[Taylor C]

My poor boxer/pit mix has been battling allergies for years. We’ve made countless trips to the vet, been on round after round of steroids and antibiotics, and we’ve done allergy testing and injections as well. She’s been on so many rounds of medications, in fact, she developed mange because her immune system was so suppressed. So anyways, all that to say, we were fed up with medications and pricey kibble, so we switched to raw last year. We saw a slight improvement, more so in her energy level, but she’s still scratching. Like I mentioned, we had allergy tests done, so when selecting foods for her raw diet, I obviously stayed away from anything she is allergic too (mixed fish, corn, soybean, wheat, duck, and yeast). I feed her beef, green beans, black beans, and sweet potato or pumpkin. At each feeding, it add a TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar, as well as a probiotic and Curcumin. With her still being so itchy, I’m wondering if the produce is too starchy and creating yeast?
And also, I asked my vet if (in relation to the beef I feed her) the cows are feeding on a grass or grain that she’s allergic to, could that indirectly affect her. My vet said it absolutely could, so what am I to do?!?! What protein can I give her that doesn’t feed on grass or grain?? I’m at a loss. And I really don’t want to put her on a kibble (my vet suggested Science Diet ZD) if I can help it but I’m almost wondering if a processed protein would actually affect her less? I don’t know! Any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated…thank you!!!

[Anonymous]

If he is feeling nauseous and instinctively eating grass to induce vomiting. I might be inclined (if it was my dog) to take him to the vet and rule out medical causes first before changing his diet.
The vet may want to do some blood work and other diagnostic tests to make sure there isn’t something else going on.

[Shirley B]

I have a collie not quite 2 and he keeps eating grass to make himself sick. He seems to have to get the bile out of his stomach . Is it the food I am feeding him. He is on Now beef. Can you recommend me a good sensitive dog food that can be bought in both Canada and the US.

[Randy K]

Thanks Belinda! I’d love to switch Totem to to fresh raw foods but I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the info. We do have a small local company that sources grass fed and organic meats and organs and bones so I may still try to do it. She did really well eating her first raw turkey neck chewing every last bit really well. She loves the Primal stuff and sings when I mix it up but I’m also going to give her the Fromms LBP food in rotation so I don’t miss anything important in her diet.

[brooke r]

I have 1 1/2 yr old German Shepard that we got last Sept.. since then she’s had episodes of diarrhea, about 6-8, 4 of which we took her to the vet because she was having bad abdominal pain(When you touched her stomach she’s yelp). The other times, it passed with her eating a lot of grass then rice and chicken for the day or two after. (She tires to lick all the hair off floor and eat anything when she goes into these fits, as she like licks the air).
Im thinking I need to switch her food, been reading a lot about German Shepard with their stomach issues! What should I be looking at for protein, fat, and carb percent’s? My understanding is a moderate fat of 17-23 is ideal .
She’s on Natures Variety Raw boost duck (and turkey I believe, whichever is the duck one). It seems to have higher carbs then some other options(Are these harder on her stomach??).
Ideally, I’d feed her and my Belgian Milionis the same food, but can do separate.
Not crazy after Blue Buffalo /Royal Cainin/ Science Diet.
Each time we’ve gone into the emergency room, they don’t seem to care what I’m feeding her, and they don’t have any recommendations… just give her a nausea shot and then send me home with diarrhea pills and tell me to come back the next day if she doesn’t start feeling better.
Have a pet store, so the options to get basically any food is there, just so confused.. each company reps tells me their food is best for her obviously.. but not totally sold that nurto max is the best lol.
I already give her a probiotic spray on her kibble, and going to start giving her Great Life enzymes pro(digestive enzymes).
Raw is unfortunately not an option ( great for my chi mix but can’t afford it for the big ones!)
thanks so much for ANY help!!!!

[Naturella]

LM, thanks for the info! Yeah, Bruno is on a roundworm preventive pill, and I will monitor his stool even when one day we have a yard, but I would feed him raw on the grass. But good to know!

Also, he digests bones well, but it essential for every pet owner to monitor their pet while chewing on chew toys, natural or artificial, or consuming an RMB. So yes, if the dog is having issues, then they should be given something else, but it is a good thing to try as it has many benefits for their health.

Chris, as for the venison, I would be just fine giving it raw. Also, you can even feed grocery store (human grade) meat. Organic and grass-fed is best for humans and dogs, but the “regular” grocery store one is OK too. So I would be pretty comfortable with the farm-fresh meat from your butcher, but that’s me. Just watch your dog, his stool, and go from there.

[chris]

Surprisingly I live on farm lands and in the woods as well and my dog runs my property everyday, and I check him every night for ticks, flees, and also worms when he goes to the bathroom and have yet too ever have any problems. *Crosses fingers*

That link you shared LM is very interesting and I have it now saved on bookmarks for later use.

Speaking of raw foods again…see I would love to try it for him, however, I am pretty scared to try it. Reason being is because, yes we have a local butcher that sells meat right off his farm, but if I go in and ask if it’s organically grass fead and he says yes and I take his word for it and feed it raw to my dog. There’s always that chance of him lieing. Though, I go hunting, and I have several frozen bags of Venison in the freezer right now that I could possibly get out and feed him some of that. Do you guys think Venison would be a good choice of raw? I know it’s listed in that link LM gave, but figured to ask you guys your opinion on that.

[Naturella]

Pitlove, if I fed my RMBs in a yard, I would not be worried one bit about grass and/or soil getting on them unless I’m using some chemical or toxic pesticides. If you are not, i think grass and dirt are ok. Maybe someone else can confirm or refute that though.

As for Chris, I second Bobby Dog – adding fresh foods to kibble is pretty good. I add coconut oil (UNREFINED raw organic extra-virgin cold-pressed is ideal but as long as it’s at least unrefined it should be okay), yoghurt/kefir, raw egg, canned sardines in water, and the RMB in addition to the canned/pouches I mentioned earlier. I also use some treats and natural chews here and there.

[Pitlove]

im not really sure. our catnip dies so much faster than the wheat grass at work and my manager told me i could just water them and they would grow back but they did not grow back lol. i highly doubt it would have the same effect if it was completely dead and dried out.

