[RollTide10]

I adopted my Lab/GSD Mix from the shelter roughly 12 weeks ago (they said he’s 2 years old). They were feeding him Royal Canin Medium Adult so I thought to keep it as his diet. That is, until I discovered the numerous bad ingredients in RC. I also noticed that my dog would be scratching/nibbling on his back every so often, not constantly but still a cause for concern. So I thought to attempt to combat this with some grain-free food. (Perhaps I was wrong to assume so?). After much research, I decided to try out Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Chicken/Turkey…seeing that it’s not only affordable but contains pretty good ingredients.

My pup loves food so he has been chowing down WEF with no problem (for 18 days now- including a week of transition time) but I’ve noticed that he’s been shedding a lot more than usual and small clumps of hair is falling from his tail. I also discovered a 2″ long (literally a line) bald patch where his back and hip-bone connect (ruled out fleas). I’m not sure where it’s from but I have a hunch it may be caused by WEF (they won’t say how much Omega-3 is in their grain free chicken and turkey recipe, just that it is formed naturally.)

I’d like some advice, please, on which food is good to transition my pup to. Should I move him back to Royal Canin or try another type of food (whether with or without grains)? I’ve been doing a lot of research regarding dog food but I’m completely overwhelmed. I read Dr. Mike’s article on calcium/phosphorus levels for large breed puppies but what about my (supposedly) 2 Year old pup? What are other things I should look for in dog food besides protein, fat, fiber, and calcium/phosphorus?

Thanks in advance.

[anonymous]

The Vet Dr. John De Jong Sunday, January 28, 2018

Q Despite the colder weather, my Frenchie continues to itch. He did improve when taking a medication my vet gave him called Apoquel. While his itching is less frequent now, I am hoping you could explain why he continues to scratch. The dog is not quite 2 years old, and he is other­wise healthy. Can I keep him on this medication? His skin is also a little dry, so I have thought about giving him some supplements from the local pet store. His skin looks good otherwise.

A Apoquel is a great medication at controlling itchiness, or pruritis, in dogs, but it treats the symptoms associated with allergies and not the root cause of the problem. It is a much safer drug than the historically used steroids. Studies have shown it to be effective for a long time, with a wide margin of safety.
I would suggest that you either have a veterinary dermatologist review the case or have a good discussion about it with your veterinarian. Here are a few questions worth asking: Were skin scrapings done to rule out mange mites? Has any allergy testing been done? What about considering desensitization with allergy shots? Have you tried your dog on a novel protein diet in case the dog has allergies to certain meat proteins?
Just because the weather is cold, one cannot assume that there are no fleas around, so make sure skin parasites aren’t the cause. Are you using a flea and tick preventative? Also ask yourself if your home is dry this winter.
As for supplements, I would work with your veterinarian to use a good source of Omega 3 oils rather than buying over-the-counter products. With good diagnostics, you might be able to solve the itching. If not, the medication you were given for your dog will suffice. Good luck.

http://www.bostonherald.com/lifestyle/2018/01/getting_to_the_bottom_of_frenchie_s_itchiness?utm_campaign=bostonherald_trending_stories&utm_source=bostonherald&utm_medium=trending_stories

[Susan]

Hi again,
Yes stop all treats as they can be very high in fat & just use the dry kibble your feeding for her treats, did you take back the Simply Nourish & get a refund? i would contact Simply Nourish company & they should pay for the vet bill as well, 1 of my cats got ill after I applied Revolution I contacted Revolution & they told me to wash the Revolution off ASAP I had already done that then the lady said if he needs to see a vet they will Pay for it just tell the vet you’re seeing to contact this lady, my new cat is fine with revoluton spot on treatment but my other cat wasnt,…
What are you using to prevent fleas?? Please dont say Bravecto or Nexgard as these flea chews can cause stomach problems & other health problems
I wouldn’t make her drink water, when they eat wet food they don’t need to drink as much water, wet food, cooked & wet can food is around 70% water, its when you feed kibble they drink heaps of water… also when she hasn’t eaten all day thats OK she is resting her stomach, Pancreas, dogs are smart & know when not to eat, when to drink water etc, then when she finally does eat a meal feed her slowly & only feed 1/2 the meal then feed the other 1/2 of the meal about 30-60mins later, sometimes I feed Patch 1 spoon cooked food at a time in his bowl cause he gulps the whole cooked meal in 5sec then he gets pain & I think the pain is wind pain & he needs a to have a big burp, I ,ake Patch sit & hold his chest area & rub his back up & down like you’re burping a babythen he does a big burp & feels better, what I do with Patch & drinking water I use a small bowl & I go fill it 1/2 up & I take the water to him & I ask do you want a drink Patch if he does his head pops up & he moves to drink the water, I do this at night while I’m watching TV & he’s sleeping he gets lazy so I get his water for him but he’s 9y yrs old now & couldnt be bothered getting up om a comfy bed sometimes….
Do you live near a “Costco” or know someone that shops there? Costco have their “Kirkland Signture” Nature’s Domain dry Kibble look at their Turkey & Sweet Potato all life stages kibble, that’s if you can not afford the Natural balance LID kibble this Turkey & Sweet Potato doesnt have too many ingredients, it has probiotics for the gut, & has low Kcals Per cup336Kcals per cup so easy to digest, Patch was eating the Taste Of The Wild Sierra Moutain Roasted Lamb this last 1 & 1/2 years & he was doing very well on teh TOTW Lamb & kirkland Signature is made by the same maker as TOTW
Here’s are the ingredients.

