[Kathleen C]

This just started about a month or so ago. I used to pick up his poops, stick everything into one bag and then put it near the deck stairs and pick up later for the main trash bin. I came out one day and he had torn the bag apart getting to the contents, so I can definitely say he had never done that before. Now when he goes out I watch and pick up everything at once. Yesterday I missed one, he ate it and promptly came into the house and threw up in the spare bedroom, poop and all. Uck!

[Susan]

Hi Chris, have you ever done an elimination diet to see what foods he can’t tolarate make him itchy..My vet said that Elimination diet is the only way that you will really know what foods he’s allergic to..If he can eat raw or cooked that would be the best, start with 1 protein only then slowely add a new food weekly & see what foods makes him itch or gives diarrhea..you know within 2 days if they have a reaction.. I found my boy cant have Potatos, they give him diarrhea & rash all over chest, sweet potatos, he gets itchy ears & keeps shaking his head, wheat, his paws go red & itchy he starts licking them & now chicken cause everytime he has chicken he gets his hive like lumps all over his body..it does take time an elimination diet but you will know 100% what foods he can & cant eat…I have Patch on the ‘Wellness Simple’ Limited Ingredient… He was on the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic kibble but the fat was too high 19% he got Pancreatitis…Eukanuba FP has limited ingredients, its another kibble for skin allergies but its Fish & Potato & Patch got real bad diarrhea, I didnt know back then that it was the Potatos giving him diarrhea until I did the elimination diet, now I know he cant have any kibbles with Potato or Sweet potato & alot of the grainfree kibbles have Potato…. I dont know why they put Potato as potatos are high in carbs & carbs aren’t good for yeasty itchy skin…

[Susan]

Hi Laurie, my vet said the same thing Patch has seasonal allergies when I first got him, I kept saying maybe its his food, he gets itchy ears, red inbetween his toes & a rash on his chest when I feed him potatos. Patch cant eat Potatos, sweet potatos & now I think chicken as he starts to get hive like lumps under his skin after eating chicken I kept thinking it was from our walks the hive like lumps but this winter he has had his lumps so I started an elimination diet thats when I found he cant have potatos, sweet potatos, you need a low carb diet, yeast loves carbs….Karen Becker has a video how you have to starve the yeast, also I soak his paws in betadine antiseptic or the Detol antiseptic lotion its cheaper & does the same thing kills the yeast inbetween his toes, they smell like corn or a yeasty bread shop.. You dont say which Hills Angel is on, if its the Z/d….

When you change their food if ur slowly introducing the new food it takes maybe 2-3 weeks to start seeing results, with Patch if I stop a food thats making him itch I see results 1-2 days, they stop scratching, their paws aren’t red & Patch stops scratching his ears & shaking his head..thats when I know when he starts shaking his head & shaking his ears something that he has eatin isnt agreeing with him..
The Holistic Select Anchovy, sardines & salmon meal is suppose to be good & it has no potatos like alot of the grainfree kibbles have..Patch is on the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal limited ingredients, he’s going OK so far but when I started him on the Wellness Simple Duck & oatmeal after 3 weeks he started shaking his ears & head I looked at the ingredients again & I saw Potato Protein as soon as I stopped the Duck & Oatmeal he stopped shaking his ears then I started the Lamb & Oatmeal & he’s not shaking his ears…
I forgot is Angel on a good dog Probiotic for her stoamch & bowel?

[Victoria W]

Hello All,
This is a desperate attempt to help a dog who is currently very very miserable. I am living with relatives for a short duration, and ever since I have been here with them their beautiful chocolate lab has had severe allergies. She is 4 years old this fall and suffers from seasonal allergies. She is so itchy, her fur is being chewed off on her abdomen and legs, and every few weeks she gets a horrible irritation under her neck that looks so infected! I don’t trust the vet my relatives are using, she seems more than happy to keep pushing very strong antibiotics and prednisone off on this dog. The dog will get better after about a week, but by better I mean the rash and oozing sores start to lessen, at the expense of her vibrance (when on the prescribed regimine of meds she just lays around and sleeps). They feed all 4 of their big dogs Ol’ Roy dog food, one of if not the worst dog foods out there. They wont listen to me about needing to change them over and currently I can push no more. ( I will continue to try though) Until they see reason what natural supplements can I give her on top of her food to help her out. Also, I’ve been giving their golden retriever who has hip dysplasia glucosimine tablets any suggestions there also.

[Susan]

Hi Chabs, I’m using the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal Patch hasnt had his itchy ears or red paws since being on the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal, I tried the Duck & Oatmeal first, then he started to scratch 1 ear then I looked at the Ingredients again & I saw potato protein, Patch can’t have potato he gets real itchy, gets a rash on chest then has diarrhea..

The Wellness has their Complete health range..Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal, so you could rotate between the two..one for breakfast the other for dinner..
The kibble size is good, not too small & not too big, they are triangle shaped & break up very easy.. I soak Patches kibble in water as he gulps his food & the Lamb & Oatmeal soften within 3 mins, so it’s excellent for their digestion like Wellness Simple state ” Easily Digestible”
Everyone at the dog park has been commenting how shinning & healthy Patch is looking..
If they dont eat the kibble you can take back as Wellness is Guaranteed..
The Lamb & Oatmeal smells really good better then the Duck & Oatmeal, I always ask Patch “Which one I have his vet prescription Eukanuba Intestinal in one hand & have the Simple Lamb & Oatmeal in the other hand he always picks the Simple Lamb & Oatmeal…

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Susan.

[Susan]

Hi Adrienne, have you ever tried an elimination diet to see what foods make him itch & make his poo sloppy, My Patch has IBD & itchy skin allergies, I’ve read that the 2 come together with some dogs, something they eat irratates their skin & stomach, then they have sloppy poos or diarrha.. Im awful at explaining why & how things happen, I started Patch on an elimination diet & I found he can’t eat potatos, sweet potatos & now I think chicken, cause after he eats chicken he gets hive like lumps all over his body especially the white fur/skin part….Patch cant have a high fat% or high protein% diet, I did my elmination diet for breakfast cause I knew his Vet prescription Eukanuba Intestinal worked for him & never gave him diarrhea or itchy ears & skin..
So I give the Eukanuba Intestinal for dinner…
breakfast I started with boiled chicken breast & 1 tablespoon of pumkin to much pumkin made his poo very soft & sloppy, then the next week around 5days if everything is good I added boiled sweet potato within 1-2 days, 1 of his ears started itching so I stopped the sweet potato & just gave him the chicken & pumkin again he went good again, then after 2 days no itchy ear when everything was good again I added potato with the chicken & pumkin within 20min he got a rash all over his stomach & chest I thought we must of walked near a plant or bush, something that morning so next morning I added a bit of boiled potato again he started scratching & the rash came up again then that night he was pooing real sloopy then had very sloppy poos the next day I stopped the potato, then I tried boiled egg he was ok with egg…
just keep adding foods that you want him to eat or what foods are in kibbles to see what makes him itch & poo sloppy, you see within 2days when a food doesnt agree with them..

