[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”.

PS: If your vet has suggested surgery, your dog’s condition must be serious. I would listen to him and/or consult an internal medicine specialist.

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.

[anonymously]

Try malaseb shampoo, or any gentle shampoo (only) for now, twice a week if you notice it helps. Don’t put anything else on the skin as it may cause irritation and make it worse and don’t make diet changes until you see the vet and he approves.
Her symptoms may have nothing to do with the food.
Food sensitivies (food allergies are rare) usually result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea, not pruritus (itching) and rashes.

I have a dog with environmental allergies she responded to treatment from a dermatologist and is stable now, she can eat anything but does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry a base.
She receives Allergen Specific Immunotherapy. It’s the only thing that helped.

So work with your vet, he may have prescribe meds to get things under control, if you don’t see improvement within a month or two and the dog appears to be suffering, consider seeing a specialist for skin testing. The vet can do blood testing, but the skin testing is the most accurate for environmental allergies.

Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, they are not accurate. People complain that their dogs test positive for everything!

Do not give any over the counter medication…or any medication unless it is prescribed by a veterinarian.

Also, you can use the search engine here: “allergies” and “anal glands”

[anonymously]

I have 3 small breed dogs, two are seniors, one has allergies. They all do well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry as a base, I add a topper (1/3rd of the meal) such as cooked chopped chicken or scrambled egg, meat…canned food when I’m desperate.
All 3 (annual checkups) have had lab work within normal limits recently, so I hesitate to try anything new. Although, Orijen and Fromm look good. I may try them at some point.

PS: Add a splash of water, a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water, for seniors soak the kibble in water overnight before serving. Check Chewy.com for prices.
Also, if you pour a tablespoon of homemade chicken broth (no chemicals) over the kibble (any kibble)….they will eat it, unless they are sick.
Kibble all by itself is boring. You have to add at least a spoonful of something. Just my opinion.

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

[melissa p]

Thanks for the info and Put love. I have done hours of dog food research as well as colitis amd allergens . I try and educate myself as much as possible. I know thete is no hypoallergenic dog good persay I should have rephrase that to l.i.d dog food that’s high quality with no controversial ingredients or more so things like Ethoxyquin which I have found on the label of both Vet brand foods i.e. Hills and Royal Canin. My issue is my vets only reasoning to my suggestion of other brands is ” he doesn’t know them”. I have called around to other vets to see who had dog nutrition experience and I’ve gotten. Shot down. To me is insane a vet in school really doesn’t get any training in nutrition so I an lost I guess because the only reasoning I hey as to why he should be on it is because it’s “easy ” to digest but I read endless research and articles saying majority of its ingredients aren’t good for ibd/colitis dogs plus allergies.

I appreciate the input both of you and to answer the other question I’m told by multiple vets/ my dog food store owner (had severe colitis dog that is so bad she’s debated putting to sleep it’s that horrific) but they all say allergy testa are a waste because they aren’t that accurate. Example I’ve gotten an allergy test and the suppose allergens I don’t react to its more of a broad possibility. He definitely is allergic to chicken as I’ve tried chicken California natural. As well as lamb and rice 2 different brands. Salmon and pea. And now kangaroo and red lentil which he does well on nixed with an i.d. food but he’s allergic to it ( realized whwn fed just that when had a flare up, became tomato red and itching also hot spots ) then tried hamburger a nd rice mixes. Diarreah when on both separated and mixed after 3 weeks. Tried oatmeal still upset tummy. . Also I’ve read hydrogolized diets can actually hurt your dog because it just tricks rhere body ans masks the issue so I figured that’s why he pooped normal but was still breaking out in staph infection from licking hot spots on hills I.d

Biggest current issue idk what to feed him right now after his bloody poop the other day and lethargy all today and still mucus off colored poop today but it was firm atleast. I caved and got the potato and venison canned but he’s never had it so I’m worries will thay make his flare up worse???

My vet tech who knows nothing said feed it straight but I’m afraid to ..let me.say tho I like my vet I don’t dislike him..I don’t appreciate having to feel like my vet is going against me is my issue..he should listen to my concerns and not force feed me thete dog food they sell is all.

Thanks:) just very overwhelmed my dogs mu baby I wan t him to not just survive nut thrive and live a healthy long life

[Pitlove]

Hi Melissa-

Hypoallergenic dog foods do not exist. Not even the prescription diets are allowed to make the claim of being hypoallergenic because it is individual to the dog. It sounds like your dog needs to have a food trial done to diagnois the food allergies and then you and your vet need to work together to come up with a food that will work for the allergies and the colitis.

