[Colby C]

Hey guys! I also researched homemade dog food for my bulldog and there isn’t a lot out there. He’s doing great on the homemade and loves it. Right now I’m using lickochops and dinovite supplements but I want to switch to something else because they make his breath smell awful!!!!!! I might try the u stew. I also agree homemade is pretty expensive and time consuming in the kitchen but he lovesssss it. I am still struggling with allergies with him and I’m pretty certain it’s the weather and him allergic to something outside

[Anonymous]

Come to think of it, my senior dog that has occasional anal gland issues does well on Wysong senior dry food, soaked in water overnight in the fridg. I have had him on canned, but a combo works best.

Another small breed of mine who has allergies and has had a positive response to immunotherapy, does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry as a base. Prior to her allergies being treated by a dermatologist, she had occasional anal gland issues. Issues appear to be resolved at present.

So, when the dust settles, ask your vet if he thinks these foods might be worth trying 🙂

PS: check Chewy .com for price comparison

[Anonymous]

Dishwashing liquid kills fleas? What do you think? I don’t think so.
Bathing may reduce the numbers of fleas temporarily, but it provides no lasting protection, and dogs with flea allergies will continue to suffer if they are not protected from flea exposure.
If you have carpeting in your home, you may have to get it professionally treated (fumigation), fleas love carpeting. Hope this helps.

Also, have you tried the search engine here, for example /forums/topic/hartz-flea-shampoo-advice/

[Susan]

Hi Jan, the medication your dog takes is called Metronidazole, its an antibiotic for the stomach & bowel…. Metronidazole can cause some bad side effects with some animals, so keep an eye on your dog, if you see any behaviour changes contact your vet ASAP, my boy started having bad paranoia, he became real scared of noises, other dogs, then one day he got that scared he ran across a busy road & this is a very friendly relaxed dog, he became a nervous wreck, Metronidazole shouldn’t be taken for long periods….

Have you done any research on Colitis? My boy suffers with Colitis IBD, food & skin Allergies, he has food sensitivities, once I stopped feeding certain foods his colitis went away & I didn’t need any vet diets….

Why people don’t like vet diet’s, is the ingredients, my boy didn’t do well on any of the Hills Formulas, he got worse, pooing water, blood & started scratching real bad, I ended up with more health problems in the end after he ate the Hills I/d Low Fat GI Restore & the Hills Z/d formula….He did better on Royal canine vet diets…..

People want healthier ingredients for their pets & are reading the ingredients & information online, we have a better choice of dog & cat foods…
Royal Canine Australia are listening too people & have changed a few of their formulas ingredients, their Gastro Intestinal Low Fat, R/C has taken out the maize, corn gluten meal, corn starch, brewers rice etc in their kibbles, but not in their wet Intestinal Low Fat tin food yet but with their kibble its a step forward, it’s more then Hills has done.. all Hills have done is re-packaged their vet formulas, I’d rather better ingredients then a nice kibble bag..

My boy stayed on the Eukanuba intestinal for 6months, the Eukanuba Intestinal fixed his IBD but he started having real red paws, his vet kept saying he has grass allergies, after 6 months, I had had enough & I introduced him to “Meals For Mutts” a Gluten, Dairy, Sugar free fish kibble, within 2 days, no more red itchy paws, now my vet uses “Meals For Mutts” gluten free kibble now on her IBD girl & recommends MfM to all her dog & cat patients……

When these vet diet companies stop putting all their money into advertisement & start improving their ingredients & start listening to what their customer want, customers will buy their formulas…..

“What is Really In Pet Food?”
http://www.optimalpetfoods.com/index.php?page=article-whats-really-in-pet-food-ingredients-to-avoid

[Krystal H]

OK, so there are a lot of options for every dog out there, and I have 3 with very different needs! I’m hoping I can get some suggestions for food brands for all 3 of them that I can hopefully find from the same (reliable) source. I am on a budget, but I do want quality. No known allergies/sensitivities with any of them.

