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.
TParticipant
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
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:
ā¢ Wheat, barley, rye – ALL of them. (including bread, snack crackers, treats, wheat/gluten, etc.)
ā¢ Dairy products – ALL of them. (including milk, cheese, whey, casein, dried skim milk, etc.)
ā¢ Soy ā ALL forms
ā¢ Corn- ALL forms (including corn gluten meal)
ā¢ Artificial preservatives and colors
ā¢ 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.
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.
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.
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!
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 donāt 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.
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.
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….
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!
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.
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, 3 months ago by
cori R.
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.
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.
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 dogās skin. This procedure is most often performed by a veterinary dermatologist or pet allergy specialist. Hereās how the process works”.
“First, your dog will be administered a mild sedative, and a 4āx8ā area on their side (near the armpit) will be shaved ā 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.
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.
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!!!
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, 3 months ago by
Pitlove.
If you soak dry food overnight in water in the fridg (2-3 day batch) it is okay as a base, then add a spoonful of chopped cooked chicken breast, lean meat or chicken liver.
Occasional canned food as a topper instead. Maybe a little dry kibble as a treat now and then.
It’s all good.
My senior does well on Wysong Senior. My other dogs (one with allergies) does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.
Don’t free feed…..see General Guidelines for tips : http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
Hope this helps.
Oh, and brush their teeth once a day, see Youtube for how to videos.
This has been what works for me.
Hi Xavier G, my boy gets the red in between his toes & red just after the big pad, he gets it when he eats kibbles with corn & maybe chicken? he was put on a vet diet for his IBD Eukanuba Intestinal, the Eukanuba Intestinal helped his IBD & he was pooing firm poos but got real red toes & paws, vet kept saying grass allergies, then I changed his kibble to a Gluten, Dairy, Sugar & Potato free, fish kibble & his paws cleared up within 2 days, so I looked at the ingredients in the Eukanuba Intestinal & it had to of been either the Gluten corn, Maize or the chicken……just before bed I was putting Cortic-DS 1% cream hydrocortisone acetate 10mg/g you buy over the counter at chemist, I was putting cream in between his toes with a cotton tip & on the fur/skin just after his big pad, then I was putting on socks, when he’d wake up in the morning his paws would be all clear, no red in between his toes or red about the big pad, then I’d feed him the Eukanuba Intestinal kibble for breakfast, then go on his morning walk come home & he’d start licking & licking his paws, I’d look & his paws would be red again, finally worked out it was his kibble, he was sensitive to an ingredient….. also I’d bath in the Malaseb Medicated shampoo when his paws were red it helped his paws ……
I’d change his kibble to a limited ingredient kibble with a different protein (Fish) & carb (Brown rice) something he hasn’t eaten before….. I find limited ingredient kibbles with brown rice work the best for Patch & bathing his paws/body in the Malsaeb shampoo, I think Walmart sell an antifungal/anti bacterial dog shampoo with the same ingredients as the Malaseb but I can’t remember the name, it started with a M cause a lady was saying how they have the same ingredients & is cheaper & helped her dogs red paws…….
The Antibiotics will not fix the red paws, not if he’s reacting to a food ingredient…also fish oil capsules or give some sardines in spring water as a treat…
if you cant afford the California Natural Lamb & Rice try the “Racheal Rays Nutrish Just 6” Lamb Meal & Brown rice sold at Walmart http://nutrish.rachaelray.com/dog/dry-food/just-6-lamb-and-brown-rice … its gluten free, corn, wheat, soy, free, no preservatives, byproducts fillers etc …
Environmental allergies? You may want to consult a dermatologist.
via the search engine here: /forums/topic/lab-with-food-allergies-any-help-is-appreciated/
/forums/search/allergies/
I don’t necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed.
Hi Anna- This is just my opinion and interpretation on grain free vs grain inclusive, but here it goes.
Dogs don’t have a high requirement if any for carbohydrates. They can break down carbs to be used as energy, but not as well as we do. Dogs derive energy better from animal proteins and fats. Dry kibble is always going to contain carbs because they are the binding source for the kibble. It could not retain it’s shape without a carb source. Grains have become demonized as a filler ingredient in dog food and so the pet food industry answered that with a new marketing plan; grain free dog food. It’s marketed as better for dogs with “allergies” and overall marketed as being superior to grain based foods.
My first problem with that is that resolving a dogs food allergies or more commonly their food intolerances can’t be done without knowing what they are intolerant to. If my dog is intolerant to chicken, but not rice, feeding a grain free chicken based food is not going to fix the intolerance.