I think it is important to take things said over the internet about vet’s with a grain of salt. Your vet is actually trying to help you believe it or not. And there is a much better reason for them recommending the presciption diets for such severe symptoms than money. It’s because these diets do in fact work.

[melissa p]

Need some guidance.

Short version of my issues.

Since my dog was about 6 months he has had problems where he would randomly have mushy stool. *side note* he did have surgery on his stomach ay that age though to remove a Frisby he ate. Not sure if that plays any part with issues now. My dog Bandit is now 3 ans I have changed foods multiple times. He has been to the vet for infections whete he was puking and pooping blood once the vet had no idea why but antibiotics cleared it up. Most recently he had a staph infection on his belly from licking from food allergies and has got spots between his toes ocaasionally. My issue is now after this last round of meds the vet said not to change his good until he was done with them. He was on probiotics and kangaroo and lentil Cali. Natural. He was doing well his poop wad firm but almost seemed a little dry but was solid for the full 4 weeks while on probittics. I ran out after his meds and 2 days after he was pooping small amounts of blood but is lethargic.

To recap my vet claims he has food allergies and colitis. My issue is he refuses to recommend a good beside D/D hills. But Bandit for some reason does fine on his calif. Natural ans I was mixing I/d (he’s allergic to) only less than a teaspoon and he goes randomly well on that but I take away the i.d and he has mushy poop. But if I give to much he had hot spots. Then this recent he did amazing! With probiotics that I just added.

How is this possible? ?? My vet won’t help just push the food they sell

What’s a good hypoallergenic dog food for ibd/collitis dogs??

Also what do you feed a sick dog that doesn’t tolerate rice, i/d. Hills, beef, chicken, corn.. I bought a can of venison hills d.d just to try because I don’t want to make his bloody stool worse by giving his normal food right away

*sorry for my clusterf*ck long post I’m very scattered and need some help and can’t seem to get it. Bandit has a weird stomach and allergies and can’t seem to get any real help

Thanks

[Dennis M]

Hello All,

We have an 11-year old Wheaten Terrier who has struggled with fits of gulping/rapid swallowing “episodes” since he was a year or so old. I have read more and more of folks saying their vets are diagnosing this condition as “complex partial seizures” or “limbic seizures.” Something that causes a rapid — seemingly involuntary — swallowing. But he always remains conscious — buy clingy. It can happen weeks apart, or a few months apart, but always several times a year. And when it starts, it continues overnight (he doesn’t sleep) and into a second or even third day, gradually dissipating. He swallows so hard (in rapid succession) that his neck/head lurches forward a little bit each time — almost like a hiccup. Our vet and GI specialist we saw were convinced he has IBS / reflux issues and we’ve tried all sorts of remedies around that diagnosis, but nothing seems to help. They’ve never seen him do it in person, but have seen a video of him doing it. Our regular vet is perplexed, but initially suspected reflux. The specialist indicated food allergies, but doesn’t make sense if he eats the same thing each day, and fully recovers on the same food that purportedly causes the issue. We never did a scope, because we kept searching for answers around food and reflux meds. And some years, its only happened a few times. Here are the reasons we are leaning toward seizure (from putting pieces together) and not reflux: happens on all sorts of food brands (high quality), protein sources, canned and kibble; totally random; happens even feeding three small meals; two Pepcids given before each meal doesn’t prevent, nor does Pepcid, Cerenia (anti-nausea), or Sucralfate (Carafate — a anti-ulcer drug) combination help to prevent, stop or shorten an episode once its begun. We immediately withhold meals during an episode and give him the above meds — but he still continues to swallow/gulp and not sleep all night. We ask ourselves if reflux/GI related why wouldn’t these meds help within a few hours?

He really doesn’t have any diarrhea or straight vomiting issues. Maybe once or twice a year, he might vomit out of the blue, but it does NOT involve a gulping episode – so it seems gulping and vomiting are not the same. Simply being nauseous shouldn’t cause the involuntary rapid-fire swallowing and licking we see. Reflux would cause burning sensation and discomfort up into the esophagus, but again, if a double dose of Pepcid does nothing, I again lean towards seizure. As one member wrote — it’s so true — it seems like it’s something happening to them they can’t control, even though they are fully conscious.