Roxie:
Medium size
Mature/Senior
Overweight

Kovu:
Medium size
Young Adult
Active

Dessa:
Extra Large size
Puppy

[Nicole B]

Hi! I have a blue brindle pit. I feed
Orijen regional red and he’s had terrible skin/allergy issues since he hit about 1. He’s 4 now. I took him to a dermatologist ($600 for the visit and tests) and he’s now on allergy shots and apoquel. Apoquel has stopped his itching completely and his hives/sores and hair loss. I hear it’s for dogs with severe allergies an is allocated to those cases because there isn’t huge quantities available. It’s expensive – about $155 for 2 Months – I’ve researched it tons. But this have given him such relief. Just a suggestion. Good luck !

[Anonymous]

Bathing may reduce the numbers of fleas temporarily, but it provides no lasting protection, and dogs with flea allergies will continue to suffer if they are not protected from flea exposure.
If you have carpeting in your home, you may have to get it professionally treated (fumigation), fleas love carpeting. Hope this helps.

[Alex p]

There are many theories as to why pets develop food allergies, and there’s probably some truth to all of them.

We know allergies are the result of an immune system overreaction which only develops after repeated exposure to potential allergens.

Many people believe the whole thing started with the “never switch your pet’s food” directive CEOs of major pet food companies began promoting 50 or so years ago as a way to gain brand loyalty.

Certainly feeding your pet the same food every day, year after year, for many years will increase the chances of your animal reacting to a component in the food.

[Angeline H]

I have a chihuahua w similar allergies that started around same age. She was on Blue Buffalo Life Source chkn/brown rice puppy formula and was doing well on it. Since she was gaining weight, Dr. advised transition to adult. BB Life Source ckn/rice:Was fine for a while, then allergies started-thought it was caused by her food. Had her tested for allergies via blood draw sample. Result: allergy to dust mites, fleas, and molds. But not the dog food. Great environmental improvements were made, along w an Rx for sublingual allergy gtt Tx.
Sx subsided. 2+ months to go. Still have to use Benadryl prn. She still has mild allergenic Sx. Which Dr. Thinks may be from Ckn sensitives causing IBS. Being managed w probiotics and Liquid salmon oil also helps both the IBS and any minor itchiness. In short, the allergenic blood test is best. Sublingual drops better than injections.

[Jenn H]

Does anyone feed their dogs a diet of kibble and canned/raw/dehydrated?
I have large breed dogs that I like to supplement their dry when the weather gets cold to keep their weight up.
My real.concern is my puppy. He’s 4 months old. GSD. Approx 30 lbs. I know I have to keep his calcium at 1.5% max. Because of that I am having a problem finding the right food.
He acts like he’s starving to death even though he gets 3 3/4 cups fed over 4 meals. Right now he’s on Wellness Core Grain Free Puppy.

I’m looking for either a food that will satisfy his appetite or something I can supplement/replace some of his kibble with that will allow me to stay within the calcium guidelines.
While I am not opposed to canned, raw or dehydrated, I cannot feed strictly those types of foods.
I would also prefer a NON grain free food. Unless a dog has allergies I know they actually need some grains. Plus it seems that grain free has far more carbs than non grain free.

I appreciate any suggestions.
Thank you.

[DogFoodie]

I should also add to my previous post that my dog also has known food sensitivities, in addition to his seasonal allergies, just not as many as I previously thought. 🙂

[C4D]

A couple of my dogs have food allergies to specific proteins. They’re symptoms included ear infections, excessive itchiness, a red rash on tummies and a bit of hair loss (most likely from butt rubbing). I tend to feed individual proteins so that I can see a problem fairly easily. If someone is suddenly becoming itchy, etc, I switch to a different protein. It generally solves the problem. One of them had what looked like a seasonal allergy, but cleared after switching the protein. It’s so difficult to tell sometimes, you do have to look at all of the symptoms and timing.

[DogFoodie]

It was funny, I have always thought my Golden was intolerant of fish. To make a long story short, it turns out that it was more a matter of timing. Each time he reacted, he was eating something that includes fish. I had been avoiding fish of any kind for him. I decided to do the Glacier Peaks Holistic alternative sensitivity assessment test and it said most fishes were OK. After a few weeks, I got brave, feed him a fish based food and he was fine. I couldn’t believe it. What I’ve determined is that he has environmental allergies (seasonal) and the supplements I mention have helped. His symptoms typically would present as an ear infection and itchiness. My Sam is young, he just turned three, so it took a couple of seasons for me to put together the timing of the onset of his “allergies.”

[DogFoodie]

I’ve had great success this year treating my dog’s seasonal allergies with Quercetin with Bromelain, Papain, and an Omega 3 supplement.