Also, many people are under the impression that grain free means carb free. It does not. Grains are replaced by peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils etc in grain free foods. All of which are also things dogs can be intolerant to, but aren’t nessesarily. Same thing with rice, barley, oatmeal etc.
Grain free foods however, do have a tendency to have a higher meat content than grain based foods. That is not always the case though. Plenty of grain free foods are guilty of sacrificing meat content for carbs.
I know plenty of dogs including my own that do just as well on grain based foods, as they do on grain free. I’m currently feeding a grain based food, however I’ve fed both, mainly grain free. Some people don’t feel comforable feeding grain based foods. I don’t care because to me they are getting carbs either way, which they don’t need in their diet. I consider all carbs to be filler ingredients.
Again this is my opinion and lots of people will disagree, but I thought I’d share my perspective.
-
This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Pitlove.
Everything We Eat Cures Cancer! (or Causes it?)
Regarding the skin issues, have you consulted a dermatologist?
My dog with allergies does best on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (no grains, no potato). But since receiving care by a specialist/dermatologist she can tolerate a variety of foods as her allergies are environmental. She had IDT (Intra Dermal Testing) and has responded well to ASIT (Allergen Specific Immunotherapy)
Some info here: http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/allergy-testing.html
PS: I sometimes bathe her twice a week (approved by the specialist) with Malaseb or Antifungal dog shampoo by GNC I like the lavender smell.
Check the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/
I donāt agree with all of the opinions expressed. Hope this helps.
More info here: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
Hi, our lab has terrible environmental and food allergies. She had diarrhea, itching, scratching biting, etc. We had to do an elimination diet. try one thing for x amt. of weeks and then another until she improved. Natural Balance Duck/potato she could eat but I didn’t care for the ingredients. We found she was allergic to chicken (very common), turkey, beef, eggs, etc. We had her on Canidae Lamb/rice and it was also good, but now we switched to Blue Basics Lamb/potato and that’s working also. These are expensive so if you need the middle of the line food and price tag, Taste of the Wild Lamb is good also. We also found out thru a blood test, that our dog is allergic to grasses, mulberry trees, etc. So, bec of such bad env. allergies, we have her on a prescription med. We’ve tried holistic. Also on fish oil caps.
Allergies? Pruritus? Obstruction?
She’s young, I would go for the additional testing and get to the bottom of this.
Good luck.
PS: I meant to say, if it doesn’t resolve in the near future, it could be a minor irritation, inflammation of the colon or something….
-
This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by
Anonymous.
Hi- Can I ask where you live? I got my pit at 12 weeks as well and his intolerance symptoms showed up pretty quickly as well. He was also on Blue Wilderness Puppy when he was young, but he hated it. We live down in the deep south and the climate makes environmental allergies very common for dogs down here. It’s possible thats whats going on depending on where you are.
How old is she? I have a senior peke that has some issues in that department. In his case, it’s not the food. How often is she having bowel movements? Is she constipated?
PS: With my dog, he is old and his anal sphincter doesn’t work that well, anymore.
He does best on Wysong senior kibble soaked in water overnight, sometimes a spoonful of chicken, more water.
But, he often needs help to have a bowel movement. I have a medical background so I deal with it.
Talk to your vet as how to proceed.
Consider seeing an Internal Medicine Specialist, if you have to. You don’t want to end up in prolapsed rectum territory.
Have environmental allergies been ruled out? X-rays to rule out an obstruction?
Via the search engine here: /forums/topic/help-with-food-3/
My dog with allergies does best on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (no grains, no potato). But since receiving care by a specialist/dermatologist she can tolerate a variety of foods as her allergies are environmental. She had IDT (Intra Dermal Testing) and has responded well to ASIT (Allergen Specific Immunotherapy)
Some info here: http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/allergy-testing.html
PS: I sometimes bathe her twice a week (approved by the specialist) with Malaseb or Antifungal dog shampoo by GNC I like the lavender smell.
Check the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/
I donāt agree with all of the opinions expressed. Hope this helps.
More info here: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
I second and third and forth everything that was said here. I would certainly see another vet or a ER clinic. I do not think this is allergies at all.
This is why when I have anything serious going on, I ask for the vet to call me back when he has a minute……unless the vet tech can schedule me for an appointment to see the vet that day.
Maybe the OP did not present the situation as urgent and focused on “allergies” so the vet tech thought it could wait.
If I feel I am not able to communicate my needs effectively, I just put the phone down and go to the emergency vet.