Turkey meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, tomato pomace, flaxseed, natural flavor, salmon oil (a source of DHA), salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein 24% Minimum
Crude Fat 14% Minimum
Crude Fiber 4% Maximum
Moisture 10% Maximum
Zinc 150 mg/kg Minimum
Selenium 0.35 mg/kg Minimum
Vitamin E 150 IU/kg Minimum
Omega-6 Fatty Acids* 2.4% Minimum
Omega-3 Fatty Acids* 0.3% Minimum
Total Microorganisms* Not Less Than 1,000,000 CFU/lb
(Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis, Lactobacillus reuteri)

Calorie Content
3,590 kcals/kg (336 kcals/cup) Calculated Metabolizable Energy

Does she have a fermenting smell coming from her mouth?? if yes then stop feeding the boiled rice & start buying Sweet Potatoes & peel cut up in pieces & boil them you can freeze Sweet Potato it freezes well, I freeze sweet potato pieces then if I need some I just take out of freezer leave out to thaw, also potato is also good to feed, I also buy the Gluten free pasta for Patch Aldis sells it cheap, Aldis also sells tin Tuna in Spring water cheap keep a few tins of Tuna in the Cupboard for when she becomes unwell & you dont have any chicken, I have my Sweet potato cooked in the freezer & a couple of cans of tuna just in case, scramble egg is also good to feed when unwell or as a light meal..

If you do see the vet on Tuesday ask can you try a 14 day course of “Metronidazole” (Flagyl) twice a day every 12 hours with a meal, when she was vomiting & became unwell she probably needed a course of the Metronidazole when Patch starts having any stomach bowel problems Patches vet tells me to start him on the Metronidazole for 21 days, he’s taking the Metronidazole again at the moment & seems to be getting better, I hope….
You could ask the vet can you have a few repeat script of the Metronidazole 21 tablets 200mg & you take the script to chemist, I got 2 packet of te Metronidazole today only cost me $7.21 for 21 X 200mg tablets… heaps cheaper then seeing the vet & buying from the vet just explain your at Uni Studying & the vet might understand what its like & see you’re a good dog owner & care for your girl heaps I’d say its the Pit Bull in her, some Pit Bulls, Staffy seem to suffer with stomach problems…..
Maybe if she seems OK by Monday then cancel the Tuesday vet visit unless you want to ask for the Metronidazole but if she isnt sick the vet may not prescribe any medications, it will all depend on the vet, cause there’s nothing they can really do except with do further test & the stomach is the hardest health problem to diagnose & the only good test that gives answers is the Endoscope/Biopsies as the camera looks down her throat into her stomach they take a tiny tissue sample & thats ur biopsies no pain they come home in the afternoon & eat a small cooked meal & back to normal the next day, it might be best to save your money & get another LID kibble & wait till she is unwell again, an Endoscope isnt as expensive as people think, it cost around $400-$500 best to shop around first then you pay extra for the Biopsies they cost arount $50 each Patch had 2 biopsies I think, my bill wasnt itemized this time, but I saw teeth cleaning & scaling cost me $200, I dont even get my teeth cleaned & Patch comes out with these pearly whites but he had Gingitivitas back left molar teeth vet wanted to stop any bacteria going down his throat…..
I have to get to bed very tired, Patch is waiting for me… dogs are so loyal arent they..