I have Patch on the Wellness Simple Limited ingredients Lamb & Oatmeal as the lamb & oatmeal is the only one without potato, he has the Wellness simple for breakfast & the Eukanuba Intestinal for dinner & at lunch he has Tuna Pumkin white rice & a few peas he’s
not pooing sloppy or diarrha & he’s not scratching on the Wellness Simple here’s a link to have a look at their range the Simple is down the bottom, but out of all the kibbles that I tried the Wellness simple has been the best kibble so far & his poos are the best that they have ever been…..write everything down in a diary
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/recipes.aspx?pet=dog&ft=1#Complete

[adrienne d]

Hello there,

My dog, Governor, is a 28 lb beagle/doxie/mutt of love and although we’ve had him for 2 years, we still can’t seem to figure out what food works best for him. He originally was on a lamb and rice based food, and that didn’t go well as he was getting rashes. Then we switched him to Natural Balance Venison based on vet recommendation and although his poop was firmer, it also left him itchy. The common culprit seemed to be sweet potatoes, but we can’t be positive.

He has been on Orijen Six Fish since last October, and although it started out wonderfully, I don’t think he’s had solid poop for a couple months now and it goes from softer stool to actual diarrhea. We took him into the vet at some point during this and had his stool analyzed and there were no parasites, so it appears to be back to food. At that point, we had him on chicken and rice for a few weeks, but he was really constipated and pooping less than normal. In addition, we have added pumpkin to his food and that temporarily helped, but not for long.

I suppose I’m wondering if his food is too high in protein? Or if there are any suggestions on what food we might try next so we can start his slow transition?

Thank you all for your wisdom!
-Adrienne

[Susan]

Hi Jennifer, a grain free would be better then Purina One but I found alot of grain free kibbles have potatos & you need a low carb diet, yeast loves carbs, I few people I know feed the “Holistic Select” Anchovy, Sardines & Salmon meal, for their dogs with bad skin problems & they say its excellent the vet diets never helped their dogs, the Holistic Select also has 2 grain free kibbles Deboned Turkey & Lentils has no potatos & their Salmon Anchovy & Sardine grain free…or you can do an elimination diet to see what foods make him itch, but an elimation diet takes time…Wellness has their Simple limited ingredients range, that way he’s having limited ingredients, less ingredients to make him itch, also sardines in spring water are excellent for itchy skin, I give a couple sardines as a treat…I’m using the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal as my boy cant have potatos or sweet potatos, he’ll break out in a rash all over his stomach & chest, then his ear starts to itch, then his paws go all red & itchy, its awful.. I wouldnt believe it if I didnt see how a little bit of potato can do all this, I found this out buy doing an elimination diet…maybe try raw thats the best for skin problems, cooking or raw works out cheaper then kibbles, ..

[Susan]

Hi Tiffany, when I first rescue my boy he was doing sloppy poos with jelly on then & mucus, did the blood tests for parasites all blood test all came back good, vet said Colitis & he was put on Metronidzole for 2 weeks, I went back to feeding him chicken necks for breakfast & his Opitmum kibble & tin food at night again every 13 days he would be up early hours of the morning with his stomach/bowel making gurgling noises & he’d have to go out & do his jelly poos, I called them, then finally vet said looks like he has IBD, he can’t just eat anything, no more chicken necks there’s too much fat & just bone, he needs to be put on a stricted diet, so he was put on Vet prescription Royal Canin Hypoallergenic cause he also has skin problems being a Staffy but the fat was 19% in the R/C HP it was too high fat% then he got Pancreatitis, in the end he was put on Eukanuba Intestinal Low residue kibble, this stopped all the jelly poos stopped his gurlging bowel, I also cooked him boiled chicken breast mixed with a little pumkin, rice & a boiled egg, now Im giving him Wellness Simple Lamb & Oatmeal its a limited ingredient kibble & his poos are excellent better then when he was on the Royal Canin & Eukanuba Intestinal Vet diet, maybe look at the Wellness Complete Health range they have a large breed puppy formula & also give a cooked meal but keep everything the same, very simple once he gets use to the cooked or new kibble dont just change it or rotate it until you’ve worked out what he can eat & what he cant…once I had him just on the Eukanuba Intestinal & he was doing real good for 6moths, I started an elimation diet for breakfast only & his kibble for dinner & I found he couldnt eat Potatos or sweet potatos, he got a rash all over his chest & had diarrhea, if he ate a biscuit with wheat in it his paw would get real red & swollen.. unless thats what you do start an elimantion diet, you start with 1 protein normally boiled chicken & add rice then after 1 week & their poo is good add something else new to their diet for the next week, I saw an reaction within 2 hours of adding the potato, so the next morning I added the potato again to make sure it wasn’t from grass his rash & it was the potato, you can google elmination diets for dogs….
Have you tried a kibble where the protein% & fat% was lower then the Taste of the Wild & seen how he goes..
if you do cook make sure that he has the same meal for at least 4 weeks to settle everything as soon as Id change something in Patches diet he’d be pooing sloppy again, so I started watching what he was eating & writing it all down…can tin fish is good but not in oils, I use tuna in spring water & drain the spring water, I add a little boiled pumkin & a boiled egg you can also get salt free Salmon
another good site is yahoo group called “K9Kitchen” run be Monica Segal..also Lew Olson Book called “Raw & Nutrition for dogs” it has cooked recipes for dogs with health problems, that’s where I started with her book, its only cost $12 on Amazon she explains about using the egg shell after boiling the egg & drying the shell out & crushing the egg shell for their calcuim…..

[Mar E]

I have two female Pitbulls and Lucy is about 6 yrs old and the other just barely a year old. I have fed the puppy Authority dog food since I had her and she was 4 months old. The last bag of puppy food I bought was Authority but I got “grain free” puppy food. I thought grain free was better for the dogs? My point being it seems like since I made the change, the puppy has a rash on her chest and arms and I’m noticing little dry flaky bald spots here and there, could the food be doing this to her? Heres the kicker, Lucy also has a rash but Lucy has had it longer and I think hers is more severe than the puppys. Lucy has white fur so I know her skin is alot more sensitive as opposed to the puppys brindle fur however, I feed Lucy Iams Healthy Naturals. Im wondering if this isnt a skin condition Lucy somehow got and infected the puppy as well? They are not excessively scratching or anything but I noticed the puppy has what almost looks like dandruff on her fur. Please help I cannot afford another vet bill and any and all suggestions or input would be greatly appreciated 😉 Thanks so much have a wonderful evening!