[crazy4cats]

Well, I finally did it! I planted two flower pots of cat grass and one of cat nip. I believe the one I planted first is wheat grass. It came up nice and quick. I put the pot in their outdoor enclosure yesterday and two of them were chomping on it within minutes. They are indoor cats only, so I wasn’t sure if they would know what to do with it. It looks like the oat grass is coming up now, but nothing is happening in the cat nip pot yet.
When I see cat nip In the stores, it is dried. Will (if it ever grows) the cats go crazy over it like the dried? Will they eat it or roll in it?

[Anonymous]

“Our vet said there were rx hypoallergenic foods, but at the time that we had her tested (a year ago), he recommended that we remain on the i/d since we had finally sorted out her (severe) stomach issues”.

I would continue to work with your vet and get his approval regarding changes.
Check out what Wysong has to offer http://www.wysong.net/ prescription and nonprescription, some formulas are carried at Chewey’s http://www.chewy.com/s?dept=dog&query=wysong&nav-submit-button=Submit+Query

My dog with a sensitive stomach and allergies does well on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea http://www.chewy.com/dog/dogswell-nutrisca-grain-free-salmon/dp/35031

Eating grass sometimes indicates that the dog has an upset stomach….proceed with caution.

[Vicki P]

My approx. 2 year old lab mix has been eating Hill’s I/D for the last year and a half, and I’d like to try and wean her off of it and on to something that doesn’t require a prescription. The reason why we have her on the i/d is because she had a pretty nasty case of giardia when we first adopted her (she was approx 8-10 months old), and I think it fried her digestive system. After she was clear of the giardia, we tried her on at least 5 or 6 kinds of food, both rx and non-rx, but they all gave her pretty severe cases of the runs. We finally landed on i/d which controlled the diarrhea beautifully. She has been on it now for about a year and a half, so I’d like to try and roll the dice and get her onto something else. Plus my pup sheds a lot, and I question whether she’s getting enough nutrients. She’s always eating grass voraciously.

And yes, she does have allergies. We had her tested since she was literally licking her paws bald and getting frequent ear infections. She’s now on benadryl twice a day, and she’s no longer licking her paws at all (been stable for almost a year). She’s allergic to black ants and grass, of all the random things…

We didn’t test her for food allergies at the recommendation of my vet (can’t remember why, I think he said they’re not very accurate in dogs).

Our vet said there were rx hypoallergenic foods, but at the time that we had her tested (a year ago), he recommended that we remain on the i/d since we had finally sorted out her (severe) stomach issues.

So if anyone has any suggestions about where I can start to find an alternative, I’d appreciate it!

[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.

[Jordan L]

Thanks for the great responses! He isn’t suffering, more something I know should not be bothering him. Especially since it seems to be getting worse, I know there has to be something triggering it I can at least try to prevent.

I do know he has an allergy to grass and other common contact allergens, as sometimes he breaks out into a mild rash on his tummy and chest when he has been rolling around. We give him a Zytrec and it goes away in an hour or two. We have also had a few emergencies with his paws swelling up like sausages because of what the vet thinks are ant bites between his paws. I don’t really think we have an issue with ants- we have treated the yards as best we can, but there is only so much we can do when he is outside. I originally thought the first one was a bee sting it was that bad and came on that quickly, but it has happened multiple times since then. He licks and licks until it becomes infected and he’s unable to walk on that foot.

The past year he has been a mess medically and we are taking him to the vet about every other month for urgent issues. I am at a loss on where to start, as even our vet just thinks it’s contact dermatitis!

I am switching his brand of dog food ASAP, looking at a limited-ingredient grain free kibble. i am also going to add a fish oil to his diet to help his oil production and hopefully reduce some of the dandruff and shedding. This is just a start, but hopefully we will see progress soon.

[Anonymous]

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.

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.

[Pitlove]

does your vet think that it could be environmental? i thought for a long time that my dog was allergic to chicken because of him constantly licking his feet. came to find out he A) had a yeast infection under his nails and B) my vet felt it was most likely environmental. possibly grass and pollen. ive been trying to get better about wiping his feet off when he comes in from outside and we did a anti-fungal shampoo soak and meds for the yeast infection. he licks still but its not NEARLY as much as before and he eats whatever protein source he wants including chicken.

i would suggest switching the food and the treats and finding a food that is completely devoid of the same ingredients that are in the BB Wilderness and the treats. If you notice a change then it i’d say its the food, if not talk to your vet about the possiblity of an environmental allergy. those are far more common than food allergies.

also I would check into the recent problems Blue has been having and decide for yourself if you still want to support them as a company. you can find the info on google about the outcome of their lawsuit.

[Susan]

If you read the test your dog can have rice duck lamb & don’t forget the Nutri-Scan Salvia test, test for JUST 20 foods only so there’s probably other foods like Tapioca etc that your dog can eat …. your dog can eat the “California Natural” Lamb & Rice that has just 4 ingredients Lamb, white rice, brown rice & sunflower oil.. or the best thing I would do is feed raw diet that way you are in control of all the ingredients…….
Your dog has just proven LM WRONG she always goes on on that your dog cant have food intolerances chances are your dog has environment allergies, see a Dermatologist for environment testing & waste $2000 then what, how do stop all the pollens in the air, all grass on ground, you cant the Nutri-Scan test has proven LM her wrong.. Dogs do have Food Intolerances..
Jean Dodds has the only & best IgA & IgM salvia testing around….

