[anonymous]

“This explanation is, in fact, the exact opposite of the true nature of dietary allergies. Whole proteins are the primary trigger for allergies in animals predisposed to have them. And when there is a malfunction in the GI tract such that it fails to break proteins down into small enough pieces, this can make allergies more likely. Finally, one of the most effective treatments for food allergies is to feed hydrolyzed protein diets, diets in which the proteins are chemically processed (gasp!) into small enough pieces that they cannot trigger an allergy reaction.”
“I certainly don’t expect lay people to be experts in the mechanics of digestion and food allergies, but this level of ignorance is frightening and inexcusable in a manufacturer of a pet food. It also indicates the blatant disregard for scientific fact so often seen in the marketing and promotion of raw and other unconventional pet diets”.

Above is an excerpt from http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2012/01/misleading-advertising-for-raw-pet-food-again/
click on link for full article and comments

Hope this helps!

[Patricia A]

crazy4cats the alternative feeding kibble
” Dry pet food, for all its convenience, is difficult to store in a way that preserves its nutritional value and freshness.”
“Many unhealthy things can occur in a bag of kibble — especially an open bag — including fat rancidity, bacterial and fungal growth, nutrient depletion and storage mite infestation.”
“Most dry pet food also has a number of other problems, including poor-quality, rendered and high-glycemic ingredients and extreme processing that creates cancerous byproducts.”
“If you’re still buying kibble, there are several handling and storage guidelines you should follow to help prevent feeding unsafe food to your pet.”
“A much better alternative to kibble is a nutritionally balanced, species-appropriate diet containing high-quality animal protein, moisture, healthy fats and fiber, and low to no starch content.”

Primal and Stella’s goes through a HPP process as written above.

“Without going into too much detail on the history of dry commercial kibble diets, the short end of the story is that it was introduced in response to the high cost of meat during the Great Depression and was heavily promoted at the end of WWII when it gained popularity for its convenience, ease of distribution and low cost.”

“If our pets have managed to survive off this cheap, convenient, low quality protein source for the last 80 some years, why should we be concerned about it?”

Even though our pets may be surviving off commercial kibble, can we really say that they are thriving on it?

“The answer is pretty clear …

“Chronic degenerative diseases, auto-immune diseases, allergies, kidney, pancreatic and liver disease are all rampant within our pet populations and cancer rates continue to rise. “

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Patricia A.

[anonymous]

The dermatologist can do intradermal skin testing , the regular vet can’t. This would lead to immunotherapy ($)

I would wait and see how the dog responds to treatment by the regular vet.

Sometimes the allergies are seasonal, working with your regular vet you may be able to decrease the meds in late fall/ winter.

If the symptoms go on for 1 year/4seasons without significant periods of relief then yes I would consult a dermatologist.

Some dogs respond to immunotherapy (desensitization shots) its expensive.

Give it ( Apoquel) some time.

[anonymous]

Well, it certainly sounds like atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) or some other skin condition. It sounds like the dog is in extreme discomfort and at risk for bacterial skin infection.

Anything anyone tells you on these forums is just speculation and opinion (myself included)

If your veterinarian has not been helpful I would ask for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist for testing to come up with an accurate diagnosis and treatment options.

There is no miracle cure or magical supplement or food that will fix this.

In fact the dog may have to go on steroids and antibiotics again to temporarily stop the suffering.
Consult your vet, asap.

[anonymous]

The diet helps but it can only do so much.

A multifaceted approach is often needed for environmental allergies. There is no cure.

But there are effective treatments/management.

PS: Bacterial skin infections that require antibiotics are common with atopic dermatitis. It is painful. Itchiness and burning….

Next, ear infections.

[Cody D]

He had antibiotics about about 2 months ago because the vet thought it was an infection. The scabs went away. Looked great for a while, then after a bit they came back. Idk how long before they came back my wife is actually the one who took him in for it both times. That was when we went to the diet he is on. Hills derm defense. Fights environmental allergies I guess. Not working a month or so in now. Oh well, I pine for the days where we jsut worried about stuff like that.

[anonymous]

Quote: “What are your symptoms for your boy? On a side note my other dog is currently on a elimination diet to see if these scabs that are forming on his back are from food allergies. Originally they had him take an antibiotic and they went away, but came back. I really hope it isn’t something similar to what you’re going through… That’s the last thing I need right now”

You’re not kidding! Once your guy is stable I’ll tell you more about it.

Bottom line, we had to go to a veterinary dermatologist for effective treatment, although some regular vets are good at treating these things now too. It depends on how severe the allergies are. Symptoms usually start with pruritus, rashes, skin infections, ear infections. They resolve with antibiotics and steroids but often return.

Whatever you do don’t bother with a hair/saliva test for food sensitivities, they are all scams.

Keep us updated, we are all pulling for him.

PS: Don’t stress about getting a urine sample. Some vets prefer to strait cath, it only takes a second, doesn’t hurt and the sample will be sterile.

[Cody D]

Nothing. Literally nothing. Before all the procedures she suggested Addison’s disease, and did inject him with cortisol just to see. I imagine the bloodwork didn’t show anything that would suggest that was a good thing to look into since it came back “perfect.” Her word. She did not offer an opinion of what the issue is. Wanted to do the scope a week later, and take it from there. She is leaving the country after the scope (horrible timing obviously) which is also part of the reason I’m going to another location to get it done. I don’t want to wait a month which is how long she would be gone. She did seem to think, per a conversation she had with my local vet, that he was stable enough to not need to rush anything. I understand that sentiment, though my wife and I would disagree. For whatever reason he is more active at the vet. Nerves and adrenaline I presume. AT home he is practically a piece of furniture, except when I try to pick him up (always hated that) and during feeding time (though if he isn’t on his antivomiting pills he won’t eat, he just throws it up. He knows that). He is being spoiled, and is excited for that. So he is capable of moving around, and the vet said she saw no reason to restrict his activities if he is willing to exercise (though he’s mostly not). But yeah… No hint as to what she thought it would be other than to say it isn’t “structural.” What a little research it looks like a colonoscopy is the next step after scope? But I don’t know. I’m hoping to get more of something from who I see tomorrow. Last two stools were solid and didn’t appear to have any blood. So there’s that. The specialist did mention what my vet thought was blood may have been a medication they gave me darkening the stool, while the blood in the vomit sounded like broken vessels from retching to much. So maybe good news?

What are your symptoms for your boy? On a side note my other dog is currently on a elimination diet to see if these scabs that are forming on his back are from food allergies. Originally they had him take an antibiotic and they went away, but came back. I really hope it isn’t something similar to what you’re going through… That’s the last thing I need right now. I hope your guy is doing well. Thank you for the well wishes.

EDIT: I did think of something else. After the ultrasound the specialist showed me something kinda weird and in her opinion unrelated. My boy has these interesting red splotches on his scrotum. Almost covering the whole thing except the bottom portion. Looks like when you pinch your skin and blood raises to leave a cluster of small red dots. Almost like a bruise. I’m kinda hoping another opinion on that tomorrow maybe points to something. He is still attached. She ultrasounded down there even for the heck of it. Saw nothing. Doesn’t hurt him. Doesn’t appear to be swollen. I know if I hurt down there, it wouldn’t be out of the question for me to vomit!

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Cody D.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Cody D.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Cody D.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Cody D.

[anonymous]

But what did the specialist suggest it is? Surely she must have an idea, what did she advise to do next? Besides the scope.

I have been through it, it’s a nightmare.
I never had a dog scoped though, usually they have a diagnosis after labs and x-ray.

I currently have an a dog with atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) there is no cure, just management ($$) and even with the best of treatment they can have flareups. She’s on antibiotics currently for a bacterial skin infection and we are trying Apoquel. Immunotherapy worked for years till now…

I sure hope your dog feels better soon. And you and your wife too.

