[anonymously]

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

There are two types of allergy tests, the intradermal allergy test and blood testing for allergies (serologic allergy testing). In an intradermal allergy test, the fur is clipped on one side of the chest and very small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. This test is very precise and is only performed by Veterinary Dermatology services. Because most pets with environmental allergies become exposed to their allergens through their skin, the intradermal allergy test may also best simulate a pet’s natural allergies. In a blood allergy test, a blood sample is obtained and submitted to a laboratory for testing.

If a pet is diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, there are three methods of therapy. The first method of therapy involves removing the allergen from the pet’s environment. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most cases. The second method of therapy involves the use of anti-itch drugs such as anti-histamines or steroids (cortisone). Some of these anti-itch medications do not work in every pet. Other pets develop side-effects from taking certain anti-itch medications.

The third method of therapy for atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) is allergy injections. Other names for allergy injections include desensitization, hyposensitization, allergy vaccine, or allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves a series of injections of diluted allergens. Over time, these injections make a pet less sensitive to their allergens and thus less allergic. Most pet owners are able to learn how to give the injections at home. When based on the results of intradermal allergy testing, immunotherapy helps manage the allergies in approximately 70-90% of pets. Most pets will respond to immunotherapy within 6-9 months, but some pets will require up to a year of immunotherapy injections before a full benefit can be noted.

Allergy Diagnosis and Management
Allergies are a common cause of skin and ear conditions in pets. Dogs and cats with allergies may scratch, chew, lick their paws, rub their face or have recurrent ear infections.

Three types of allergies are common in dogs and cats: food allergies, flea allergy dermatitis and atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies). We offer:
•Intradermal and serologic allergy testing for atopic dermatitis
•On-site, custom immunotherapy formulation for the treatment of atopic dermatitis
•Custom diet formulation for food allergies with the Angell Nutrition Specialty Service

Above are excerpts from:https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/dermatology-allergies/

PS: The initial testing is expensive (dermatologist) but the maintenance isn’t that bad, I found the treatment ASIT (allergen-specific immunotherapy) to be effective.
The house mite is a common allergen, it is microscopic and everywhere all year round.
Impossible to avoid…….see how the fall and winter go. Good luck

[anonymously]

Environmental allergies wax and wane, they get worse with age.

Tried raw diets and bones, ended up at the emergency vet x2 ($)
No thank you. To each his own.

PS: I am sure there is a veterinary dermatologist closer to you. Just ask your current vet for a referral……or maybe she can suggest treatment for the Canine Atopic Dermatitis your dog appear to be suffering from (based on your description of symptoms)

[Suzanne P]

Thank you for the additional information Dena. I still have one unopened bag of the Nature’s Domain (blue bag – salmon flavor) which I could return so I am “on record” as having a complaint; not a bad idea. I am hanging on to what food is left from the bag I was giving Gracie when this whole thing started in case somebody might need it as “evidence” of the “bad food” they were selling.

I’m sorry to report, Gracie is not doing any better and her hind legs are getting weaker making it difficult to get up from a seated position. Her vet was concerned about fluid build up as well. Gracie had some edema that has subsided – maybe due to the new medication? I’m feeding her twice a day now just to keep some weight on. Previously, she only ate about 2 cups of the ND dog food with some water added to it. Gracie is currently on Metronidazole, Prednisone and Atopica…basically things to suppress her immune system.

I will continue to post in case something we mention helps somebody else.

[Suzanne P]

First, Dena B., I’m so sorry to hear you lost your dachshund, Dottie. Has Costco responded to your inquiries? My Golden (Gracie) is still recovering. We are on a lot of medications and most recently went to a medication called Atopica. It’s expensive, but I’m hoping it will be the thing that turns her around.Otherwise, we end up having to put her down because her Albumen level keeps dropping (started as 1.4, got it up to 2.1 and now back down to 1.3) and organs will start to fail.

Sharon A. – I’m thankful that you caught it quick enough! Just curious as to what part of the country you’re from? Many of these issues seem to be tied to the western states; however, I’m in Georgia and having this issue as well.

[Jen T]

Hi, I have been feeding my Westie Acana Singles (Pork & Squash) in the morning and homecooked meals in the evening. I just cooked up a batch (3 pounds of ground turkey, 6 organic celery stalks, 12 ounces green beans, 2 organic red delicious apples, 2 tbsp of basil, 2 tbsp of oregano).

I added 2 capsules of Now Foods Curcumin Extract (I believe this is 11mg per capsule) which I read afterward that you shouldn’t use 95% Curcuminoids for pets. Is this true? The reason why I added Curcumin is because my Westie seems to be atopic and currently has inflammation in her left ear with some yeast. I’m taking her to the vet on Thursday for a check up but wanted to know if I have to throw away this batch of food I just made for her. Thanks in advance!

[anonymously]

Allergies

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

There are two types of allergy tests, the intradermal allergy test and blood testing for allergies (serologic allergy testing). In an intradermal allergy test, the fur is clipped on one side of the chest and very small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. This test is very precise and is only performed by Veterinary Dermatology services. Because most pets with environmental allergies become exposed to their allergens through their skin, the intradermal allergy test may also best simulate a pet’s natural allergies. In a blood allergy test, a blood sample is obtained and submitted to a laboratory for testing.

If a pet is diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, there are three methods of therapy. The first method of therapy involves removing the allergen from the pet’s environment. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most cases. The second method of therapy involves the use of anti-itch drugs such as anti-histamines or steroids (cortisone). Some of these anti-itch medications do not work in every pet. Other pets develop side-effects from taking certain anti-itch medications.

The third method of therapy for atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) is allergy injections. Other names for allergy injections include desensitization, hyposensitization, allergy vaccine, or allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves a series of injections of diluted allergens. Over time, these injections make a pet less sensitive to their allergens and thus less allergic. Most pet owners are able to learn how to give the injections at home. When based on the results of intradermal allergy testing, immunotherapy helps manage the allergies in approximately 70-90% of pets. Most pets will respond to immunotherapy within 6-9 months, but some pets will require up to a year of immunotherapy injections before a full benefit can be noted.