Dr. Becker discusses those products here: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/07/05/valuable-nutrients-for-pets-who-suffer-from-seasonal-allergies.aspx

[Kim S]

Hello Norene, I have a 9 yo yellow lab that has skin issues and found out wheat was her problem early on. A little over a year ago she began to scratch and bite herself to the point of being bloody and raw. I started researching and this is where I found DogFoodAdvisor. I have found many other sites that have helped too. I looked an environmental issues, allergies, flea/heart worm meds and food. My vet was not able to help much and I took to the internet. I found that grains can greatly effect a dog and we knew that wheat was a problem for her, I went grain free only to find that potatoes are a big fill in for them and she ended up with a widespread yeast infection. I did try raw but she ended up being sensitive to chicken and lamb so that didn’t work. Here’s what helped and I highly recommend to anyone with skin issues. We did a Alternative Sensitivity Test by Glacier Peak Holistics, all done by mail. That gave me a wealth of information and confirmed all my suspects. She is now on Orijen 6 Fish and doing wonderful. I’ve also added a daily probiotic, digestive enzymes, coconut oil to her meals. I have nothing to do with Glacier Peak but there are other companies that perform these tests and sell the same products. I also have found very informative websites such as Dr Karen Becker, Only Natural Pet and obviously you’ve found Dogfood Advisor. Beware of the flea and heartworm products, they can cause a number of issues and there are natural remedies. House hold cleaning products, laundry soaps, fabric softners, fragrance sprays and such can effect your dog. I now have a green home as much as possible. Good luck and hope you find the cure. I can tell you that it will be up to you and not your vet and I do like my vet very much.

[Peggy]

Hi Bobby_dog! Good to be posting with you again.
Yes this issue popped up for both Tebow and Lady at the same time. I actually noticed it on Tebow first, as he was scratchng more intensely, rubbing his back on the carpet and scooting around on his butt.
Lady was scratching too but being sooooo laid back, not as bad. Of course first thought is FLEAS. I checked, combed, brushed and bathed them. Not a single sign of fleas anywhere. PLUS the fact that I myself am a flea magnet. If we ever have fleas (which we have not had in years), they are all over me. Yet the scratching has continued.

At the vet, after their examination, which included a search for fleas, flea dirt, etc., we talked to the board certified dermatologist who is on staff there. LOTS of questions about changes in environment, cleaning products, etc. He did quite a bit of testing, skin scrapings were taken to test for mites, mange, yeast infection, etc. Blood test for worms, and I don’t know what all else.

Since everything came back negative, the dermatologist narrowed it down to 2 things – either food sensitivities, or ragweed allergy. It is BAD here this year.

We’ve had issues with food allergies before, a couple of years or so ago, they were diagnosed with food sensitivities, We switched to grain-free Pure Balance, and the symptoms disappeared for almost 2 years. Yet here we are again. I’ve been wracking my brain about their food, and realized I have gotten a bit lazy about what I feed them. A couple of times I have veered off the grain-free food. I don’t know if that’s it or not.

Thank you for the information, Shawna.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Peggy.

[Shawna]

Hey Peggy,

There’s a product test being discussed a lot in the dog health circles on Facebook. The test is done on a saliva and hair sample and comes back with sensitivities and allergies plus more. Many of us have used it for our pets with really GREAT results. It’s cost effective too. The company is called Glacier Peak Holistics.

I have a sensitivity to dairy and my scalp gets sooooo itchy I scratch till it bleeds while I’m sleeping. A shampoo with tea tree oil in it works GREAT to keep the itch at bay for several days. There are dog shampoos with tea tree. When I was going through this with my dog I used witch hazel with aloe and lavender and it seemed to really sooth Audrey’s VERY inflamed skin. (I did an elimination diet with her as it was LONG before I knew about GPHs)

I didn’t know as much about essential oils back when I went through this with my Audrey but I would totally try them now. They have been shown to cure cancer, have antimicrobial benefits and so much more. Dr. Melissa Shelton DVM is the guru of EOs for animals. I wonder if her Skin Spray Base might benefit your pups? http://www.animaleo.info/skin-spray-base.html

Good luck!!!!!