[Sandy c]

We stopped giving our pets Frontline years ago. Our poor cat (RIP) suffered the most, and developed a hairless patch on the back of her neck underneath the collar where I put the Frontline. Poor baby! Now I just used diatcemeous earth (I’m pretty sure I spelled this wrong). It’s all natural and kills fleas as well as a host of other insect pests. We’ve had no fleas since using this for over a year and it’s much more healthy and inexpensive than Frontline and all the similar poisons we put on our pets. Our vet actually told me about it, she’s been really good with advice for more natural remedies. She also recommended a natural hip and joint for our lab and it’s great, It’s made by Boston Pet Products. I’ll come back with links for both of theses products when I get a chance.I buy both on Amazon, if that helps.

[earthchild]

I read this post as a result of searching for information and reviews on flea pills. My 3 year old cat died 3 weeks of ‘probable cause – heart failure’ after giving her a Comfortis pill in early 2017 and I am scared to use that again. My dog however is so flea infested that sprays and baths arent enough. I’m still deciding which one to try, but wanted to answer the initial question, yes, I believe we should be extra careful about this type of treatment. It was a traumatic experience to see my kitty go like that, and so young also. She was a healthy indoor kitty and I regret not doing the research before giving Comfortis to her.

[Candice T]

GM, as an owner of two dogs that have developed seizures, I have stopped using all flea shampoo and meds.
All gave my dogs seizures even when I cut the dose down in half or diluted the shampoo.
It was horrible to watch and know I was the cause.
I trusted the vets advise and numerous good rating on shampoos on Amazon before purchasing. All with disaterous results.
My dogs bite and scratch at the spots where the spot drops were applied, hair lose and skin bubbling.
First thing I did..
A Luke warm bath a gentle shampoo and wash Ed rinsed and repeated..3 times until the pain and sting went away.
Next I gave Activated Charcoal 1 three times daily for the first 4 days. By day two they were back to normal.
I will never use any drop, oral or shampoo in or on my dogs ever again. They are all toxins and have killed many pets.
Oh but I have fleas or my dogs haven’t had seizures sonit must be ok? You are wrong. You are poisoning your animal.
So what do you do ??
First a swim if your near the ocean.
If not. Fill two containers in the tub.( I use a plastic clothing bin)
With Luke warm water. Put dog in water take out in tub and put diluted blue Dawn dish liquid on it. Lather up good making sure to hit the neck first to stop fleas running to the head. Keep lathering until you see dead fleas. If u can get a flea comb or regular comb through hair do so. Separate the fur look for fleas close to the skin. Take a large cup dip some water out of container and rinse off some of the soap. Then repeat again rubbing on the Dawn. Using your hands massage in make sure not to get in the eyes, make sure you do feet and tail. After ten minutes. Put in first container of warm water. The waiting should come up to the neck. Now using your hand gently massage the shampoo out.
Put dog back into tub an put on good conditioner. Massage in.
Put dog into clean second container of warm water rinse well.
Repeat after a few days to kill off any eggs
After bath use Cedarcide or Wondercide. A must have.
Wash all dog bedding, your sheets as well if they sleep there. Vacuum. Empty bag and vacuum again.
For those of you who use meds to control seizures after. I chose not to even though my vet suggested them. I use the Activated Charcoal. It absorbs toxins in humans and dogs.
I am not a doctor and am giving this as advise
I have had many dogs over the years and all though I used spot on products on my large dogs with little affect, I realized now it affected them in ways I couldn’t see. It is posion and should not be used. I don’t live in an area with ticks so I don’t have that problem. I live in a very warm high humidity country with a large amount of roaming cat’s. So fleas are abundant.
I also put coconut oil in my hands warm it and rub into my dogs to keep skin from drying out, which also causes itching.
Or let them lick it up.
Good luck everyone please look up the cedar oil
C

[anonymous]

http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/flea-and-tick-medicine-for-puppies/
excerpt below:
Why Flea and Tick Prevention Is Important
In addition to being uncomfortable for your dog, fleas are also the leading cause of tapeworm, a parasite whose larvae is carried by fleas. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Ehrlichiosis, Canine Anaplasmosis, and other serious conditions. (Read more about tick-borne diseases from the AKC Canine Health Foundation.)
Dr. Andrea Tu of Park East Animal Hospital in New York City (scroll down for video) recommends regularly running a flea comb throughout your dog’s coat to check for fleas. Also, be on the watch for “flea dirt,” little black specks usually found on a dog’s belly or around the tail. Vacuuming the home and spraying insecticides on shaded areas in the yard can also be useful in keeping any potential flea problems at bay. Some people prefer the more “natural” option of using nematodes, an organism that feeds on flea larvae, on their yards.
After visiting woody areas or spending a lot of time outdoors, give your dog a tick check, looking him over for any embedded parasites. If you spot a tick on your pet, carefully remove it using this safe method and contact your veterinarian in case further treatment or testing is necessary.