[Deb D]

Samanthia, please do work with a veterinarian. We adopted an eight year old German shepherd dog nine months ago. She was a mess because of neglect and allergies. Imagine a GSD with no hair and infections in eyes, ears, urethra, anus, and toes. We have never dealt with a dog with allergies and, thankfully, let our vet guide us. We went through countless medicated baths and bottles of medicated ear cleaner, two Cytopoint shots (They were a real game changer for our girl.) and Z/D dog food. (Yep, we have also had to deal with the recall but, thank God, her Vitamin D levels are okay.) She is now on a maintenance schedule of one medicated bath a month and weekly ear cleanings. We think she has both environmental and food allergies so it is an excruciatingly slow process to figure things out BUT she is relatively comfortable so we can all sleep. She is not itch free but almost, and a world improved. And, we now have her at a point where we can experiment with one food and see if it causes increased symptoms.

The hardest part for us is the food. First of all, we would never have fed a food like Z/D. Second, she is not fond of it and we want a highly palatable food for training because she was neglected in that area too. Hill’s Hypo Treats are not gonna make her do back flips. We hope that one day we can find food she loves that loves her and is not grain-free. But meanwhile, we are grateful for Z/D and know that if we have to, we can stick with it. (Hubby and I find it Very difficult to withhold treats because we have always shared our food with our dogs. Her allergies hurt us almost as much as they do her.)

But our vet was the key. She tested swabs from between toes, from the ears, from everywhere so she would know exactly what was needed to treat her. Then she did it again after a few weeks so we made steady progress without overwhelming her (and us) with chemicals. It was beyond expensive but became less so as the diet/drugs/and chemicals did their job. She goes everywhere with us and now we hear, “What a beautiful German Shepherd.” A far cry from a nearly bald dog a year ago.

[anonymous]

/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/#post-132791

This dog needs to be treated by a veterinarian, asap. Ideally a veterinary dermatologist.

PS: The diet will not only not help but is nutritionally unbalanced and may make him sick and cause more problems, in example: gastrointestinal.

[Samanthia K]

I have a 5 year old old English bulldog that is a rescue. He has the worst allergies iv ever seen. He is on allergy meds and i use salmon oil on his food. I use coconut oil on his sores and he gets baths in medicated shampoo once a week. The only thing that seems to clear him up is when he is on antibiotics. I cant afford the grain free dog foods out there and am thinking of starting a grain free raw diet to see if it helps. His sores are all over from his head down his neck all the way to his back. Right now he has a boil on the backnof his neck that is rock hard and pops and bleeds everywhere. I need help to fix him. He looks and feels miserable and i hate it. Anyone know what i could do to help him?

[John P]

A healthy diet and good grooming habits can keep your dog’s skin and coat looking good. In many cases, however, pet owners prefer to give their dog a skin and coat supplement that will make their skin more supple, cut down on shedding, and help relieve allergies that cause itching and fur loss.

[Christie B]

I’m pretty good with making sure that my dogs see the vet annually for general checks and to make sure their up to date with necessary vaccinations. I was due to go back towards the end of 2018, but it completely slipped my mind.

My 9.5 year old American Bulldog mix has 1 front bowed leg. He’s always had it and he walks and runs fine (he looks gimpy when walking, but it’s how he’s always been and it causes no discomfort). He’s also had issues with food and the environment around him, although we’ve never been able to pinpoint his exact sensitivities. I’m sure you can go back and see my many posts and responses related to his “excessive drooling” and allergies posts.

So I noticed the other day when he was laying on his side (with the bowed leg up) that there appeared to be a large lump behind the leg. I never noticed it or just attributed it to the structure of his frame with the odd leg. So I went back to some old pictures I had, and I didn’t see the lump.

Concerned, I contacted the vet’s office on Saturday to make an appointment to look at the leg, as well as have his annual exam. The receptionist asked what doctor I deal with there. I told her the name of the practice’s owner (Dr. B), who also was the one who I discussed his allergies with (which was something I wanted to ask him about while I was there since the drooling episodes persist at irregular intervals). The earliest appointment was Monday 5:30. I rushed out of work that afternoon, let my dogs out, put the one in the car (I left the other home alone for like the 2nd time ever in the 4 years that I’ve had her)

When I arrived at the vet, I could see other dogs in the lobby. My big guy is loud and disruptive when he sees other dogs that he wants to meet. So I called and told them I was outside to call me when the room was ready. Nearly 30 minutes pass (we walked laps around the building) before we’re ushered into the hottest room ever. The vet tech asks me why we’re here. I explain about the lump and that I want to have his annual exam, etc.

So then we wait even longer and my poor dog, recognizing where he is is now panting and barking and crying. So the door opens and this women walks in. Never met her before, but she certainly wasn’t the vet I booked the appointment with. One of her arms wasn’t through the armhole of her cardigan and instead stuck out of the bottom. So something was up with her. She introduced herself, asked what I was here for.

Now, I understand my dog can be intimidating at first glance. He’s 119 pounds and has a giant pit head. But I never interacted with a vet who wouldn’t approach my dog. Even after telling her he’s 1000% friendly (and mind you I was holding him next to me), she made sure to keep the metal exam table between her and us.

So a vet tech comes in to ‘hold the dog’. The doctor looks at the lump and tells me, without touching it, that it’s a lipoma. I say “are you sure”, then she hesitantly approaches and feels the lump for about 10 seconds and says yes. Then says it’s obviously hampering his movements. I tell her he’s always had the bowed leg and cued up a video on my phone from him running, jumping and playing with my other dog the day before. So she then says it’s not hampering him, but it should be removed. And unfortunately it’s so big that they probably shouldn’t do the surgery and should have a specialist come in to do it. Then she did said that he’s young enough to warrant doing it (like I was automatically going to say no because of the expense). I she knew me like the other vet did, then she would know the well being of my dog is my priority. I ask her to get me an estimate.

I then ask if we can do a needle aspiration to make sure it’s not cancer. Why would I put my dog through a surgery, only to find out it may be cancerous and then make him go through treatments? If it’s cancer, he might still have to have surgery, but maybe they could try other methods to shrink it or kill it first. She says we can “for peace of mind”. And then tells me 30 seconds later that needle aspirations on lumps are highly inaccurate. The sample they take might not have cancer, but it can still be there.

Peace of mind, indeed.

Then she tries to dissuade me from the procedure by saying it will be expensive (but specialized surgery isn’t?)

I tell her to go ahead and do it.

While they try to formulate the price, she sells me on their “wellness package” which includes standard blood labs, urine and stool labs and heartworm test. Other than her 10 seconds spent feeling the lump and listening to his heart with a stethoscope, she didn’t touch my dog. The vet tech felt my dog’s body for lumps. Found a hard one in his chest. Doctor edges closes and feels for 1 second…”not concerned”. I tell them he has a lot of little lumps on his belly along with a bunch of skin tags of various size and color. She wasn’t interested in seeing them.

I’ve had wellness exams every year. The vet normally checks my dog’s ears, mouth, teeth, runs his hands over the dog to looks for lumps or abnormalities, checks over his legs and makes sure his joints are ok, listens to his heart, listen to his lungs/respiration, asks me what he eats, asks about his energy level, talks about any sort of supplements he takes, sometimes takes his temperature and checks the anal glands.

But this lady had her tech do the most cursory exam feeling for lumps on his back and sides and that’s it.