[Kristin C]

Hmmm! It’s just a very small bald spot on her back leg. My husband’s not clear now on whether the vet called it a hot spot. She used to get them when we first got her at the beginning of the year. She’s very anxious at times so when she gnaws I attribute it to her nervousness. I’ve wondered if her armpits are a friction rash, being the summer, hot and humid. She runs a lot and has short hair, although it’s thick in spots it’s thin under her legs.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi Kristin-Rashes can be caused by anything, and seem to be more common place in the summer time. The fact that she has a rash and a hotspot would make me use the antibiotics in a heart beat. Hot spots can literally grow into weeping nasty messes in a matter of hours-Antibiotics will help alleviate that, and often a gentamycin spray is also recc for topical use. I have never had hotspots on any of my dogs-with that said, someone gave me two bags of iams fish-the higher line of the Iams. I figures what could it hurt? So, I fed it mixed with the raw for two days. On day number three one dog had a weeping hot spot on his neck, and 24 hrs later the hair had fallen out. Off to the vet. I literally walked in the door to see another dog come running over with a freaking hot spot in the middle of his back, that had no been there 1 hr before when we left for the vet with dog 1.

[Dori]

Thanks to you too C4C. Your post did work. 😉

Even if antibiotic doesn’t cause a rash (sometimes yes, sometimes no), why on earth would a vet administer antibiotics without know what the problem is. Arrrrrrrrrrgh……antibiotics just like vaccines! Drives me nuts that vets and medical doctors think that they are a cure all for what ails you or your pets. Just adds to the problems we all have and makes them worse. 🙂

[Dori]

Hi Kristen. My dog Katie (5 year old Maltipoo) used to get underarm rash also, sometimes it would look more like a grayish area also. It went away after a couple of weeks when I put her on raw diet eliminating all grains, soy, corn, white potatoes and most especially chicken, turkey, duck, quail. In other words all fowl was removed from her diet. She and my other two dogs have been on raw food diet for a little over two years. Katie has never gotten the underarm rash again. IMHO your vet is mistaken. It is the diet. I would definitely NOT spend the money on any nutritionist that does not believe in raw feeding. I figured all this out with Katie through years of trial and error. I would take away any and all grains and definitely switch out all poultry for a couple of weeks and see what happens. Never give antibiotics for allergies or an undiagnosed issue. Most traditional vets in my experience are very quick to hand out antibiotics. The only reason I would go along with giving any of my dogs antibiotics is if it was a true diagnosed issue that was an infection that needed antibiotics and that the antibiotic was specific for whatever the infection was. That was a really bad call on the part of your vet.

C4C. I think if it was laundry detergent or something on the lawn or on the property it would not be just an underarm rash, it would be on the paws, belly and other areas, don’t you think? Anyway, it’s just my opinion for whatever it’s worth.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 7 months ago by Dori.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Kristin C-
I am not a knowledgeable raw feeder by any means. However, it sounds like you are doing an amazing job! I can’t even imagine the work you put in to feeding your lucky dog! I was wondering how long your dog has been on the meds and if there has been any improvement? It seems a little early to stop what you are doing and change things up to do a nutrition consult. The rash at this point could be anything. It could be something from the grass that she came in contact with. Or, even a reaction to a new laundry soap or something. Hopefully, the problem goes away and doesn’t reoccur. If it turns in to an ongoing issue, then I think maybe a diet change should be something to think about to try and pinpoint the offending ingredient. Of course, your vet most definitely knows A LOT more than me. Good luck and keep up the good work with your pup!

[Kristin C]

Recently took our 1 year old to the vet for an underarm rash. They gave her antibiotics and allergen pills for 2 weeks but did not identify the problem. The vet does not believe it is diet related, however she recommended we start feeding her 75% from one source and get a nutrition consult from Tufts. I feed both my dogs a combination of commercial raw (30%) homemade raw (50%) and a small amount of Orijen kibble (15%) plus raw meaty bones 1x per week. The raw is a variety of chicken, beef, duck and turkey. I did a lot of research working up to their current diet and am confused with the varying opinions out there, and now worried about the balanced nutrition. They are both energetic, glowing, and their stools are consistently as they should be. My concern with Tufts is they don’t seem to advocate raw diets and I don’t want to switch them to that much kibble. I can feed both dogs different proteins at every meal, and different brands, and they have no problems I believe because it is all high quality food. I am looking for some dialogue here from a knowledgeable raw feeder to get an opinion on my approach.

[Susan]

Hi Deborah, I just had a look & the first kibble Game/Millet was the best as the ingredients started with a protein the rest started with brown rice 51% then a protein… the Game/Millet had 3 proteins, thats no good if u dog has intolarences to a certain meat as u wont know what meat is causing the problem, you need a kibble with just 1 protein, like just duck or just Rabbit etc, also I couldnt find the Guaranteed Analysis (Fat % Protein% Fiber%) when trying a new kibble try & stay around the same Fat% protein% as the Hills at first & find a kibble that has Limited Ingredients so that way there’s less chances of having any reactions or diarrhea, also stay away from kibbles with potatos if he has itchy skin…3 weeks ago I started introducing Patch to “Wellness Simple” Duck & Oatmeal & he’s doing really well, better then when he was on the Vet Prescription diet, have a look at these ingredients & kibbles to the Simple range http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/categories.aspx?pet=dog&cat=3 Wellpet also makes “Holistic Select” Holistic Select has a few single protein kibbles the Duck or the Lamb & a grainfree “Turkey & Lentils” but it has more ingredients then the Wellness Simple, maybe when ur dog is doing well on a new kibble then try Holistic Select.. http://www.holisticselect.com/recipes.aspx?… the Anchovys Sardines & Salmon is excellent for itchy skin problems..but after 3 months try a different kibble then the Vet prescription diet kibbles, like u said the Z/D doesnt have any proper meats, that cause ur dog could be allergic to a certain meat & chances are he isn’t, it just could be that he was getting tooo many high Carbs ( Potatos, sweet potatos etc) that were causing itchy skin allergies, my boy cant have Potatos, Sweet potatos, Chicken, Flour, Ive learnt when I started an elimantion diet back in March..Elimination diets are the best way to find out what is causing the skin Allergies, I found Patch gets a rash from grass as well…

[Katy L]