Can anyone say if they’ve had success treating as a seizure? How or what tests did your vet do to make this diagnosis? What seizure meds have been used and any bad side effects? We’d be the happiest parents in the world if we could finally solve this mystery — and educate others having the same problem! Thanks so much!

[Dennis M]

Hello All,
We have an 11-year old Wheaten Terrier who has struggled with fits of gulping/rapid swallowing since he was a year or so old. I have read more and more of folks saying their vets are diagnosing this condition as “complex partial seizures” or “limbic seizures.” Something that causes a rapid — almost involuntary — swallowing. But he always remains conscious — buy clingy. It can happen weeks apart, or a few months apart, but always several times a year. And when it starts, it continues overnight (he doesn’t sleep) and into a second or even third day, gradually dissipating. He swallows so hard that his neck/head lurches forward a little bit each time — almost like a hiccup. Our vet and GI specialist we saw were convinced he has IBS / reflux issues and we’ve tried all sorts of remedies around that diagnosis, but nothing seems to help. The specialist indicated food allergies, but doesn’t make sense if he eats the same thing each day, and fully recovers on the same food that purportedly causes the issue. Here are the reasons we are leaning toward seizure (from putting pieces together) and not reflux: happens on all sorts of food brands (high quality), protein sources, canned and kibble; totally random; happens even feeding three small meals; two Pepcids given before each meal doesn’t prevent, nor does Pepcid, Cerenia (anti-nausea), or Sucralfate (Carafate — a anti-ulcer drug) combination help to prevent, stop or shorten an episode once its begun. We immediately withhold meals during an episode and give him the above meds — but he still continues to swallow/gulp and not sleep all night. We ask ourselves if reflux/GI related why wouldn’t these meds help within a few hours?

He really doesn’t have any diarrhea or straight vomiting issues. Maybe once or twice a year, he might vomit out of the blue, but it does NOT involve a gulping episode – so it seems gulping and vomiting are not the same. Simply being nauseous shouldn’t cause the involuntary rapid-fire swallowing and licking we see. Reflux would cause burning sensation and discomfort up into the esophagus, but again, if a double dose of Pepcid does nothing, I again lean towards seizure. As one member wrote — it’s so true — it seems like it’s something happening to them they can’t control, even though they are fully conscious.

Can anyone say if they’ve had success treating as a seizure? How or what tests did your vet do to make this diagnosis? What seizure meds have been used and any bad side effects? We’d be the happiest parents in the world if we could finally solve this mystery — and educate others having the same problem! Thanks so much!

[Wild River P]

Have you tried giving your dog taw food? Science Diet is a mj is a misleading name the chemicals used in that food are is shocking. Perhaps start with whole food nutrition and make sure tour dog is getting good lean protein. I took both pets into a raw diet. No more itching no more bald patches no more throwing up. All symptoms gone. We now have a raw pet food company in Nebraska because of it! Wild River Pet Foods. Com If you live in Omaha we offer free delivery.
The bes of luck. Allergies are not fun for animals or humans.

[Mallary P]

Hi all:

My beloved (spayed) Shih Tzu will be 9 years old this year and I’ve recently [this month] switched her to the Fromm Surf and Turf Grain Free food, which she seems to enjoy. My dog has LOTS of food allergies and we spent about two years plus lots of trial/error to find her a good food. In the beginning the vet had her on Science Diet and steroids for about a week, but that was not a long term solution. She gets whelps (almost like acne) all over her and it’s very itchy. Poor baby. For a long time, she was on Nature’s Recipe limited Ingredient Chicken and Sweet Potato Food. She did well on it [no breakouts], but it wasn’t as great when I read the report on her. Given that she is moving into her senior years, I want to make sure she has the best quality everything because I love her and I want her around for a long time. She gets a decent amount of exercise for a Shih Tzu and is a good weight–according to the vet.

I see some of the forums on here suggesting that they given their dogs different high quality foods in rotation. She’s really enjoying Fromm, but I would like to give her another high quality food to give her some variety. Any recommendations? Acana, Orijen, etc?

She generally does better with Chicken, Salmon, and duck. Beef, Pork, and too much diary has proven to be no-nos in our house. She loves raw carrots as a treat and antler bones to chew. Sometimes I give her high quality canned food, so if I could get both kibble/ canned food recommendations that would be great!