PS: I don’t think vet techs get the proper training in how to deal with clients that are in distress. Not all of them know how to identify a situation that needs immediate attention, they work hard and are very busy, but….
On second thought, what makes you think she has allergies? Are you sure, her symptoms could be all related to the abnormal growth that might be irritating her nasal cavity….
The lump might be benign or not……either way and especially due to the location it will probably have to be removed.
Another option, if it’s bothering her and it sounds like it is from what you describe, is to go to the walk in emergency vet, it may cost a few bucks but they will examine, diagnosis and refer you to a specialist if they can’t treat it there.
I wouldn’t wait too long or ignore it. Maybe the vet can fit you in sooner? Most vets leave time slots open once or twice a day for emergencies. Otherwise, maybe he could refer you directly to a specialist. You have 2 issues here, an abnormal growth and allergies.
Recently noticed my dog has a lump under the skin softer not hard, on her nose midway between her nose and eyes. when I touch it she sneezes. and I notice she drooling I’ve never seen this sort of thing before. Soonest vet appointment I could get is on September 14 but was wondering if anyone might have an idea what it could be. She seems to suffer from allergies, sometimes sneezes as she sniffs grass sometimes I give her Benadryl for sneezing runny nose and eyes. TIA FOR ANY HELP.
Two things I can address. One I would use Petflow.com. I live in a small town and it is great, mostly quality food, cheaper than I could buy at a store. If you are looking at Canadian made Orijen and Arcadia are absolutely the best. They use locally sourced food.
The allergy, I would spend the money and use a dermatologist. My Bernese started itching. I opted to take her to a dermatologist. Based on what I told him, without doing testing, he said it was a type of mange (she had no hair loss or bald patches) He gave me mediation and all dogs had to get it. My vet wasn’t happy that I opted for a dermatologist and said it was allergies. One month later Molly was itch free and has been since that time. My vet had to eat crow. What is very important to the dermatologist is information, when did it start any thing new or unusual. It could also be something as simple as a year of bad pollen.
Good luck. Pam
I have a blue pit bull and i was wondering if i could feel her regular spring valley 1000 mg softgel fish oil to her to help with her skin allergies?
Red has given many great suggestions towards taking steps on helping you provide better care. I have a beagle as well and you can check my thread out I had made a few months back as my beagle was abused and also has very bad stomach issues with constipation.
Suggestions I found that worked the best is definitely finding a great substance and well balanced food. I have been feeding Merrick’s Back Country for the past 4 months (basically since they came out with it) and he enjoys it. The thing that helps the most is what you give him with it. I have my beagle on a schedule of different things to help with his constipation. I also feed him about 2 cups of canned food on top of his dry food.
1 TBS Coconut Oil twice a week
1 TBS pumpkin organic, or sweet potato once a day
2 TBS Kefir, cottage cheese, plain yogurt every few days
The coconut oil will help with allergies, skin issues, and constipation.
Pumpkin and Sweet potato have several health benefits, vitamins and are high in fiber
Kefir, yogurt, both bave natural prebiotics and probiotics for the stomach
Other things I give him once in a while are:
Sardines or any fish cooked
swanson soil based organisms
Cheese cut up into bite size pieces
Canned Green Tripe
Now far as the legal issues go, I do agree with red that you might want to look into that as something could be done. Especially since the fireman himself was speeding. Hope this helps though and keep us updated on how things work out for ya!
I’ve been using NuVet Plus for about 7-9 months now. My newest Cavalier came with a bottle. I asked my holistic/integrative vet about the ingredients and she approved of them so now all the dogs get them. My dogs have bee doing fine with them. I feel they’ve helped keep them regular, helped with allergies and coat condition. They have not done any harm.
Hi have you thought of feeding raw or a cooked diet & stop feeding kibble?? A dog digestive tract has been made to digest meat not peas, garbanzo beans, lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes these are all high in Lectins & can cause leaky gut.