[Susan]

Hi Amanda, I have just started a raw diet with 1 protein Kangaroo & 3-4 veggie/fruit.. I blend 1 broccoli head 5 celery sticks 1 apple & 1 banana all blended in a blender then I freeze 2 spoons portions & take out the night before I add 1-2 spoons with 1 cup Kangaroo….I’m not feeding any organ meats yet… its a elimination diet
have you joined the F/B group “Dog Allergy International group” look in the files at “Raw elimination diet” candida-yeast itchy smelly dog” … I’ve just started a raw diet thru a Naturopath & posted in the files what I used & did , Patches red paws itchy skin & hive like lumps all went away within 2-3 days on the Raw diet, I couldn’t believe it, 1 year going from kibble to kibble then it took just 2 days & all his skin started to clear up, no more red paws, I always thought it was from the grass his red paws ….also there’s limited ingredient foods in the files with just 3-4 ingredients are in the files … someone was asking about the Dinovite yesterday… have you tried tin sardines in spring water drained, they are high in omegas & his coat will start to come good again also a good medicated shampoo.. I use Malaseb medicated shampoo…. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogallergyinternationalgroup/

[jella]

Dear LT,
I just checked the Acana and it had white potatoes. So that is out. But it looked like Orijen Tundra didn’t have any of his bad foods but aren’t you scared of alfalfa? That is for horses and grown in fields with high pesticides. I might consider this one if I have to do so but years ago started getting a little arthritis so they tested me for gluten intolerance and I tested positive. Doctor said then that human and our pets should not have foods with gluten in them. Causes constant inflammation and visits to the doctor. I think Alfalfa has gluten. My vet asked me to strictly abide by her rules for 3 months with only what he is allowed to eat. She found out he also had environment allergies to oak trees, Bahia grass, and palm trees. She wants to avoid allergy shots so she wants to see for three months how he does with the food test. So far so good. Hardly any thick eye discharge in the mornings when he first wakes up. No scratching, itching or red spots so far.

But it seems they just pick one of the company brands to write about and I need to check all the offered ones everything on their label. Do you know how to do this?

[Ryan K]

Yes, I have actually tried Fromm’s Pork and Peas formula with her and she wouldn’t even touch it. It shocked me. I have noticed that most other Fromm’s (even in the Four Star) use Potatoes in their ingredient list. I’m not a big fan of Fromm’s for either of my dogs. My Dachshund/Terrier mix will eat ANYTHING and even he hasn’t been won over by Fromm’s. I now stay away from that brand since both the dogs have never shown interest in eating the foods from them that I have tried.

I think it might be a combination of seasonal allergies for her though like Susan mentioned. She won’t stop licking and chewing at her paws and I am wondering if it’s just because she has been in the grass/yard more lately? I wanted to get her off the Kangaroo though just based on the price. It’s costing me an arm and a leg to feed her and my other dog (he’s on another food!) and I am curious if there are alternatives to that food that would be free of the potato.

Any thoughts on Natural Balance Legume & Wagyu beef? I only had one outing with Natural Balance and the potatoes in the blend I got were a disaster. That was around the time I was discovering her response to potatoes. The Wagyu beef food is free of potatoes but it seems to have a lot of starch. I’m not sure if the overall guaranteed analysis is good for a senior dog or not. I’m not sure what levels I should keep an eye on for a dog her age? Is the protein supposed to be higher or lower as they age?

[zcRiley]

Cathy M – She’s young, start rotating food, she’ll luv it! Food has a lot to do with EVERYthing about your dog, however, not so much for the grass. If you’re willing to change the food & shampoo cold turkey (if there isn’t a medical issue), you can have results by the end of the week, really. I speak this way because an ex-vet of mine had me fearing all kinds of sudden changes like it were death. There’s precaution then there’s pill pushers.

First, you could train your dog to pee/poop in a sectioned off area of the backyard (maybe a hidden area or put up a small fence). I’m sure you thought of this though.

Second, drop these allergy prone ingredients found in Wilderness (Potato Starch, Potatoes, Alfalfa Meal, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Barley Grass, Dried Kelp). Look for chicken free, potato free, egg free kibble. Try Zignature Zssentials (3 proteins with simpler ingredients, the most “free” of just about everything in kibble form). Or try ZiwiPeak raw/dehydrated (no need to freeze or mix). The latter has a clean ingredient list and superb to digest (I’m so thankful I took a risk with it!). Or mix both if you’re on a budget. BTW, ZiwiPeak makes a Venison/Fish Formula if you don’t want to mess with extra pills/gels/squirts etc.

Use an all natural dog shampoo/conditioner (meaning you could use it if it weren’t PH balanced for dogs). Drag her to the tub and use Aroma Paws Shampoo, Honeysuckle Jasmine Formula. Just trust me on this one, we had dandruff city over here, LOL.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried a fish oil supplement once a day? Might help with the dry skin. Is she drinking enough water? Maybe add a little to her kibble.
As far as the dog urine goes, that’s how it is, urine burns the grass.
It usually grows back, kind of. You can’t have a perfect yard if your dog voids on it 🙂
And I don’t trust those supplements that are supposed to save your lawn, chemical junk, imo

Check Wysong for food, my dog with food sensitivities does best on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea with a little lean meat or cooked chicken added.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Yup, I saw her say that in the video and found it interesting. I was also thinking that maybe her ingesting pollen, from eating grass or licking her paws after being outside, could cause anal gland issues. The vet thinks this is plausible, but there are still some food allergy issues involved.

I think we are going to go with Petcurean GO Sensitivity+Shine Limited Ingredients Venison formula. Thanks Susan for suggesting this!

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

[Anonymous]

Quotes from the article that the OP found helpful (link provided by another poster in a previous post) http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/12/23/your-pets-anal-glands.aspx

Allergies can Also Irritate Your Pet’s Anal Glands

If your pet is sensitive to ragweeds, grasses, pollens, molds or other allergens in their environment, this can be a problem for their anal glands. All it takes is your pet sitting down outside for those allergens to transfer to the anus and cause overwhelming itching.

So your dog may start to scoot, itch, become red and irritated, and even chew at its rectum, which can create the anal gland problem. So if you’ve got an allergenic pet, addressing the root cause of the allergies is a great way to secondarily address the anal gland problem.

Anal Glands can Also be in the Wrong Spot

Some animals have anal glands that are placed deep and low inside of the rectum. In this case, even though there is healthy stool being passed out of the rectum, there’s not enough pressure to the wayward anal glands to effectively empty their contents during a bowel movement. Very rarely in those situations, those animals have to have anal gland expression performed because they’re not capable of doing it on their own.