So she leaves the room to get started with prepping for the needle aspiration. Time passes (so much time) and she pops her head in and says that Dr. B (the practice owner) has to be the one who does it because she just had shoulder surgery (thanks for finally telling me) and unfortunately he still has two other patients to see, so can I come back another time? I turn around and tell her that I work every day and I switched my schedule around to be there that day and not for nothing but my appointment was supposed to be with Dr. B in the first place. So she says that she hopes that I wasn’t disappointed in having her treat my dog (I should have said something, but I didn’t). But I made the point that had I had Dr. B like originally scheduled, I wouldn’t have had to wait for him to finish with other people in order to do this test because he would have done the exam and the test and finish with me before seeing anyone else.

I wound up waiting. My poor dog, already traumatized by the blood test puncture was panting and crying and barking. At first, I kept shushing him. But then I just let him bark it out, because maybe they’d be so sick of hearing him that they’d hurry up. Dr. B finally came in, did the needle aspiration and left. In and out in less than 5 minutes.

I had hoped that he was going to come in alone so I could give him a tell him how disappointed I was with the exam and the doctor. But she had come in with him and with the vet techs in the room holding the dog down, I didn’t want to speak in front of them.

It’s been 3 days and I’m still annoyed. I didn’t get to discuss the drooling episodes (she was not interested at all in discussing it since it happens so randomly and the Benedryl and Pepcid help manage it). Who knows if the other lumps are lipomas or something else? I wanted to discuss senior nutrition (but not with her at this point).

I didn’t want to say anything until all the lab tests were in. Everything was good (Cholesterol and Total Protein levels a bit high, but she wasn’t concerned) and the biopsy came back likely to be fatty deposit lipoma.

Anyone else have inadequate vet exams?

And yes, I could have made a separate appointment to do the wellness exam and focus this one on the lump. But my vet knows these visits aren’t cheap and always makes a point of asking if there’s anything else I want to address while I’m there so I don’t have to pay for another visit. This new vet couldn’t be bothered…how do you expect to go to work to thoroughly examine a pet when you only have the use of 1 arm?

[Ana C]

Hello to all!

Here I am reading up on lawsuits on Acana/Orijens. I’ve been feeding my boys this food for the past 6 years. I trusted this brand whole heartedly like most folk out there and now I’m at a loss. Like most people I don’t feel comfortable feeding them this food until something is know whether it is safe or not. So, now I’m not sure what to feed my boys(dogs, just to clarify). Should I get them Fromm’s, Stella & Chewie, other? Which one? Unfortunately I just purchased a bag of Acana and I’, hesitant to feed them but they have to eat!
Any recommendations? No food allergies that I know of at this time. Both are cocker spaniels in good health and both roughly around 8-9 years of age.

Thank you so much for your time and suggestions,

Ana

[anonymous]

Yes, make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist and get the dog diagnosed.

Pruritus is not a typical response to anxiety. Your vet is correct.

She probably has atopic dermatitis/environmental allergies. There is no cure, allergies wax and wane. There is effective treatment but it will cost a few bucks.

Environmental allergies tend to show up between ages 1 to 3 and get worse with age.
Maybe that was why she was given up/abandoned.

Don’t keep changing the food and trying all kinds of bogus remedies, it won’t work.

Please see my posts, you may find something helpful.
/forums/search/atopic+dermatitis/

Take the dog out for bathroom breaks every 2 hours and first thing in the morning and the last thing before bedtime. Try to be patient, it sounds like this dog has been through a lot.
When her skin condition is properly diagnosed and treated you may notice a much more relaxed and comfortable dog.

Regarding the separation anxiety you may want to talk to your vet about medication, as the dog continues to stabilize after a few months to a year she can be tapered off. It doesn’t have to be forever.

[Candice A]

Hi Christie, that’s going to be really helpful to observe for triggers with the symptom journal. A couple of things to think about might be:
** A cyclic pancreatitis caused by protein-rich or fatty foods – this could cause nausea and drooling and maybe the skin irritation is due to the drool wetness.
**A lack of acid in the stomach, which can be due to medications, dairy products, grains and large amounts of water- this lack of stomach acid leads to prolonged transit time of foods- and the protein begins to turn rancid. The body’s response is to push it through ASAP- and saliva helps that happen.
**Imbalance of bacteria- this often results in random or intermitant signs of nausea with or without gassiness. I see great results with Herbsmith Microflora Plus as a probiotic. It helps the digestive tract do its job and also contains stomach calming herbs such as ginger and licorice. I usually have clients use this for 30 days and then re-eval.
**Food sensitivity-or AKA food allergies-The signs and symptoms that you described do often correlate with food allergies. If your pup is doing a lot of paw and leg licking I have seen some pets get an upset tummy from all the hair. It can be irritating to the stomach so I guess that makes sense.
**And lastly I always ask families to watch for any potential environmental allergies such as: laundry soaps, fabric softeners, fabric sprays like Feebreeze, air fresheners, candles, plug ins, strong essential oils, floor cleaners, dish soaps, added chemicals to city water sources ( just the chlorine and fluoride can sometimes cause my dogs to vomit), chemicals from hoses and wool rugs. These are the most common situations I see.
I am happy to do a complimentary nutritional consult if you would like 🙂 (https://journeysmobilevet.com/nutritional-consult-options) Good Luck!

[Candice A]

According to immunology research over the past few years – food allergies to chicken usually do not indicate a sensitivity to turkey or duck. There is about a 30-35% chance that exposure wise, a pet is sensitive to multiple poultry proteins.

[Candice A]

“I guess I usually point to diet first because I had a vet years ago, she was very good, and told me most of the dogs have problems due to their diet.”

Hi Joanne,
I think your instinct to look at diet is correct. I try to address the underlying cause of an infection or disease and there is something that is creating that environment that yeast can grow. I do a lot of nutritional modification and for your pup I would consider:
**The carbohydrate content of the food- because carbs alter the pH of the body and the skin.
**A food sensitivity-because allergies and sensitivities can lead to escalating inflammatory pathways as well as auto-immune conditions.
**Detox- because inflammation can clog up the liver. By increasing blood flow to the liver we can reduce inflammation, reduce the cascade of cytokines and reduce histamine level in the blood stream.
I’m happy to do a basic consult for you 🙂 (https://journeysmobilevet.com/nutritional-consult-options) Good Luck!

[anonymous]

/forums/search/hyperpigmentation

Quote “it appears to be blackish, reddish color and feels like a sticky texture”

What you described sounds like it could be hyperpigmentation (not caused by food)
The “sticky texture” sounds like skin infection may have set in.

Below is an excerpt from: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/tag/hyperpigmentation/
Some allergic dogs also have issues with dark, almost black patches appearing on their skin. This is known as hyperpigmentation, a condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. Hyperpigmentation is often combined with hair loss or balding.
As with all allergy symptoms, if you see reddish discoloration or signs of hyperpigmentation, you should talk to your veterinarian. They should be able to help you to determine if your dog is indeed suffering from allergies, or if their skin condition is related to a different health issue.

[Christie B]

So for years now my dog has had issues with excessive drooling. I’ve never been able to pinpoint what causes it. Medical tests all come back normal. But the drooling never last for more that an hour or two so by the time the vet sees him he can only offer suggestions.

The last time he noticed what he called signs of allergies: inflammation around his nose and mouth, head shaking and ear debris, watery eyes, paw and leg licking. He said that dogs can drool excessively when they have an upset stomach. Or if they come in contact with something in the environment that they’re allergic to.

So he basically told me to give him 5 benedryl twice a day to prevent symptoms.

Which I kind of thought was nuts because the drooling wasn’t happening all the time. So he told me to do it for 5 days, then give him a dose whenever symptoms presented.
Benedryl does work, unfortunately it takes a while to kick in.

But what triggers the episodes? How long does it take from exposure to symptoms?

It didn’t occur to me or my vet, but someone in a dog wellness FB group suggested keeping a journal of when these drooling attacks occur. That way I can write down when he last ate, what he ate, did he go outside prior, did he do anything unusual before the drooling started while it is still fresh in my mind.

