normal level. You can deny this all you wish… my statements are factual, backed by scientific research and proven in dogs for more than 30 years.

What is a Supplement?

Pet supplements are defined as either dietary or therapeutic supplements. Dietary supplements (also called dietary nutrients) are substances added to pet foods to make them nutritionally complete and balanced. Therapeutic supplements (also called nutraceuticals) are foods or food nutrients that are taken orally to provide a health benefit, either for prevention or treatment of disease. To have this therapeutic effect, a nutraceutical is usually taken in a larger dose than the daily requirement of that same food when used as a nutrient.

What is Dr Kruger Pet Supplements?

It is the only complete supplement on the market, covering all aspects of a dog’s health. Dr Kruger Pet Supplements naturally correct commercial, home made and natural pet food’s deficiencies in three crucial ways by adding essential vitamins and minerals, important digestive enzymes for complete food absorption, and beneficial intestinal bacteria to supercharge the immune system. Each formulation has additional ingredients to focus on those particular areas of the pets health that it is deficient in.

Our formulas meet the specific needs of your pet through each stage of life. Whether your dog is a puppy, adult or senior; one that is active, in show or spends most of his time indoors, there is a Dr Kruger Pet Supplements formula that is just right for his needs.

Why use Dr Kruger Pet Supplements?

Since 1986 our supplements have been alleviating gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, loose stools, vomiting and gas as well as itchy skin, hot spots, shedding and allergies. Our Supplements will help with both occasional and chronic digestive problems such as bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS), toxic gut syndrome (TGS), torsion, sensitive stomach, inflamed bowel, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Other conditions helped by our supplements include allergies, arthritis, inflamed joints, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and a host of others.

Dr Kruger Pet Supplements, when used daily provide the necessary vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, digestive enzymes, microbes and other probiotics for the health of your pet. Made from all natural ingredients, Dr. Kruger’s Supplements provide a holistic approach to your pets health helping your dog or cat absorb more nutrients from their diet. When used in combination with a healthy, organic food, Dr. Kruger’s Supplements ensure better health through better digestion… naturally!

Dr. Kruger’s approach was to address the “Whole Dog” not just a symptom, this is why our supplements work so well. Everyday Health Formula is in ALL of our Formulas as the foundation; we then add specific elements to address and make up the additional Formulas we offer. The final reason our Formulas have worked for so many years is Dr. Kruger knew that a dogs health requirements will change over it’s lifetime. He developed his Formulas to address those changes from the beginning of life through the twilight years.

Puppy & Pregnancy Formula
Everyday Health Formula
Healthy Skin & Coat Formula
High Performance Formula
Healthy Skin & Coat Formula
Healthy Joint Formula
Senior Health Formula

All of our ingredients are:

Human Grade
Non-GMO
All Natural
Sourced in the USA Only
Manufacture in the USA
There are NO Fillers in our Formulas; our Formulas are dosed by the dogs food intake as that is the only true way to know how much supplementation should be administered.

The importance of healthy digestion is critical to overall health of your pet. That is why we recommend that at least the Everyday Health Formula to be a consistent supplement to your pets food every day!

We prove this EVERY SINGLE DAY!

[Mary Susan S]

We have two bichons. One of them (now almost 12) has been diagnosed with allergies ever since she was two, and the baby of the family (now three) may be developing them. We want to feed them the same kibble in any case. The senior dog’s allergies got worse last year, and we started looking at a food component for the first time.

We have the joy and trouble of having a very particular veterinary allergist. She wanted originally to sell us a prescription diet, which “is not rated due to its intentional therapeutic design” here on the DFA. But the ingredient list speaks volumes: “Dried potato, venison meal, coconut oil, potato protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, natural flavors, vegetable oil, fish oil, ….” I dug my heels in. Luckily for me, they had added the hydrolyzed soy protein when my allergist’s back was turned. Supposedly, this doesn’t trigger allergies the way plain soy does, but I could claim principle. Really, I objected to feeding my dogs potatoes flavored with venison!

At that point, the doctor wanted us to cook for our dogs, which I also refused to do on the grounds that I don’t cook for us, either. However, if you are willing to do so, you will definitely know what your dog is getting. With otc kibbles, apparently, you don’t, not really. Even a high-quality company (one that actually makes their own kibble) probably makes different formulas on the same equipment, and might or might not clean thoroughly enough in-between runs. My allergist knows of a website that helps with balanced recipes for dogs, and if you like, I could find out what it is.

But we forged onward, valiantly. Our allergist likes Champion because they make their own kibble and in general maintain very high quality. So first I went for ACANA Lamb & Okanagan Apple Singles Formula. However, doc cited research at Cornell that a diet limited to lamb is linked to heart disease in dogs. Pork is a common allergen, too, so we first picked a rabbit-only kibble that did fine in terms of allergies but had our younger dog eating dirt. I wish Acana made Singles in the more unusual meats, like venison! But we then tried Acana Singles Pork and Butternut Squash, and fortunately, our dogs seem to be doing well enough on it. (Yes, on top of drugs — Atopica — for our senior dog.)

It’s been rough, because our babies like their treats and kongs and such. The only “limited diet” canned food I’ve been able to find that my allergist didn’t promptly dismiss out of hand is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet. (Although I have to confess, she really wants us to go with baby food. Sadly, the only single-protein baby food we could find was too runny to keep inside a kong.) At least rabbit or pork (and nothing else) treats have been findable on Chewy.com, although they’re expensive.

The key to what you’re doing is to know your kibble ingredient list, cross your fingers and hope that that is actually all that’s in the bag, and not buy anything else. No treats from the table (except for steamed or raw vegetables), that sort of thing. (Oddly, peanut butter was fine with a veterinary allergist!) Oh was there joy in this house when we got to the point of adding cheese back into the dogs’ diet!

Be especially careful with eggs, by the way, because it’s in just about all the quality foods (like the Fromm brand you’re talking about), and is apparently a very common allergen. We probably won’t ever try putting it back. You need to go at least two months with a given set of foods before adding anything, and then one at a time.

I hope this helps, especially the warning about an all-lamb diet. Unfortunately, I don’t have an actual citation for it.

[Michelle B]

GRAPES ARE BAD FOR DOGS BECAUSE THEY ARE TOXIC!!! THEY COULD CAUSE KIDNEY FAILURE!!! IT IS NOT AN “ALLERGY”!!!

Even if your dog ate grapes before and was “fine,” that doesn’t mean that they’re somehow immune. It is possible to have kidney damage without symptoms. The effect is accumulative. So if you keep feeding them grapes, eventually the damage to your dog’s kidneys would be great enough to cause renal failure.

It is the actual flesh of the grape that is toxic to dogs, not the seed, as some people think. Grapeseed extract is safe for dogs, so that tells you that it is not the seed that is bad for dogs. Grapes (all varieties, seedless or not), raisins, grape jelly/jam, grape juice are toxic to dogs (and cats). It is difficult to say how much could cause a dog to become seriously ill, or even kill them, so it is safest to call your vet ASAP (or take them to an emergency clinic after hours).

Garlic is okay in small amounts (some dog foods & treats contain garlic). But unless you know the safe dose for your dog’s weight, do not feed them homemade foods or treats with garlic!

Onions are also toxic to dogs, but again, are okay in small doses (but don’t feed to your dogs if you don’t know how much is safe!).