My boy suffers with IBD & skin allergies from certain foods & he doesn’t do well on grain free kibbles, (bad gas, sloppy poo, rumbling bowel noises, nausea) … Over the last 2 years I’ve tried heaps of kibbles & in the end I found the kibble with just rice & 1 protein like fish was the best a limited ingredient kibble then I add fresh chicken or beef or fish on top….I try not to feed kibble & feed a wet tin food or cooked meals with ingredients that I know my boy can eat, some kibbles have tooo many ingredients & it just takes 1 ingredient & your dog is scratching, sore ears or has gas diarrhea etc…
If you don’t want to feed a raw or cooked diet have you looked at “The Honest Kitchen Zeal” its low in carbs, gluten free high in protein – http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/zeal
ZiwiPeak – http://www.ziwipeak.com/air-dried-dog-food-ziwipeak-daily-dog-air-dried-cuisine/
K9 Natural – https://www.k9natural.com/
I recently adopted a gassy little bat-pig (Maddie) myself and switched her from ProPlan to Origen. She too has allergies, which have cleared up tremendously. I also have her on an allergy med, so I can’t tell you how much the food helped. Her coat was nice before, but absolutely glistens now. There is also less gas. I hear Frenchies are a notoriously flatulent breed, but the gas has noticeably diminished. My girl LOVES her food and stools are formed but soft. So far, I would say I am pretty happy with Origen. My dog looks great, seems satisfied after eating, and has tons of energy.
I’m a seasoned cat mom and new to dog ownership I am really enjoying learning from everyone.
My dog with allergies does best on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (no grains, no potato). But since receiving care by a specialist/dermatologist she can tolerate a variety of foods as her allergies are environmental. She had IDT (Intra Dermal Testing) and has responded well to ASIT (Allergen Specific Immunotherapy)
Some info here: http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/allergy-testing.html
PS: I sometimes bathe her twice a week (approved by the specialist) with Malaseb or Antifungal dog shampoo by GNC I like the lavender smell.
Check the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/
I don’t agree with all of the opinions expressed. Hope this helps.
More info here: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
I have a 22 mo. old female frenchie, Stella. I am searching for a new high quality kibble that is grain free and potato free. She has horrific allergies and is on Atopica. Allergy tests were pretty inconclusive with what she is allergic to. She is also a very picky eater. She was on Amicus, which she liked, but about every 2 to 3 weeks she would have awful bouts of diahrrea. So I started transitioning her to Acana Pork & Butternut squash and now she has terrible gas. I have also tried Grandma Lucy’s PureFormance in the past and it made her vomit. I think this food was too heavy handed on the garlic. So I’m not sure what is making her gassy that is in the Acana, perhaps the garbanzo beans??? The Amicus and Acana both have red lentils so it shouldn’t be that. Also, her vet put her on a food trial a while back of Royal Canin Duck & Potato and it completely constipated her and made her really sick. Any suggestions would be welcome. Kind of at a loss at this point as to what to feed her that will not cause ear infections, gas, etc. I do give her a probiotic too.
/forums/search/allergies/
Above link found via the search engine here. I don’t necessarily agree with some of the opinions expressed.
Hope this helps.
She may have more environment allergies, if the raw didn’t really help, I saw a change with 2 days when I started to feed a raw diet…..When you did the allergy testing did you do the “Glacier Peak Holistic” Salvia & Hair testing, it tests for 100+ Environment triggers & 200+ food items for $85….. http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com/More-Than-an-Allergy-Test_p_80.html …
Ok, new to this site and need help!!
Bella’s history. Adopted at 3-years-old from shelter. No history.
Switched to grain free (Wellness), then to Merrick BG in November 2011. Switched to Acana Pacifica in May 2012.
She has had numerous health issues, but we have battled allergies from the start. This spring I ran the Heska environmental/food panel. She came back allergic to sweet potato, peas, and flax. I put her on raw diet to see if it would help iron out these issues. We don’t notice an allergy difference and now I am treating salmonella. I also have a 15 month old human child at home. I can’t continue raw.
So KNOWING she can’t tolerate sweet potato, peas, or flax- any suggestion on kibble? Or is my best bet to cook for her?
Hi all. I appreciate the suggestions and insight. As far as the Greenies, she hasn’t had any in several days and I don’t plan on giving her anymore. I did get a referral to dermatologist yesterday, so I may go ahead and do this so I can at least have a better idea on what she is allergic to. Her allergies seem to be year round, so I don’t know. To me, this seems like something she is eating or something in my house. But we’ll see. As far as her food, i would still like to switch it, but I would like to see what the dermatologist office says when I call. I guess it depends on how soon they can get me an appointment.
Hi Kim- Seems like a lot is happening at a fast pace with your foster. Went from being fine on Diamond to itching and loose stool in 2 weeks. The loose stool could certainly be food. My dog (and my cat actually) let me know very quickly via their “output” whether or not something is agreeing with them. My cat will throw up instantly if she eats beef and my dog will have diaherra (sometimes explosive) if a food doesn’t agree with him and he gets very bad gas on beef.