He had a drooling episode today. The last one was a week ago while I was away. That day neither of my dogs ate much of anything (which happens sometimes when I go away). Thinking about possible food issues, all this past week I had given both dogs cooked ground beef. No incident. I ran out last night. This morning, I probably made the mistake of putting in a few crumbles of sausage that I had leftover. To make matters worse, when I ate eggs, sausage and cheese for breakfast about 60-90 minutes later, I gave the dogs the small remainder that I hadn’t finished.

Within 20 or so minutes the drooling began.

I’m kicking myself because I’ve been really good with the no table scraps treats.

The vet had said that because it doesn’t happen every day and only 1 or 2 a week (sometimes even less) that it’s probably something he’s eating. That the environmental sensitivities can be a totally separate issue and that dogs can develop really sensitive stomachs as they get older. He suggested either a sensitive stomach dry food or limited ingredient food to make digestion easier. He also suggested staying away from bird proteins as bully breeds are known to be sensitive to fowl proteins.

Any suggestions?

[Susan]

Hi Yelena,

Sounds like you have your answer your dog has “PLE”..
Have you tried a Vet diet, steroids & antibiotics for PLE & see is there was any improvements ??

1 year is a LONG time to have diarrhea everyday, your dog will end up with thickening of the bowel, skinny & malnutrition, he needs weekly B-12 injections & electrolytes put in syringe & given thru the day…. Electrolyte replace potassium, phosphorus, bicarbonate, chloride, sodium and calcium.
You need to see a vet who knows about IBD?? the vet who wanted to do biopsies seem to know what he was talking about.
You need to find out what is wrong with your boy, your going around in circle….

Join face book group called
“Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD)”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/11164787803/

I would be doing biopsies, the quicker you do biopsies you will have answers.

Salvia/fur & blood test for Food Sensitivities/allergies are a waste of money they give false positives results..
Ultra Scan, X rays are also a waste of money at this stage, they will not tell vet what’s wrong, you need biopsies so vet knows 100% what he is dealing with so he can treat dog……

I did Endoscope thru mouth or you can do Colonscope other end, vet took 2 biopsies, 3 days later I had answers finally..
Endoscope is quick easy no pain, dog is back home 5 hours later eating food, running around playing…..

Was your dog tested for EPI?
Join this face book group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/38663535025/
If your dog is tested & has EPI then post a post in the EPI Dog group & ask how can you buy Dianes enzymes but its sounds like you have tried Enzymes
also a lot of EPI dogs take “Tylan Powder” – 1/8th teaspoon put into empty capsule given with meal 2 of the daily meals….. EPI needs low fiber, a diet with potato is best…no grains, grains, rice ferment in stomach & small bowel no good for EPI…

I don’t think a raw diet well help, changing diet would of helped by now…
a Vet Diet + meds would be best to get your dog stable & doing formed poos again..

DIET INDICATIONS

Highly Digestible – IBD
Home-Prepared – Fat intolerance, Food allergy, Food intolerance, IBD, Lymphangiectasia Severe PLE – Modified Fiber – Vet Diet
Colitis – Fiber-responsive, intestinal disease, IBD of large intestine
EPI – Very low fiber diet, digestive enzymes

[Sandy C]

Joanne, I’m not sure who misinformed you that dogs are only allergic to the grain. I hope I’m not too late to respond. As you know dogs are descendant from wolves, coyotes, etc… and what do they mostly eat? Animals and animals are protein. Dogs are more than likely to be allergic to grains than they are to protein. I work as a sales consultant at a pet store and have helped multiple customers about their pet needs. Almost every dog is allergic to grains and Chicken because it is one of the most common ingredient. Nowadays, dogs especially bully breeds are prone to getting allergies towards the food so its always best to rotate the protein not just for allergy reasons, but it also alleviates a picky dog and wean them off of the food and give them more variety because sometimes the company can go out of business, the product can be recalled, or discontinued. Rotational feeding is always best and you can consult with your vet but everyone vet is entitled to their own opinion and may mislead you.

The best optimal food is raw food. Remember dogs are not children/human. They are animals and yes they can eat raw. What do you think wolves eat? Grains or Meat?

My dog is allergic to grains and so are some of my customers dog. High starchy diets can also cause ear affection because its a sugar content and that sugar can also cause yeast infection which is why if you have an yeast infection you can’t eat too much sugar content.

[margie r]

I used CBD Oil for my dogs when we go to our Vet. They are so excited when we go outside.
I gave them CBD Oil 15 to 30 minutes prior. CBD oil for our pets can treat health issues such as digestive or upset tummy, inflammation, joint pain or even allergies.
I tried this in my dog, I gave it when I know he faced a stressful situation.
And as I done researching, I came across to this article about Cannabis and Mj
kylekushman.com/topic/still-getting-yellowing-around-week-4-5/

[Susan]

Hi,
I was feeding TOTW my boy did really well with his IBD & Allergies then about 15months ago my boy went down hill, I dont know if it was the food but he stopped eating TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb his favorite & Patch eats “everything” then finally after feeding “Wellness Core Large Breed Adult” Patch finally started to get better & was his happy self again, you dont need to feed much, its high protein, low/med-fat & is low in
carbs good for losing weight Kcals are 345 Kcals per cup, also is high in Glucosamine
Patch is 10yrs old acted like a pup on Wellness Core Large Breed Adult…
Wellness have a few different formula’s with grains with out grains with both..
Here’s Wellness site – – https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food

Canidae is another good brand…
Canidae – https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Canidae Pure Meadow Senior” on page 4 is really good…

[Peggy M]

I have been feeding my pure bred Cavalier King Charles “Natural Balance” Duck and Potato formula for several years at the recommendation of her Vet due to previous food allergies. Ever since, we have been completely successful; no allergies, no antibiotics. I have beed feeding her Natural Balance exclusively for at least the past 6 years. My Cav is now 11 years old and when I recently went in to routinely buy her bag of food, the store owner steered me away from it saying that Natural Balance had been purchased by the Smucker’s Company and “most likely the formula would change because Smuckers is a big company”. So, she talked me into buying “Tuscan Natural-Simply Pure Lamb” Dry Food. Saying it was a simple-ingredient food. I eased and transitioned my dog into the new food. Everything was fine in the beginning. But once my Cav was solely on the the new food…OMG!!! My poor dog couldn’t stop pooping. She would wake up whining and whimpering during the night because she had to poop so bad! I’d take her out in the middle of the night and she would poop super soft poo, the same color as the food! She would poop 2-3 times during the day, as well! This went on for 3-4 days and nights until I decided to go back to her original food; “Natural Balance”. Not sure if this has happened to anyone else, but I would be very careful transitioning over to “Tuscan Natural”. IT DID NOT AGREE WITH MY DOG, AT ALL!!! As soon as I began feeding the her the original food, she immediately was fine. Stools were normal, she slept through the night, and has never had anymore soft stool issues! Just thought I’d let you all know.

[Cameron M]

Hi,
perhaps read my post to Patti. You mention the fish kibble seems to work best..maybe it is the protein? I assume the others you tried had protein other than fish – such as the chicken you mention or beef which is common?

My gal seems to do equally well on either grain free or regular salmon based food. beef seems the worst for her. Due to the concerns regarding “grain free” I am trying the regular salmon based food.

Also – I have learned that only a small percentage of dog allergies are food based with the majority being caused by environmental triggers just like humans. Grasses, pollen and even dust triggers reactions in effected dogs.

I hope your issue is easily resolved and hey a 3.5 star food isn’t necessarily bad. The reviewers tend to place emphasis on protein content etc…and frankly I try to have a lower but high quality protein percentage so as to avoid kidney issues later in life.