[Susan]

Hi, you just need to find that right diet, join this Face Book group https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogallergyinternationalgroup/ look in the files there’s so many limited ingredient foods also Salvia & Hair Testing kits “Glacier Peak Holistic” test for 100+ Environment allergies & 200+ food for $85….
I would not remove anal glands, once you work out what foods she is intolerant too & avoid, the bum surfing & ear infections will stop, I was feeding pumkin, I have just stopped, I found the pumkin was making Patch itch & bum surf, I’m feeding Quinoa at the moment + tin salmon spring water + a gluten dairy, sugar free fish kibble …… look in the files there is so much information & a lot of experienced people who have dealt with food sensitivities/intolerances, environment allergies.. Patch is seeing a Naturopath Jacqueline Rudan Tuesday & is going on a raw diet + Enzymes + natural meds to help with the gut & nausea, his vet also put Patch back on the Metronidazole/Amoxicillin again for 3 weeks, so I’ve had enough at least the bum scooting has stopped when I stopped the pumkin but the nausea & eating grass hasn’t stopped… also look at DigestaVite Plus 100g Patch will be starting a small dose when it comes. http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/skin-allergies.html

[Dog_Obsessed]

So some of you may remember that Lily was having some anal gland/allergy issues a few months back. (More info here: /forums/topic/anal-glandfood-allergy-issues-tmi-warning/)

Anyway, we decided to put her on Acana Pork and Butternut Squash as her elimination diet. The infection came back a few weeks into the diet, so she was on Metronidazole for another 20 days.

We also got her tested for environmental allergies, and she does have some pollen allergies, (mostly 2/6) so we have been wiping off her paws when she comes inside. She also sometimes eats grass, despite our best intentions to not allow it, so that could be contributing. The vets are still convinced that food allergies are playing a part here though. Once off the Metronidazole, she still seemed to be doing okay, and wasn’t scooting any more.

We decided to introduce beef, (she hasn’t had much beef) so we have been feeding her THK Love for the past 2 weeks. Yesterday morning she started scooting again. She had also had some times of scratching her ear, though it wasn’t really an ongoing thing. Today we took her to the vet, and they said the infection had come back, and that she also had a minor ear infection. They proscribed more Metronidazole, and also drops for her ears. The vet suggested Cultural, a probiotic, and also trying the elimination diet again. She was suggesting prescription diets (this is a different vet from last time,) but I said I didn’t really want to do that except as a last resort. I asked her about an anal gland supplement such as Glandex, and she said she hadn’t heard of it but that we could send her the ingredients. I looked at it and it has beef in it, so maybe not. I’m really not thrilled with all the antibiotics, and I would like to look into other options. At this point our options are:

1. Try the probiotic and see if it helps.
2. Try another novel protein diet.
3. Try an anal gland supplement. (Ideas?)
4. Try a prescription diet.
5. Regular expression of the anal glands.
6. Managing environmental allergies. (shots or meds.)
7. The vet mentioned surgery to remove the anal glands as the absolute last resort.

Ideas anyone? We have also been giving her pumpkin with her food, with seems to help with digestion, but not really with the anal gland issues. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

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.

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.

[JeffreyT]

Here is Dr. Karen Becker’s overview of environmental allergies…she has other good ones listed on the right side of screen. She highly recommends bathing for environmental allergies. We did her betadine foot soak and it helped stop the paw licking/chewing.

If you don’t already…use only natural, unscented laundry detergent, avoid fabric softener, scented products like room deodorizers, candles, body care, etc., use pure and non-toxic household cleaning and body care products for your family and dogs, avoid all chemicals including flea/tick treatment. For dog shampoo I stick with unscented health food store baby shampoo, and use Mercolas flea and tick spray. BioKleen household cleaners are very pure and effective. I stay away from Meyers…very toxic stuff, even though it’s sold in health food stores.
Carpet and Persian type rugs can hold a lot of allergens…consider steam cleaning but do not let them use the cleaning solution..use only the steam. Best thing is no carpet at all if it is environmental allergies.
I’ve found my dog does better with commercial raw freeze dried and frozen raw than kibble or canned. When I’m in a rush, I use Ziwi Peak or Real Meat Food Company…both air dried using grass fed meat. I think home cooking is also a good option if you can swing it.
Also, a good air purifier helps.
Keep at it and you will find the solution.

[Rachel A]

well, this has definitely given me some things to think about. I did not know that there are dermatologist for dogs. (these are my first dogs, and although I try to research everything, I am still learning).
She has almost all of the symptoms listed above by LM. Head shaking, rubbing face (and stomach) on carpet, constant licking her belly area to the point were it is always red, scratching ears, and recently they have both developed yeast infections in the ears.
When attempting to eliminating all possible environmental causes over the years, we now have a fenced area that receives no chemicals of any kind. Grass is always cut super low. I’ve tried having her belly shaved (as I thought maybe the licking was a result of tiny little knots in her belly fur), not shaving, just clipping the tangles, all to no avail. She’s had her bedding changed to different materials, and no bedding at all. Again nothing. Finally, the vet decided that it was a food allergy. So, we first eliminated grains. Then we started trying different proteins. (By the way, the Coton was fine on the Wellness for small breeds, but has begun to suffer since changing to the allergy formulas) I am now wondering if my Coton can not tolerate the potatoes. I am still at a loss for the Shih-tzu, but she has been suffering since being a pup. In fact, she has a terrible attitude and has a tendency to be a bit of a ‘B”. At first I did not even realize that her belly was irritated and causing her behavior, so we thought it was all a behavioral issue. It wasn’t until her first cut that we discovered the problem. She has always looked very healthy and she has shiny fur, and they have never had fleas. (In my ignorance, I just assumed that she was just grooming like a cat). Now, she is very comfortable and pleasant with me since I know not to touch her stomach.
I just feel so awful that I haven’t been able to solve this problem. I am about to look up the different dog foods and see if I can find a common ingredient other than potatoes. Also, I will be checking out those books that were mentioned above and reading up on similar topics from this site. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[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.

[Dori]

losul: Another concern I would have, as a commercial raw feeder only, is that they do use animals that have been treated with hormones and antibiotics. Their wording is very flowery intimating that antibiotics and hormones are approved by the FDA to control illness, etc. blah, blah, blah. None of the wording makes me comfortable. Though my dogs eating commercial raw diets in rotation are accustomed to high protein, high fat diets; they are accustomed to quality high protein and quality high fats with companies that I have researched and trust. I would not feel comfortable feeding any of my crew this food. One more thought I want to add is the old age adage: If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Possibly if fed by someone that rotates foods as often as I do (I rotate with every meal and I feed twice a day), but I still wouldn’t use it.