[Susan]

Hi Shirley, I understand about giving medications, I hate giving my boy any meds especially if he starts feeling sleepy or vomits….. Have you tried any antihistamines?
Patches vet gave me a list of human antihistamines that are very safe to give dogs……
at first Patches vet gave Patch Iramine-8mg tablets for his runny eyes & runny nose for his environment allergies one spring…The Iramine made Patch vomit it must of made him feel groggy, so when I went back to see his vet, I told her the Iramine made Patch sick, so she gave me this list of human antihistamines you can buy at the chemist, I know the first antihistamine Phenergan can make you feel groggy cause my mum takes it, so ask the chemist which one doesn’t make you feel sleepy….you never know 1 of these antihistamines may just help with your dogs runny eyes & nose & give her some comfort…
it says:
Antihistamine Trial
Give the following antihistamines ALONE for a 10 day trial, moving onto the next drug if there is no response or only partial response…

:Doses below are per 10kg (22lbs) you need to know the accurate weight of your dog so that you can dose correctly:

Phenergan-10mg tablet—-Give 1/2-1 tablet TWICE a daily
Periactin-4mg tablet—-Give 2 tablets TWICE or THREE times daily
Polaramine-2mg tablet—-Give 2 tablets TWICE daily
Zadine-1mg tablet—-Give 1 tablet TWICE daily
Telfast-90mg tablet—-Give 1/4 tablet TWICE daily
Zyrtec 10mg tablet—-Give 1/2 tablet TWICE daily
Claratyne-10mg tablet—-Give 1/2 tablet ONCE daily

[Pitlove]

Benadryl doesn’t cure allergies either. It masks the problem so they get relief, just like a holistic med would. If its environmental thats all you can do is block the histamines, so if Shirley wants to go a holistic route there really isnt any harm.

[Anonymous]

“I do not want to give her Benadryl every day for the rest of her life. Any good natural med’s that are safe to give out there”?
@ Shirley,
If the vet that is treating your dog has recommended prn Benadryl, and the dosage is correct for the dog’s weight…it shouldn’t hurt your dog (once a day, or however your vet has prescribed it).
The thing is, Benadryl doesn’t always do much to relieve symptoms. I still use it for my dog with allergies, when she has a flare up. I think it helps a little, in conjunction with her regular treatment..

Some vets recommend a fish oil capsule once a day, may help with dry itchy skin (pruritus)

[C4D]

Peggy, I didn’t address your question regarding weight loss. You need to feed less to cause weight loss. You will have to include the calories in any treats you feed in the daily intake. There is a calculator on this site to give you an idea of how much to feed. You should base the amount to feed on the ideal weight.

When trying to feed for allergies, you must make sure everything you feed, including canned food and treats are the same protein as the food you feed. You also need to make sure there are no grains in the treats. This is basically an elimination diet. Most of the time this method works. If that doesn’t work, you may have to consider intradermal testing.

[Anonymous]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2011/09/integrating-myths-and-nonsense-with-standard-advice-for-allergic-pets/ (excerpt below)
Bottom Line
Allergies are a serious medical problem that causes a great deal of suffering for pets and their owners. Causes are complex and involve both genetic, developmental, and environmental factors, and symptoms tend to come and go unpredictably, which makes evaluating the effects of any particular intervention challenging. While there are many safe and effective therapies that can help manage allergy symptoms, there is no cure. Only complete avoidance of the antigens the individual is allergic to can eliminate symptoms entirely, and this is often not possible. No treatment that has any benefit is completely without risks, and the risks and benefits must always be carefully and rationally weighed.

The variability and chronicity of the symptoms and the complexity of the causation create fertile ground in which to sow myths and misconceptions about causes and treatments, as this article does vigorously. Providing treatments based on sound scientific understanding of the physiology of allergies and supported by reliable scientific evidence of safety and efficacy is the best way to help patients with this serious condition. Myths about allergy causes and treatments that are without a rational, scientific foundation or any real evidence of safety and efficacy are not legitimate “choices” or “options” to offer pet owners looking for real help. Integrating unproven methods and outright nonsense with established allergy therapies doesn’t add value or reduce risks, it diminishes our ability to help these patients and their human families.

[Anonymous]

Intradermal Skin Tests http://www.allergydogcentral.com/2011/06/30/dog-allergy-testing-and-allergy-shots/
“An intradermal skin test involves the injection of a small amount of antigen into your dog’s skin. This procedure is most often performed by a veterinary dermatologist or pet allergy specialist. Here’s how the process works”.