Solid Gold has a great Salmon based dry kibble but since the protein is only 21% it has a lower rating. Just food for thought. ( and btw I am not pushing a certain brand…I used to stand by Solid Gold but haven’t checked…they may be sold out to some super large corp now? And I do realize marketing image is always in play)

Cameron

[Christie B]

Chewing paws could point to an allergy or sensitivity to something in her food. After years of trial and error with sampling foods, I realized that my dog Chance would do well on any food…for a while. But after a while (usually on my 2nd or 3rd bag of the same food), he would start chewing on his feet, shaking his head, licking his legs, drooling excessively. My vet said allergies and told me to give him Benedryl.

I found out that if I switched his food to a different animal protein after 2 bags, or whenever I saw him start to chew his paws, (always transitioning properly) the chewing would stop.

[Pitbull C]

Skin problems can get in the way of a hearty meal. No matter how nutritious your choice of dog food is, your Pitty’s allergies should always be factored in. The best dog food for Pitbulls with skin allergies is the best pick here. Read more about the best dog food for pitbulls with skin allergies here: http://pitbullscare.com/best-dog-food-for-pitbulls-with-skin-allergies/

[Susan]

Hi Pat,
Sorry for what has happened 🙁
if you can afford it I’d cook meals or feed 1 cooked meal & the other meal feed a freeze dried dog food that has human grade ingredients, I’d stay away from dry kibbles & wet can dog foods…
Take back the 3 bags of TOTW food & get your money back..if pet shop wont refund then contact TOTW..
also here’s link for FDA to report a problem.
https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm

Ask vet to do full blood test see if liver is OK ??

My Patch was doing really well on TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb from 2015-2017 then 2017-Nov he started to go down hill & refused to eat his TOTW Lamb kibble, Patch NEVER refuses food, thats when I knew something was wrong.
I blammed the TOTW Lamb kibble he was eating had made him very ill being a Diamond product he didnt get better after I stopped teh TOTW kibble so in January 2018 he had endoscope & biopsies done & he has LES – his Lower Esophageal Sphincter flap doesnt close properly this was causing bad acid reflux washing back up & was burning his wind pipe & esophagus were both red & inflammmed but I still think TOTW made him ill aswell, his liver results weren’t good, I’d say a few things were happening cause he does have IBD & Skin Allergies but we are what we eat & he was eating the same dry food I wasnt rotating & feeding any other foods like I normally do….

Never feed the same brand of pet food month after month, year after year, this is when health problems can start to happen…
Now I rotate his foods again, I change between 3 different brands now & try & add as much fresh food as possible in his diet.. When I started feeding him “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult dry & “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato he started to get better, he hasnt become ill again..but it took a while for him to get well again

There’s a company that test/studies for toxins, heavy metals & contaminates they test
the best selling Pet Foods in America, these dog foods are tested in an accredited analytical chemistry laboratory for 130 harmful environmental and industrial contaminants and toxins. Results are published as Product Ratings.
I cant post the link as DFA, DFA doesn’t believe in this testing & blocks the link, different batches of Dog/Cat wet, dry & treats get tested every 3-4 months these are all “new different batches” that are being tested everytime, certain brands of pet foods keep coming back time & time again very high in toxins, heavy metals & contaminates &

TOTW High Prairie adult formula & TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon have been on the 1 star – high toxins, heavy metals & contaminate list for nilly 2yrs now cause they have poison ingredients in them… 🙁

Google, heavy metals, toxins in dry dog foods,
so you can see all the 5 -1 star foods –

Here’s C L P first 13 x 5 star dry dog foods that tested very well, if you cant find the dry food site C L P I’m talking about.
Thats if you want to continue feeding a dog food..

* Buckley Liberty Freeze-Dried Beef Recipe Dry Dog Food
* Buckley Grain Free Liberty With Lamb Dry Dog Food
* Buckley Liberty Freeze-Dried Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
* Buckley Liberty Grain Free with Chicken Dry Dog Food
* Canisource Grand Cru All Life Stages Turkey Formula Dehydrated Raw Dry Dog Food
* CaniSource Grand Cru All Life Stages Pork and Lamb Formula Dehydrated Raw Dry Dog Food
* CaniSource Grand Cru All Life Stages Red Meat Formula Dehydrated Raw Dry Dog Food
* BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food Duck Recipe
* BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food Chicken Recipe
* BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food Salmon & Chicken Recipe
* BIXBI Rawbble Dry Dog Food Lamb Recipe
* I and Love and You Grain Free Naked Essentials With Lamb + Bison Dry Dog Foo
* I and Love and You Grain Free Naked Essentials With Chicken + Duck Dry Dog Food

[Susan]

Hi
I prefer to feed diet for age of my dog, a pup eats puppy formula, an adult 1-7 eats an adult formula & a senior dog eats a senior food, senior food have all the supplements for aging dogs joint, bones etc & have lower fat, higher protein, well it depends which brand you feed, I like “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior formula, its high in Omega 3 fatty acid, has Glucosamine but its not as high as the Wellness Core Large breed Adult formula, Ive found the the Large Breed formula’s are higher in Glucosamine & Chondroitin then most senior foods.. I was going to try Wellness Core Senior but it has Lentils Patch gets diarrhea from lentils & bad wind pain, gas farts..
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-meadow-dry-formula

I dont know if your 10 year old American Bulldog Pit mix has Arthritis, he probably does??
Have you tried “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult Grain Free dry kibble?
it’s low Kcals-346kcals per cup, high Protein-34%min, low/med fat -13%max
Carbs-30% scroll down to “Nutrient Profiles”
then click on the “GET THE PDF” link it will give you all the max “Dry Matter Basis %”
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/core-large-breed-large-breed

My boy 10yr old Staffy – 40lbs suffers with IBD, Food & Environment Allergies & he has this 3-4cm bone thing growing out of his left hip bone, vets said they have never seen anything like it, the vet said he was probably born with it…
anyway around age 9 he started running on 3 legs, letting his left back leg to hang while running, then last year in December – January he went down hill with his IBD then in March he was really sick with his stomach he had bad acid reflux, I started introducing Wellness Core Large Breed adult formula, it had the right fat%, Low Kcals, low carbs & high protein % also was high in Glucosamine was not less than 750 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate was not less than 250 mg/kg…
After 3weeks of eating the Wellness Core everythng got better his stomach his acid reflux stopped 🙂 his back leg, he stop running on 3 legs, he ran on all 4 legs & started acting like a young pup again… His vet, the Pet Shop man, everyone couldnt believe what a big difference after eating the Wellness Core Large Breed Adult formula had made.

Now I rotate his dry foods, between Canidae Pure Meadow Senior, Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato formula & an Australian made brand Frontier Pets Freeze Dried for lunch,
cause Patch became so unwell in Dec -2017-Jan-2018 after eating TOTW & Nutro, I’ve kept feeding Patch his Wellness Core Large breed formula for 8-9 months never rotated with any other dry kibbles except at lunch time he gets a small wet meal, then Summer came & so did Patches environment allergies bad so I thought I’ll rotate & change his dry food to Wellness Simple Turkey & potato formula cause he did so well on the Wellness Core also the Wellness Simple is formulated for Skin problems & is high in Omega 3 fatty acids…
About 2-3 weeks after I stopped feeding his Wellness Core Large Breed formula & was feeding him just the Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato formula, his IBD = firm poos & his Skin & coat was beautiful & shinney, he stopped alot of his scratching & being itchy from allergies, I also bath him twice a week or weekly depends on how itchy he gets, baths wash off all the allergens off his skin & paws, BUT he started running on 3 legs again 🙁

The Wellness Core Large Breed is higher Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate it must of really helped with his arthritis in his lower back pain….So I bought the Glucosamine Chrondroitin, Vitamin C & Maganese Powder to add to his dry meal, I couldnt workout teh dose as it wasnt like the tablets dose + it taste AWFUL yuk I couldnt drink it, it says to add to fruit juice, its yuk no way Patch will take it.. so I quickly put him back to 1/2 Wellness Core Large Breed kibble & Wellness Simple kibble, now he’s getting “Cartrophen Vet Injections” he gets 1 weekly injection for 1 month then you stop, today was his last injection, Cartrophen Vet has really helped his lower back pain the thing is he’s a nut & he jumps up to say hello to visitors & this is when he hurts his lower back more..