A dog would have to eat a lot (relative to their weight) of MILK CHOCOLATE (for example, my 60 lb dog would have to eat 1kg of milk chocolate to become seriously ill). If it is dark chocolate, baker’s chocolate, or cocoa powder however, a very small amount (1 tbsp for my dog) could kill them! Here is a great calculator to help you decide whether you should take your dog to the vet or not: http://www.petmd.com/dog/chocolate-toxicity

From what I’ve read, avocados are not actually toxic to dogs or cats (they ARE toxic to birds & other animals though). The risk is that your dog may swallow that giant avocado seed in the center. They could choke on it, or it could block their digestion system, which would require surgery.

As for meat bones, it’s an evaluation of risk and reward that every dog guardian needs to make their own choice about. Large, weight-bearing bones (such as large leg bones from cattle or pigs) are more likely to chip or break a tooth. Chicken or turkey bones are less likely to cause injury to teeth. I like to give my dogs chicken wings or turkey vertebrae to chew on. NEVER give your dogs cooked bones!!! Raw bones are safer b/c they will not splinter like cooked bones would! But raw bones could be risky if you have a young child, elderly person, or anyone with immunity issues in the home, or in contact with the dog. Antlers are a possible alternative for dogs with allergies (but again, chipping or breaking a tooth is possible).

[Cathy D]

My dog recently had a cystotomy to remove bladder stones. His stones were sent to a lab and they are silica stones, which apparently aren’t very common. He is to avoid corn, soy, wheat and rice to reduce the risk of him creating more. I am trying hard to figure out what to feed him because we are supposed to go easy/avoid root vegetables as well. Silica is in the ground and root vegetables are high in silica.

I have been researching dog foods and grain free food is relatively easy to find. The problem is the majority of grain free foods are a combo of meats and sweet potatoes and/or pumpkin and/or potatoes which we are supposed to avoid.

Thankfully my dog, a 5 year old 87 lb male labrador retriever will eat any dog food and has no allergies or stomach issues (with the exception of his body making silica stones). The vet has said it’s hard to tell if he is genetically predisposed to making silica stones or it’s developed over time due to not good quality dog food high in grains.

We are now filtering his water as we live in a hard water area.

He was a rescue dog so not sure his background for the first 2 years. I trust our vet highly as we live close to well known and respected college of veterinary medicine and they are on top of their game.

I am open to suggestions. If you have had a dog who has had silica stones I would be interested to hear what has worked for you.

• This topic was modified 10 years ago by Cathy D.

[Debbie G]

I am having a problem with my little Nikki who is four yeard old I have been feeding her Fromm Grain Free Salmon Tutilini she has allergies to chicken She has been fine. Know about a month ago she started itching herself a lot and knawing at her paws. So I am changing to Fromm Grain Free Lamb. My vet said she is a very high anxiety dog which she is she is glued to my hip. and that it may ot be the food She put her on prozac. Does anyone have any suggestions.

Deb

[linda m]

The balanced diet at the top, does this mean I don’t need to give my maltese vitamins etc. My dog has IBS and I’m new at making her own food. I knew about the cooking the bones, because I saw a video on it. My chicken is cooking and then I will cook down the bones with cider vinegar. Should I put some boiled eggs in her food for the shells? I read I was supposed to put fruit in her food. My dog was a puppy mill dog I rescued 3 years ago and she just recently got IBS , her vet started her on royal canin dry food. she ate it at first and now wont eat it at all, he also started her on steroids, which scares me. She has allergies, she chews and bites her paws. I have so many sprays . ointments for this. She lived in a cage most of her life and I don’t know if its a habit from being in a cage. I have 2 more maltese and they eat blue buffalo. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Pitlove]

Hi Marie-

Sounds like when you switched over to raw you unknowingly removed what was triggering your dogs yeast. Glad to hear it’s still working so well.

Don’t know why you are so against research but my point was not to argue that raw can’t work or grain free can’t work. It was to say that if you feed both of those diets but are also feeding what triggers the allergies and thus the yeast, it will not go away.

[Pitlove]

Hi Sherrie-

Yes part of what I stated was my own personal experience and the other part was fact based on clinical research. The fact that when I looked to clinical research and those who believed in it as well, for help with my dogs yeast, he got better, tells me that the base principle of treating yeast in dogs is what works. Determining the cause of the yeast infections and eliminating it from the diet or environment. That will mean different things for different dogs. My dog doing well on fish means nothing, but that MY dog does well on fish. It was not a suggestion, just an observation about my own dog. It is important to understand as the consumer that there is fact and truth that exists about canine nutrition and disease etc. Some look in all the wrong places for those facts and they are left feeling no closer to an answer than when they started.

The best place to start if you believe food is the culprit is at your vet and discuss doing an elimination diet, which is the golden standard for diagnosing food allergies/sensitivities. Blood testing is unrealiable and yields false positives and false negatives. No knowledgable vet will recommend blood testing over a food trial.

[Sherrie Z]

Your absolutely right, not one thing works for every dog. I stated what works for my pitt. It’s take time to find out what may be causing your dog’s allergies or yeast infection. Not all dogs need to go grain free, But it’s a good place to start because the only other way to truly know what’s causing the allergies is very expensive test, an those aren’t always accurate either.

I don’t believe there misconceptions, it’s trial an error, there given suggestions an multiple different variations of foods, an remedies. Everything here is opinions and options they used what has worked for their dog an what has failed.

My pitt can not eat fish based meals, beef or duck. He eats chicken based food, no wheat, soy or by products an has been doing great on that with the other remedies iv only suggested.

[Pitlove]

Hi Jazzlover-

I would have a look back at Aimee’s posts in this thread. She has it completely right about yeast. There is far too much misformation on the internet about yeast and some of it is even perpecuated by vets like Dr. Becker.

As Aimee mentioned previously, carbs DO NOT in fact feed yeast. Yeast infections are secondary to a primary cause. For instance in my pitbulls case, his hypersensitivities to certain ingredients in food like beef and duck cause him to get yeast infections under his nail beds, inbetween his digits and in his ears. He also has break outs around his mouth like acne and his mouth and inbetween his digits gets bright red and raw.

My boy has been completely yeast free for a few months now and he is not on raw and he is not on grain free. Raw and grain free are not automatically “anti-yeast” diets. Very common misconception that has been put out there on the internet as truth. Not all dogs need to go to raw or grain free to have their yeast issues solved. The key to treating yeast overgrowth is to find out the primary cause/trigger of the yeast overpopulation. Your dog naturally has yeast all over his/her body, but when something (like hypersensititivies or allergies) suppresses the immune system the body is off balance and can no longer keep the yeast from overpopulating. My dog does well on foods that have fish as the animal protein source and no wheat. He can eat other grains though without issue.

Also the only thing that has been clinically proven to kill yeast are shampoos that contain chlorhexidine gluconate, like Malaseb. There is no clinical proof that ACV kills yeast.

I’d like to add also that it will be much more difficult to treat the yeast if the primary trigger is environmental.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Pitlove.

[Susan]

Jazzlover, Malassezia (Yeast infection) can also be brought on by environment allergies, mites, pollen, trees, grasses etc specially the ears… Witch hazel can make the ears worse as it can burn the skin….
Karen Helton Rhodes is a Dermatologist & is a regular on a face book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” if you need any advice..
Here’s one of her “Facts & Myths about yeast Dermatitis in dogs” links, you will be surprise some things your doing can be making your dog worse…

I use Hydrocortisone 1% cream or the Mometasone Furoate ointment 0.1% for red paws & red itchy skin, I check everything at night & lightly apply the cream, for the ears “Zymox” otic ear drops work the best for Patch…

The only way a dog gets yeasty skin from foods, is if he’s allergic to grains & carbs, which is very rare, but Patch has sensitivities to corn, wheat, barley, potatoes, potatoes only if in a kibble, when cooked fresh he’s fine with potatoes but not much, also grain free diets are higher in starchy carbs then kibbles with grains like brown rice etc…… Patch does better on a kibble that is just Fish & Rice…. Rodney Habib posted a post the other day about all the hype about grain free kibble & some grain free kibble have 60% starchy carb….. I really think it all depends on your dog one dog does real well on a kibble diet & some dogs do best on a raw diet…kibbles need all the carbs to bind the kibble together so if you have a dog with skin problems then kibble isn’t the best for your dog, I feed either cooked or roll meat for breakfast & kibble for dinner but I try not to feed any kibble if I can…. http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs

[Sherrie Z]

Hi my Liam is a red nose pit and shar pei mix at the age of 5 the allergies from the sharpei side exploded. Yes I’ve always provided my animals with premium dog food now after my research with yeast infections and the ears I’ve gone completely grain-free food called 4health, Fromm, and Blue Buffalo are very good products.