[CockalierMom]

a c -Since you are uncomfortable with Bravecto, I would get a new batch of Frontline or try Advantage before going with the pill. You may have received some that was not stored properly and has lost its effectiveness. My vet does not carry the topical flea treatments so I order Advantage online from either Drs Foster and Smith or Chewy.

[pitlove]

Hi a c-

I’ve been using Bravecto on both my dogs for a couple years now. Not a single issue here. We switched from Nexgard once we figured out my AmStaffs allergy issues and after we found out he was predisposed to seizures Bravecto was still recommended to me by his vet as one of the safe products he could have. I do firmly believe in the safety and efficacy of the product and would recommend it to you.

Consumer reviews on products make it challenging to properly assess the product because they are often bias. The reviewer assumes that the most recent thing changed in the dogs environment or daily routine is at fault for the problem, not realizing that’s not always the case.

I also think your comment about a “dog with fleas and ticks is better than a dead dog” is note worthy. I wholeheartedly disagree with that statement. Fleas and ticks carry and transmit multiple fatal diseases, not to mention, with heavy infestations can cause anemia. Don’t forget about flea bite dermatitis as well.

[a c]

Ok. After 9 years of using Frontline Plus with no problems, I have recently found fleas on my dogs. I have been giving Frontline Plus given every 4-6 weeks. I have also tried flea shampoo.

I went to my vet’s office. I was told the over the counter flea medicine doesn’t always work. They recommended Bravetco pills. I also inquired about the flea collar. I was told they don’t sell the flea collars or the Frontline anymore. They only sell Bravetco($59 a pill).

After reading all the posts above, I am very nervous about given them this oral pill. Someone said the best. Dog with the fleas and ticks are better than dead dog.

I have spent all day using flea comb combing their hairs. Any other ideas?

[a c]

Thank you, anon101. He seems ok and have stop scratching himself. I don’t have carpet in the house. Its strange that I found fleas on him but not the girls. Maybe they have better defense since they have been getting frontlines plus for years?

I really don’t like the idea of putting pesticides on them. I wish there are more natural ways to avoid fleas.

[anonymous]

@ ac

Do you have carpeting? You may need to call a professional exterminator if the fleas are in your house. Treating the dog just won’t be enough.
Also, be careful about using more than one product at a time to treat the dog, it might be too much, remember they are pesticides and the Frontline is still in his bloodstream.
Adverse reactions are possible.

[a c]

My puppy is getting his 2nd dose of Frontline plus. Three days later, guess what? I found fleas on him. I have to give him flea shampoo to get raid of the fleas.

[GSDsForever]

“Vet says he’s too young for allergy.”

I have had multiple dogs with allergies, food and otherwise, been advised by specialists and excellent experienced general practice vets, as well as done my own judicious research and I have NEVER heard that from any source. I would question that.

While my current dog has had the most challenging to figure out and overcome allergies I have personally encountered, she is now doing exceptionally well. We (my vet & I) have used a multi-pronged approach for this dog that has both food and environmental allergies.

I agree w/anon — see a different vet, get a second opinion and get an accurate diagnosis based on good, solid veterinary knowledge and experience, a specialist as needed. Ask for a referral to the specialist if necessary. A good generalist vet should be happy to refer.

Pitlove also makes a good point. Fleas aren’t a big challenge where I live, but I do know that flea bite allergies (even from a single flea when you don’t see fleas, flea dirt) are a major cause of allergies/itching for many dogs.

This is the protocol for my dog, some or all of which may be helpful to your dog if you haven’t tried something (or the combined approach):

1)DIET
Novel Protein (10-12 weeks to see results) Limited Ingredient Diet — homemade or from a company with very strict allergen/cross-contamination AND NOT ONE DEMONSTRATED IN VET JOURNALS TO BE CROSS-CONTAMINATED ALREADY (Royal Canin, Natural Balance, Nature’s Variety/Instinct, et. al.)