Allergy Diagnosis and Management
Allergies are a common cause of skin and ear conditions in pets. Dogs and cats with allergies may scratch, chew, lick their paws, rub their face or have recurrent ear infections.

Three types of allergies are common in dogs and cats: food allergies, flea allergy dermatitis and atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies). We offer:
•Intradermal and serologic allergy testing for atopic dermatitis
•On-site, custom immunotherapy formulation for the treatment of atopic dermatitis
•Custom diet formulation for food allergies with the Angell Nutrition Specialty Service

Above are excerpts from:https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/dermatology-allergies/

PS:Have you checked the search engine here for “allergies” This topic comes up at least once a week if not more. The initial testing is expensive (dermatologist) but the maintenance isn’t that bad, I found the treatment AST (allergen-specific immunotherapy) to be effective.

[kathleen f]

Hi Jennifer,

I have a beagle cross which I rescued 7 years ago. He is now eight years old. When I first got him he scratched himself and bit his legs until they were bleeding. After many visits to the vet they finally did allergy tests and found he was allergic to beef, chicken, duck and just about everything growing. I tried fish, lamb and turkey based grain free foods. They helped a bit but he was still scratching a lot.The vet prescribed atopica capsules which worked well for ages but then started to make him a bit sick and lethargic. so stopped them.A friend suggested yumega oil. I bought a bottle over a year ago and put a measured amount over his dry food every night. He has stopped scratching and biting his legs and his coat is looking great. I also give him a monthly bath using ruggle-it shampoo which works a lot better than the malaseb from the vet. I hope this is of some help

[anonymously]

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

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

Dermatology – Common Issues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Folks will recommend an elimination diet, but how will you know if the dog is responding to environmental allergies, which is causing what? I didn’t find elimination diets helpful.

[Mary Susan S]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[anonymously]

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

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

Dermatology – Common Issues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[anonymously]

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

Dermatology – Common Issues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Greg F]

Thank you Everyone. I didn’t see these replays until now. We had another slip in Maddies health and took her to a Diplomate specialist who studied at Texas A&M. Her albumin is down to 1.2 is not eating, extended liver and very lethargic. The vet said predizone is not working and added Atopica, Mirtazipine and Cerenia with hopes to wean off of the prednisone. After he consulted with our vet up north he said they could admit her put on IV and more testing for another cause of the liver issue for approximately $5000-6000.
We are grasping at straws and may try Some enzymes if she starts eating.
We are not sure if we want to put her through the testing on this 8 y/o dog.
I’ve had her on Geneflora probiotic for the last 2 weeks.
Not a good day.

[anonymously]

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

Dermatology – Common Issues

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

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

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

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

[anonymously]

Dermatology – Common Issues

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

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

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

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

[anonymously]

Dermatology – Common Issues

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

[Kevin R]

Thanks and sorry for the late response. I as well am trying to minimize anything in her environment that could cause a reaction. However, I do have carpet and she goes out in grassy areas whether it’s my yard or someone else’s yard when I’m walking her. The vaginitis appears to have cleared up, but I will keep an eye on it. Her problem now is her anal glands. She has always had to get them expressed either from the groomer or vet, but all of sudden I’ve had to get them expressed twice just this week. Typically, this has been needed every 2 – 4 weeks. I don’t know if this related to food, something environmental, or something else. It’s a ashame cause she is doing pretty good as far as her scratching. It doesn’t seem to be near as bad as it was before she went on Atopica and she has been off of that for about 5 months now. However, as a whole she seemed better when on the prescription diet and Atopica. No vaginitis, not as many anal gland issues, and as I’m writing this she acting like she’s about to throw up. Seems like it’s been a different or repeat ailment every week. I have been to the vet so many times its unreal. She has a couple of bumps on her skin as well, but I’ve had a couple of vets look at it them and they’re not highly concerned after looking at samples from a needle aspirate. One of them did however have a few cells that were “interesting.” I’m debating on going ahead and having them removed. With all this being said, I’m wondering if I should just go back to square one with the Rx diet and Atopica. I don’t want to cause the Atopica highly worries me, but I wonder about her quality of life as well. I am also looking into the tests everyone has mentioned because I am having a really tough time right now deciding on what to feed her. Thanks.

[anonymously]

Do you mean AST? I think you may be referring to one of the LFTs (liver function tests)

Anyway, that is why I like allergen specific immunotherapy, it’s all natural, in fact, it is not medication.
Medications and supplements have to be detoxed by the liver, that can result in elevations.
PS: A slight elevation (temporary) could have been caused by the antibiotics or atopica.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by anonymously.

[Kevin R]

I tried immunotherapy a few years ago and she never responded favorably. The allery testing was a blood test so I don’t know that was even reliable results. I’m trying to avoid putting her back on the Atopica, but may have to.

[Kevin R]

It is. So can environmental allergies cause this issue? She used to be on Atopica and I’ve taken her off of it. So far, she’s been doing pretty good. Still a little itchy, but not near as bad as she was before going on Atopica.

[Laura S]

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.

[Kevin R]

Hi all, I just wanted to reach out as I’m looking for a good food for my 9 year old Westie. She is a very allergic dog, but I’m not certain what all to. I believe its mostly environmental and dust, but maybe some foods. We had blood allergy tests done a few years back, but I’m not sure how accurate it was. In the past, she has been on steroids a few times and then ultimately Atopica. Also, I usually bathe her about once a week with Malaseb, but sometimes I may wait a little longer if she doesn’t appear to need a bath. Anyways, I’m trying to get her off of the Atopica completely if possible. Currently, her skin is somewhat “yeasty” and she may have a vaginal infection which I’m taking her to the vet for. Currently she is eating the Royal Canin prescription food “Venison and Potato.” I recently started giving her some supplements found in this Westie diet here – http://www.westierescueca.com/diet.htm, but I’m not certain if their ingredients would be aggravating any yeast issues she’s having. I had been giving her Greenies treats as well, but I’m looking to eliminate this as well if needed. I recently got some Orijen freeze dried duck treats since its just duck in the ingredients. I guess my question is what be a good food to try if I change her diet completely and should I look for a low glycemic food? Should I add any supplements? Thanks in advance for your help.