“First, your dog will be administered a mild sedative, and a 4”x8” area on their side (near the armpit) will be shaved – so it is easy to see the skin. Next, the Dr. will inject small doses of a wide variety of common, regional antigens into their skin”.

The above test is what I’m talking about, I never did the blood test. The specialist told me that IDT is the most accurate for identifying environmental allergies (which is often the problem).
It does not test for food allergies/intolerances.
You get the results right away and leave with a treatment plan (that was my experience).

[Anonymous]

Please consider making an appointment with a dermatologist/specialist for diagnosis and testing. Environmental allergies get worse with age and have nothing to do with the food.
/forums/search/allergies/ (I don’t necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed)

From what you describe, it sounds like your dogs are suffering. For serious conditions you need to go to a specialist, it makes a BIG difference. Best of luck.

[Peggy]

I joined the forum over a year ago for my 2 dogs Tebow (Jack Russell Terrier) and LadyBug (Shepherd/Lab mix). They were both overweight and experiencing food sensitivities.

Upon advice I upgraded their food (from Pedigree). Blue Buffalo, made them sick, so I switched them to Pure Balance on which they’ve been doing very well. Problem is, PB does not offer a large enough variety of can food, so while staying with PB grain-free dry, I’ve switched them to Wellness and Nature’s Recipe grain-free cans. They love both, especially the stews.

Now comes the problem…….. !
Tebow is again itching and scratching incessantly (NO fleas), and shedding horribly. Also chewing at his paws. I noticed a week or more ago that he’d developed a raw area on his chest.
LadyBug has a series of raw areas on her lower back, backend, and upper tail. REALLY raw.

Now, Tebow’s seems to be healing up, while Lady’s was getting worse, so I took her to the vet this morning. After skin scrapes, flea combing (no fleas or flea dirt), and 2 blood tests, the verdict is…. food allergies! UUGGHH!

The vet said that ‘perhaps’ I should decrease their beef and chicken intake and feed more duck and venison. Also decrease their twice-per-week salmon meal to just once per week because her skin seemed oily (she was dirty, as I had not bathed her in a couple of weeks).

ALL of this was preceded by “perhaps” with no real clear instruction. Soooooooooo….
I am again here asking for feeding suggestions. Additionally, both are still overweight, Tebow is 5 lbs over, and Lady is 8 or 9 lbs over.

OK – hit me with it. And thanks in advance.

[Faith G]

I’ve had him at lease 8-9 months now, I work as a pet sitter and he used to be a client, his old owner asked if I could find him a home because she could no longer take care of him. I said yes because he was the best dog I’ve ever pet sat, I ended up keeping him. The only thing she had was an old rabies vaccine tag and she knew nothing else about him. So as soon as I got him I got his shots taken care of (they monitored his heart rate, can’t remember if they listened with a stehescope. If they did, they made no effort to tell me if they heard anything unusual) now I’ve gotten him neutered and micro tagged. The old owner was basically no help in telling me his age or the date he was born or any vaccines or allergies he’s had. I contacted the vet from the old rabies tag and all they had was that he came in for a rabies vaccine. He very well could have a congenital heart defect but I couldn’t find any information from previous owners and vets.

Basically all I’m asking for is advice to make sure his murmur stays the way it is or goes away.

[blaire t]

I have a 10 month old chocolate lab. We recently did a blood test to find the cause of a repeat rash on his groin area. Turns out he has several allergies, but I’m going to start with the food. The vet recommends sticking with “puppy” for a bit longer if we can, but the list of food suggestions from the lab doesn’t have a single brand listed on this site. Any recommendations? Has anyone heard of California Naturals or Canine Caviar?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I just wanted to make sure that you understand that the saliva and hair tests are not allergy tests.
/forums/search/allergies/
http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/

Canine Nutrigenomics by Dr. Jean Dodds: Science as Windowdressing

PS: Many dogs suffering with these issues end up at shelters or the pound, as people are unwilling, for a variety of reasons, usually financial, to take them to a dermatologist.
Best of luck.