You need a diet HIGH in Omega 3 fatty acid not high in Omega 6 fatty acid, Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory & tooo much Omega 6 is no good for inflammatory problems, Omega 6 is an inflammatory….
The body needs a healthy balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals.

When a dog diet is not balanced properly & is too low in Omega 3 & way to high in Omega 6 alot of dry/wet can foods aren’t balanced properly, this can cause skin problems with dogs…. Omega 3 should be nilly 1/2 of what the Omega 6% says..
Wellness Simple is excellent for dogs who have Skin/Stomach problems
Omega 3 Fatty Acids-1.13%, the Omega 6 Fatty Acids-2.30% max %.
Click on the PDF page
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

Instead of adding 2 tble spoons of wet can food start adding some Tin Salmon in spring water, drain the spring water, put salmon in small air tight container put in fridge..
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, sardines, eggs, almonds, and other anti-inflammatory foods. Add 1-2 spoons of tin Salmon or Sardines to each meal..
Sardines can be a bit rich for some dogs I have to feed the Salmon + swet potat instead with Patch..

What I do when changing to a new dry formula same formula, first I check is it the same Use By Date, same Batch?? then I put 1/2 new kibble & 1/2 old kibble in an air tight container & mix thru, my boy use to be very sensitive but now since rotating between a few different brands he does really well, his immune system has become heaps stronger..

Boil Sweet Potato pieces & freeze them in those clip lock sandwich bags, Sweet Potato freezes & thaws really well, I put 1 frozen piece Sweet Potato in the micro wave 15-25sec etc then I mash teh Sweeet potato piece on a plate & let Patch lick it off..
Sweet Potato & Potato firm poo up & is excellent when dog has upset stomach/bowel, start adding 2 spoons of Sweet Potato & Salmon with dry kibble, its healthier & cheaper then wet can foods..

[Susan]

Hi,
yes a few posters on DFA I dont see them post on here anymore, feed Victor dog food…
Pitlove has a dog who has sensitive stomach & allergies, her dog does really well on Victor grain formula, her dog Bentley didn’t do well on the grain free formula’s but I dont know which Victor formula he ate, it might have been 1 of the Victor Select formula’s ??

Have you tried “Aldis Pure Being” Head to Tail Chicken & Brown Rice ? it looks good aswell, also Wellpet make the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oats no barley in it..

[Pat B]

My 6 year old doxy/beagle mix started having episodes at night. He wakes up gulping/licking the air and swallowing. We recently moved to San Antonio and that’s when it started. I have changed his food has well. I spoke to a vet and she had me put him on a bland diet. Boiled chicken and rice. I did that and it helped so with her advice started the dog food back and it happened again. So I put him back on cooked human food and it has stopped. I feel it may be allergies.

[Morgan A]

Thank you for the helpful reply, Susan!
I did not consider omegas, I will have to ask my vet about that as far as fat in his diet.
I have gotten his food allergies under control and that has substantially helped with his itchiness (white potatoes are a mild allergen for him, but not one that would trigger a severe reaction). He actually has a really great coat now! But he does also have a plethora of environmental allergies and there’s not much I can do about that other than what you’ve suggested. I will join the pages you mentioned and bring up these things with my vet! Hopefully something will help put a stop to this issue.

[Susan]

Hi Morgan,

are you on facebook?? join this group, post a post & ask people your question, you’ll probably get a better response..
“Dog Allergies, Issues and Other Information Support Group”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/

Also follow “Rodney Habib” Diet plays a big part in keeping your sick dog healthy..
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

I dont know how your going to go with low fat diet?? as you need fat (Omega fats)for allergies..

My boy cant have high fat diet, causes Acid reflux, he’s OK up to 13% max fat, I feed 13% max -fat & he does well…
Allergies can be confusing, sometimes we think its an ingredient or protein causing the dogs itchy skin, ears & paws etc, 80% of the time its from environment allergens..
Normally if a dog has food sensitivities they will also have environment allergies aswell..
Routine-Baths are the best to do with allergies, you wash off the Allergens off paws, skin etc, bath weekly or twice a week in the Spring & Summer.. I also use baby wipes & I wipe him down after we have gone for walks or he’s been out the back yard in Spring & Summer months when trees & plants are flowering.

My boy hs IBD Food sensitivities & seasonal environment allergies, fat has to be around 13%max as he suffers bad acid reflux,
I feed him “Wellness Simple” Wellness Core” Canidae Pure Wild Boar”

Why do you want to stay away from white potatoes??
Yeasty, smelly, itchy skin isnt caused by starchy carbs, a dog will only react to potatoes if he is sensitivite to potato, which is rare I’ve been told by a vet nutritionist, vet diets use Potato cause it’s a low allergen..

Have a look at First Mate, Chicken & Blueberries its Grain, Gluten & Pea Free, Single Meat Protein, Limited Ingredient Formula, Available in Small Bites

Limited Ingredient Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula

I would look into feeding tin salmon in spring water + sweet potato,
just make sure you read sodium/salt % get the lowest %,
feed foods that are high in omega fatty acids, this way the skin is kept healthy & diet is low in hard fats…. Sardines can be very rich but are VERY healthy..
This is what I try to do with Patch, he eats 5 small meals a day, cause of his IBD, he eats his dry kibble 7am, 9am, 5pm & 7pm then for lunch -12pm he gets his wet healthy meal Salmon & Sweet potato, Frontier Pets – dehydrated free range raw made Australia, freeze dried green lipped Mussels, Almond 3 almonds a day for dogs , Follow Rodney, he is always posting healthy foods. I try to rotate as many healthy foods into his diet over 7 days..

If I were you i’d try & stay away from kibbles, pet foods are VERY high in toxins contamnates & heavy metals, you dont want to put more stress on his liver if you can..
Google heavy metals toxinz & contaminates in pet foods.. Chicken & Turkey are the cleanest meats in pet foods..
Good Luck

[anonymous]

“My veterinarian has done done preliminary research and it seems there’s not really a treatment for this, and the theory is that it’s a secondary condition resulting from his horrible allergies”.

There is your answer, treat the primary condition. Allergies.
See what your vet recommends, maybe you need a referral to a veterinary dermatologist.

Stop looking for natural miracle cures, there are none.

PS: If your vet is homeopathic then consider getting another opinion from a science based traditional vet.

[Morgan A]

Here’s a hard one… I’m already afraid the answer is going to be a homemade or raw diet, which I’m totally not prepared for!

Long story short, my 6 and 1/2 year old bully mix has been diagnosed with vacuolar hepatopathy after a couple of years of tests, meds and supplements. He is not symptomatic but his ALT is through the roof. My veterinarian has done done preliminary research and it seems there’s not really a treatment for this, and the theory is that it’s a secondary condition resulting from his horrible allergies. I did find a single article that she is going to investigate further that claims a very low fat (but not protein restrictive) diet may help, <2 g fat/100 kcal. But I also have his allergies to consider, mainly grains but above all else peas and green beans. I’d prefer to stay away from white potatoes as well but I’m thinking we’re in a lesser of two evils kind of situation now. Luckily he has no animal protein allergies. There’s only one food in town that I’ve found he can habe and that’s Natural Balance fish and sweet potato, but I wasn’t crazy about it. I switched him to Sport Dog and he done well, but it’s definitely too high in fat if we decide to pursue this diet.