[elle]

Unfortunately, many dogs have no choice. The other options out there are even worse, and not doing anything really hinders the quality of life.

I know mine would scratch himself bloody. Even after allergy testing and being on immunotherapy for about 9 months this season is really hard on him.
I put him on Apoquel, the itching stopped and he’s a very happy boy.

My other one has seasonal allergies so he’s on it right now too. For him it will be temporary and I plan on taking him off in less than a month.

Ask your vet about the other options. Prednisone and Atopica are even worse.

[Anonymous]

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

There are two types of allergy tests, the intradermal allergy test and blood testing for allergies (serologic allergy testing). In an intradermal allergy test, the fur is clipped on one side of the chest and very small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. This test is very precise and is only performed by Veterinary Dermatology services. Because most pets with environmental allergies become exposed to their allergens through their skin, the intradermal allergy test may also best simulate a pet’s natural allergies. In a blood allergy test, a blood sample is obtained and submitted to a laboratory for testing.

If a pet is diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, there are three methods of therapy. The first method of therapy involves removing the allergen from the pet’s environment. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most cases. The second method of therapy involves the use of anti-itch drugs such as anti-histamines or steroids (cortisone). Some of these anti-itch medications do not work in every pet. Other pets develop side-effects from taking certain anti-itch medications.

The third method of therapy for atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) is allergy injections. Other names for allergy injections include desensitization, hyposensitization, allergy vaccine, or allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves a series of injections of diluted allergens. Over time, these injections make a pet less sensitive to their allergens and thus less allergic. Most pet owners are able to learn how to give the injections at home. When based on the results of intradermal allergy testing, immunotherapy helps manage the allergies in approximately 70-90% of pets. Most pets will respond to immunotherapy within 6-9 months, but some pets will require up to a year of immunotherapy injections before a full benefit can be noted.
http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/boston-dematology-allergies.html

[Anonymous]

http://www.itchology.com/dog-allergy-help/dog-itchy.html

“Watching your dog suffer from allergies can be frustrating and heartbreaking. As pet parents, we want to be involved in helping our pets when they are struggling. This feature-rich app empowers YOU to take control of your dog’s allergy management and provide substantial data to your veterinarian. When you use Itchology it will help your veterinarian uncover causes of your dog’s itch and identify effective treatments”.

http://www.itchology.com/dog-allergy-help/atopic-dermatitis-faq.html

“Atopic dermatitis, one form of allergic dermatitis, is one of the most common causes of chronic itching in dogs, along with flea allergy dermatitis and food allergy. The persistent itch can make your pet miserable, even changing his personality. The symptoms may occur seasonally or throughout the year”.

“Atopic dermatitis is caused by an allergic reaction to dust mites, pollens, or molds. Symptoms can flare up with changes in the weather or with dry skin”.

[Anonymous]

The above are just my opinions based on my experience taking care of a atopic dog.

Of course only a vet that has examined your dog can diagnose and advise you how to proceed regarding treatment.

Best of luck.

Sorry if I went on a rant, all dogs are different, of course. What works for one may not work for another.

[Anonymous]

Contact dermatitis is atopic dermatitis (described in the article above).
I got incorrect information from the regular vet, I know you want to minimize the symptoms and find a solution, food, medication, shampoos, supplements, dehumidifier, air purifier…..

That’s what I did too, if you read my posts, you’ll see that nothing worked until my dog saw the specialist and started allergy specific immunotherapy.
Most allergens are airborne, impossible to avoid.

Now she can roll around in the grass! Eat a variety of things, in fact she has cooked chicken several times a week.

It’s so frustrating to watch people go through this with their pets. They don’t want to spend the money to go to a specialist and yet they end up spending much more than that going back and forth to the regular vet and buying all kinds of things that don’t work.

Not to mention all the discomfort the dog goes through.

PS: The supplements and diet and frequent baths have their place, in fact I still bath my dog once a week with Malaseb or a GNC antifungal shampoo for dogs. But they are not strong enough (alone) the stop the symptoms.

Some good info here http://www.allergydogcentral.com/

Also, allergies get worse with age, not better. My dog is so much more relaxed now, it’s like a different personality. They can become snappy and neurotic with all that pruritus.

The symptoms you describe sound worse than what my dog had, and she was suffering.

[Anonymous]

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

There are two types of allergy tests, the intradermal allergy test and blood testing for allergies (serologic allergy testing). In an intradermal allergy test, the fur is clipped on one side of the chest and very small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. This test is very precise and is only performed by Veterinary Dermatology services. Because most pets with environmental allergies become exposed to their allergens through their skin, the intradermal allergy test may also best simulate a pet’s natural allergies. In a blood allergy test, a blood sample is obtained and submitted to a laboratory for testing.

If a pet is diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, there are three methods of therapy. The first method of therapy involves removing the allergen from the pet’s environment. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most cases. The second method of therapy involves the use of anti-itch drugs such as anti-histamines or steroids (cortisone). Some of these anti-itch medications do not work in every pet. Other pets develop side-effects from taking certain anti-itch medications.

The third method of therapy for atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) is allergy injections. Other names for allergy injections include desensitization, hyposensitization, allergy vaccine, or allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves a series of injections of diluted allergens. Over time, these injections make a pet less sensitive to their allergens and thus less allergic. Most pet owners are able to learn how to give the injections at home. When based on the results of intradermal allergy testing, immunotherapy helps manage the allergies in approximately 70-90% of pets. Most pets will respond to immunotherapy within 6-9 months, but some pets will require up to a year of immunotherapy injections before a full benefit can be noted.
http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/boston-dematology-allergies.html

[Anonymous]

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

There are two types of allergy tests, the intradermal allergy test and blood testing for allergies (serologic allergy testing). In an intradermal allergy test, the fur is clipped on one side of the chest and very small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. This test is very precise and is only performed by Veterinary Dermatology services. Because most pets with environmental allergies become exposed to their allergens through their skin, the intradermal allergy test may also best simulate a pet’s natural allergies. In a blood allergy test, a blood sample is obtained and submitted to a laboratory for testing.