[Bobby dog]

Here’s an interesting article I just received about allergy testing in pets. This site also has allot of other information in regards to allergies under their blog and resources tabs:

http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/4/29/allergy-testing-your-dog-the-top-5-allergy-test-mistakes-to-avoid?rq=immune%20IQ

[Brandon D]

after a trip to the vet yesterday it was determined that this is likely environmental allergies, and not a yeast infection. His skin is a little pink but he doesn’t itch much, chews a bit at a single paw. On benedryl 25mg three times daily for a week to see if the pink skin clears up, vet didn’t think any need for any steroid. If benedryl works( seems to help) then Zyrtek once a day for maintenance.
Appreciate all the responses, still going to consider some other food and bathing options as well.

[Sue S]

mix 25% new food with 75% old food for about 4 days, providing that your dog has no ill reactions to the new food (allergies, ect), then use a 50/50 mix for about 4 days, then 75% new food with 25% old food for about 4 days, then you should be ready to feed 100% new food.

[Anonymous]

I have a 9 pound poodle mix who does well on 1/4 cup of kibble and a tablespoon or two of wet food or chopped up cooked chicken breast, twice a day. Occasional chicken liver (broiled) as a topper instead, or chopped up cooked lean meat.

I give an occasional bite of chicken or something as a snack after a walk, carrots are okay, but I would just use the regular ones, the baby carrots are treated with something?

I don’t remember the exact amounts when she was 4 months, I think I fed her 3 or 4 small meals per day and tapered down to two meals per day when she was about 6-7 months old.

I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea for dry (base). I like Wysong for canned.
She’s a healthy girl at 7 years old, except for her environmental allergies :-/

PS: Start brushing his teeth every evening, see YouTube for how to videos, small breeds have lousy teeth.
You will learn what amounts work best, dogs have different metabolisms….my 20 pound dog eats only a little bit more per day.
If you don’t see the pup going to the water dish, add a splash of water to meals, some dogs don’t drink enough water. These small breeds are vulnerable to bladder stones down the road.

Tips: http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[Pitlove]

My vet and I had talked about the constant licking because my dog does that as well. She said paws usually is associated with environmental allergies and butt is associated with a food intolerance. Mine licks his butt and has bad gas when he eats beef. If I don’t feed him anything with beef he’s fine.

[T]

I have to chime in here… I fear too many people get overly focused on food allergies and forget that we’re talking about an entire living organism. I don’t believe dogs just develop food allergies out of the blue. I believe they have some weakness in their health that allows food allergies to occur. Not to mention that we feed them food their body is not equipped to deal with.

Anyway, don’t forget to think about creating a healthy, holistic animal! There are so many things you can do to help itchy skin besides changing to a different protein kibble. You can read some of the articles on my blog for more ideas.

Tabitha
http://naturalalternativesvet.com

[Patti S]

Using an inexpensive topical flea product that you buy at Walmart or a supermarket such as BioSpot or Zodiac Spot On would be better than not using any flea product at all!

As far as the food goes, you won’t find a hypoallergenic dog foods at the supermarket, you’d need to look at pet stores or specialty feed stores. You need to find a food with a dog food with different protein and carbohydrate source that what he’s currently eating. You should try keeping your dog on an “elimination” diet for 8-10 weeks to see if his itchy symptoms improve. In an elimination diet, the dog is fed a food that has a protein and carbohydrate source he’s never had before. There are many over the counter foods you can use, for this purpose. I’ll suggest a few further down. Your dog’s elimination diet should not contain:

• Wheat, barley, rye – ALL of them. (including bread, snack crackers, treats, wheat/gluten, etc.)
• Dairy products – ALL of them. (including milk, cheese, whey, casein, dried skim milk, etc.)
• Soy – ALL forms
• Corn- ALL forms (including corn gluten meal)
• Artificial preservatives and colors
• Beef and fish – (only if allergy symptoms are present/persist for longer than 8-10 weeks. These are “secondary” allergies.)

By eliminating the above items, you will be taking care of at least 80% of all food allergens and all three of the major sources of food intolerance (gluten in grains, casein in dairy, and soy protein.)
This diet must be strictly adhered to, it includes ALL foods, including TREATS and TABLE FOOD! Be strict! Food allergies can be very sensitive conditions and the least amount of the offending substance can trigger reactions that can last for days. Be creative in finding safe treats for your dog those that MATCH the diet rules. This will be a lot harder on you than your dog.