— and ABSOLUTELY NO treats, supplements, “real”/”people” food, medicines (i.e. heartworm preventatives), or even chew/dental toys (i.e. Nylabone) that contain the established top food ingredient allergens for dogs (beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, wheat, soy, corn). I treat w/her actual food or low allergen potential real food (i.e. blueberries, green beans, watermelon)

***Because I feed kangaroo — having needed a more unusual, rare protein source — I feed Zignature Kangaroo LID (GF) dry & canned food.

I also supplement, per vet prescription, Omega 3 EPA & DHA at a high, therapeutic/condition treating dose daily for anti-inflammatory effects, plus skin, coat, brain benefits — and I use Grizzly’s Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil in pump bottle.

2)ENVIRONMENT:

a)Frequent thorough bathing w/very hypoallergenic and gentle shampoo & skin soothing, skin repairing/barrier protective, etc. ingredients

b)frequent washing of dog’s bedding, etc. in hypoallergenic laundry detergent

c)frequent vaccuuming (pollen, dust/particulates, etc.)

d)hypoallergenic wet wipes wipe down of whole dog, especially paws (or dunking/rinsing paws off), after all walks & trips outside (pollen, dust/particulates, etc.)

Finally — consider & don’t overlook your own personal care/cleaning products that may cause allergic responses in your dog.

3)Cytopoint (aka CADI) injections, every 4-8 weeks as needed, seasonally or otherwise

I researched, considered, and rejected two other rx allergy/itch meds, Apoquel and Atopica.

I also researched and considered trials of 4 (recommended #) OTC antihistamines (e.g. benadryl, zyrtec/cetirizine).

I tried the above all in that order, before adding the next step.

We also tried once, but didn’t receive good relief and diagnostic results from a steroid injection — to see if she had seasonal environmental only allergies vs. food/combination.

[shawn b]

Thanks so much ,I am trying. But then I had a lapse in judgment and let my Vet talk me into an oral flea and tic pill…NexGard, which gave her terrible diarrhea, took her appetite away and she just acted sick and miserable for 3 days.. Also really bad reviews on line (dangerous side effects) Wow, we really need to educate ourselves to be pro active about what we give our pets! Thanks for your feedback.

[Laurie P]

Do you suppose the flea preventative could be causing the all-over itching? I give my pets the standard chemical liquids so I’m not pushing “natural” flea products. I was just thinking that may be the only change the pup has had in his environment. I’d let him go at least 6 weeks between flea applications to see if that changes anything OR try a different brand.
Good luck! I know itching skin problems can but a HUGE source of concern and trouble!

[Ivy H]

Hi Susan
Yes thanks so much I ordered the Malaseb shampoo on line from your advice. It was out everywhere but I did find it so I can’t wait for it to come. Hoping it will really help. In the meantime I will be switching foods. Thanks so much!

Pit love
You are right it only takes one flea bite to cause a full body reaction. And when I got him he had never been on fea prevention. I don’t like to give my dogs this stuff but I’ve had a terrible flea problem a few years back and my female is allergic to flea bites. She was on prevention at the time. Thanks

[pitlove]

And what about a flea bite allergy? It only takes one bite from a flea you never see (whether they are on prevention or not) to cause a full body reaction.

[Ivy H]

Hi
No he doesn’t have fleas. He’s on flea preventive and has been checked and rechecked. But of course I initially was thinking that too. Thanks for thought though

[pitlove]

Hi Ivy-

I didn’t see this mentioned anywhere, but has fleas or flea bite dermatitis been ruled out?

[HEAHEA14]

MY PUPPY IS CONSTANTLY SCRATCHING AND BITING HERSELF AND IS ON A FLEA AND TICK PREVENTATIVE, BUT NOT ONLY THAT HER POOP IS NOT FIRM AND SMELLS AWFUL. I HAVE TOLD THE VET THIS AND THEY CHECKED HER FOR FLEAS AND SAID DIDN’T SEE ANY AND THAT SOME DOGS ARE MORE SENSITIVE THAN OTHERS. WHEN I GOT HER IN AUGUST SHE WAS REPEATEDLY TREATED FOR WORMS. SHE IS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF STILL HAVING THEM AND I DID LEARN YOU CAN NOT GO BY THE TEST!!!! PLEASE ANYONE IF YOU THINK YOUR DOG MAY HAVE WORMS LOOK AT THEIR POOP!!! HER POOP HAD WORMS ALL IN IT AND I TOOK IT TO THE VET AND SHE WAS TESTED AGAIN AND IT STILL CAME BACK NEGATIVE!!! SHE HAD WORMS!!! MY QUESTION IS I AM FEEDING HER NUTRO ULTRA PUPPY AND BEFORE THAT WAS ZIGNATURE AND ON BOTH FOODS HER POOP IS NOT FIRM AND SMELLS AND THE CONSTANT SCRATCHING AND BITING HERSELF AND I DON’T NOW WHAT FOOD TO PUT HER ON. I WAS LOOKING AT THE WELLNESS CORE PUPPY BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE ANYONE’S SUGGESTIONS!!!