I also haven’t found any wording as to free range, grass fed or whatever! That is another thing that I take into account.

[Anonymous]

My dog’s skin test showed allergies to a variety of grasses/weeds/trees, wool, Cockroach, American (specialist explained this doesn’t mean you have roaches) this stuff is dander, waste of all living things, it is everywhere, in the air, dirt, she scored a 3 for this one, plus the wool and one of the trees.
Three 3s. The other 13 were 2’s
The scratching, skin irritations, stomach upset, 2 ear infections, red rashes, 2 prednisone trials went on for a year before I took her for testing. I never had the blood test that identifies food allergies done. A lot of the allergens are airborne….impossible to avoid.
I tried an air purifier, dehumidifier….useless and noisy.

The link I provided (previous post) to Dog Allergy Central explains immunotherapy in detail.

I noticed a little improvement right away, it will be 2 years now, she’s sees the specialist once a year. She is much improved. She still scratches occasionally, but not that crazy, intense stuff.
The specialist I went to doesn’t even recommend the skin test unless the symptoms have been going on for 1 year/4 seasons without any periods of significant relief.

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.

Dog is prepared for Intra Dermal Testing

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.

[Christine M]

I doubt very much that the rice is to blame for the diarrhea, because it takes a few hours until the stomach digested it all. It must have been something he had before, maybe some rabbit poop or other stuff that he got into?
For instance, our dog loves to eat the rabbit poop in our backyard and we just don’t have the time to supervise each and every eliminating break that he spends outside. Plus in the grass you cannot even detect that rabbit poop.

[AJ A]

By the way. I have tried Primal and Natures Variety Instinct, over $100 still sitting in my freezer. If I think about raw meat I expect to see raw food and not a paste looking mushy something once defrosted. Also the smell is anything else than close to raw meat.
The only real raw food I found is Darwin’s. It was all real meat, unfortunately the meat was ground and dogs should get at least little chunks to satisfy their way of eating. Darwin’s uses 10% veggies in their food and veggies should not be offered to dogs as well. They don’t hurt but their body is not designed to digest veggies. Dogs are carnivores and their body is all made for eating whole carcasses, skin, feathers, fur, organs, in other words the whole prey. On their menu you can sometimes find some wild berries and grass, assisting in digestive disorders.When you see a dog eating grass he has an upset stomach.

[AJ A]

Thanks for all your opinions and experiences, I am glad I received replies.
I won’t ever go back to kibble EVER.
And I don’t run to the Vet all the time. I am organic myself since 15 yrs and haven’t seen a doctor since. Not even once!
I use common sense and needed to see if my case was only happening to my pup. As I can see it is definitely the water in the meat. Thats why they dont need to drink as much water as they do with kibble. Today I controlled a little the water intake and he pees less often, but still bigger spots than before and specially after feeding the chicken. He is doing just fine and has top energy, his coat started shining and it is growing faster than it was 1 month ago.
Before I switched to raw I did a deep education to be prepared, asking raw feeding breeders all over from Australia to Germany, checked everything online and started to understand that raw diet should not contain veggies neither grains like the BARF diet.. Wolves dont get a complete balanced diet everyday, neither do we and certainly they wont be searching for carrots, spinach and grains in their habitat. They receive the fermented enzymes from the digested food of their prey’s tripe, thats the good stuff, thats what they will eat first, thats where lots of balanced nutrients are.
When starting a raw diet with puppies (especially small breed) you best start with chicken, because low fat and easier digested than ground beef. Because I tried both, beef (grass fed 95%lean) and chicken. He regurgitated the whole ground beef everytime he ate it. He never did with the chicken. The wing helps cleaning his teeth and he gets supplements from the core of the bone and calcium.1 egg a week for breakfast. I give bone meal since he does not yet get enough bones in his food yet. Once he is used to the chicken and wings/necks I will start to join some liver and heart and green tripe little by little to not upset his digestion. Than we will do the same with duck, lamb and rabbit including organ and muscle meat as well. Of course a meaty bone everyday or 3 times a week.
Once established his likes than we can start feeding 1 day chicken, next duck and so on. I forgot the fish. Some fresh fish once a week is important as well.
I think probiotics , enzymes and clay are a must have in the kitchen. So is ionic silver and therapeutic grade essential oils like geranium, peppermint, frankincense and lemon. When they get lose stool some clay with enzymes/probiotics and diarrhea is cleared.
I use ionic silver to disinfect drinking water, once in a while internal against parasites and to clear my Shih Tzu’s eyes (14yrs). He suffers dry eyes and since he is on raw diet as well since 2 weeks his dry eye symptoms are already totally gone!! Yeahhhh! Now I hope to see changes in his coat like color and softness. His constant fear should disappear as well and his appetite should get better and better. I really hope to gain some more years of his company. I love him so much and hope we can gain back as much health as he has lost due to those bad kibble diet. He lost some of his hair on his back and I truly hope the high protein intake will fix most of his problems.
I stopped using vaccines on my Shih Tzu since 10yrs, neither I believe in spaying/neuter dogs. My pup received vaccines from her Vet, he won’t ever receive any other vaccines in his life. I dont believe it does any good, not for pets and neither for humans. Build up a healthy immune system and eat organic food and you will be fine!!! Same for dogs. THEY ARE DOGS NOT HUMANS!!! THEY DESERVE TO EAT HOW NATURE DESIGNED THEM TO.

[a c]

Serving Size: 1 tsp. (5g)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Calories 15
Sodium 5 mg < 1%
Potassium 60 mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 2 g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1 g 4%
Protein 1 g 2%
Vitamin A 1088 IU 25%
Vitamin C 4.2 mg 8%
Vitamin K 51 mcg 70%
Folate 7 mcg 2%
Calcium 28 mg 4%
Iron 1.4 mg 8%
Magnesium 4.1 mg 2%
Selenium 1 mcg 2%
Organic Parsley powder 712 mg *
Organic Spirulina 445 mg *
Organic Wheat grass whole leaf 415 mg *
Organic Oat grass whole leaf 415 mg *
Organic Barley grass whole leaf 415 mg *
Organic Alfalfa grass whole leaf 415 mg *
Organic Spinach 298 mg *
Organic Alfalfa sprout 282 mg *
Organic Collard powder 267 mg *
Organic Broccoli sprout powder 237 mg *
Organic Barley grass juice 208 mg *
Organic Oat grass juice 208 mg *
Organic Chlorella 193 mg *
Organic Wheat grass juice 178 mg *
Organic Alfalfa grass juice 178 mg *
Organic Kale powder 134 mg *

[Akari_32]

I don’t need your negativite crap. It’s not my dog, it’s not my choice. All I can do is give my mom the information I’ve gathered and let her decide what she feels is best. If you don’t want to comment anymore, don’t comment.