For his upset stomach; if he has been eating Diamond his whole life, he probably doesn’t have a diverse enough amount of microflora in his gut to handle the diet change. If you didn’t tranistion him to Earthborn, that is most likely the cause of the diaherra. If you did, you might have needed to give him more time switching. If you gave him even more than 7 days to switch, maybe there is some stress playing a role from the rehome?
For the itching; there could be an ingredient that he is intolerant to in the Earthborn that’s not in whichever Diamond Naturals you were feeding. Compare the 2 ingredient panels and see if something jumps out at you as being different. Look at everything including stuff lower on the list. You can certainly try to go back to Diamond and see if that helps. Or a food that mimics the ingredients if you want to stay away from Diamond.
Not sure where you live or if he came to you from a different state, but down in LA where I live, environmental allergies in dogs is like an epidemic because of the climate. So it could be a change in climate depending on where you live or where he’s from.
If you want you can almost treat him like hes an 8 week old puppy and just keep his food the same til he adjusts. Sometimes going to a new home especially for a dog thats in foster care can be hard on them. Keeping him on Diamond will also give you an idea if it’s the food or the environment. If he goes back to no itching and diaherra, it’s probably the food. If the diaherra clears up, but the itching continues it could be the environment.
On one last note, make sure you check him for fleas as well. Akitas have some pretty intense coats that fleas can hide in, so really look hard for them. Just in case.
-
This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Pitlove.
Please check the search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/
Lots of information that you may find helpful, come back if you have more questions.
This is from one of the SkeptVetās blogs, an excerpt from a response to a comment about allergies. Hope this helps.
āIn general, diet trial involve picking a new primary protein source and strictly eliminating all others for 2-3 months before any change is likely to be seen. And there are many sources of allergies besides food proteins, so diet change may not dramatically improve symptoms, in which case other causes have to be investigated. I would strongly suggest working closely with your regular veterinarian or, if it is possible for you, with a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. Allergies require lifelong management tailored to the individual needs of the particular patient, and there is no simple or quick solutionā.
NuVet Supplement=Same Old Snake Oil
Anther site: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
Integrating Myths and Nonsense with Standard Advice for Allergic Pets
excerpt is from above link (click for full blog and comments)
āThere is no research to suggest that the saliva testing is useful for identifying food allergies. It is sold based on questionable theory and anecdotes, which have little evidentiary value. And as far as uncontrolled testing, at least one dermatologist has run the test in dogs with confirmed food allergies responsive to diet change, and the test results were highly inaccurateā.
Other blogs that you might find helpful: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/07/no-vet-for-my-pet-veterinary-nurses-can-sell-woo-too/
Canine Nutrigenomics by Dr. Jean Dodds: Science as Windowdressing
Any suggestions, ideas will be much appreciated!
Fostering dog for 2 weeks, he was on food from rescue Diamond Naturals, I didn’t like amount and way poop looked and he was extremely thin, but no itchies. Also he came from a mostly concrete environment to country life…aka lots of grass.
I switched to Earthborn Holistic (because I had no idea the WHOLE other premium dog food market even existed before 2 weeks ago)
He started chewing at his paws, then legs, then all over itchy.
Now hots spots on legs from chewing, massive hair loss (which I know for AKitas happens 2x/year).
Diarrhea last Friday – Sunday. Fed only rice water, rice and chicken…still itchy.
Back on Earthborn and started Vitahound introduction.
Being a rescue, I am sure his prior food was not the best quality. BUT he did NOT have these sores. Could it actually be seasonal allergies that would take 2 weeks to show up or is it change in food?
I would love any recommendations for a dry kibble that could help with skin problems and help him gain healthy weight. I just feel like there is still way too much information to digest!!!! Thank you in advance!
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 āchoicesā or āoptionsā to offer pet owners looking for real help. Integrating unproven methods and outright nonsense with established allergy therapies doesnāt add value or reduce risks, it diminishes our ability to help these patients and their human families.
@Kevin R, and anyone else that has a pet that is suffering from allergies:
Integrating Myths and Nonsense with Standard Advice for Allergic Pets
excerpt is from above link (click for full blog and comments)
āThere is no research to suggest that the saliva testing is useful for identifying food allergies. It is sold based on questionable theory and anecdotes, which have little evidentiary value. And as far as uncontrolled testing, at least one dermatologist has run the test in dogs with confirmed food allergies responsive to diet change, and the test results were highly inaccurateā.
Other blogs that you might find helpful: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/07/no-vet-for-my-pet-veterinary-nurses-can-sell-woo-too/
Canine Nutrigenomics by Dr. Jean Dodds: Science as Windowdressing