If a pet is diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, there are three methods of therapy. The first method of therapy involves removing the allergen from the pet’s environment. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most cases. The second method of therapy involves the use of anti-itch drugs such as anti-histamines or steroids (cortisone). Some of these anti-itch medications do not work in every pet. Other pets develop side-effects from taking certain anti-itch medications.

The third method of therapy for atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) is allergy injections. Other names for allergy injections include desensitization, hyposensitization, allergy vaccine, or allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves a series of injections of diluted allergens. Over time, these injections make a pet less sensitive to their allergens and thus less allergic. Most pet owners are able to learn how to give the injections at home. When based on the results of intradermal allergy testing, immunotherapy helps manage the allergies in approximately 70-90% of pets. Most pets will respond to immunotherapy within 6-9 months, but some pets will require up to a year of immunotherapy injections before a full benefit can be noted.
http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/boston-dematology-allergies.html

[Anonymous]

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

There are two types of allergy tests, the intradermal allergy test and blood testing for allergies (serologic allergy testing). In an intradermal allergy test, the fur is clipped on one side of the chest and very small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. This test is very precise and is only performed by Veterinary Dermatology services. Because most pets with environmental allergies become exposed to their allergens through their skin, the intradermal allergy test may also best simulate a pet’s natural allergies. In a blood allergy test, a blood sample is obtained and submitted to a laboratory for testing.

If a pet is diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, there are three methods of therapy. The first method of therapy involves removing the allergen from the pet’s environment. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most cases. The second method of therapy involves the use of anti-itch drugs such as anti-histamines or steroids (cortisone). Some of these anti-itch medications do not work in every pet. Other pets develop side-effects from taking certain anti-itch medications.

The third method of therapy for atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) is allergy injections. Other names for allergy injections include desensitization, hyposensitization, allergy vaccine, or allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves a series of injections of diluted allergens. Over time, these injections make a pet less sensitive to their allergens and thus less allergic. Most pet owners are able to learn how to give the injections at home. When based on the results of intradermal allergy testing, immunotherapy helps manage the allergies in approximately 70-90% of pets. Most pets will respond to immunotherapy within 6-9 months, but some pets will require up to a year of immunotherapy injections before a full benefit can be noted.
http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/boston-dematology-allergies.html

[Anonymous]

Allergies? If the current treatment is not effective and the dog is seriously uncomfortable, you may want to consider seeing a specialist/dermatologist, especially if this has been going on for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief.

http://www.allergydogcentral.com/2011/06/30/dog-allergy-testing-and-allergy-shots/#comment-1283

Or consult a homeopath http://theavh.org/

Dr Falconer’s latest blog http://vitalanimal.com/natural-dog-food-work/

/forums/topic/atopic-dermatitisyeast-issues-smartest-food-choice/

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

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

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

Top pet dermatological issues

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

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

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

‘Doc, it itches when I do this!’

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

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

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

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

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

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

When it’s time to see the vet

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

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

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

[Anonymous]

Allergies? If the current treatment is not effective and the dog is seriously uncomfortable, you may want to consider seeing a specialist/dermatologist, this has been going on for 4 months….seasonal?
http://www.allergydogcentral.com/2011/06/30/dog-allergy-testing-and-allergy-shots/#comment-1283
Or consult a homeopath http://theavh.org/

Dr Falconer’s latest blog http://vitalanimal.com/natural-dog-food-work/

/forums/topic/atopic-dermatitisyeast-issues-smartest-food-choice/

[Fiona B]

I can’t thank you enough for your post. It was extremely helpful. And I will try your menu for my dogs. I have a chocolate lab who has been allergic since the day he was born. Like you I have visited my vet, run the allergy tests and started him on Atopica once a day. It has helped but hasn’t eliminated the problem.
Like you I went to a protein based food. I shows Merrick’s Whole earth. It has pork beef and lamb in it. He seems to be sensitive to chicken as well. I want to get him off the Atopica because he has been on it for five years. He is very sedentary and I wonder if the Atopica might be part of the reason.
Recently I found Dinovite. They suggest waiting at least a month before looking for improvements. I have to say that after a month and a half he is really doing well. I weaned him from the atopica in that period of time.
Costs and concerns about dog food ingredients and fillers being what they are I feel Your menu is eminently healthier than the dog food. And Dinovite is not cheap either.
Thank you very much.

[GSDsForever]

I would appreciate suggestions & thoughts re shampoo and conditioner for very dry skin, with dry white scaling and non-greasy dandruff.

I’m dealing with a dog that has come through the kill shelter & breed rescue. She is also very itchy and will try to scratch and bite herself. Affected areas are neck, top of back, backs of ears mainly — some by shoulder divides and hips. No paws/legs involvement, behind/anal or top of rear or groin, no underside/belly, and no ear infections. When I part her fur, in some areas it is white skin with fine scales and dandruff.

We are ruling out atopic allergies (outdoors), food allergies soon via novel protein/carb diet & elimination trial, and treating another serious temporary medical condition that may be causing itchiness (or I suppose *could* deplete nutrients). No external parasites of any kind, no round/whip/tape worms etc. No bacterial or fungal infection signs.

She has been eating quality foods, with 1500 mg added of Omega 3 EPA/DHA via wild salmon oil and virgin organic coconut oil.

I’ve used coconut oil on her external body and fur, even parting longer fur and placing it directly on her skin. Unfortunately it does make her fur greasy & attract dirt, making her dirty (which I hate). And coconut oil is VERY hard to remove from fur. I have also applied avocado oil & olive oil, as coconut oil hardens & turns waxy in colder temperatures which I figured it could do in the fur.