[a c]

Susan,

I don’t use Facebook so thank you for the details from your post. I lost my 10 years old dog son to lymphoma(lymph nodes cancer)this past spring. It’s like a wake up call for me. I have trusted the vets, the dog food industries, pet vaccinations, pet heart warm provention, and pet flea control. I felt so bad. I have failed my dog. I gave him the poision. Never cross my mind that I need to second guessing them.

Now I do. I have been doing a lot of reading and research. The more I read the less I am willing to give them. Basically, everything is related to the greed, the revenue. Where are the ethics? I still haven’t find any vet who is willing to do blood work to determine whether annual rabies shots are necessary. If I know those info sooner, maybe my dog is still here with me.

[Susan]

Hi
Atlas & Cockalier Mom as well,

I follow “Rodney Habib” https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib on his face book page, Dr Karen Becker & Rodney have been traveling all over the world speaking & interviewing Dr’s Vets, Scientists etc like Dr Steve Marsden, Dr Marty Goldstein, Dr Jean Dobbs, Dr Richard Patton, Dr John Robb, Dr Ian Billinghurst, Dr Gregory Ogilive, DR Karen Becker, Dr Erin Bannink, Dr Joseph Mercola, Dr Tim Spector & many more & Rodney & Ty Bollinger have put together a 5 part video’s free so we all can learn how to have a healthy dog the way nature intended them to be, click on Rodneys link above then scroll down his page & look for “The Truth About Pet Cancer” Episode 2, “Hidden Hazards & Causes” get a cuppa sit back & watch, then watch Episode 3 Raw Diet vs Kibble, Episode 4 “Heal & Repair” has just been put on Rodneys F/B page.
“Steve Brown” is also good to follow when it comes to healthy feeding & what to add to your dogs diet, when Steve Brown was asked, if he had to add just 1 ingredient what would he add to balance the diet & he said “Mussels” they’re cheap & very healthy, Mussels have Manganese, Iodine, Fats, Vitamin D, EPA, DHA, Glucosamine, Chondrotoitin get some Freezed Dried Green Lipped Mussels I buy “K-9 Natural” New Zealand Brand, Patch gets 2 Mussels a day around 11am, yes he does do a few smelly farts after he eats te Mussels but so far pooo’s have stayed the same firm & I know Mussels are very healthy for his skin, coat & his joints, he’s nilly 9yrs old in Novemeber, Steve also said to add 1 spoon of Salmon & a pinch of kelp to their diets….
Dr John Robb & Jean Dobbs are really good Dr’s watch their interviews about Vaccinations in “The Truth About Cancer” Episode 2, we all want answers why are our pets dying so young from cancer & other diseases, back 20-30 yrs ago this wasn’t happening cause we weren’t putting all these flea tick poisons on or in their bodies or feeding dry processed kibble, we feed table scaps what we ate, we didn’t over vaccinate, I only remember my mum going to the old drunk vet up the road when the cats needed desexing or putting down, she’s carried them in small round leather bag & bring them back & burry them in the back yard.
When watching these video’s get a writing pad to jot things down quickly, in Episode 3 when Ty Bollinger who is also doing these Episode with Rodney Ty talks about what he uses for Flea products, after watching this section of the video you will think twice before using any poison flea products, Ty said he gets “Orange Oil”, “Lemon Oil” & “Grapefruit Oil” he gets a little 99c spray bottle adds a few squirts of all 3 oils then add some water shakes & spray Atlas for Fleas & Ticks instead of giving him any poison flea products, Mike Adams said he uses “Cedar Oil” for fleas & Ticks especially if your dogs swims, the Cedar Oil doesn’t wash off, Dr Eward Group uses “Diatomaseous Earth” for worms & heartworm adds once a week to 1 of the meals “do NOT give him any of these new Flea Chews or tablets” they change the dogs blood, so think about it a tick has just bitten your dog & the Tick dies straight away, this poison is in their blood running & pumping thru their body going thru our dogs organs now that wouldn’t be healthy for the dogs. Bravecto should be taken off the shelves its the worst flean product & cause its new we dont have any real research yet about long term side effects, the Poisons in Bravecto stays in a dogs body heaps longer then the 3 months it states on Bravecto, vets have taken blood tests from very sick dog after they had been given Barvecto Chew & became very ill & 9mths later these sick dogs still had the poisons that are in Bravecto still in their system…