Giving your dog an essential fatty acid supplement can also help suppress itching. Arachidonic acid is stored in cell membranes and released when the cell is damaged, it then combines with certain enzymes causing inflammation and itching. Essential fatty acids combat this reaction because the essential fatty acids combine with the enzymes, making them less available to bind with arachidonic acid, reducing the inflammation and itching. Your dog would need to be given an essential fatty acid supplement daily for at least a month before you see it’s beneficial effects.

[C4D]

Dinovite is just a supplement. I also feed THK base mix, as Cockaliermom mentioned, with fresh cooked meat I buy at the grocery store. It’s a less expensive option to raw. My dogs don’t have allergies to chicken, turkey, beef or pork, so I stock up on what’s on sale & crock pot cook several days worth.

[Norene D]

We took our girl to the vet. At a glance, she thought that maybe it was the dog beds that we have that may be causing the allergy. But another thought came up. It was the fact that after surgery, sometimes a dogs system changes and allergies can come up. Well it wasn’t too long after our girl had some surgery done that these skin issues arose. So our vet gave us some prednisone to take care of the immediate issue. But she also gave us strong dose of antibiotics to give our dog, in case of infection. We’re doing all that now. We’ve changed their dog food to Vets Choice (4 stars on this website) and with just that, she’s not scratching incessantly like she was. We’ll know more after the prednisone and antibiotic course. We did throw out the cheap pet beds though, just in case.

[C4D]

Hi Brie,
I’ve had dogs that develop allergies to certain protein in food with similar symptoms. While checking in with your vet is a good idea, especially to take care of the ear infections, I don’t think you have to rush to a dermatologist unless there’s no improvement after doing an elimination diet and/or if you don’t see a change from the switch in food.

You need to make sure ALL treats are grain free as well and it’s best to feed everything using the same protein as the food. So you need to use fish based treats. Limited ingredient diets are good if you don’t get great improvement on the current food. I do use Kefir as a probiotic since it helps control yeast. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Consider seeing a dermatologist for allergy testing (not a mail-in saliva test) for the most accurate results.
/forums/search/allergies/
http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
PS: In my experience, sprays and OTC stuff, supplements don’t work. You could try a grain-free, potato free food. An elimination diet under the guidance of a vet might help, however if the allergies are environmental, it won’t make much difference, if any.

[Pitlove]

My pitbull has the same problem. My vet is certain is it related to environmental allergies. best thing you can do is talk with a canine dermatologist. my boy has also benefited from salmon oil with his food.

[Susan]

Hi, have you heard of Glacier Peak Holistic hair & salvia testing, it test for 100+ Environment allergies & 200+ Food triggers, & only cost $85 there’s also Jean Dodds Salvia testing but that just test for 30 foods & is dearer….. http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com/More-Than-an-Allergy-Test_p_80.html

Purina FortiFlora is suppose to be really good they tested 10 dog probiotics & only 2 of the dog probiotics had live active bacteria & Purina FortiFlora had the most live bacteria….

[Jane K]

Yes. And vasculitis. They could spend a whole week doing tests and still not have a complete why so I asked for aggressive treatment for the PLE immediately. They were going to wait Fri – Tues and keep her stable if possible since it was a holiday wkend and not all the tests were available. She is 90% better in looks. Imagine a balloon with a teeny dog head. Now she looks like a real dog. Her legs are almost normal dog size. She’s kind of lumpy in the body but they said she had not been retaining more fluid after IV treatment and draining on Friday. I’ve been going with massive allergy problem but they said no. She has outdoor allergies. My husband likes to buy all those treats for her and her step-sib Border. Out of no where this blew up over the summer. I think it had been coming on but once summer hit we attributed some symptoms to her nutty behavior with allergy. She gets food funny, won’t step off the sidewalk, stays inside, and pretty much eats her feet without a shot and benedryl through the summer. Early Aug our vet told me she was fat and blamed us for over feeding. I kept arguing that a dog does not gain 9 pounds in 5 weeks. And I told them I thought she was breathing in a different pattern. I lost. We were sent home with a diet and exercise plan that masked even more symptoms. I still think I was stupid to not notice this.
I don’t think they checked for all types of cancers? No mention of kidney or liver problems. Her heart checked out fine. Her worm check in July was good. Clueless. She is probably one of the most annoying dogs I’ve ever in my life had which means we love her to the moon and back. As a cowdog she likes to herd squirrels. She chews on the sliding door on the way out and if your leg is in the way….well, too bad. She talks and sings and shrieks from her squirrel perch bench in the back of the house at the several dozen or so squirrels in our lot. They come up to the window and mock her. She helps with trash by attacking the bag all the way down the hall, out the door and to the can. She chews on the cat and then humps her. The cat allows this. We try not to watch. She doesn’t know a stranger. We got her to keep the old dog young so this is so, so sad. Old dog will be 14 in October. We shall see. She gets chicken tonight. I’m expecting a miracle. She deserves it!