To battle the yeast infection in his ears- An yes it works wonders an on contact immediate results-
Generally, cleaning your dog’s ears once a week is needed, for those with chronic ear infections or a propensity to develop ‘yeasty-type’ smells and infections, 2 drops of witch hazel to 1 tablespoon of baby oil, Apply this solution to a cotton ball and GENTLY clean out the ear. Witch hazel is also referred to as ‘nature’s Neosporin’ and this solution encourages healing on minor skin breaks. It’s a drying agent which your furbaby needs. An Here is the cream to follow that cleaning-Monistate cream- Yep antifungal cream! Added bonus- anti itch, an infection control, swelling reduced with minutes.

Trust me- or do a little research- Or ask Liam 🙂

[anonymously]

Food sensitivities usually result in GI distress such as vomiting and diarrhea. Food allergies are rare.
It may be time to consider getting the skin testing done by a dermatologist/specialist.

You may find this site informative. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies
And:

Dermatology – Common Issues

“Atopic dermatitis is a hypersensitivity or over-reaction to a variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances in the environment such as plant pollens, house dust mites or mold spores. Most pets with atopic dermatitis either inhale or absorb their allergens through their skin. Allergy tests are used to identify what a pet is allergic to in their environment”.

excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems.

Also, via the search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

BTW: Allergen Specific Immunotherapy does not address food allergies (rare) or food sensitivities.

A common environmental allergen is the household dust mite, also known as Cockroach, American and Tyropagus putrecentiae. And, no, you don’t have to have cockroaches in your home. These microscopic particles are everywhere, airborne and on the skin of all living things…including you! Constantly being shed all year round.

Frequent bathing (Malaseb) might help but it won’t completely solve the problem. Also, allergies tend to get worse as the dog gets older.

Folks will recommend an elimination diet, but how will you know if the dog is responding to environmental allergies, which is causing what? I didn’t find elimination diets helpful.
However, my dog does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.

[Kris L]

I did a search in the forums to see if this is common, but a lot of posts with ingredient listings came up so I thought I’d ask a fresh question.
I’ve been working on figuring out my dog’s itchiness/goopy eyes for a while now. Yes, I realize there could be environmental allergies involved, but I’m trying the food ingredient route first. Eliminated potatoes, no change. Switched up the protein, no change. Eliminated peas, no change. Grain free or grain inclusive, no change. So, I typed up all the foods she’s tried in the last 18 months and started highlighting common ingredients and the only one is flaxseed.

Has anyone’s dog had a strong aversion to flaxseed? I honestly NEVER thought that could be the culprit. I did a general Google search about it and all I found were people ADDING flaxseed to their dog’s diet.

[Shawna]

Here’s another doctor on acid reflux (and heartburn) if interested. This is in humans but holds true for our pets too.

“The Myth About Heartburn
It’s commonly believed that heartburn is the result of overeating. And although 116 million Americans may overeat, the size of the meal has no scientific correlation with the frequency of heartburn.
Then we must be producing too much stomach acid, you say. Having too much acid production is very rare. In fact, the opposite is the case. In most people, stomach acid decreases with age.

What Causes Heartburn?
In order to cure acid reflux disease, you must remove the cause of the problem and promote the healing process. The following are the most common causes:

Food allergies: In my practice I have found that a majority of cases of heartburn are caused by food allergies. Food allergies often cause a host of other problems and can be diagnosed with a simple blood test.

Foods: certain foods cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, thus leading to heartburn. These include peppermint, coffee, alcohol and chocolate.

Hiatal hernia: This is a physical condition where part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm. It can generally be reduced without surgery, though even when present it is not necessarily the sole cause of heartburn

Low Acid Production: Ironically, low stomach acid levels can result in heartburn. This is much more common than increased acid. This problem can be assessed clinically and is readily treatable.

Medications: Many medications cause heartburn as a side-effect, including, several acid blockers. These include:

Acid Blockers: Prevacid, Prilosec, Zantac, etc.
Asthma inhalers (beclamethasone, flovent, etc).
Corticosteroids
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
Antianxiety medications, such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan).
Osteoporosis drugs such as alendronate (Fosamax).” http://www.centerforfoodallergies.com/gerd.htm#part1

[Shawna]

Here’s another take on acid reflux that is supported by many. This is from the website reflux.org and is written by a medical doctor – the bio says this about this doctor “Dr. Stephen Wangen is the co-founder and Medical Director of the IBS Treatment Center. He
lectures nationally and is the author of two books, “The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution,”
and the recently released “Healthier Without Wheat: A New Understanding of Wheat Allergies, Celiac Disease, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance.”

Dr. Wangen writes
“However, it’s not just a dairy allergy that can cause reflux. As we already discussed, gluten intolerance is also known to trigger reflux. (Note that reflux can be the only presenting symptom of celiac disease, the most researched form of gluten intolerance. But also note that you do not have to have celiac disease to be gluten intolerant.) In fact, any food can potentially trigger reflux. And the right kind of testing will point to the relevant food(s). But there are certain foods that come up more often than others as allergens. The top four food allergies that result in reflux are:

Dairy Egg Soy Gluten

But remember, it’s not the food that is the real problem. The real issue is how your body is reacting to that food rather than anything inherently bad in the food itself.” https://www.reflux.org/reflux/webdoc01.nsf/487b3ba0c2f1a4ff85256ff30009f061/cc3c84cff50a7a0b8525764e005d879b/$FILE/2009%20Summer%20Reflux%20Digest%20final%20to%20upload.pdf

Although these four foods may be the most likely to cause acid reflux, they are not the only ones that do. Additionally continuing the acid reducer can create further issues as acid is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for protein digestion. Protein malnutrition can happen with long term use of these acid reducers and a whole host of new symptoms can be caused by protein malnutrition. B12 absorption is also dependent on adequate acids in the stomach and B12 malnutrition will also cause some unusual and problematic symptoms.

[Jaclyn C]

Hello,

This is my first time posting so I apologize if I should have started a new thread. I have read many of these forums, but haven’t found anyone with a similiar case.

My Lhasa Apso is 13 years old. She has had 3 surgeries for bladder stones and despite following all instructions/diet from different vets her entire life, she has them for a 4th time.

The first surgery-stones were struvite and she was already on Urinary SO which wasn’t working. Six months later she had stones again even after continuing the Urinary SO and had to have another surgery. This time they were Calcium Oxalate. Vet said they never seen that happen before. The 3rd time it was Oxalate again and now I have no idea what type they will be, but I am concerned because the last surgery was really hard on her. Her liver level has always been elevated so the last time they couldn’t give her good pain meds so she was in so much pain after the surgery. I can’t stand to see her go through that again. She doesn’t have a UTI and has had the current stones for over a year. The vet said that they are extremely small, so just to keep an eye on them since my dog is acting normal with no crystals in her urine or UTI.