She has had two generously donated “spa groomings” with special skin moisturizing and aloe treatments. She looked and felt to the touch fantastic afterward, glossiest dog on the planet lol! But after a few days she still itched.

Her dry scaling skin and dandruff have remained throughout all of this. So, since she has to be bathed regularly anyway, I would like to find a shampoo & conditioner that will help.

Ideally, I would like to find a moisturizing shampoo with an extremely MILD cleansing agent (like what I would pick for my own hair) that will NOT be DRYING or irritating + natural oils or moisturizing ingredients. And then I would like a VERY RICH moisturizing conditioner, perhaps that will some soothing and moisturizing residue behind to coat the skin — without making her fur greasy! Or if it rinses cleanly I could leave it on for a while maybe. I don’t know, as I am taking her to a self-wash place and would probably have to explain why I need to be there a long while or do a two part session!

I’m looking at trying this skin TREATMENT, in addition to shampooing and using conditioner to combat scales/dandruff & soothe the skin:

http://tropiclean.com/products/itchy-skin/oxymed-treatment/details/oxymed-treatment

Ingredients: Water, Colloidal Oatmeal, Beta-Hydroxy Salicylic Acid, Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Alpha-Hydroxy Malic Acid, Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Vitamin A

Since I know GSD show people, this was recommended to me also as a conditioner/shiner. The GSD show kennel that makes it also says it has been effective on skin sores and conditions. It is expensive though, especially with $15 added shipping cost:

http://www.nakedcare.com/

So does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? Please help me to help her.

A groomer told me to avoid oatmeal containing shampoos & conditioners — which all of Tropiclean products have (I have their shampoos & conditioners) — as the colloidal oatmeal would disperse in the liquid and soak up/cling to all the oils, not allowing oils/moisturizing ingredients to moisturize or shine the fur. She also said it could be a problem in a dog allergic to oats, but I think that is less likely to be this dog’s issue or allergy even if she does have an allergy or allergies. In fact, perfumes and optical brighteners used in some grooming shop brands, I think are more likely to irritate or cause a reaction. I think they used Nature’s Specialties last time, with the owner recalling the Bluing one (which contains both).

• This topic was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by GSDsForever.

[Dori]

Hi Kimberly. The dog in my avatar is my 15 1/2 year old Maltese named Hannah. I also have a 5 1/2 year old Yorkipoo named Lola. My girl with all the issues (she also has environmental allergies) is a 5 1/2 year old Maltipoo. Her name is Katie. She was the runt of the littler and the tiniest dog I had ever seen. She was due to be put down and so we brought her into our family at the age of 9 weeks. She had food intolerance issues right from when we got her. She also had to have knee surgery for a level 4 – 5 luxating patella at under a year old. We could no longer adjust her leg (knee) manually so surgery was the only course of action left for us. She also had to have her four front top teeth removed because her lower canines were growing straight out the bottom (not to the sides where they should be) so the top teeth were interfering with the lower canines. It’s been one thing after another with our poor sweet Katie but for all that, I will say that she has been the most loving, sweet, affectionate little dog we have ever had. With the exception of a Tibetan Terrier that I had a number of years ago all the dogs in my life and now with my husband have been toy dogs with hair. I’m allergic to animals so fur is a no go in my home.

I will mention that other than seasonal allergies that Katie still has to deal with she has remains allergy free as it concerns diet since making all the changes. She was a complete mess before. Yeasty smelly ears, scratching 24/7, horrendous breath, gas to knock you out of the house let along the room, red rimmed eyes, her eyes were always full of goop and awful tear stains. Oh I could go on and on. She was at the vet all the time. I also was taking her to an allergist. Of course she also had her orthopedic surgeon and then there was her oral surgeon. She was on Atopica back then which is a horrendous prescription allergy medication that really does a number on their organs. She was also supplemented with Benadryl. None of that actually helped by the way. So I got serious about figuring out what to do and came across this site on the web and that was the beginning for all three of my dogs nutritional health. I cannot remember when the last time Katie had to have an antihistamine. It’s been years.

[Dori]

Hi Terri M. I went onto the healx.com site. I’ve never heard of them but that’s not so much my issues with them. My issue with anything I give my three dogs (or myself and husband) is they say it’s a proprietary blend. So you don’t actually know what’s in it. I don’t give them anything that I don’t know exactly what’s in a food, supplement, whatever. There are more natural ways that you can give omega 3’s to balance out omega 6’s in foods. Sardines, sardine oil, as I mentioned before. I try to go natural before I start adding pills.

As to the chicken, I don’t feed chicken, chicken fat, turkey, pheasant, quail. In other words, I don’t feed any fowl whatsoever. They are very high as a common allergen as BC noted. You’ll also note that when dog foods are recalled it’s typically, not always, some sort of poultry. If you choose to avoid fowl in all it’s forms don’t be fooled if a food says they are Venison or some other protein on the front of the food. Read the entire ingredient list. More than half the foods on the market will have some sort of chicken or turkey in the ingredients.

You didn’t ask but I will also tell you that I avoid canola oil like the plague. I don’t like anything about canola, don’t use it myself and it has a horrible allergic effect on all three of my dogs. Two of my dogs have no food or environmental issues whatsoever, they never did. Katie, 5 year old Maltipoo is the first dog I have ever had that has allergies. I adopted her at 9 weeks of age and she was a mess back then. It has been trial and error all the way with her but because of Katie I have had a wonderful experience on this forum and other canine forums and have gained a wealth of knowledge that I had never had a reason to know in the past. One benefit of Katie’s allergies and intolerances is that my other two girls have benefited from her having issues. They are all on raw food and look and feel great. Hannah, my 15 year old Maltese with multiple cancers (bladder and lung) has no idea she’s ill. No one would believe it including myself. No one that sees her or plays with her or watches her playing with the other two dogs can believe she is 15 years old let alone has cancer. I attribute all this to the raw food, fruits and veggies. I only wish I had started on raw many years ago.