This is my first post on this forum – I do a lot of lurking. Sophia is an Airedale mix rescue (10 yrs old this month). You really struck a chord when you mentioned the Gain with Lavender. Sophia broke out in what looked like hives – but she had been having other skin issues and eventually was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. Well, in the mean while, my husband broke out in rashes that looked almost like psoriasis (a few months after). I thought my husband was breaking out because of the stress from Sophia as we weren’t sleeping at night and were trying to keep her from chewing herself to bits when we were awake. It was stressful. A friend had given me a bottle of All Free laundry detergent that she didn’t care for and I used it . Sophia and my husband BOTH cleared up! However, I still hadn’t put all the facts together because We had started Sophia on medication, raw diet, bathing twice a week, etc. Husband’s rash was cleared up with topical cream. About a month ago, I wanted to use up the rest of the Gain and guess what? Sophia is broken out in hives and losing her hair. I cannot believe I didn’t figure this out until now! I feel like an idiot! Let me go throw out the remainder of the Gain and head to the store for some All Free and White vinegar (rinse).
This is a very abbreviated version of events but would be really interested to see how Bailey does when you re-wash the laundry. It sounds like Bailey is in great hands 🙂

[Susan]

Hi Keri, does he have white fur & pink skin undernealth, Patch gets this on his white side of his head above his eye to his ear, I put Cortisone 1% cream on it & it seems to stay the same, it gets a bit better.. I think when we are walking it gets sunburnt cause its only the white side as his brindle side where his Patch is, is fine…. today I put some “Sudocream” on it, it’s for Nappyrash,Dermatitis,Eczema, before our walk & it looks a bit better not as red…I also bath him in Malaseb Medicated shampoo, this stops his itchy skin… u need a skin scrapping done at the vets, Ive done a skin scrapping on Patch & it came back no mites…

[DogFoodie]

I wonder if it’s a prickly heat-type of rash? Does she like to lay in the grass?

With the heat and humidity this year, I’ve developed the same thing and it itches like mad and I’m having a hard time getting rid of it.

I was just reading an article in Whole Dog Journal about holistic remedies for skin rashes (that person’s dog had a whole lot of other issues that Bailey doesn’t have) but, she safely used Gold Bond powder on her dog and said that it helped. I wonder about a rinse of diluted water vinegar after a bath or after laying in the grass.

[Michelle L]

I am looking for the best puppy food I can find my 5month old teddy bear is on her second skin rash- vet thinks it is food allergy. Being told to try anything with NO grain, wheat or chicken. Told to find Salmon, potatoe based all natural…Any recommendations to try?

[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. 🙂

[betsyofss]

Hannah is 2+ and has chronic intermittent diarrhea. She also sometimes gets skin rashes. My vet has her down to one protein source and her rashes have subsided but now we need to get the diarrhea under control. She’s been checked for parasites, etc. I read the post about loose stools and will look for something with less protein, as she has always been sensitive to grain free formulas. So now searching for a five star brand with a single protein source that is reasonably priced and well tolerated.

My neighbor’s dog has a sensitive stomach and she eats Honest Kitchen greens mix and cooked chicken. The dog has a gorgeous coat. Hannah girl, however, does not like vegetables and wouldn’t touch the Honest Kitchen mix.

Any suggestions?

[Bobby dog]

Hi Sharon:
“I have never met anyone that is so ambivalent and unable to make cat food decisions as I am…” I don’t see anything wrong with this approach. It always breaks my heart when I read someone leaves their pet on a food for over a month that clearly does not agree with them. I know it only takes one time for a food not to agree with me and I won’t eat it again. I can’t imagine someone making me eat something that didn’t make me feel well for more than a day let alone weeks or months at a time.

Since I have been rotating Bobby’s diet there have been only two instances that food clearly didn’t agree with him. One made him itch uncontrollably and the other he regurgitated within a half hour of eating it two times. The food that made him itch was a free sample which he finished before I realized it was the culprit, the other food went into the trash after it made him sick the second time. So you keep being ambivalent and unable to make cat food decisions if that’s what it takes to keep your kitty happy and healthy! 🙂

[Naturella]

I think the best people to “change” are the non-stubborn ones… cause you have clearly hinted, probably even more than just lightly, that there’s better out there than Beneful, but he’s just not budging. Same with my Science Diet fan of a roommate… he is so CERTAIN that it’s the best food ever because his vet is ok with it and because his brother fed his rottie it for 14 years, so yeah… My success stories are all of open-minded people who want the best for their dogs and don’t get defensive when talked to about dog food. Also, taking them shopping and showing them couponing tricks of the trade and where to find awesome sales has helped a ton! But, with stubborn people like the GSD owner you just can’t do that… unless one day you lose it and yell in his face about how he’s feeding his babies trash…

[dogluver95828]

I wanted to tell everyone that my pitt was having a horrible rash in his crotch and unerarm areas. bad, he scratched till it was raw. I spent 2 years searching on the internet and found the problem! I kept treating it as an external problem and it was an internal problem. he had a yeast inblance in his intestines. So i tried 2 tsp lemon juice once a day and it was gone in a week and has stayed gone. the info i read said to use lemon juice or unfiltered apple cider vinegar. If you pit has a rash that wont go away then try this, what have you got to loose? oh yes, and puree lemons dont work, tried that, rash came back. has to be lemon juice. I am so happy i am not having to wash his crotch area everyday. It wss so bad i cried cuz i felt so bad for him and i didnt know what to do. i searched and searched on the internet for about 2 years and it paid off. Tried all diff foods too, didnt work. so if your dog has a bumpy red rash on his crotch and under the armpits too, that is the sign of an internal yeast infection or inbalance. Wow, we are so very happy now. About twice it started to flare up again and i just washed it and was gone the next day! Such and easy solution too!

[Maggie R]

I have an 8 month old rednose pitbull that I rescued…she’s a great dog we love her.Her skin was fine for a while but now she has a rash on her belly, paws, ears, around her neck, I was told it was a food allergy, to feed her natural balance dog food wich comes in venicen , wich I chose and bison.Also was told too to stay away from any and everything chicken, potatoe& certain grains.Even with her snacks.natural balance also sells them for a decent size bag for $5.99.With th food change her skin seemed to have cleared up a little…I was told it would take up to 3 months to see a drastic difference.so one step at a time maybe this info can help someone else??if I continue to see a difference I will keep everyone posted…good luck.

[Shasta220]

I’m taking care of someone’s 17yr old cat right now. She gets 1-2 cans of Friskies a day (poor baby, I know). Two days ago, I had put 2 cans in her dish – just dumped the whole can-ful in, didn’t break it up or anything. I came back the next day, and there was about 1/4 of it left, so I took the fork to scrape into the trash.

I started scraping, then noticed the food was moving. I thought “am I seeing stuff?”, got a closer look, and saw at LEAST a dozen big fat maggots!!!