On another note, I need some opinions on a potty matter. Ginger has not pee’d or pooped outside in pretty much two days. Today she kept asking to go out, repeatedly, and I took her out, tried to walk her around and get her to do something. But all she wants to do is lay in the grass and go to sleep. I have to pick her up and take her back inside (she plants her feet when pulled back toward the door), where she then walks around for a while and then either passes out in her bed or on the couch, or pee’s in the floor and then passes out. She’s been off and on going potty in the house since she got her blood work done, and yesterday and today, all bets have been off. And I noticed today a nasty spot where the blood was taken. Lots of blood just under the skin, that also goes over the tumor on her neck. Not really a bruise though, because it doesn’t seem to bother her. It wasn’t there the couple of days following her blood work. Not really sure if this all just a coincidence that happened to coincide with the blood work, or if the blood work getting done has really stressed her, and caused her some sort of harm. I’ve never dealt with a dog so sensitive to litterally everything, like she is. Gets her feeling hurt very easily lol I will be making an appointment at the vet as soon as they can get me in. While we’re there, I’ll talk over the dental/antibiotic-denamarin combo options and see what he has to say.

[Susan]

Hi, the only thing they will find out thru blood work is if she has Pancreatitis, with Pancreatitis they are in a lot of pain, right side, under rib cage & they either lie with their front 2 legs stretched out & their bum in the air or sit in the praying position, if you touch around her Pancreatitis/stomach area they normally flinch & don’t like you touching that area, they vomit up their food, some dogs need to be put on a drip because of the vomiting & vomiting.. There’s no blood test for the stomach acid reflux…..

Ask your vet what would be the best test to do where we’ll get results, some vets don’t have to Endoscope equipment, so they don’t recommend doing it cause you’ll need to see another vet so they do all the other test first.. I went down the same road, started with medications & Patch seem like he was getting better then he started to vomit up his food, eat grass some mornings when he first woke up, burping after eating..then we’d have a few good days, so I thought, Oh he’s getting better…after trying medications things didn’t improve so I asked for fecal test, it came back no parasites…then I asked for CBC & A cpL test (Pancreatitis test) $230 results came back all good… months went by then Patch was ill again pain right side all the symptoms for Pancreatitis so this time I asked for an Ultra Scan $450 came back all good..we were back & forth to vets, I tried probiotic, which now Ive been told to stop & stop any foods with prebiotics (Beet pulp) I tried new diets, I lowered the fat% cause of his burping & acid reflux, I lowered the protein, it seemed to help..
I tried everything that people recommended…then I thought that’s it. I was sick of watching Patch suffer, in the beginning he’d just have 1 off day then after 1 & 1/2 year & after I tried a new diet Patch got worse, waking up burping up acid into his throat & burnt his throat, he couldn’t swallow, he was put on more meds Patches vet Sue wasn’t in so I got Johnathon the vet that loves steroids & Royal Canine vet diets Patches first vet at the Small Animal Hospital..Johnathon prescribed Prednisone Carafate & Losec for 3 weeks..I never gave the Prednisone cause I thought he has bad acid reflux already & prednisone is known to cause acid reflux with some people & animals…
I made a deal with myself if Patch isn’t better by his birthday 20/11/ 2014
I’m putting him to sleep, his birthday was the day I rescued him 20/10/2012

I had him for 2 years & we were always at the vet in the end Sue the vet would just ring me for free & ask hows Patch been doing, if I needed more meds she leave me a script & I’d just get Patches meds from my chemist real cheap cheaper then the vet charged….the only problem was Sue always wanted to open him up & do biopsies saying “its IBD the only way you’ll know is if we open him & do biopsies,” so I joined a IBD group & started asking question & the ladies said you don’t need to open Patch up just have the Endoscope & biopsies done & you will get some answers, so last December I went to my vet & booked Patch in with the best vet there Simon, Patch was diagnosed with Lymphocytic Gastritis & inflammation of the stomach cause the Helicobacter was left for so long vets think he has had the Helicobacter from a pup & caught it from his mom, Oh well he’s getting the treatment final after 6 years cause hes 6 years old now..

I did everything I could think to do, except one test, a Endoscope + biopsies that Johnathon Patches first vet suggested I do in the beginning but I changed vets to Sue & we went around & around in a circle, she just would ask “How’s Patches poo’s” I’d say really good, then she’d say “alright keep him on what your feeding him” I’d say BUT

It’s not that easy, LM just go to a 24hr vet & getting results there & then, the vet would just do a in house blood test, if the tests come back all good the vet normally just sends you home with some meds & a vet diet food probably the Hills I/d Low Fat restore & that’s it, you then have to go to your regular vet for a follow up..

I’m not saying Bella has the Helicobacter or stomach ulcers the 2 normally come together, but you will save money in the long run, going straight to the top & have an Endoscope + Biopsies & you will get results from the Biopsies & you’ll have a answer to all Bellas health problems & its sooooooooo stressful, Patch has become the son I lost years ago he’s my little boy & when he feels well & he’s not feeling sick, he’s a little monster, barks at me to get off the computer & take him for his 9.30 walk, runs up to any dog to say hello, gets bashed up sometimes, some little dogs bite or a cat karate chops him over the head, he just walks off wagging his tail, people say how healthy he looks shinny coat, you’d never know he has IBD…

[WhimsicalChaos]

The best dry food we have found is Acana ‘Grasslands’. Depending on your location it may be difficult to find, as it is more of a specialty pet shoppe product. But, all of our pups have loved it, and we have had no problems with Acana. Label wise is a very healthy, organic food. But, having issues of my own with ‘Blue’ canned food, so can’t help you with a can selection.