The Urinary SO seems to give my dog bad food allergies, but she has been on it all her life. It obviously hasn’t done anything to help her, but only make her overweight and itchy with dry skin. I have tried multiple vets, all telling me different things more like they are experimenting with her. At this point I am beyond fustrated and don’t know what to do. My dog has other health problems such as a bad cough which won’t go away as well as shaky legs with athritis. She seems happy and tries to play, but I feel like switching her food will help her lose weight which might help with the cough and strain on her legs. I have no clue what food to feed her because all the vets say the reduced calorie Urinary SO or another Urinary prescription diet to treat another type of stone. None of the vets seem to know what to do and and sometimes diagree with each other. Does anyone have any recommendations? At this point I feel like changing foods will help her more than hurt her. Thoughts?

Thank you in advance.

[TAMMY C]

First, I have to comment on those who disagree with cooking and pureeing vegetables, not sure on fruit but I do puree anyway, I follow my Dogs stools, they are the first clue that there is something not right going on with your Beloveds. I tried both raw veggies and slightly steamed without pureeing them and what went in came right back out in their stools, their body cannot digest them. So, it is, well….waste, in all accounts.

My dilemma is this…..I use to rescue animals and I have a pack of canines. In the last year my Dobes came down with cancer, two died from the symptoms cancer creates in their body (histamine is nasty!) and two are cancer survivors. My Dobes have ALWAYS had skin problems, sparse coats and digestive issues, until I decided to try home cooked meals. My Dogs cannot handle raw meat or eggs, it creates havoc in their digestive systems, very sensitive. One would not believe how many times I have had to switch kibble, before moving in my area where I am limited to two brands of kibble (Sam’s and Kirkland), after awhile they start throwing up or their stools look poorly. Anyway, I have 9 Dog’s, ranging from 110 pounds (Dobes), medium size (around 45 pounds) and my 3 little ones 5 to 20 pounds. I found that all I accomplished all day was cooking their meals and washing their dishes and nothing else got done, I certainly do not have a life beyond this either (someday I would like to date again, ha). Before I started trying the homemade diet I was supplementing their kibble (Kirkland grain free Salmon and Sweet Potato) the best available to me in my area (sadly). Anyway, their coats flourished and skin not so itchy. What I have found in my research is there is a wide range of opinions about kibble, while I would LOVE to feed my Dogs only home cooked meals, it is not feasible budget wise on my retired income, nor time wise. I did find some AWESOME vitamins, the first post you may be interested in these, I researched and researched, bought in mistake after mistake and finally found a truer vitamin for helping my Dogs immune systems, NuVet Labs, and WOW what a difference they also made for my clan. I have bought just about every book on Amazon on home prepared meals, except the two mentioned I will look into them (thank you). Anyway, I got off topic of my kibble quibble, the wide range of opinions feeding kibble or not, I find there is a truer medium said to this and that is…..a good kibble does “not” cause cancer, cause havoc in their bodies…..what they do however is lack a “real” complete diet which this in itself creates the cancer and havoc in their bodies (except when there are food allergies involved of course my Dobes can’t handle grains). No matter what AAFCO has to say by placing their logo on the bags of Dog food stating they approve of the kibble (which Kirkland is one of them they place their logo “approved by AAFCO guidelines” what does this really mean?????), it “is” lacking. Although, I was happy Kirkland did have their stamp of approval but in research the kibble “is” lacking and my Dogs are proof of this, their immune systems were gone and couldn’t fight off cells mutating into cancer (talk about researching…Dog cancer…..I know way to much about it now). My Dogs are all of different breeds and mixed, yet they all have issues with the kibble used alone. Some, I did take off completely and won’t give them kibble, they just throw it up anyway and they are doing great on home cooked food coming from my kitchen.

Anyway, is there such a thing as being able to home prepare your Dog food for a pack without being wealthy and doing this all alone with no help (no partner just me and my clan). I appreciate your feedback in advance. Blessings to everyone!!!! Tammy.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by TAMMY C. Reason: To make more readible with flow of words

[Laura D]

Feel like this is a stupid question, but I need to ask it. Have a dog who had pancreatitis. So the fat content is a concern in any food. She also has food sensitivities/allergies. We knew to chicken, but have learned through the prescription vet food also to pork.

I noticed while with vet that they had a binder with all the info on fat content once they calculated the dry matter, etc. I know it applies to canned and have found info on how to calculate. But is dry food…well, dry and there is no need to calculate any moisture out?

[wendeyzee]

Jenn, Wow thanks! My boy Theo is now 18 mos old and doing great also i have a female 4 yrs. old who is just a little yeasty, I’m still testing foods and deciding which ones I like and they like that we can afford for rotating. We have some allergies not so much to food but the dermatologist suggested using fish so i’ve tried Pure vita salmon and peas, Natures Select Salmon, Fromm Salmon and Veg and Zignature Trout and Salmon.

They weren’t getting satiated on the Pure Vita but they love the Zignature so on a whim i decided to try the Zig. Lamb which I’m just in the process of switching out. I like to know as much as i can about the dog foods but i admit i don’t know about ethoxyquin. One other thing is that i want to keep the protein below 30 for a while longer.
I think I’ll give it a try after this bag of food is done.

Thank you so very much for your detailed response!
Wendey

[anonymously]

Malaseb is the best gentle shampoo for dogs with allergies that require frequent bathing, otherwise, any gentle dog shampoo should be fine. Check chewy.com, compare prices.

Regarding food, mix dry with wet, 2/3rds dry, 1/3rd wet or a topper such as chopped up cooked chicken breast or scrambled egg (made with water), add a little water to meals.

Offer 3-4 small meals per day till about 6 months old, eventually feed 2 x per day.
I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.
Another important tip, if you want to avoid professional cleanings, start brushing the teeth once a day. See YouTube for how to videos. I like Petrodex and a medium adult tooth brush. It is more economical to get the 6.2 oz tube, found at chewy.com

Regarding housebreaking, take the pup outside every 2 hours during waking hours, at bedtime, first thing in the morning and after meals.
In an ideal world 🙂

I almost forgot. Puppy proof your house, they chew everything in site for at least the first 1 1/2 years! Get a puppy gate or LARGE crate for when you have to go out.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by anonymously.

[Robyn B]

Hi, just our experience to share. I’m sorry to hear your dog is so uncomfortable. My pug had allergy (allergies) that made him lick his feet frequently for probably 7 years (his skin darkened to black-ish and we were constantly needing to use malaseb skin cleanser/yeast killer to give him relief). I was told by vets that it was probably caused by the grass or something in his food but that it would be almost impossible to determine. All they had to offer were steroid meds but I wanted to solve the underlying problem. I switched his diet to grain free (dry and a can now and then for a little excitement). His constant licking stopped and his skin returned to normal for the last 6 years of his life. The foods we fed that solved his problem were Canidae grain free Pure, Wellness Core grain free and Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix grain free and poultry free Salmon. The first two greatly reduced the licking but the Castor and Pollux eliminated it.
I hope you have success in solving the problem. Bulldogs are my other favorite breed, so adorable!

[boobear27]

What is wrong with Wellness brand? I’ve been feeding my other dogs Wellness for years and they do great on it..They had allergy problems and ever since I switched to Wellness the allergies went away and their skin and coat look great and are very active…I switched my senior dog’s diet about 4 months ago due to weight gain and she loved the Wellness core reduced fat she shed the pounds and started to have more energy…The senior dog tends to be a fast eater maybe that could have triggered the upset stomach, I might have to get a new slow feeding bowl because she figured out a loophole for the one I got her:) She has a trip to the vet tomorrow to get routine check up to see if everything is good, but she seems to be much better now. Yesterday she actually started to eat the kibble I mixed with the chicken and rice and did great. What do you suggest for a diet for senior dogs?