I have no clue where they came from… But I have a hard time believing that they managed to appear in less than 24hrs, considering the fact that there aren’t any flies in that house.

Is it possible that one of the cans had the parasites in it already?

I’m definitely making sure to thoroughly mash and inspect her food from now on, though!

[Steven M]

I have not tried Divovite yet. I have 2 year old Bullmastiff that has been on Taste of the Wild/Bison pretty much since I rescued him (had him on Blue for about a month, the foster had him on a raw diet for a month and I have no idea what he was eating before)…He seems to be having food allergies, but can’t tie it down to one thing that he is allergic to. When he stays at the sitter’s for more than a day, he comes home licking and rashy. The first time it was small red bumps everywhere including his ears, eyes and jowls…The second time it was hot spots and the dry flaky bumps that others have talked about on this thread. Both times the vet prescribed antibiotics. The first time, he got a steroid shot and some eye and ear cream too…the second time I had to go to the vet twice and the second time he prescribed a second antibiotic and a steroid boosted antihistamine…and said that I could give my dog up to 15 Benadryl a day for the rest of his life. I agree with all of you that think that meds for life is ridiculous. I don’t think I want to go raw with his diet either. I am willing to try Dinovite, it isn’t that expensive for a 90 day supply (for my 120lb bully, $1 per day)…

I want to add this though- those concerned about diatamaceous earth need to do more research on it. I’ve used it several times all by itself to kill fleas. Non-food quality is used in pool and hot tub filters, food quality is used by farmers in their livestock foods to help fight intestinal parasites because it is actually crushed shells and corals and it cuts the parasites skin and causes them to dehydrate. Many sites will recommend it all by itself as a treatment to your pet’s coat to fight fleas and you can add it to food by itself for the same reasons farmers use it. I’ve never heard it being referred to as a “binder.” And to the post talking about the ingredients to the solvents and poisons including H2O, RIGHT ON man!!!! People are so worried about “chemicals” they can’t pronounce, but most people would not have any issues eating an egg…well you know eggs are chemicals and if you looked at the chemical make-up of an all natural egg, you wouldn’t be able to pronounce them either (Ovalbumin, Conalbumin, Ovamucoid, Ovomucin, Lysozyme, Avidin, Ovoglobulin, Ovoinhibitor) and that is just for the whites of the eggs….

[sheila s]

I have a 3 yo Weimeraner He is chewing himself on his side the hair is gone and I noticed a rash all over him. I feed him Natral balance sweet pot. and chicken for about a year now before that it was Inova. Nothing has really changed with him so any suggestions? thank you

[Paola G]

Hi, I have a 10lb Rat Terrier that I adopted from ASPCA at 2 years old, she is now 7. I had her on IAMS ProActive Health, that was the food she was on at the pound, for about 3 years after I got her and never had any issues. Then one day I decided to change her to better quality food and she was doing well until 8 months ago when she started having these small bumps on her skin on the back that would become dandruff and were very smelly,no flea/tick bites. Then eventually the flakes/dandruff stopped but she now has these red spots on her belly and on her “armpit” that look very dry and itchy and she still smells. Took her to the vet who put her on Hills Prescription Diet for two weeks, gave her a cortizone shot and changed her shampoo to a prescription one, she got a little better but the rash did not go away. I’m keeping her on Hills Grain Free food and I’ve been changing her food for the past few months to no avail. Her demeanor/energy level never changed and her appetite hasn’t changed either. The groomer suggested the I give her Benadryl but I don’t want her to be groggy. Does any one have any idea what this could be? Thank you!

[stacie p]

I have a 2 year old Black lab, who prior to being neutered, was 100% healthy. We neutered him at 9 mo old, and he was 78# (he is American Lab, so that is a healthy to thin weight). Once he recovered from surgery he started developing stomach/digestive issues, skin rashes and inability to gain weight. Vet diagnosed him with having a food allergy. So thru a lot of trial and error we settled on Fromm Game Bird, but he still had issues with rashes. He is currently eating Brothers Allergy Turkey and Egg. We have been able to get him down to just symptoms of Bloat and gas, which is supplemented with gasX. I can’t get him back up to his pre-fix weight of 78#, the closest I have gotten is 76# and he eats 5 cups per day. His healthy average weight should be 90#.

Has anyone ever heard of there being a correlation with digestion and neutering (hormone changes) in dogs? Thank you in advance for your time.

[Chelsie J]

I’ve been giving my 12 year old Toy Poodle Dinovite for about a month now and it has helped her skin tremendously. She used to scratch and itch a lot and had awful skin rashes. Now her skin is almost completely clear. The easiest way to give the supplement to her is to mix it with a small can of wet dog food. Her regular dry food was not very good, since we have so many dogs my Dad would just buy huge bags of whatever the cheapest food was at the store. We didnt realize it was probably the equivalent to dog fast food and that she was not getting the nutrients she needed to maintain good health. You could just buy your dog/dogs a healthy dry food like Science Diet, but the bags are small and expensive. It saves money to buy a 90 day supply of Divovite and mix it with an okay dry food.

[Shasta220]

Some of you might remember, but a while ago I started a thread on here asking for kind ways to persuade an owner that Beneful’s “…wholesome ingredients like soy, corn, and real meat…” Aren’t as “wholesome” as he thinks. I still have been unable to convince him, and every time I pet sit for him, I’m stuck giving his poor pooches the garbage.

Well, I just went over for a “meet n greet” of a new client with a Lab pup. They’re both retired and have a beautiful home, and seem to take wonderful care of their pets. I was gonna assume they’d have at least a fair-quality feed store-type food, but of course not! They had Beneful for their 8wk old puppy. I’m going to take care of it for 2wks next month – gosh I don’t know how I’ll survive, feeding that puppy such trash! I’m half tempted to feed the pup my own food, as it’s gold compared to Beneful (then again, about anything is!).

Anyway, I’ll be dropping a bug or two in those owners’ ears as well, trying to tell em: just because Beneful is one of the more expensive Walmart foods around here, definitely doesn’t make it the best…

Sorry for the random vent. If anyone else wants to pitch in with their Beneful (or other junky food) story, feel free LOL! I understand giving lower quality food because you simply can’t afford more, but seriously! I buy 4 star food that is nearly HALF the cost of that junk! (And this family definitely doesn’t seem to be concerned about price…)

[Naturella]

Hey, all…

We have been trying Bruno outside of the bathroom and letting him roam the apartment freely, and sometimes he is good, sometimes not. Well, today he had knocked over our trash can while we were gone and was licking at a chocolate wrapper when our roommate found, disciplined, and put him in the bathroom where we used to keep him while away. Issue is, I had left a small bowl of a homemade sugar-and-coconut-oil body scrub, with about 1/8th cup of sugar and some coconut oil in it that he had found and cleared UP.