When Katie was very very young vets had her on antihistamines, Atopica (horrible horrible medication that screws up their organs and lord knows what else). I’d taken her to a canine allergist who wanted to do skin testing which I refused to do. The poor baby was a real mess I wasn’t about to put her through that. Anyway, the long and the short of it is that not only does Katie no longer have allergy problems as related to foods, I can’t remember when the last time was that she had a antihistamine.

Rabbit can be one of the more expensive ones but there are so many other proteins you can use. Chicken is the cheapest but I always recommend anyone that has a dog with food intolerances to stay away from anything and everything with feathers. It’s worked for Katie who was in pitiful shape. There is a theory out there that just because they are allergic to chicken in a kibble doesn’t mean that they can’t eat chicken raw. That theory is just that, a theory. It is very possible to be allergic to the raw chicken as Katie is. I’ve asked before, I’d love to know who makes up all these theories out there. Most of them aren’t true. I guess sort of like “old wives tales”, some worked some didn’t.

By the way, as to the amounts of organic virgin coconut oil and the raw goats milk, you didn’t mention the weight of your dog. We would have to know that before advising you how much to add to your dogs food.

Unless your dog has an active infection, he should not be on antibiotics. They wreak havoc with the system. Also, steroids is only dealing with the symptoms and not whatever he is allergic to. I had been advised to put Katie on steroids but I and her vet said no, also no to the antibiotics. Her vet is very strict about antibiotics. ONLY if a dog has an infection either visually or proved by blood tests. She’s not real thrilled about prednisone either. The practice I go to has four vets. The one I see now that joined the practice last year is good with raw foods. The other three just push the garbage they sell and think you’re misguided feeding raw. The new vet that I use trained for a couple of years at Georgia Veterinary Hospital under the tutelage of Dr. Susan Wynn (homeopathic, holistic nutritionist). Dr. Wynn was thrilled when she found out who I was using as a regular vet. Said my dogs couldn’t possibly be in better hands.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Dori.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by Dori.

[Brittany D]

Acana does not offer puppy food and I know my two dogs really like Acana so we will eventually switch to it when Dexter is fully grown but I need a puppy food for him he is only 7 months old. We recently rescued him and he was emaciated when he was rescued by the orginzation and he was still quite underweight when we adopted him just a few weeks ago. He is doing much better now and is only still slightly underweight but he is growing well (rib cage is actually looking more normal instead of very thin and small). Dexter appears to be a Scottish Terrier+Poodle mix. I haven’t weighed him recently but I know he’s at least 8 pounds.

I am only buying high quality food such as Acana, Orijen, Wellness Core, etc. I am going by the rating system here on DFA and am choosing 4+ star dog foods only. It seems odd though that all of the 5 star foods that DFA has reviewed do not offer puppy foods. Is this common?

I’d prefer to have a dog food that is completely gluten-free as I myself have Celiac Disease and am very sensitive to gluten so handling the food and receiving doggy kisses puts me at risk of having a bad reaction if they are eating foods with gluten in them.

So I’d prefer a grain-free OR one with Rice/potato/sweet potato, etc but no other gluten-containing grains.

Dexter and Bentley (who is 6 years old, Yorkie) both itch a lot and have atopic dermatitis. Dexter’s is on his face and I have not seen any spots anywhere else, and Bentley’s is mainly on his back but he did have it practically everywhere on his body (just not a full blanket rash). We switched to Greenies Pill Pockets Allergen Formula and it does seem even better now with much less itching for Bentley. So he also may have an allergy to wheat (gluten) as one of the main ingredients in all of the pill pockets minus the allergen formula is wheat.

So I think I need:
1) gluten-free
2) 4 or 5-star rating from DFA or one that hasn’t yet been reviewed but is on the same level quality-wise as 4 or 5 star foods DFA has already reviewed
3) Prefer smaller kibble as my dogs are small/toy size.

Kind of off my own topic but Bentley (6 year old yorkie) vomited whenever he ate Orijen 6Fish so I think Orijen itself is too strong somehow for Bentley so I tried Acana and they both ate it without any issue. Maybe the Orijen is too protein-rich for Bentley?

I am hopeful you (all) will be able to help me narrow down a puppy food to give to Dexter. I prefer kibble over canned only because it is more cost effective and less work to prepare and we won’t have to worry about how long that can was in the fridge.

I look forward to your responses. 🙂

[Amy B]

Hi everyone,
I’m finding this thread quite interesting. My 2.5 year old Maltese x Pomeranian has been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. He is allergic to fleas, dust mites and has food allergies. We still haven’t gotten the food part down pat yet and are a bit unsure what to do.
When he was younger he used to be on kangaroo mince and veggies, or beef and veggies. He seemed to be allergic to these so the vet suggested we put him on a novel protein of goat and sweet potato. He was doing well on this diet until the goat was costing us $80 per 3 weeks!
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we should put him on?
Lisa D I also heard from a pet store employee that fish is good for them. Could you explain to me more how long your dog has been on this diet for? And also why you spray him with white vinegar?
I was told to purchase fish mince from BARF dog Big Dog pet food range (all natural) but I saw it contained fine chicken bones (only after I purchased it) but I wanted to see how he would go on dry food as well. Has anyone had any positive experiences with sensitive skin dry food products?
PS. I’m from Australia

Thanks in advance! 🙂

[Sara P]

So why don’t you try put her some doggy shoes when you go out.

In fact you should be prepared to the fact that she might be atopic and need further investigation. Today it is fairly easy to perform intradermal allergy tests and start a personalized therapy to reduce the symptoms and improve her quality of life. It is not curative but really helps most of the “allergic-to-everything-dogs”.

Talk to your vet about this.