[Daisy D]

Jumping in on this thread too.
Almost-7-year-old French Bulldog female, mild allergies, anxious nature, fed Ziwipeak lamb for about 5 years.
Acid reflux symptoms since November last year. Abdominal ultrasound clear, fecal test clear. No blood work or endoscopy done yet.
She’s tried ranitidine and Omeprazole – along with metronidazole, as aswell as the reflux problems, she started straining to poop/not pooping regularly, and were loose. Went off her food almost totally, only taken small amounts of cooked chicken.
She had a terrible time January as got an eye ulcer NYE, which meant multiple vet strips and she extremely phobic, couldn’t tell if any antacid meds were working as she was super stressed her body just kind of went “arghhh”.
Since the eye ulcer started healing (finally) she was perking up a bit on no medication (just a bland diet of chicken and sweet potato). then she relapsed with the GERD symptoms again, so we tried her on omeprazole once more as didn’t feel we’d given it a fair shot in the midst of her multiple problems. She perked up on it after a day, and we had a solid good week, her appetite returned, and she was more waggy and happy. She was also on metronidazole this whole time – which stopped last Friday. On Sunday she spent the whole day, 7 hours shaking with nausea and gulping. Next day she was OK, but again today we got up and she was shaking, panting, gulping hard.
She’s calmed down midday, slept, then woken up again gulping and licking. She’s now sleeping on and off.
My vet is great but only works 3 half days a week – nightmare. I spoke to a different vet at the practice on the phone who is putting up more metronidazole as she figures it’s the only thing that’s changed recently.
Really feels like we’re going backwards – should I be requesting an endoscopy? She is so vet phobic it’s a real concern to put her under general anesthetic, as well as being bracycephalic.

Our problems are spanning three months now, but before this she had regurgitation problems, would throw up water after drinking too quickly/ throw up if excited etc. She’s a very anxious dog and since being ill this time around her separation anxiety has got quite bad and i’ not able to leave her alone for long at all, which i’m sure is adding to it. Even when i’m home she’s panicy at the smallest sounds, and when walking she’s so unsettled, looking this way and that constantly.

[Daisy D]

Hi RebeccaRose, and Susan, thank you both for sharing your experiences. I came across this post while doing my own research into what is happening with my own dog. My almost-7-year-old female French Bulldog has always been what I would describe as a sicky dog. She has always regurgitated water if she drinks too fast, too much – and would often regurgitate food too.

I tried her on a RAW diet which didn’t suit her, she would regurgitate after every meal. We settled on Ziwipeak lamb which suited her well for years. November last year her vomiting and regurgitating increased to daily episodes, along with some mild exercise intolerance, and also increased coughing.

She’s always had a wet cough on and off since I got her aged 1. Vets did all sorts of tests and couldn’t find out what it was from, it lead to her having soft palette surgery and her tonsils out, she’s also been on various antihistamines and more recently appoquel for allergies, assuming it’s from allergies.

I’m wondering if she’s actually had this GERD problem the whole time. My vets suspected GERD last November as Roxy’s had vomited bile unexpectedly (and through her nose) on three occasions in the morning, a few weeks apart. They put her on Zantac and metronidazole but she unfortunately got an eye ulcer NYE which caused her lots of pain and stress, (she’s highly vet phobic).

IT seemed like nothing was working, she would be lethargic, and clearly feeling sick every day – often running about desperately wanting to eat grass. Squeely sounding stomach, not eating etc. Sometimes would vomit, but mostly the hard gulping coughing and gagging – when it was really bad she would shake for around 6 hours at a time.

The vet did an abdominal ultra sound, everything was clear apart from slightly enlarged spleen (they say common with the sedatives). She was also clear for a fecal test.

We haven’t done blood tests as my vet thinks they would be a waste of money – should we consider this? Everything is telling me she will need the endoscopy and biopsies, but am so worried to put her under general anesthetic being a brachycephalic breed and vet phobic to the point it makes her ill.

Two weeks ago the vet prescribed Omeprazole and she was doing great on it, got her appetite back and was waggy again. They kept her on the metronidazole too while her eye ulcer was healing so as not to change too much as once. But this finished on Friday. On Sunday she relapsed and spent the whole day and night shaking, feeling awful.

She picked up the next day and was back to her ‘almost’ usual self, but then today she woke up and I knew she was going to be ill – she’s been shaking and panting since this morning, but is just sleeping quietly now.

MY vet is great, but only works three half days a week at the practice, meaning I sometimes have to wait days to get her on the phone. Today I spoke over the phone to a difference vet who would like to put her back on the metronidazole as it’s the only thing that’s changed since she was doing OK. I pick it up later. Roxy has always been a really anxious dog, and her separation anxiety has got worse since she’s been sick – and i’m sure when she’s been under stress it’s making the nausea worse too.

I’m very aware that both metronidazole and omeprazole are not great long-term options, should I be pushing for a referral for the endoscopy?

[El]

Hi Lauren D, Welcome to the DFA forums.

I’m sorry your bulldog is having issues 🙁

If you want to find out if your pup has food issues then DogFoodie is right, if done properly, an elimination diet, is the gold standard for identifying food sensitivities and/or allergies. Your poor baby has been suffering with skin issues for most of his life, it’s time to figure out if food is the problem. BTW, I’ve never heard of allergy injections (immunotherapy) for food allergies.

Has his skin been tested to see if he has ringworm, mites, mange, yeast overgrowth, bacteria, or anything else? Bulldogs are notorious for skin issues and skin issues can be caused by many different things, and as Anonymously has said, the type of skin issues you are describing are rarely caused by food issues.

I strongly recommend a high potency, multi strain probiotic to hopefully strengthen and diversify the microflora in his gut. This could also help strengthen his immune system and help his gut health. I would also give him a prebiotic to feed the probiotics.

We’ll all be hoping the best for you and your bully. Please keep us updated 😉

[DogFoodie]

Hi Lauren,

I think I’d take a look at doing a true elimination diet if I were you.

Since you’ve been working with your vet on identifying your pup’s food sensitivities, you could talk to them about it and get your instructions from them. Essentially, you choose a single protein and a single starch that your dog hasn’t eaten before and feed only that. After you’re dog’s condition has settled down, you slowly introduce other ingredients, one at a time. If he reacts, you withdraw the food and continue with your single starch and protein. If not done properly, you’ll end up with inaccurate results. If done properly, it’s the gold standard for identifying food sensitivities / allergies.

Some folks will use raw or cooked foods, prepared at home. Others will choose prescription foods from the vet. Either way, it’s not forever, but it’ll help you get some answers.

With my food sensitive dog, I have better luck with Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets.

Good luck! I know how frustrating it can be!

[anonymously]

You may find this site informative. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies
And:

Dermatology – Common Issues

“Atopic dermatitis is a hypersensitivity or over-reaction to a variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances in the environment such as plant pollens, house dust mites or mold spores. Most pets with atopic dermatitis either inhale or absorb their allergens through their skin. Allergy tests are used to identify what a pet is allergic to in their environment”.

excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems.

Also, via the search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

BTW: Allergen Specific Immunotherapy does not address food allergies (rare) or food sensitivities. See my posts for more information.

[Lauren D]

My American Bulldog, approx 3 years old, has been dealing with horrible allergies for most of his life. He was allergy tested in April of 2015 and the food issues for him are: Egg, soybean, duck, rabbit, yeast (scored lowest possible), oat, and potato.