After using Blue Canned food, I am having to find another food today as the Blue has begun to give my dog serious ‘Gassy’ issues. We tried changing him over to Merrick last week because it seemed he had become bored with the Blue (even though we get him various flavors), but the Merrick Canned food gave him serious diarrhea and more gas. We could actually hear his tummy twisting noises. I felt so guilty…so we went back to Blue. Although he is eating the Blue, his ‘Gassy’ issue seems to have gotten worse. So, going to go find a different organic canned food. If you research, you will find a lot of people having gas issues that are using Blue. So, if you choose to try Blue, you’ll know rather quickly if your pups cannot tolerate it – for sure your nose will tell you.

He also began pacing all night, last night and the night before. My husband and I took him out 6-8 times both night, but he didn’t have to poop, and obviously no diarrhea – he would just urinate. But when being back inside, would continue the pacing. I hear no tummy noises, but there is definitely gas…no doubt about that! I just do not want him having any pains. I have a feeling his stomach has become intolerant to the ‘rich’ foods such as Merrick and Blue. Or possibly has acquired an allergic reaction to one of the main ingredients. So, gonna try yet another type of food.

[Becky H]

Should I introduce each ingredient of my supergreen mixture separately to make sure there are no allergies? I’m thinking back to when I gave my kids new food, I didn’t give them all at once. The supergreen mixture I’m going to give has alfalfa, kelp, chlorella, wheat grass, and spirulina. My newfie is 14 weeks old and is getting Fromm’s Large Breed Puppy Food, but I want to supplement some greens.
Thanks for any advice!

[Lori C]

I have an older (about 9 years old), Australian Shepherd mix. We also have a younger Golden Retriever.

The other day, I had a bright idea, to pressure cook the chicken bones from a chicken I had cooked in the slow cooker.

I pressure cooked all of the bones until they could be smashed easily between my fingers.

I poured a couple Tablespoons of the broth and bones on top of each dogs dry kibble.

They loved it so much that a I did it 3 days in a row.

This morning, our Australian Shepherd mix started throwing up clear liquid, and bits of grass.
She is lethargic, her nose is dry, and she is not eating.

***The last time I fed her the chicken bones and broth was yesterday February 25th, 2015.
She was fine all day yesterday, and last night.

She started throwing up this morning.

We are snowed in, in Knoxville. I can’t get her to a vet until tomorrow morning.

I would appreciate any feedback from the forum members.

Thank you in advance,

• This topic was modified 4 years ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[Susan]

Hi sounds like your girl has IBD, I read on a link now I cant find it, it said you shouldn’t give dogs enzymes especially if they have a healthy gut, there 2 types of enzymes the plant enzymes or Porcine enzymes….I’d stop the kibble, my boy has IBD & has so many problems with kibbles, just finished trying another kibble & he was sooooo ill, bad acid reflux, now has a real sore throat from the acid reflux, vet wants him on just Turkey breast mince mix in 1 raw egg, then I make about 4 loaves & put on a baking tray & bake 20mins…just for 4-6 weeks to give his stomach a rest, I freeze section & also boil sweet potato boil pumkin & freeze, I boil some Quinoa as its gluten free,….he has stop scatching & his red paws have gone & the red under his chin has gone… I’m finding Patch needs a gluten free diet & has real bad food allergies that has caused his IBD & Colitis when he eats something that he’s allergic too, he has his bloody poos cause the food is irritating his bowel..look up gluten free & low residue foods & stick with those foods also don’t rotate too many foods as you wont know what is causing the itchy skin….
I have found foods that agrees with him & give for breakfast & dinner & something else that agrees with him for lunch & a late dinner, he has 4 small meals thru the day, we found this works best for Patch. also use Malaseb medicated shampoo I found to be the best…. Patch does not take any heartworm meds, he cant take any worm meds only Milbemax all wormer every 6months & I dread the day its due he eats grass the next day & feels sick all day but doesnt have diarrhea on the Milbemax, vet said its very mild, Patch can not use Advantage flea spot on… only Frontline plus, as Frontline only penetrates 2 layers of the skin, where other flea spot ons penetrate thru into their blood, Patch nilly died from Advantage…you name it Patch cannot take it, its all to do with his IBD…..
So I have learnt LESS IS BEST….

[Mieke v]

Hello all,

Just wanted to let everyone know that our dog had all of these symptoms as well. Gulping, licking, sometime frantic eating of grass or anything, odd posture, random vomitting, random loose stools with mucus, and the list goes on. We switched him to Honest Kitchen Zeal for 2 weeks along with a dosage of 10 mg Famotidine (acid reducer that you can obtain at any grocery or drug store) at each meal. He weighs 55 lbs. No other food or treats. After two weeks we introduced rotation with Wellness Core (canned) and continued the Famotidine. He was symptom-free within a day or two. He has not had any further symptoms now in three months. We took him off the Famotidine after about one month but carefully watched him for licking, etc. Now he is on a rotation of HK Zeal one day, one day Wellness Core (canned) or Merrick Grain-free Wilderness (canned). We always make sure that the HK Zeal is a full day between the other two. If your dog is not digesting the HK fully, suggest pre-mixing and leaving in fridge. We also increased his physical activity to one 3-mile fast walk with water pack per day after he was symptom-free. Strongly recommend switching up foods and going ultra-low fat, grain-free. It saved his life! So grateful to this forum and our local fancy pet store which helped us.

[Judy G]

Heck, I live in Texas, so we’ve got lots of farms & ranches. But very few feed grass. And I don’t know how I could ask my friend to drive that far… Thanks for the info on the grass-fed meat at your Whole Foods. I’m most definitely going to inquire about mine just giving up on it! Where do y’all live?

[InkedMarie]

Our nearest Whole Foods is 1:15 away; we were there last month, all they had is grass fd meat. Hope they don;t change up here. Do you have any local farms?

[Judy G]

Thanks for the reply, InkedMarie. I am a shut-in and have to rely on a friend to shop for me. I ask her to go to Whole Foods for my meat, and they have quit carrying grass-fed beef. So, for me, it’s next to impossible!

I suppose I should contact S&C for a reply rather than just speculate. It’s hard to believe that they could be getting the amount of beef they need for mass production from a local farm, though. Unless it was a really big farm! : -)

[InkedMarie]

I don’t know anything about their sourcing but we buy grass fed meat at local farms; it isn’t next to impossible for me.