[Michele M]

My Irish Setter has been licking for 2 years, last year was severe. I took him to a Dermatologist and spent at least $5000.00 on medication and procedures. He is allergic to almost everything, even human dander. I started him on the allergy injections, which did not help, the Dermatologist had prescribed many different antibiotics, we found one that controlled his itch, Clavamox, which is very expensive. He was on it for 6 months along with Atopica and his injections. He still licks. I took him off the Clavamox and injections he still is on the atopica and a plastic collar around his neck. My feelings are of quilt, I take the collar off when I can sit with him or when we are outside, some days he is not as itchy as others so I take off the collar. I clean his areas of irritation with alcohol or peroxide, then i apply women vaginal creme. This controls the infected area but does not stop it completely. My dogs infection is yeast based or fungal, from what the dermatologist said. I ordered the dynovite and I hope that it works. I’m ready for a miracle, my dog is very important to me. He rescued me when I was sadden from the death of my first Irish Setter. I just hope that Dynovite is a true solution. My dog eats Verus which is a grain free food. His symptoms are ear irritations, licky paws, inside portion of the legs, groin area and tail. I have not received the Dynovite as of yet ,but will start posting weekly results when my dog starts. I need encouragement from other dog owners. Michele

[Susan]

Did you have a skin scrapping to see if it was mites or yeast infection, it should of went away if it was mites & treated properly be now, my friends white staffy was real bad, real red skin & hairless in the end, she was put on vet prescription diets that didnt help, in the end she was put on Holistic Select Adult health Anchovys Sardines & salmon meal this helped her & she looks beautiful know…Holistic Select have a grainfree puppy Anchovys Sardines & salmon meal but it has potatoes in it…. they have just released a new grainfree called ‘Deboned Turkey & Lentils recipe’ that has NO Potatoes..Its worth a try or the Adult Health Anchovys Sardines & salmon meal.. you have to also treat the outside..I bath Patch every 5-7 days with Medicated Malaseb shampoo & I use a hyrocortisone cream as I dont like medications.. The best is an elimination diet that way u’ll know what makes him scratch, he may not have food allergies, he may suffer from eviornment allergies, or flea allergies, have you googled ‘Atopic dematitis in dogs’..also keep a diary, write when he’s real itchy, what foods he was eating at the time & over the years u’ll start to see a pattern, patch has seasonal allergies worst summer & the end of summer Autumn..also he may need an Anthisimine Patch was put on Iramine 8mg tablets theyre a dog anthisimine not human..maybe find a new vet, I see one vet for Patches skin then the other vet for Patches tummy & bowel they are both in the same surgury but sometimes some vets specialise more in certain areas, well thats what Ive found, Sue’s better with Patches skin & Johnathan is excellent when it comes to Gastro & stomach problems..Give the Holistic Select a try http://www.holisticselect.com

[NectarMom]

I put my dogs as a priority so here is my situation, We are feeding Brothers complete Allergy kibble and rotating through proteins except for chicken. I am thinking of switching because my dogs still after a year and a half chew on their feet and scratch like mad and even after I feed them they are still hungry and bugging me to feed them more food! I do not want to rock the boat and make things complicated for my girls or make matters worse but it is honestly getting to the point where I feel like they are not getting enough out of this food since they are so hungry all the time. I have 3 Chihuahuas and an imperial shih Tzu and I feed 1/8 cup in the morning and 1/8 cup in the evening but my shih Tzu is on a different diet and she is not interested in eating anyways. Anyone else have any similar issues? Ugh I am so tired of trying to feed my dogs what I feel is good and it ends up back firing on me. My thoughts are it was Winter so no atopic allergies should happen and Candida should be out of their systems by now so I don’t know what to think?

[Stacy L]

Hi, all. I have a 15 1/2 YO schnauzer/staffie mix who was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis three years ago (snap test plus lipase/amylase testing). Once we got her off the food we were feeding her (I think it was Eukanuba…so long ago I can’t remember) and put her on the Royal Canin prescription food, the vomiting stopped. As a matter of fact, the vomiting was the only “symptom” she ever had. Over the last three years, her amylase/lipase levels have gone up and up and up and finally this past November, my vet recommended putting her on Atopica as A&M was checking into its usage for pancreatitis. I said no way, my old girl isn’t a guinea pig, and decided to figure out if there was anything else I could do. I found Mercola’s digestive enzymes for dogs and started her on those a couple of days later. We ran her blood work two weeks ago and her amylase had dropped from 2344 to 648 (normal!) and lipase from 3231 to 1063 (elevated, but still WAY lower). My vet is skeptical the enzymes did anything (of course), but I’m sold.

Daisy has been completely asymptomatic for three years. If she’s in pain, she hides it incredibly well. She’s ridiculously active for a geriatric dog (still walks a mile a day, plays with her younger poodle sister), can see and hear, and her only real physical problem is really weak hind legs. She can’t even jump up on the couch anymore.

Having said that – I want to get her off the RC food. Why, you may ask, if it’s working? Because it’s full of crap. I cringe when I look at the ingredients, and I’m now learning that the paltry protein values are actually not good for her. So my question is…does anyone know of a good alternative? I’m looking for something lower fat, but higher protein. I fear my old girl is getting so skinny because she isn’t getting much into her to keep her from getting skinny.

Any recommendations would be appreciated…thanks!

[andrew b]

So I have a Staffy who is almost 18 months. She has already been allergy tested, and on a scale of 0-4 scored a 2 on numerous things, different types of grasses/weeds, dust and so on, with yeast also registering. We have also done a food trial prior to intradermal testing with Royal Canin HP and her itching really never got better on it. The main issue is she scratches herself bloody. Her neck, under her arms, her face. It’s a sin. We use Temaril-P when needed and it does help, have tried Atopica which didn’t work at all, have tried a new medication called Apoquel that didn’t work at all. Usually when she’s extremely bad(she was at the vet Tuesday, she sees a dermatologist at UPenn), she comes back positive for a yeast infection on her skin. She also started immunotherapy 5 months ago.

The worst of foods(on a relative scale) she has eaten would be Taste of the Wild as a puppy, and when the itching started around 4 months, we have tried, all for nearly 2 month periods, Earthborn, Acana, Nature’s Variety LID and now back to Earthborn since it doesn’t seem to matter.