I switched his food over to Zignature Turkey He seemed to do well with it for the first couple of months, but I’m not convinced it is having a positive effect anymore. I did have him start allergy injections in October 2015 (focusing on some food and some environmental like human dander).

He has a pattern of doing ok for a week or so and then once I think he’s doing well he turns all red and inflamed, sometimes gets hives, his legs and stomach are raw and he sometimes scratches so hard he bleeds and scabs over, eyes are swollen and red, his hair thins out a lot, and he smells horrid. I bathe him in a medicated shampoo on a regular basis.

With his food restrictions, does anyone have recommendations on dry food brands to look in to? I can’t afford anything over $70 per 30lb bag. I have two other dogs and they switch to whatever food he is on as I don’t want any chance for cross contamination. I’ve also looked in to the addition of supplements such as coconut oil, fish oil, and digestive enzymes. Thoughts on any brands or whether or not that would be worthwhile to do very much appreciated.

• This topic was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Lauren D. Reason: wrong html code

[Laura S]

I use Sojos Pre-mix for my Frenchies. I prefer to cook the protein and I feed my male wild caught salmon and my female grass fed lamb. My female is a super picky eater and won’t eat raw. I don’t agree with the recommended amount of protein to pre-mix in the directions on the bag so I add additional protein. I also bought a box of the grain free Honest Kitchen base mix, but I am hesitant to feed because it has peas and since I have switched to Sojos, that has no peas, my male has stopped licking his paws. I also have contacted Primal Pet foods to inquire if they were ever planning on putting out a base or pre-mix because I like that the majority of the fruits and veggies are organic, but unfortunately the answer was no and they don’t make a fish based formula. Both of my dogs have bad allergies and are on medication but I am always experimenting with diet in hopes that it may help them be less itchy. We have managed to steer away from ear infections once I eliminated potatos from their diet too.

[wendeyzee]

Thanks Jenn,
I’ve never used Solid Gold or Wysong foods, i’ll check them out. I do know about the calcium thing with large breeds and was really careful about that, but something i had to learn the hard way is about protein levels in growing GSDs and some other breed as well, is they are prone to Panosteitis from to high protein. I was listening to everyone all over these boards saying high protein is good for growing puppies well not necessarily for GSDs. My Pup Theo at about 10 mos developed limping and sometimes it would shift around, I couldn’t get a grip on what the heck was happening to him, i was freaking out I thought it was hips, but no it was Pano! I think we are past that now but I’m gun shy about protein levels. I have Both dogs on fish, I’ve used Pure Vita salmon, Natures Select (wonderful food) but got tired of ordering off the website, then to Fromm which has a TON of carbs, then tried Zignature trout & salmon they liked it but both Zig. & Fromm have salt (why?) so now back to Pure Vita. I’ve trialed a few others like Great Life and Victor but really watching protein at least a while longer. I’m using alot of fish because they are both being treated for allergies and my vet dermatologist suggested it even though we don’t seem to have food allergies. I have looked at the editors choice lists for months now reading ingredient panels, guaranteed analysis, manufacturing facility and sourced ingredients as much as we can possibly know. Ugh its so hard!

[Leslie C]

I know a little bit about seizures as I have had two dogs, a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Golden Retriever that did not live together and both had seizures. The Golden we bought as a puppy after the first Berner female died. I did a lot of research on the breeds and the issue of seizures. Bernese Mountain Dogs are prone to seizures as they age, Goldens are not. And no one knows what that means, prone to, or why. We believe that initially, the Berner had a brain tumor or cancer that travelled to her brain. I was using a regular vet who just put her on anti seizure meds that really didn’t help. No seizures, no personality, she only lived a month after we put her on the meds. As a puppy she never had seizure, therefor, we knew that she was not epileptic. Epilepsy is diagnosed before or around two years of age. The Golden was having seizures that were probably unrelated to his diagnosis, osteo-carcenoma (bone cancer) which he got at nine. He actually lived another year after he was diagnosed- usually the diagnoses is six months. Since he lived way beyond his prescribed “end”, probably because I was cooking human grade food, and because of the attention he got from his family, at his last visit to the vet they believed that perhaps tumors form elsewhere in his body may have metastasized to his brain. He got real bad real fast only in his last ten days. So I think the food was a big part of lengthening his life, making him happy and giving him the best quality nutrition, and sometimes there is just nothing else you can do. Heavy meds do not make a happy dog. He died Spring of 2015. My current Bernese Mountain Dog (unrelated, but from the same breeder as the other dog) has had four unpredictable seizures in the last year and a half. I thought at first that it might have been from the dry food because of the Golden’s seizures. I got rid of the enormous cookies (Pro-Pet) we got from Agway with our grain and hay deliveries. The dogs liked coming to the barn and chowing down on big bones. Its very odd though, his blood work was good, especially for a 9 year old Berner. My vet is a holistic vet, who gives our dogs (we have a Wheaten too) supplements to help them maintain an effective system. (Like vitamins). They are also regular vets that give shots and operate, and they absolutely believe that foods can be toxic to pets. Especially poor brands of pet food. (Look at what the first ingredient is on the label). HOWEVER, more toxic are the many unnecessary shots that they give. Really. The puppy shots and rabies (every several years depending on the dogs age) are necessary, but there are many other shots that you can ask your vet to omit. In addition, you are worried about cleaning products? If you’re okay, your dog should be okay, but you never know. I think that lawn products, stuff on the sidewalk, stuff that your dog can lick off his paws and get sick from are real problems. I am trying to find out if any of the dry foods I feed them have caused seizures or something else. The now get Merrick and Blue, and Blue Dog Bakery biscuits. Has anyone said anything about Milk Bone? (I think the UPS delivery guys give them Milk Bone when the drop boxes off). But really, I find it easy to cook for them, making chicken or fish for the family, I just make extra. We also have chickens so they get a lot of eggs, those small carrots, peas, cooked yams, apples, and even plain yogurt. If you know where it came from and if your eating it yourself its safe. Allergies are another story. I hope this helped a little bit… And please, if anyone discovered more about this bizarre and mysterious seizure conundrum, or about the dog foods and treats I listed above, please post!!

[anonymously]

I don’t know what you mean by “skin allergies”. Perhaps you mean environmental allergies.
If your dog has a sensitive stomach or food sensitivities, he may do well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea, as a base. My neighbor has a Cavalier mix with a sensitive stomach that does well on Fromm products.

PS: Use the search engine here to look up “allergies” for more info.

[Aprille L]

I am looking for a dry food for my Cavalier King charles spaniel, he is 8 years old, has skin allergies

[Susan]

Hi again, a few people in a Face Book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” their Dermatologist put their dogs on vet diet “Royal Canine” Rabbit & Potato & there’s Venison & Potato PV for their itchy allergy dog, then after 3 months when skin & coat was itch & sore free they started introducing 1 new ingredient for 2 months then if everything was good another new ingredient wait 2 months again no scratching redness etc then add another new ingredient….
I feed the Vet Diet Royal Canine Hypoallergenic HP (Australian) Rice & Hydrolysed poultry liver cause Patch has intestinal & skin problems….

Elimination diet is the only true way to find out what your dog is sensitive too…..
also few people have done the Jean Dodds Nutri-Scan Food Sensitivity Salvia test, it test for 24 foods…..
http://www.nutriscan.org/

or change the kibble your feeding to another brand & see how your dog does, preferably different ingredients with higher omega 3…..

[Pitlove]

Boddy D- I wanted to explain MY vet’s reasoning for wanting my dog to use the Royal Canin prescription diet for his food trial since El Doctor urged you to stay away from it based only on the ingredients.