[Anonymous]

Consider seeing a dermatologist for allergy testing.
/forums/search/allergies/
http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
PS: In my experience, sprays and OTC stuff, supplements don’t work.

[cori R]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I took Teddy yesterday to his Vet and she thinks that may be food allergies. She gave me to try HA Hydrolyzed Canine Formula by PURINA VET…but honestly I’m not 100% sure as it main source of protein is Soy.
She also suggested to change the prohibiotic to FortiFlora by Purina as well.
I will be doing some blood work for food allergies and maybe an ultrasound of his belly in the next few days.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by cori R.

[jeri h]

Kevin. I make my dog food and have done so for several years now and have seen an improvement in my beagle with skin allergies and yeast problems. what I have found most helpful with the yeast and itching is to take one whole lemon slice it thinly steep in almost boiling water overnight.strain and sponge onto my dog. she smells great, redness diminishes,her itching diminishes,her coat is very soft and the yeasty smell is gone. I also wipe her ears out with it. has to be repeated as long as there’s a problem. Source-Dr. Pitcairn Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.

[Anonymous]

If the symptoms are related to environmental allergies, changing the food will have no effect. Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane, so you will think you see improvement, where there is none. The symptoms always come back and tend to get worse with age.
See the posts in this thread, you may find some helpful tips. I don’t necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed. Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

http://www.allergydogcentral.com/2011/06/30/dog-allergy-testing-and-allergy-shots/

Intradermal Skin Tests
“An intradermal skin test involves the injection of a small amount of antigen into your dog’s skin. This procedure is most often performed by a veterinary dermatologist or pet allergy specialist. Here’s how the process works”.

“First, your dog will be administered a mild sedative, and a 4”x8” area on their side (near the armpit) will be shaved – so it is easy to see the skin. Next, the Dr. will inject small doses of a wide variety of common, regional antigens into their skin”.

The above test is what I’m talking about, I never did the blood test. The specialist told me that IDT is the most accurate for identifying environmental allergies (which is often the problem).
It does not test for food allergies/intolerances.

[Anonymous]

What kind of test showed these results? Just curious, because certain tests (saliva) are not always accurate and tend to show intolerances to just about everything listed from what I have heard.
Have you consulted a dermatologist and had IDT (intradermal skin testing) to rule out environmental allergies?
PS: If you use the search engine here you may find some helpful tips /forums/search/allergies/
I don’t necessarily agree with all the opinions expressed.

[amy R]

I have a 1 y/o pit mix. He has extreme food allergies, and we just got his results back. He cannot have GRAIN, WHEAT, OAT, PEAS, SWEET POTATOES, RICE, CANOLA OIL OR PEPPERMINT.

Those items are in almost every dog food i’ve searched. If anyone has any clue what dog food has limited ingredients that DOES NOT include anything on the list above… please let me know!!!

[Pitlove]

A lot of foods claim to be hypoallergenic, however that is more of a marketing thing than a proven scientific fact.

True food allergies are very rare in dogs. More commonly food allergies are mistaken for environmental allergies or food intolerances. There is a possiblity that your dog is intolerant to an ingredient in the Blue Wilderness. While it is very hard to give a recommendation for a food when you are not actually sure what your dog is intolerant to, or if food is even the problem, what you could do is switch to a different food with a protein and carb your dog has never had before. A limited ingredient food could be a good idea as well. If you don’t see an improvement, food is probably not the issue. Someone I know got their dog tested for environmental allergens and come to find out he was allergic to the wool blanket he was sleeping on. Food will not improve something like that.

The best thing you could do would be to get in contact with a canine dermatologist to properly diagnose your Boxer’s skin condition. Especially if you have a Boxer that is predominantly white, they are known for having skin issues because mostly or all white is unnatural for them.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.