So, has anyone had a similar situation? Does anyone know of a unicorn food like what he needs?! I’m also open to suggestions on supplements, including antioxidants (also mentioned in the article as helpful), though Denamarin and Liver Happy did not help.

Thanks for reading!

[Susan]

Hi,
Have a look at limited ingredient formula’s if you think it might be food sensitivities, best off feeding a single meat protein & 1-2 carbs…
I rotate between 2-3 “different brands” that agree with my boy, I dont feed the same brand 24/7, year after year, if something is wrong with a certain brand of dog food, heavy metals, toxins, contaminates etc then that’s all your dog is eating 24/7 causing health problems down teh track…
Join this f/b group “Dog Allergies, Issues & Other Information Support Group” on face book
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DogAllergiesIssuesandOtherInformationSupporGroup/
Dogs who have thyriod problems normally suffer skin problems aswell so it might have nothing to with diet? But I’d still change his food brand, sounds like he has been eating Kirklands for a while, feed him a variety of different foods, chicken & turkey seem to be the cleanest meats when pet foods were tested for heavy metals toxins & contaminates.

I feed “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato & “Wellness Core” Large breed Adult. my boy suffers with IBD & Environment Allergies.
Here’s Wellness Simple formula’s look to your right & you’ll see the different Simple limited ingredient formula’s to choose from…
Here’s Wellness Simple Healthy Weight LID formula.
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-healthy-weight

I also rotate & feed “Canidae Pure” formula’s, Canidae “Pure” formula’s has limited ingredients.
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Scroll down a bit & look to your right & you’ll see all the pages of Canidae formula’s
VIEW ALL << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >>
I feed the Canidae Pure Wild Boar & Canidae Pure Meadow Senior formula..

I would stay away from all fish pet foods, some can be very high in heavy metals, contaminates & toxins….
The “First Mate” Chicken Meal & Blueberrries formula looks good & it’s Legume free, the rest of the First Mate formula’s are high in fiber -7%….

Limited Ingredient Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula

[Sherri C]

I had 3 dogs. One was a 13 year healthy Chihuahua. Another one was a healthy 10 year MinPin Chihuahua. And my healthy 10 year old Boxer mix. I had always bought them Pedigree dog food. I started to do research on healthier dog food and the grain free got good reviews so back in 2016 I changed to grain free. All my dogs were very healthy at the time. After changing to grain free dog food I now have 2 dogs that have passed and my Boxer is now sick. All within 2 years of feeding them grain free dog food. They have all gotten congestive heart failure. I thought I was doing something wrong for all my dogs to be passing from this disease. After talking to my vet and doing the math. I realized that it was the grain free dog food killing my animals. My MinPin started to have allergies. It started with ear problems. I was slow to figure out what was going on and I so I lost my MinPin the day after Christmas. Grain free is killing our fur babies and so is the toxic flea medication. Its pure pesticide that you put on your animal. If you love your fur babies, don’t feed them grain free dog or the toxic flea medication.

[patrocle]

I have a 4 year / 3 months old Siberian Husky and he started to gain little weight and he slowed down as he does not have energy anymore, plus he started to get few hot spots. So i went to the Vet and done some blood work on him. Tests came good , but the Thyroid test the Vet say is way to low and that’s why he has the spots, getting weight and probably all this causing from allergies.
So the Vet put him on three different medications, witch he is done with two of them and just left with one ,for another week and then will have to do the blood test for Thyroid again to see the levels.
I also asked if the food maybe a problem too, in what i was giving him. At that time witch was till some where half way in Dec 2018 , i had the kirkland brand from costco “Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Beef Meal & Sweet Potato” and before that , about 1.5 month ago i was giving him “Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Dog Food”
So the Vet told me to give him dry food “with Grains” , so today i was looking for some dry food with grains at a local store witch the owner was the dog trainer & food for 25,30 with Law Enforcement , and he owns the store now, i told him my story about my dog health and what the vet recommended and he said , he will go with dry food like:
Orijen Six Fish or the FirstMate Pacific Ocean Fish Meal – Original Formula
Also he mention to give him 2 cups a day for now.

So i need some clarification what to buy and what to choose between “with grains or grain free” ? Done a lot of reading and looks like i am more confuse than to know exactly what to buy,

Any advice will appreciate!
P.

[Kate S]

Hello,
My dog is a 4yr bichon frise and poodle mix. We currently are feeding our dogs Fromms (grain free) because we believe quality food impacts overall health. I recently discovered that he has an issue with forming crystals in his urine, which if left untreat can lead to bladder stones. I was recommended by two seperate veterinarians a prescription dog food diet, for the rest of his life. One was the Royal Canin SO Urinary food and the other suggested Science Diet Urinary. I personally am hesitant to give these foods to my dog long-term since they contain things like corn and by products. I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations? I also worry since my dog has allergies that some foods could irritate him.
Thanks in advance!

[Susan]

Hi Ruth,

the ingredients look good BUT for the price yes its a rip off, there’s cheaper supplements around that are just as good maybe better to fix a dogs gut/immune system.

I would stick with Probiotics Supplements made by companies who specialize in this field..
Nutra Thrive advertise Holistic Vet Dr. Gary Richter, he might be a really good holistic veterinarian but he would have been paid alot of money to advertise Nutra Thrive, this is probably why it’s so expensive, there’s nothing special with ingredients to cost $187.97 for 30 scoops for 1 month supply…

If you’re looking for a GOOD probiotic “Purina Forti Floria Probiotic powder,
When they did a study & tested 10 popular dog probiotic’s, out of the 10 dog probiotics only 3 probiotics came back with live microorganisms.
Purina came top 3 probiotics.
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.com/products/fortiflora-dog-probiotics/
or
Can you get “Blackmores Paw” Dog & Cat range in the US?
Look at
“PAW DigestiCare 60™ Probiotic” it has great reviews & suppose to be very good, my vet likes Paw supplements & the owner of the vet practice only stocks healthy foods, supplements & healthy treats that he knows his customer said worked & helped their dogs health problems..

If your dog has skin problems give a dog probiotic you think is good & have a look at “Paw Dermoscent® Essential 6® spot-on for Dogs” you put on skin, back of their necks, my boy can’t take fish/salmon oil capsules, so this Dermoscent Essential would be very good for him, I’ve been told Krill Oil Capsules are better for people/dogs who have sensitive stomachs.
https://www.blackmores.com.au/products/pet-health/skin-and-coat-health/dermoscent-essential-6-spot-on-for-dogs

I’m going to also try “PAW Complete Calm” Chews so Patch has a better sleep now he’s getting older he’s been having restless sleeps some nights, someone wrote in reviews on the online pet store i use, she wrote, she gives her dog a 1 x Calm chew before bed her dog has Dementia & the Paw Calm chew settles her little dog down……

I was at the vets yesterday cause Patch has been getting “Cartrophen Vet injection for 4 weeks & I seen “Paw Senior Vitality” powder
ingredients
Contains key antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients such as DHA, Lutein, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, L-Carnitine and Selenium to help support brain, eye and immune health.
I’m going to try this Paw Senior Vitality Powder next, make it in a bowl with water & Patch can drink it, it says its chicken flavour.

I like supplements that are either Chews or Powders, with Patches Probiotic powder I was adding 10ml water mixing in a small bowl & Patch was drinking his Probiotic from bowl as a treat…
It’s best to take Probiotic when stomach acids are low, so give either first thing of a morning then wait 1 hour before feeding Breakfast or I gave probiotic inbetween meals I gave around 10am inbetween breakfast & lunch meals…

I read all the reviews & Paws has some really good reviews, best to look on the online Pet Stores & read their reviews cause its not the retailer adding peoples reviews, it will be people just like you & me who have tried a product then we give a review & the Online store just posts the reviews the good & teh bad reviews..