When a protein is hydrolyzed, they break it down into its component amino acids which in turn makes it harder for the dog to have a reaction to. Now of course if your dog had a soy allergy, he would still react. Other reason for my vet wanting me to use the prescription diet and not an over the counter limited ingredient diet is because, when Royal Canin has their prescription allergy diets manufactured the machine is sterilized after each “run”. It can not be guarenteed that commercial dog foods labeled as “limited ingredient” use those same quality control measures. In fact, I believe it was another poster on here, Aimee, that once said that some over the counter limited ingredient diets had tested positive for proteins that should NOT have been in the food. Cross-contamination is NOT what you want when conducting a food trial.

The reasons my vet and I spoke about that I listed above is why when doing a TRUE food trial to test for food allergies, the prescription diet (while it may be expensive) is the recommended food. However, you’re welcome to think on what both myself and El Doctor have suggested and make your own decision.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Hi Bobby D- My dog started showing symptoms of allergies at a young age. One vet said it was partly due to where we live in the south. Recently we started a food trial for him with guidence from his vet, to determine if his allergies were related to food, his enivornment or both. He was put on Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein and has to be on it for 2 months. Within just a few days of feeding the food, I noticed a huge improvement in a lot of his symptoms (he gets sores as well and they all dissapeared). However, I’ve noticed that my boy seems to react quickly to environment or diet change. I’m sure it is not like that for every dog.

If you want to rule out food allergies, I would highly recommend doing a true food trial with a prescription food. I think once we can get the money I will bring my boy to the dermatologist for further testing, but for the moment this was the easier thing to do on a budget and it’s really helping him find relief.

Best of luck!

[anonymously]

I didn’t want to go to a specialist either, so instead I wasted time and money and spent a year going back and forth to the regular vet, bought dehumidifiers, air purifiers, tried various expensive foods and diets…….with poor results.

Best of luck.

PS: I answered your question, food allergies/sensitivities don’t usually result in pruritus.
Environmental allergies wax and wane and they get worse as the dog gets older.
Even under the best of conditions, when they respond to treatment, flare-ups happen occasionally. They don’t just go away.

[anonymously]

Dermatology – Common Issues

“Atopic dermatitis is a hypersensitivity or over-reaction to a variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances in the environment such as plant pollens, house dust mites or mold spores. Most pets with atopic dermatitis either inhale or absorb their allergens through their skin. Allergy tests are used to identify what a pet is allergic to in their environment”.
excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems.

The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

My dog was tested for environmental allergies by a dermatologist and has responded well to allergen-specific immunotherapy. We didn’t do the blood test for food allergies. As food sensitivities tend to fluctuate anyway.
I would never consider any mail-in saliva or hair test. Most people complain that their dogs test positive for everything!

I assume you have checked via the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/

[Pittiemama]

I posted this is the Health issues and Nutrition portion. Maybe this would have been a better place. I don’t know so…

I have a 5 year old rescue Am. Staff. who sadly has early kidney failure. I’m seeing a holistic vet in a couple of weeks for guidance on so many things with him. He also has a lot of food intolerances. I was wondering what you all know about home cooking. I hear a lot about raw but I’m wondering about cooking. Right now I feed Honest Kitchen Brave. It’s great and he loves it but if his phosphorous starts to rise I’ll need to rethink his diet a little or I may start earlier just to be sure he’s getting everything right. I’m definitely in the planning stage right now. Also I add in a little kibble to decrease the cost some, Honest Kitchen is spendy and would be about $250-300/month on it’s own (my guy is 74#) and to decrease the phosphorous I found a kibble that’s balanced but has a lower phosphorous due to their formulation. I’m not at all restricting as he’s not at that point yet but I figured if I find something that’s a little lower and still balanced, that’s probably best right now. Because of his allergies I feed him fish diets, which is the only protein I’ve found so far that works well and the one that doesn’t give him pink skin and ear infections, so unless I figure out another protein that he can tolerate, fish it is. Also he’s allergic to some grains (I think corn…ick, wheat…no thanks and not sure about rice) and I don’t want to feed him grain, just my preference. I’m mostly wanting meat, veggies, fruit and supplements.
Here’s my question:
Have any of you cooked meals with fish? Most of the diets I see are chicken, turkey, beef etc. What fish did you use? I mostly see pollock, mackerel, sardines etc. What have you used? I’m thinking of using a base like Honest Kitchen Preference or Dr. Harvey’s Veg-to-Bowl and adding cooked fish. Again, I’m not married to that idea but because balance is so difficult and I want to be sure he is getting the right nutrition. Balance is key! It is with everything but he’s a complicated dude, hence the trip to the holistic vet. I’m sure she can help but so many of you have knowledge and experience that I figured it would help me narrow down some ideas and research points.
Thanks a bunch!

[Pittiemama]

I have a 5 year old rescue Am. Staff. who sadly has early kidney failure. I’m seeing a holistic vet in a couple of weeks for guidance on so many things with him. He also has a lot of food intolerances. I was wondering what you all know about home cooking. I hear a lot about raw but I’m wondering about cooking. Right now I feed Honest Kitchen Brave. It’s great and he loves it but if his phosphorous starts to rise I’ll need to rethink his diet a little or I may start earlier just to be sure he’s getting everything right. I’m definitely in the planning stage right now. Also I add in a little kibble to decrease the cost some, Honest Kitchen is spendy and would be about $250-300/month on it’s own (my guy is 74#) and to decrease the phosphorous I found a kibble that’s balanced but has a lower phosphorous due to their formulation. I’m not at all restricting as he’s not at that point yet but I figured if I find something that’s a little lower and still balanced, that’s probably best right now. Because of his allergies I feed him fish diets, which is the only protein I’ve found so far that works well and the one that doesn’t give him pink skin and ear infections, so unless I figure out another protein that he can tolerate, fish it is. Also he’s allergic to some grains (I think corn…ick, wheat…no thanks and not sure about rice) and I don’t want to feed him grain, just my preference. I’m mostly wanting meat, veggies, fruit and supplements.

Here’s my question:
Have any of you cooked meals with fish? Most of the diets I see are chicken, turkey, beef etc. What fish did you use? I mostly see pollock, mackerel, sardines etc. What have you used? I’m thinking of using a base like Honest Kitchen Preference or Dr. Harvey’s Veg-to-Bowl and adding cooked fish. Again, I’m not married to that idea but because balance is so difficult and I want to be sure he is getting the right nutrition. Balance is key! It is with everything but he’s a complicated dude, hence the trip to the holistic vet. I’m sure she can help but so many of you have knowledge and experience that I figured it would help me narrow down some ideas and research points.

Thanks a bunch!

[anonymously]

Dermatology – Common Issues

“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”.

[anonymously]

Dermatology – Common Issues

“Atopic dermatitis is a hypersensitivity or over-reaction to a variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances in the environment such as plant pollens, house dust mites or mold spores. Most pets with atopic dermatitis either inhale or absorb their allergens through their skin. Allergy tests are used to identify what a pet is allergic to in their environment”.

[Tabby R]

Oh, okay. Thank you!
My yeasty dog has many allergies and rashes and is dealing with a yeast infection and I want to make sure his diet is not worsening or causing his allergies/yeast.
I still don’t know what he reacts to. The diet he eats is LID. And he gets flare uo sometimes but I don’t know why.
Very frustrating and upsetting.

[Pittiemama]

Hi Shawna,

Thanks so much! It sounds like you are a wealth of knowledge. How cool that your dad was a Naturopath. Growing up with it is almost like learning a second language from birth I bet. I have a lot to digest. Although I don’t work for a vet anymore, I was a vet tech by training and worked in a veterinary hospital for many years so learning about this kind of stuff is kind of what I live for but I wish it wasn’t because my dog was sick.