Where am I going with all of this? Before I fully delve into trying a raw or cooked diet and seeing if it helps, should I just try the lowest carbohydrate food I can find to try and cut down on the yeast issues? If this doesn’t work, I am going either raw, freeze dried or cooked at the end of May. I was going to try Brothers Complete Allergy Formula but I’ve read it’s fairly high in carbs. Would I be better going with something that is 25% or so carbohydrates based on this site’s calorie weighted analysis, perhaps Orijen or Nature’s Variety Raw Boost, or something else?

We’ve tried so much…supplements, oils, she gets Phytovet CK baths 2-3x a week, and it doesn’t improve unless she’s on Temaril and we obviously don’t want that, but when she’s bleeding and will scratch herself for minutes straight unless you stop her, you have no choice.

Any ideas welcome, especially food related. Thanks all, love the site, been lurkin forever.

[BlackandBlue]

IMHO, Natural Balance LID foods are good for finding what your dog is reacting to, but then move on to a higher star food. First determine which your dog shouldn’t eat: the fish or the sweet potato. If you switch to NB LID venison and sweet potato and the dog gets better then it was the fish she can’t have. If she doesn’t get better, then it’s the sweet potato. Switch around with the meat and carb types, and take notes on your dog’s reactions to each food.

[theBCnut]

All of their formulas are pretty high in carbs, which is not ideal for yeast. You should look into Nature’s Variety Instinct’s LID formulas. Antibiotics make yeast worse too.

For my dog, I used 1/2 Brother’s Complete Turkey and 1/2 raw. I added ACV, coconut oil, spirulina, probiotics, and digestive enzymes.

[kate]

I’m at my wits end trying to combat dermatitis in a foster English setter. She is greatly improved since Oct. when she came to me, but still itchy. Medicated shampoos, antibiotics, antifungals, and 2 steroid shots helped but still has skin issues. She is on Natural Balance LID fish and potato (grain free). Should I be avoiding potato? Would peas be better? I’ve read that sugars AND starches can feed yeast. Also, someone suggested adding apple cider vinegar and coconut oil to her food. Has anyone had success using natural remedies? And what bagged foods would you suggest? I’ve always fed grain free, chicken free. I’d hoped that Van Pattens would do the trick, but it hasn’t so far.

[KatB]

Hello!

My kids seem to really love the Castor & Pollax Ultramix, and at first it also seemed to be helping with the itching of my yellow. As time has gone by, he has returned to his itchy self. although mostly in the mornings and he doesn’t seem too uncomfortable or stressed by it.

Some friends have an adopted golden who started itching a few months back. They changed food a couple of times, and then their vet recommended something called atopica. It seemed to work ok, certainly not miraculous but the itching was somewhat lessened, but then some side effects started. In doing research about this drug, turns out it is very controversial and not something I would put my guys on. Bottom line, they went back to the vet, who agreed, and she is now on a prescription diet food that is made by Royal Canin. It’s quite expensive, but will be interesting to see how she does on it and if that takes care of the problem.

I’m not quite ready to go that route yet, as I hate to keep switching their food, and especially since they love it so much. Yet another friend lives in Hawaii (I am in a mountain state so it’s quite dry) with a tropical climate, and still has an itchy dog. They are feeding natural, local dog food and supplementing with flaxseed oil. They also use noni oil specifically made for pets and mix it with coconut oil which they rub on his tummy every so often….it seems to help. I may give that a try……

I also had to take my female, the black lab, off of the pro-biotics and enzymes, as she suddenly started vomiting every time I gave it to her. This started a month or so after I started them on it. But her stools are nice and solid now, and she seems to be fine without the additions. Itchy boy I still have on them plus Omega fish oil, but a small amount. His stools can get runny with too much oil. My female still eats grass and is sometimes a little gassy, but it’s minimal.

I’ll be interested on any updates on what might be working, and I’ll let you know how my friends’ dog does on the Royal Canin.

Kat

[Becky]

I’m the one whose dog had the allergy tests and it showed she was allergic to everything. But she’s my foster and it was her original family who did the testing. One strange thing, though, it showed she was NOT allergic to corn! But as I’ve had her for over a year, I’ve also found she’s allergic to sweet potatoes and barley. Or at least she gets diarrhea when she eats something with that in it, so I’m assuming she’s allergic or sensitive to those.

She’s on a food that agrees with her, she eats carrots and blueberries for treats and I found some Nutro grain-free treats without barley she can eat and she’s happy. (with her Atopica) She’s getting adopted Sunday after a year! I’m going to miss her so much but it will be good for her to have a forever home.

Does anyone else use acidophilus? That seems to help with her stomach issues, too.

[Becky]

Poor Xena. She sounds as miserable as my foster was when I got her–maybe worse. Ellie has been eating Nutro’s Grain Free Lamb and Potato but if Xena can’t eat Potato, that won’t work anyway. What helped Ellie was the medicine Atopica. It literally saved her life. Her family was going to have her put down because she was so miserable but they couldn’t afford the Atopica. Our pug rescue group got her, thank goodness. Within 2 or 3 days of taking it, she was a totally different pug–comfortable, able to lie down and relax, not scratching and rubbing all the time, the inflammation went down, etc. She also was on an antibiotic because she scratched till she was infected. Anyway, that was a year ago and she’s still doing well on Atopica, the lowest dose.

There’s also Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein food. Maybe you could look into that. I’m not sure how it works, but it’s something with the way they take apart the proteins or something. So even if they’re allergic to chicken, for example, they can still get the chicken protein. I may have it totally wrong, but you might look into it. It’s a prescription food available from your vet.

I hope Xena starts feeling better soon. I know these skin allergies are terrible.

[rustyhorse]

My 7 year old lab/pointer has had atopic dermatitis for most of her life. I did several food trials with no change. The last food I used was Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Grain-free. The vet sent blood to Idexx lab for testing and she tested super high for storage mites. She did well on the Earthborn and I can’t image it contained mites, but how else would she ingest them? Vet recommended I either make homemade food, use canned wet food or purchase fresh kibble and keep it in the freezer.
I would prefer to keep her on kibble, but how can I be sure there are no mites in the food when I buy it? There is an expiration date, but nothing tells when the food was made.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

• This topic was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by rustyhorse.