I know coconut oil is fine, but sugar is not, so… what do we do/expect? It is now 12.30am, and this must have happened around 4pm or so. Bruno is 13lbs. Does he need a vet visit?

[Shasta220]

Keeping a gated area/room for your cats’ food would be good. Whenever the dogs are inside, we set the cat food up on a table/counter, anywhere the cats can easily jump, but the dogs stay down. As for the dog food, dogs should be fed 2-4 meals through the day, so it shouldn’t be a problem keeping the cats away for a few minutes while doggie eats. Keep bagged food in a safe spot. Most dogs will tear holes in bags, and my boy is smart enough to just unroll the bag if he ever gets the chance.

Our dog food is stored in an old metal garbage can (we have had it for over 10 years, and not once used it for trash, hah!)…

[Spiffyloo88]

It really is better for dogs to digest cooked veggies. My dog is allergic to wheat, chicken, carrots and rice that we know of so we make him hard boiled eggs and cooked oatmeal and boiled sweet potatoes, at the suggestion of our vet. I also need ideas on supplements to add to his food. We just started a month ago to see if we could clear up his rashes and diarrhea and it did so now we slowly add things one at a time and see how he reacts. I read you can buy like powdered vitamin stuff but I don’t even know where to start.
The poor guy can’t even have flavored chew toys so we have to buy plastic bones it kind of makes me sad for him.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by Spiffyloo88.

[dogluver95828]

i have a blue nose pit and have been dealing with a horrible rash all on his stomach in the armpit area. i have tried everything, and i mean everything! I love to reasearch and will not stop until i find my answer. And i finally did. I kept treating his rash externally. The whole time it was an internal problem. He has the inbalanced ph or yeast infection in his intestines, i started giving him 2 t of lemon juice a day and it was gone in one week, i use to wash his skin every day with oatmeal soaps, even used dermalogica a few times, aloe vera i mean i did it all. i dont have to wash him anymore and he his rash was completely gone in 1 week. He is almost 100 lbs and i give him 2 t of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and that was all he needed. try it, what do you have to loose? I have tried yougurt too and that didnt work for him. I am so happy this is resolved that i joined this forum just to share this with all of you dog lovers out there. look it up on the internet, do your research. there are things you can buy to treat this also but why do that? look up yeast infection in dog intestines. Try it…. Oh yeah, about washing too… i heard from a vet/trainer to use just regular clear antibacterial hand soap and half vinegar, WORKS FANTASTIC AND CHEAP! it gets rid of the dog smell and your dogs coat will be the softest and the shiniest it has ever been. Again,, what do you have to loose? From one dog luver to another. I hope this helps as many dogs as possible

[Jujubeez]

I am up at 4am with my (non champion, rescued from a craphole as a puppy) 11 year old pitty, Nemo. I was just about to write your same post! My guy is on Blue Basics and seems to be the worst he’s ever been. He was shaking his head and crying from frustration as well. I noticed his skin is shedding thick, pasty scaled. Almost like wax. That’s new, especially on his back. I’ve given him some Benadryl and leftover ativan (from the vet!!! He was mauled over the summer and his recovery was so bad he couldn’t lay on his side to sleep 🙁 )

I am here, now trolling your post looking for some new ideas.

I’ve been off my game with two sick human kids but normally I do:

Greek Yogurt
Powdered probiotics (the kind kept in the fridge) added to the yogurt
And FISH OIL FISH OIL FISH OIL!!! I just buy caplets and he eats them like treats. You can also add it liquid style to some boiled eggs or yogurt.

Yeast is triggered when the dogs natural bacteria is thrown off, leaving no “fighter” bacteria to kill off excessive fungi. This is typical after antibiotics, induction to an allergen or sometimes just a weather change and climate. Either way, you need to get that good bacteria back in your baby to regulate the yeast.

I KNOW I need to get his routine back in order but this food is just worth its weight in crap for what it costs. Other, similar minded brands sell products of a higher overall quality.

Anyway, if anyone knows how to instantly SOOTHE the rash and scaling/ear junk while the new diet/supplements take effect, let me know! I can;t stand to see him suffer while we wait for his gut to catch up to his body 🙁

Good luck with your baby and I hope maybe one of my tricks helps!!!

[brewer]

Will do. Hopefully his rash clears up quickly. Thanks

[brewer]

I have a 90 lb 10 month old German Shepherd who has some allergies. I took him to the vet and was advised it is food allergies, most likely turkey that is in his food. I am eliminating the turkey and switching to a salmon diet. It is nature’s domain salmon dog food which is grain free. Could there be a dye in this brand of dog food that is causing the problem?
I searched the internet and also found that air fresheners could be causing the problem. I am wondering if I should get rid of the plug in air fresheners as it seems the rash began when we plugged them in shortly before Christmas, also around the same time we gave him the turkey dog food and some new treats (stopping treats as well).
I am just trying to get this under control as quickly as possible and would appreciate any thoughts or recommendations.

[wishiwere2]

Is there an application that we can use on our phones when shopping for dogfood? I have a new ‘rescue’ pup, actually and older gentle giant (8y/o) and the previous owners had him on a costco Kirkland for older boys. Problem is, there is NO costco nearby.

I bought a Purina (for lite or some such) and he has turned to playing and perhaps eating his doo-doos. I did not see this happeneing before the switch. He’s also started getting into the trash, which leaves to me to believe that he is not getting satisfaction from the food. The feces also appears to have straw (fiber) in abundance in it and he’s producing way more in the amount of feces than he was on kirkland.

So, again, my qustion is, is there an application that would assist me when I go to the store to purchase and other items for him?

Thanks if anyone can help~

[Naturella]

Hello, all, and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!

Just wanted to pitch in with my happiness and joy of a Christmas “gift”!

This month I was so happy to collect my local Petland’s coupons from the trash that people did not want – I got over 20 I am sure. They have $11.99-off a bag of Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension and also $10-off $25-and-over purchase store-wide. The thing is, they expire in February. So, I just gave them as gifts to my friends with pooches, hoping that they would switch them from the lower-quality food they feed to the 4-star Vets Choice and Earthborn Holistic.

Speaking of, I kept 3 of the coupons for myself so I will be getting 14-lb bags each of Earthborn Holistic’s Primitive Natural, Coastal Catch, and Plains Feast, and 4-lb bags each of the Vets Choice Original, Lamb and Rice, and Grain Free. This way Bruno will be set for all of 2014, should the expiration dates on the bags permit! I am so excited! 🙂

Happy Holidays!