[theBCnut]

I’ve only ever hear to stick to just chicken for a couple weeks until you know they have transitioned well to raw. My dogs have chicken allergies, so we started with low fat beef instead.

Too much bone leads to constipation and very hard stools, so while I think the over all amount of bone will be fine to start, I wouldn’t feed just a leg the first day. I would trim a little meat off the thigh and give the thigh, then the next meal give the extra meat with the leg. Also throw out the skin the first couple days, then slowly leave more and more of the skin. It’s the fattiest part and gives some dogs trouble at first.

[anonymously]

Helpful article below:
By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

[anonymously]

Try malaseb shampoo, or any gentle shampoo (only) for now, twice a week if you notice it helps. Don’t put anything else on the skin as it may cause irritation and make it worse and don’t make diet changes until you see the vet and he approves.
Her symptoms may have nothing to do with the food.
Food sensitivies (food allergies are rare) usually result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea, not pruritus (itching) and rashes.

I have a dog with environmental allergies she responded to treatment from a dermatologist and is stable now, she can eat anything but does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry a base.
She receives Allergen Specific Immunotherapy. It’s the only thing that helped.

So work with your vet, he may have prescribe meds to get things under control, if you don’t see improvement within a month or two and the dog appears to be suffering, consider seeing a specialist for skin testing. The vet can do blood testing, but the skin testing is the most accurate for environmental allergies.

Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, they are not accurate. People complain that their dogs test positive for everything!

Do not give any over the counter medication…or any medication unless it is prescribed by a veterinarian.

Also, you can use the search engine here: “allergies”

[Sarah B]

I also have a blue nose Pitt bull we are also going through some crazy irritations, allergies, ear infections, scratching constantly. I have been for the past four months solid trying new things researching nightly constantly trying to help my best friend! I have found my pittty is ellergic to fluoride in the water, so I boil his water daily refrigerate it I do not bath him in tap water! He is also allergic to wheats, grains, by-products the works! I’m telling u my poor baby boy he can’t even eat or dink out of plastic! OK so I have figured out to help sooth the itchy irritating skin I am using ready for this?? Sudocream diaper rash cream for babies! Works instant! Ingredients: purified water, liquid paraffin wax, paraffin wax, lanolin, beeswax, benzyl benzoate, sodiumbenzoate, and so on! Then treats: raw carrots , apples NOT the seeds!!! Clean his ears as often as u wash ur own. Do not use q-tip use a cotton swab and a gentle formula douce ear cleaner. I use Wahl pet ear cleaner it’s specially formulated with baking soda and mild cleanser compounds to clean away wax build up and debris. If the skin is so bad I like to put pure coconut oil on his skin it helps with the dry skin and also if your dog licks it off well even better 😉 ….dog food: I mix his daily portion with one cup WHITE RICE and two cups his perferd dog food. Ol Roy NO NO NO!! IAMS! NOPE! I won’t lie I’m still working on that! But he did have an almost full recovery on natural nutrition grain free but then I tried ol Roy n with in half a bowl were back to square one N with in half a day. It’s extremelyexhusting but if he is healthier happier it’s all worth it! Hope this helps u? Good luck IL be checking in to see if u reply with good news. I truly hope I am of some helpful ideas.

[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!

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[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 9 years, 9 months 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 9 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months 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 9 years, 10 months ago by TAMMY C. Reason: To make more readible with flow of words

[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.

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.

[Laura D]

We have a shih tzu who is sensitive to chicken and we’ve learned pork. We had a terrible time a few years ago with her itching. Vet thought environmental, but the winter didn’t bring any relief. Read up and at the time sensicare precise was said to be a good choice for allergy prone dogs. Put her on it and noticed that we weren’t at the vet all the time for itching!! I then tried to give her a little of what I thought a better quality food and the minute I added it in, she was itching. So the culprit in my opinion was chicken.

About the same time we were adding a shih tzu/bichon to the family and the breeder warned us that sometimes her dogs have chicken allergies. She was feeding venison a the time. So we found that both could eat lamb and venison with no issues. I don’t thing 2nd pup has ever had chicken to know if he has any issues with it.

Recently the shih tzu had pancreatitis so we’re experimenting with vet prescribed foods and she’s back to itching – pork this time. Hoping the newest that we are weaning her onto will do the trick – it’s fish based.

My recommendation is limited ingredient foods. If one doesn’t work compare ingredients and you may be able to figure out the sensitivities.

[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 9 years, 10 months 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 9 years, 10 months 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.