[Dog_Obsessed]

@Oleanderz Lily is a Bichon Frise according to her previous owner. In that picture she was rolling over for a belly rub, and she is in that same position now. 😀 I call her a sort-of rescue. The person who used to walk our foster dogs was leaving the country for a few months, and wasn’t sure if she was coming back to California or what her situation would be when she came back, and so she asked if we wanted her dog. At first I wasn’t sure, because I really wanted to keep fostering, but there was no way I could turn down a dog in need of a home. She was almost three when I got her, so I assume she is about three and a half now.

In terms of dog parks, I don’t take her to dog parks in the traditional sense. She is dog reactive on leash with unfamiliar dogs, and even though I think she would be okay off leash, I don’t want to risk it. There is an elementary school that is walking distance from our house that has a big, mostly fenced, grassy area. I will occasionally let her off-leash there if there are no other dogs around, I keep her close by and leash her if any dogs or other people come. (She is great with people, just very enthusiastic which not everyone likes.) I’m not sure if it is technically allowed or not, but they don’t bust people for it in that area, and there are a lot of owners that let tree dogs off-leash there and just leash when other dogs come by like we do.

The Weruva is not in her normal rotation. While the cans are not that much more expensive than other quality brands at my local store, they are much lower calorie for some reason so I would have to feed a lot more. It would make a great birthday treat though. 😀

[Oleanderz]

Okay, I feel like a terrible pet owner right now, but I have to ask this. Are these parasites transmitted through contact with other dogs? Or just being outside on infected dirt or eating bad grass? I’ve always been confused about heartworms, hookworms, and roundworms and how they’re contacted. I saw the title Interceptor and I remembered this empty box I have in my dog’s file and records. The one time I bought Interceptor, I was really… young, so everything my vet offered me, I bought. I used it over the course of a year and forgot about it (Or in this case, they stopped putting it into the market and my technicians never offered me a substitute. I didn’t even know.). Fast forward 6 years now I’m wondering; her tests for heartworms and such still always come back negative, it is a violent slap to the face just now when I realize that that medicine was so important. I normally just put K9AII on her and keep it rolling. I haven’t really been looking into a preventative or anything for this. Does anyone know exactly when it will be coming back? If not soon, what do you use on your dogs to protect them from these hijackers?

(Also very unrelated to the topic how do I add a picture to my icon?? Still very new here (; w ; ) )

[Katrene J]

Hi, I have an 8 yo, male English Springer with the same problem everyone here is describing. My sweet guy started with the gulps about 5 years ago. The frequency at first was once every 3-4 months. It gradually increased to every 2 weeks or so. Or it had up until last November [2014]. Since November he’s had two bouts and both were mild – no deeply scared, frantic grass-eating dog those two times. He was definitely uncomfortable and seemed kinda worried it might get worse but a little throat massage and he could go back to sleep.

Like a lot of folks on this and a couple of other wonderful, helpful forums, I’ve tried a ton of things and even thought at times we had the problem solved, only to find a few weeks or a month later that I was wrong and had to go back to the drawing board. It’s been 3 1/2 months now since Tommy’s had a bad night. Instead of the predicted 7 or so episodes you’d figure he’d have had at the every-other-week frequency, there were only the two mild ones. I changed only one thing.

Now it may be another wild goose chase in the end but with a hiatus of almost 4 months I figured it’s worth sharing the change we made at this point. I hope it can help another dog. The last thing I want thought, is to give anyone false hope. This may be something or it may be nothing and we all know that each dog is so very different what works well for one may do nothing for another.

With that part out of the way let me tell you what has worked so far for Tom. Back in early Nov Tommy and I were up with a night of the gulps. I scanned the web for any new info that might have been shared since his last bout of the gulps. One person had posted. She [I think] said the only thing that worked for her dog was Pepcid Complete – not regular Pepcid, Not Tums. Only the Complete formula helped. I didn’t have any Pepcid complete on hand so I went online to check the ingredients. It turned out that Pepcid Complete is basically Pepcid plus Tums plus magnesium. Those things I did have on the shelf. I gave Tom the equivalent. He shortly seemed somewhat better. Not good enough so we could go back to bed but somehow less worried, less desperate.

I started to research Magnesium. I had had it on hand for leg and foot cramps. It’s amazing for relieving muscle spasms. Could a throat spasm be part of the gulps problem? The dogs do seem to be gulping like they’re trying to swallow something stuck in their throats… One friend had had success with a very powerful anti spasmodic years ago with her gulps dog, an Aussie. A magnesium deficiency could be a cause of GERD too, I’d read. There sure seems to be some stomach problem with the gulps too… It seemed worth investigating.

I’m NOT a vet nor do I play one on television so please take what follows with that understanding. First I took some magnesium myself as a supplement. That went ok and I learned that, as mentioned in the research, too much creates loose stools. Good – that gave me a gauge to know when to cut back.

I began to give Tom magnesium as a supplement. This is plain magnesium we’re talking about here, nothing fancy. It’s regular grocery store magnesium, 250 mg tablets. Started Tom on it slowly, etc. He weighs about 55#. When he was getting one 250 mg tablet in the morning and two 250s at night I held it there. His stools were still fine and that dosage felt right – not a scientific reason but sometimes I think my subconscious notices things my conscious mind doesn’t and I’ve earned to pay attention.

Since being on that regimen of 250mg AM and 500mg PM Tom has had only the two bouts of the gulps that I mentioned earlier. One was over Christmas when I’d backed off on the Mg to about half the dose for a few days [we were guests and the loose stool potential was weighing heavily on my mind!]. The second was about a month ago. That was the time I never had to even wake up completely. He began soft gulping but was only mildly concerned. I gently messaged his throat for a minute or two. He sighed and curled up next to me. We both went back to sleep. One more momentary massage about 4 hrs later and the gulps were over.

My gut feeling is that some dogs have or develop a magnesium deficiency. If that’s the case Tom’s may have started when I had to take him off a raw diet. Or it may be it’s that the land that grows our food is so magnesium poor at this point the dogs are simply not getting enough no matter what they’re fed. Whatever the cause, for Tom at least so far, the magnesium supplement seems to be working. He and I both hope our experiences can help someone else’s good dog.