[nationalguard88]

Hey thanks guys. Patty, I agree with the peanut butter, as I did in the past. Wasn’t sure about their other treats.(your reviews have been a big help with my choosing dog foods, thanks.)
Ohbichon, thanks again for the local location help, and I agree with her being more involved in making treats herself. I use venison I harvest myself for meat in treats. All natural the way it should be. Only downside would be the pesticides the farmers use, but I eat it, and dogs love it. Anyone have their own recipes for treats they’d like to share, be glad to hear. Or direct me to another forum area about it, appreciated. Ill defininately check out zukes and the others mentioned as well. Thanks again for your politeness and help. So glad I found this site 🙂 truly knowledgable people that care for their babies as I do! My vet gave me a complimentary bag of large breed puppy science diet, went in the garbage. Also vet tech tried to give my baby a treat for being good, I took it from her politely and put in the trash when she left. Know one feeds my baby anything but me or my fiancé. I don’t know what’s in that stuff?

[Angeldogs]

Yep….have one big guy here that is allergic to peas, white potatoes, venison, chicken and turkey. Confirmed by allergy tests by Spectrum Labs, which I highly recommend if you are struggling with food issues and skin rashes.

You’d think that I’d have an easy time of finding him a kibble? Nope. I have been doing ingredients research on every brand of food that is relatively easy to find…..shocking! Just because it states sweet potatoes……well, I keep finding potato gluten or white potatoes on the same list of ingredients. Or LID foods that list lamb or beef as the protein source with chicken fat in them.

So far, after two days of reading ingredients on websites, I found ONE kibble: Canine Caviar Lamb and Pearl Millet.

I’m currently feeding him raw ground beef mixed with Sojos Grain Free, and being careful about treats, which are mostly raw beef bone treats.

Really frustrating that the names of the food indicate limited ingredients, but they are NOT.

[OhBichonPlease]

I definitely think you should switch to higher-quality foods… for the picky eater especially – what little he will take down needs to be properly nutritious and high quality since he isn’t eating enough/well. I would transition slowly to minimize upset or selective eating of familiar kibbles and try fasting for a day with no treats or extras [I know it’s hard] before introducing small amounts of a new kibble. You can even try providing 2-4 different kibbles at a time – maybe something in the mix will appeal to your dog especially. You may want to look for a kibble that has a slightly higher fat content or salt as both of those are appealing and will encourage eating and may help get your picky eater to a better state of health. The different ingredients can help your dog adjust to new foods better and will only help/improve nutrient absorption and gut health provided there are no allergies/intolerances. Many local pet shops can provide free samples so you can try adding small amounts of new kibbles without spending much money. Adding some wet food or high quality meat toppers might also entice and encourage better eating habits. You may have to experiment, but tuna, salmon, plain cooked shredded meats, yogurt, canned pumpkin and other pantry items may help establish better habits and digestive health. Warmed peanut butter can also be drizzled over kibble instead of mixing and clumping it up in the bowl. Sometimes piles of food can be intimidating and food may need to be spread out more. Or your dog might not like her food bowl for some reason – try switching to a cereal bowl or a pie tie and see if that helps. Some dogs like to be sneaky eaters so hiding food in several places or the putting the dog bowl in unexpected places or outside might help. Feed your dogs separately [and maybe even at different times of the day], feed well [high quality kibbles and nutritious toppers/extras/treats] and congratulate, encourage and reward with enthusiastic praise every single time your picky eater takes a mouthful of food and actually swallows it.
You may also try making your own dog treats out of the above ingredients or buying canned food and instead of serving it at room temperature or warmed, try freezing it in ice cube trays giving those to your dog on a towel or an easily cleaned floor. Laying down a special mat or picking a quiet corner and acting like a mealtime is very special may also help her your picky dog more excited about dinner. Some dogs really like munching on frozen foods even when they won’t touch them at other temperatures.
When my picky eater isn’t eating I give her a little pepcid [we suspect semi-regular heartburn] and then act really excited about opening a can of high quality wet dog [or occasionally cat or puppy – vet’s recommendation for getting food in when nothing else works.] The smellier the better [canned green tripe works wonders but is best fed outside. I also had amazing luck with small cans of Weruva – it looks/smells like human-grade baby food and is expensive, but the quality is obvious and the food was eagerly consumed both wet and frozen].] I give her a little straight out of the can right off the spoon so she feels like it is human food and a nice treat and then drop some in a dish with kibble. I won’t mix it in anymore because too often she has shunned to food once she discovers the hidden kibbles and I don’t like throwing food out [the neighborhood cats have gotten very friendly since her leftovers get tossed on the pavement for them – I am sure it’s better than whatever they are fishing out of the trash, small birds, squirrels, etc]. But sometimes she will eat up the wet food in one section and then start eating mouthfuls of kibble afterward – progress!
When our girl is especially reticent about eating kibble we move her food into the room where we eat dinner and hang out in the evenings and sometimes have to pretend to eat kibble, hand feed her or toss pieces onto that evening’s dinner plate to get her to start eating. Once she realizes she is indeed hungry she usually goes back to her bowl and only needs encouragement to keep eating [Good girl! What a good dog you are for eating kibble! Good dogs eat their food!] every other bite. She still looks at us for encouragement while eating and I sometimes have to tap to bowl or shake it to remind her there is still food to be had.] I give her a half cup of food at a time and she never eats more than half at night and usually doesn’t empty her bowl entirely until the next afternoon. [She is slightly less than 15lbs and eats approx 300-400 calories a day in food and treats, as far as I can figure.]
I had never met a dog previously who didn’t like and look forward to dinner time, but our rescued Bichon needs to be coaxed and encouraged to eat almost every bite, every day.

Good luck, keep experimenting with higher-quality foods and ingredients and don’t give up!