I’m a huge pittie lover too and he’s our fourth. I’ve had a lot of dogs but bully breeds are also my favorite by a country mile! Funny thing our other dog is a Chug (Pug/Chi mix) and she thinks she’s the boss. She’s pretty adorable though.

Due to his allergies, there are some things I won’t be able to do like the eggs or the tripe (I don’t think) but am going to look into some of the others. I had been researching myself and ran across Standard Process so I was glad to see that you have used it and think so highly of it. You never know. It looks like you can’t but it from the company but I think I saw it on Amazon. If you know of another seller that’s reputable, I’d appreciate it. I’d like to get him started on it. I looked at Chewy.com but no go. Also the probiotics, they are such an easy thing to start right away. I like the Honest Kitchen Brave as well and talked to my vet who said that we’ll use phosphorous binders if his phosphorous gets above 5.0. I’m thinking if it progresses (glass is 1/2 full) of trying to change to a food that’s a little lower in phosphorous which will be a challenge due to his allergies. So far what works is fish based and grain free and most of those are not low in phosphorous. It looked to me that if I want to stick with Honest Kitchen (which I do like) then the Keen (Turkey, potato and oatmeal) would be a little lower. It’s an option but again…it’s all about the allergies too. It is a tricky situation.

It is heartening to hear your little girl lived so long after the diagnosis. Having worked in a vet hospital for so many years, I’ve seen a lot of kidney disease and one never knows how fast or how how slow it’s going to progress so I want to make it as slow as possible.

Thanks again!!!

[Shawna]

Hi Pittiemama,

Hopefully I can help you here. My puppy had kidney disease right from birth. It is believed her kidneys just weren’t able to develop (she was the sixth puppy, the runt, for a 12 pound Chihuahua / Boston Terrier mix). The breeder had to had feed her, due to a collapsing trachea, raw goats milk and egg whites to keep her alive. She had symptoms (excessive drinking and urine) at just six weeks of age. She was officially diagnosed at one year and given a year to live. She lived to eight years and seven months old and then passed for reasons not directly related to kd.

A little background on me, my father is a naturopath. I did consult with him when I got Audrey’s diagnosis but being raised by him, I was able to mostly formulate the plan of attack myself.

Audrey’s numbers, when she was diagnosed, were right around the same as your babies — and she lived almost seven more very very healthy and happy years. It could happen for your baby too.

The first thing I would suggest is to keep up on his dental health. You won’t want to use anesthesia for dental cleanings so RIGHT now start doing anything and everything you need to keep his teeth clean. It was actually bacteria likely from a dental infection that got into Audrey’s kidneys and ultimately took her life. Use fresh garlic in his meals. Use an enzyme supplement in his water, Dr. Melissa Shelton’s essential oil called Dog Breath is very effective and a drop can be added to his water dish or you can mix with water in a spray bottle and spray right on teeth. http://www.animaleo.info/dog-breath.html I would also recommend a product made by Green Pasture’s called Infused Coconut Oil. It’s high in vitamin K2 (which has been shown to have great benefit for teeth) and has other wonderful nutrients. All of my dogs get it but I found it when Audrey’s teeth were already needing some extra support. 🙁 http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/InfusedCoconutOil/index.cfm

I HIGHLY recommend Standard Process Canine Renal Support. It is a food based supplement that “feeds” the kidneys but also has a product called a protomorphogen (which is the RNA/DNA of the kidney cell) that helps prevent inflammation to the kidneys. It is the one supplement she never went without. I also used their SP Canine Hepatic Support when I thought she needed a little liver support — helps with allergies too. I also used their Cataplex B and C as water soluble vitamins may need to be added due to the large amounts being urinated out.

ONLY give filtered or other forms of “clean” water. I would avoid tap water at all cost. Lower sodium mineral waters with good amounts of calcium and magnesium have been shown to be beneficial for dogs with kd. I like Evian water because it is high in calcium bicarbonate. I didn’t give it all the time but made sure (at least in the beginning) to give it regularly — I got lax in the later years and I truly believe Audrey would still be with me if I had not. She was doing so well though and my life got busier..

I HIGHLY recommend getting some Garden of Life Primal Defense probiotic and Garden of Life Acacia Fiber supplements as well. These are used as “nitrogen traps” and as BUN begins to build up the bacteria consuming the fiber will cause some of the nitrogen to be routed through the bowels freeing up the kidneys from having to deal with them. I gave probiotic foods (like green tripe, fermented veggies etc) frequently but when I noticed she was feeling a little lethargic, depressed, not feeling well etc I assumed nitrogen was building up and I’d give her the probiotics and prebiotic for several days. Always worked like a charm. Will be quite important as the disease progresses and he starts getting symptoms. This also allows for a higher protein diet. The protein doesn’t damage the kidneys but it does, due to BUN, add to symptoms. Oh, I forgot to mention. Audrey ate a HIGH protein raw diet up until the last six to eight weeks of her life. Audrey never had a problem with phosphorus but as your puppies disease progresses you may have to watch the amount of phosphorus in the foods you are feeding. The golden rule is to limit phosphorus but it’s obviously not always necessary. That said, phosphorus can damage the kidneys if it gets too high in the blood so either monitor it or feed the right amounts of phos for the stage your pup is at. Right now while phosphorus isn’t as big an issue, I like the Honest Kitchen Brave. To that I would add a raw egg a few times per week and give Answer’s raw goat milk regularly as well. Both raw eggs (if not whipped etc) and raw milk can easily increase the “master antioxidant” in the body called glutathione. This will obviously help out everything. Later, when phos needs to be more restricted, you may not be able to give the whole egg (as the yolk is higher in phos).

Supplements —
1. Organic Turmeric is good as it is anti-inflammatory but it also is anti-fibrotic (prevents scar tissue). Audrey didn’t tolerate turmeric well so she didn’t get it but in general it would be quite helpful for a dog with KD.
2. Spirulina, chlorella and pumpkin seed oil are all high in chlorophyll and supplies lots of other nutrients. Dogs with KD can be at risk for anemia and chlorophyll is awesome for anemia.
3. Burdock root is a prebiotic and of the herb world is considered to be the “blood cleaner”.
4. Milk thistle helps spare glutathione and is a good detoxer.
5. Distilled water (given once in a while) and food grade activated charcoal are good detoxers too.
6. Copaiba essential oil is great for pains and inflammation plus more. A therapeutic grade, like Dr. Sheltons, is the only kind to use on pets. Can be given in food or rubbed into the skin over the kidneys as an example.
7. Braggs brand apple cider vinegar can help with indigestion or tummy issues. Audrey didn’t need it often but when she did I would mix it 50/50 with water and syringe feed it. She hated it but within seconds would burp and feel better.
8. Therapeutic grade peppermint oil, ginger extract or Dr. Shelton’s GI Joe essential oil work great for tummy issues as well. I got sick to my tummy and used the GI Joe to help. Kept me from vomiting and soothed my tummy.
9. Learn about essential oils if you don’t already know. If you have a Facebook account, join AnimalEO’s page and sign up for Dr. Shelton’s Friday Fun Facts. I didn’t know about them early enough to be much use with Audrey (specifically Dr. Shelton’s oils) but I sure wish I had.

DON’T do ANY more vaccinations – not even rabies if you can at all avoid. Audrey was legally exempted from having to get the rabies vaccine for life. She wasn’t protected either as she only got her first shot (at six months) before diagnosis was made. No heartworm, flea/tick or anything like that either.

I know there’s things I’m forgetting but hopefully this is enough to give you a good jumping off point.. 🙂 Hugs to you and your baby boy!!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Shawna.