I know you mighten have an order dog who’d over 7yrs old but look what you can get for $99, a Senior Pack, it’s not bad everything they need for skin, joints, gut & brain.
https://www.blackmores.com.au/products/pet-health/pawfect-senior-pack

Nutra Thrive reviews look shonky?? I read thru a few & normally when you read reviews there’s always 1-3 bad reviews – “my dog didn’t like it”, “my dog got diarrhea” etc but this Nutra Thrive his all 5 stars reviews??
I wouldnt pay all that money $188.97 that is very very expensive probiotic, Nutra Thrive are praying on pet owners who are vulnerable wanting to fix their dog health problems… Nutra Thrive wont fix dogs skin problems, might fix gut health (maybe) but if dog has a skin problems need to find out why what is causing the problem??

* Food sensitivities? – change diet,
* Environement allergies? – Bath twice a week to wash off allergens.
* Diet is Low in Omega 3? – add 1-2 spoons of tin salmon/sardines in spring water to each meal or add 1 x Krill Oil Capsule helps inflammation
* Strengthen immune/Gut give Probiotic.

[Ruth K]

I have seen a video advertisement for Nutra Thrive. It is a supplement to help health of dogs with allergies, inflammation and other vitamin deficiency symptoms. I am interested in finding out if it is legitimate or scam. Please let me know what you have discovered about this product. Thank you.
The website is: https://ultimatepetnutrition.com/product/nutra-thrive/

[Ruth K]

I have seen a video advertisement for Nutra Thrive. It is a supplement to help health of dogs with allergies, inflammation and other vitamin deficiency symptoms. I am interested in finding out if it is legitimate or scam. Please let me know what you have discovered about this product. Thank you.

The website is: https://ultimatepetnutrition.com/product/nutra-thrive/

[Lynne P]

thank you soo much for the advice. since we have had her have known her to be allergic to grains through process of elimination in her diet (ear discharge, paw chewing, itching). we knew chicken allergies but as she has become older, is now any meat with a feathered source. we were transitioning her from a cooked fish / potatoe diet for gut and allergies but had weight loss. went to beef (lean ) and rice and got her weight up but trying to find a long term food solution. tried nutro lamb wet, got gas and the vet yesterday. tried avoderm but had the Turkey here and set off her allergies. vet recommended beef or venison. so beef and rice with regulon until we can sort this. you all have given good suggestions so will do some reading, thank you again.

[anonymous]

Regarding:
“Second, do this test for allergic triggers in food and environment”: (glacierpeakholistics)
/forums/search/glacier+peaks/

Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Scan Stress Test or How Much BS Can Fit on One Web Page?

Hair and Saliva Test for Allergies are Worthless Pseudoscience

Regarding:
“Look into the Zignature line of dry, limited ingredient kibble”.

Ask your vet, most vets are recommending feeding a grain-inclusive food at least till the results of the investigation are in.

It’s Not Just Grain-Free: An Update on Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy

[aimee]

Hi Ann H,

Please keep in mind that there is no accurate way to test for food allergies. While tests exist, dogs will test positive to foods they have no allergic reactions to and can test negative to the foods that they react to.

For information on food allergies and how to diagnose and treat them go to veterinarypartner(dot) com and search on food allergy

The only way to diagnose food allergy is through an elimination food trial. A food specifically made for this purpose can be acquired through your veterinarian. Home cooking is also an option.

Limited ingredient diets often contain protein sources not listed in the ingredients and are not suitable to use as a test diet.
Best of Luck!

[kali s]

I have been feeding my dog TOTW for 7 years. Since the beginning of November 2018, he has been vomiting frequently. We thought it was something he picked up on a walk – so gave it some time to ‘work it’s way through’. After 2 weeks – we took him to the vet for blood tests and xray. Neither caused the vet concern and he was put on a bland diet for 7 days as well anti-nausea and antacid. 7 days without vomiting, but his allergies prevented him from eating rice and he wouldn’t eat pumpkin – so not much fiber. After almost a 48-hour stretch without a bowl movement – he went back to the vet. Vet said since he had been vomit-free for 7 days – he could go back to his regular diet – including kibble. Two days later he was vomiting again, but vet was too busy … with Christmas approaching and dog not holding food down, we went to a new vet. He looked at the blood tests and xray done by the other vet and prescribed another round of anti-nausea. He was fine for 2 days – then started vomiting again when we added the kibble. He’s since had a new round of blood tests with the new vet and a radiologist looked at the x-ray. Still nothing. He is at the vet as I write – getting an ultrasound. After reading this forum, I am becoming more and more convinced that it was the new bag of TOTW we bought. The timing of that purchase coincides with the start of the vomiting. If the ultrasound shows no scary stuff going on … we are not going to try the TOTW again. If he fairs well on the new kibble – we know for certain what the problem is/was.

[Ann H]

I am amazed by the knowledge possessed by and shared on this forum! With all of that amassed info, however, I am still stymied. My 4.5 yr old chessie/lab mix just pronounced with food allergies over the last few months. He was eating Blue Buffalo until they changed the formula. His vet tests revealed he can tolerate wheat, chicken, beef, potatoes, and corn with no problem, but cannot tollerate rice, salmon, duck, turkey, lamb, or oats. That limits his protein sources and is a very hard combo to find- nearly all have some oats, fish or turkey. After recent info about grains being important to a dogs diet, I was searching for any brand that combined chix with wheat, but without any of the other offensive ingredients. I haven’t found one yet! I appreciated the food wizard provided by a poster, and it helped me narrow the list down to 3 possibilities. But all 3 have something in it that he can’t have, so I will have to see what he is least reactive to thru trial and error. Absent cooking his meals, can you offer any advice? If I do end up cooking for him, will I need to add supplements to insure he gets all the vitamins, minerals, oils, etc. he needs?

• This topic was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Ann H. Reason: Spelling corrected

[Joseph G]

Hello. Your messages a few months old, but I figured I’d still reply to it. My dog has severe allergies as well and is very difficult. My dog is on Apoquel because her allergies are that bad
And the benefits far outweigh any risk for her. She honestly hasn’t had any problems with the medication says she’s been on it, which has been a few years now. It doesn’t completely help with her allergies, but it definitely helps considerably. Even if I miss one dose, you can tell that she starts itching more. There is also a new medication called Cytopoint That is an injection that your vet gives your dog approximately every 4-6 weeks. After the initial evaluation of your dog, usually one of the techs can give your dog the injection and you don’t need to see your vet every time you go and pay an examination fee. You just pay for the injection. The injections aren’t super cheap, but it’s comparable or maybe less expensive than Apoquel. I haven’t tried it yet on my dog as she is doing okay on the Apoquel. Some people will say these injections are bad because they modulate the immune system, but they are safer than steroids and when your dog has severe allergies with horrible symptoms, sometimes you don’t have a choice. Trust me, I tried all the other stuff. Probiotics and other supplements might help, but you also have to be leery or ingredients in them your dog can be allergic to. The eggs in the food you were making can definitely cause allergies in dogs. Basically any protein is capable of producing an allergic response. In addition to Apoquel, I feed my dog Rayne Nutrition kangaroo manintenance dry food and canned food as a topper. It is a prescription food that you’ll need to have your vet approve when you order it online, but it is worth it. It is a whole-food dog food and has very high-quality ingredients in it. It is not like other prescription dog foods. This stuff is top-notch. The dog food and the Apoquel have helped my dog as much as possibly can be. I’m sure my dog is allergic to grass and other outdoor stuff, as well as some foods. Allergies to dog foods usually manifest as digestive issues. My personal feeling is that the Rayne dog food and Apoquel or Cytopoint would really help your dog. I would speak to your vet about it. Good luck!