[OhBichonPlease]

I would also suggest [when your dog has settled a bit] taking her to a smaller pet store [Petco and Petsmart might be a bit overstimulating, especially during the holiday season] and showing her several different toys. She may enjoying browsing the aisles with you and may even pick out her own toy that appeals to her. We pull things off the rack for our girl to inspect; when she tries to take it from us or looks excited, we tend to get it because we want her to play.
There is also a toy that may bring your dog some comfort – I think it was designed for weaning puppies, dogs with separation anxiety or mourning pets, but it is a plush toy with a warming pack and a “beating heart” powered by a battery. There is a popular brand available at online retailers and Amazon called SnugglePuppy from Snuggle Pet Products. It is kind of expensive [you may be able to find another brand/model for less] for an experiment, but it may comfort her and help her transition her to her new environment and to liking toys/playing.
I would also recommend wrapping a plush toy in an old tshirt or stuffing it inside a sock that has your scent on it – you’re her pack/people now and she wants to smell like you so she won’t have to be alone again. [Our girl likes to jump in our dirty laundry and thrash under our bedcovers after her bath, probably thinking we won’t recognize her. She also takes off her Doggles whenever my fiance reenters the car]. Making the toy smell like you by putting it in the dirty clothes hamper will help reinforce that this toy belongs in the household, toys are fun and playing with you is a nice thing to do. Some non-plush toys can also have food smeared on them or treats stuffed inside to help get entice her to interact with them.
Playing is a great way to bond with your dog and give her a chance to exercise and feel comfortable inside in her new surroundings. Keep trying to teach her to play – no dog is too old to learn to have fun.
The most important thing to remember is to go slow and have a really positive attitude when dealing with toys – even if your dog’s behavior is upsetting – don’t get upset! Dogs read our emotions and getting worried and stressed over her reactions might be causing more of an issue. If you feel like crying over her reactions, take a break, take her for a walk and then just try to cuddle with her and her toy quietly. Rub her and pet her with the toy if she doesn’t act scared. If she wants it in her crate, let her have it there. Maybe she wants a toy to cuddle and protect and you could get her another toy for tossing, pulling and playing with you in the living room.

[voxleo]

Sadly, Natural Balance going over to the Dark Side of the Force with Del Monte has completely buggered my trust in the brand after my boys were doing so well on their Ultra and/or Synergy formulas. Ever since I learned of the merger, I have been hypervigilant about any signs of food sensitive issues with both dogs (some kind of shepherd with long hair mix-mutt and our runt-y most likely pitbull/staffordshire we think).

As of the last bag of food, the Natural Balance Ultra, I noticed that our Pit has had more than one issue of vomiting and notable signs of apparent nausea (lots of lip licking, less than energetic), and the Shepherd mutt has had some issues with stool that starts okay and then becomes runny, but not quite full blown diarrhea. If it had been just once, I would have just assumed it was them eating something out of the trash or garden that they oughtn’t have, but twice or more, and it starts to become a THING. Add that to the fact that they seem notably less interested in the food (they are free feeding dry kibble, and they don’t eat with enthusiasm but more like obligation) and that the mutt has been acting like HE has a tummy ache when its usually the Pit with the sensitive stomach, and now I have enough reason to switch from the NB line, because I don’t trust Del Monte to maintain the standards with it.

What dry kibble can I get that will approximate the ingredients that were in the Synergy? I think that was best since it really seemed to cut down on the number and size of the poops, which were always firm and never gooey like the second half of them are now. and the Pit didn’t spend all day itching and licking paws and shaking his head the way he does whenever he eats cheap food. He has had an increase in ear itchiness lately, and lots of butt licking and even the mutt seems to be chewing on himself more nowadays, but the last two bags have been Ultra, not Synergy, so that may have something to do with it.

Still I would prefer to stay away from anything that is mass produced by a corp that spent millions to oppose GMO labeling along with Monsanto, and now the Natural Balance is on that list, so Synergy is out too. Looking for a replacement kibble from a brand that is at least popular enough to be carried in Petco or a feed supply chain that isn’t going to have boutique hours only, and one that is sold in LARGE bags of at least more than 25 pounds, preferably more. I figure similar makeup will have similar results with the boys and I’d like to have similar effects as the Synergy, which did nice things for their coat and their apparent digestive tract tolerance, resulting in smaller neater and fewer stools, and gave them lots of energy and they didn’t have to eat a ton of it. I don’t mind if it has rice, as that seems to suit them well enough without issue.

Anyone got a good replacement suggestion that doesn’t cost 85 bucks a bag? I am exhausted from the researching and have no idea where to begin now. It doesn’t need to be ultra premium, but should be at least a 3 star choice. It would be easier to pick something to replace it with if I understood what was good about the Synergy in the first place beyond the effects, but I just have no idea why it worked, it just did.

Curse them for selling out!

(After reading more articles on that acquisition, I am even more nervous about the direction that the NB brand may be headed. There was one article that had some scary wording in it concerning the awareness that people would pay more for foods that APPEARED TO BE better for their animals. It almost seemed to be a deliberate avoidance of what it actually WAS as opposed to how it LOOKED to be. The emphasis was all on how they wanted to capture a bigger share of the market and were interested in the premium lines because of what consumers would be willing to spend, with no focus at all on providing quality that would sustain that. I think it was a money grab, and that means that they will maximise it by cutting costs wherever possible too. And I’ve noticed in the reviews on their foods over the last two months, there are a lot of dogs with similar vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy that had been feeding NB for years without that happening. I can’t risk it.)

[somebodysme]

Interesting about the GI inflammation causing her to be allergic. I had not read, or most likely don’t remember reading that before but that makes a lot of sense.

I’d never dreamed it would be such a monumental task to feed a dog? And with her, the more highly regarded food that I buy for her, the worse she does on it. She is a rescue and according to the rescue group, she was fed dog chow at her foster home. Honestly, when he got her she was beautiful and had absolutely no rashes at all. They brought her here with a bag of Pro Plan and it’s been down hill ever since. I’ve tried Blue Buffalo, Simply Nourish grain free, Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch, Avoderm Trout, Avoderm Duck the rotating menu on both those, Nature’s Variety LID Turkey (digestion was an issue with this one) then I bought Natural Balance which she did the best on until the last bag which smelled totally different than the rest of the bags of NB and now she began to scratch like mad! So here we are, on to the next “high quality” dog food. Though NB isn’t that great, it was so limited in ingredients that it was working and her feet were just about healed up. I suppose now that Del Monte took over, they have changed something. I’m going to write then and ask if the ingredients have changed, the label is exactly the same as all the rest. She isn’t allowed to have anything else but her food now. She cannot even gnaw a bone. This is just insane!

I have my suspicions about certain ingredients but I can’t really know until I find something that doesn’t have them.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by somebodysme.

[Sully’sMom]

To Weber Hunde: Hello, I wish I could be more helpful but we’re struggling now to find a solution! I will tell you that I once rotated to BB Freedom and in the short time Sully was on it, his stools were better than they had been, but he broke out in a terrible rash. It certainly could have been coincidence with the timing of the new food, but we got off it immediately…didn’t even finish the bag.

Now he’s eating Merrick Grain Free Beef and again, stools are the best they’ve ever been and he’s itching worse than ever. Although he’s been itching since the day we got him, he seemed the best on Fromm (both Large Breed Gold puppy and Grain Free Surf and Turf), but we’ve tried to get off of Fromm as it is really too expensive.

Earthborn Holistic Great Plains is next on our list. I’ll let you know!