There’s not much research when it comes to our dogs & cats especially food & diet, most of the research is done by the big companies like Hills but in Australia our vets & some of our pet food companies tell us pet owners if you feed kibble also add raw meaty bones to the dogs or cats diet at least once or twice a week, we have one brand kibble called “Stay Loyal” made by brothers & they tells their customers to fast your dog 1 day a week Sunday & feed raw meathy bones instead of a kibble meal thru the week, this is what all pet food companies should be doing being honest with pet owners but it wont happen in America…
I hope you both enjoy watching Rodney & Ty Bollingers video’s there’s a lot to sink in so maybe watch the video’s a few times, the sad part is we have sick pets & cant do alot of the things like feed the Raw Diet but we still can add healthy foods to their diets, in 1 yr time when Atlas is an Adult & gut has healed, Atlas might be able to chew on a nice raw meaty bone & have no problems at all later on, he’s lucky he has you helping heal & fix his intestinal problem now in the beginning while he’s still a pup, so chances are his intestinal tract will slowly heal & then just avoid the foods he’s sensitive too, where Patches old owners we think he had a few owners cause of his name “Patch” he didnt know or answer to Patch when I get him thru rescue & he was micro chipped at 3months old all details DOB were on his M/C paper work, patches first owner must of given him up to someone else cause he would of answered to Patch, his owners mustnt of bothered when he had diarrhea or did real sloppy poo’s & just kept feeding him them same diet that was causing all his intestinal problems ..When I move I’m re introducing Patch onto raw again, I’m trying 1 last time, he’s getting a Crocodile meaty bone for his 9th birthday, he always pulls me to the fridge section & looks at the raw Crocodile & Kangaroo meaty bones….
We can stop using the flea tick products, I don’t use any flea/tick, allwormers or no Heartworm products, Patch always became real ill after I’d use any flea/tick products & his vet said NO to all the new flea/tick chews & tablets, the Fleas dont seem to jump on him, he doesnt seem to get any fleas only 1 Summer the fleas at the Park were bad we had had heaps of rain & a few fleas would jump up on his legs but he’d tell me straight away, he’d stop walking & look to where the flea was on his body & I’d squeeze inbetween nails & kill them, I dont use allwormers or Heart wormers either I dont live in a bad Heartworm area ask your vet he’ll know if your living in a high heartworm area, the only flea product Patches vet said to use & doesn’t go thru to the dogs blood is “Frontline Plus” Spot On & Frontline Spray, the rest all go into the dogs blood, that’s another thing try & find a GOOD vet, there’s some bodgee vets around & some really good vets like Rodney’s video’s they do heaps more studying after they have become vets & learn heap more about diet, nutrition, poisons, vaccines etc did you know a vet isnt taught how to prevent your dog from getting sick or cancer the vet is just taught how to treat the dying dog who already has cancer or is already sick, that’s sad I think…..
I’ve seen a lot of different vets over the years thru rescue, you have vets that love giving the dogs drugs & dont bother working out why this is happening with teh dog etc but lately the vets I’m seeing thru the pounds that are younger & learning now have an different approach then the more older cranky vets, so I hoping thats going to be a good thing for the future of our pets….

[jella]

Yes,
It has been all over the tv news. Over hundreds of dogs have died taking all the different oral flea medications. Mentioned toxins similar to what they put on your yard as an insecticide. TV news suggested to use the rub on kind if you couldn’t do all natural. News said they kill young puppies even no known ever health problems. Internet has all kinds of stories about this subject. Facebook has groups that have testimonials of some of the people that have lost their pets to all the different oral flea and tick medications.

[Susan]

Hi Charles,
Rain makes Patches paws worse, they go real red inbetween the toes & pads, this is when I apply more of the “Sudocrem” it works as a barrier & protects his paws & repells the rain water… how’s your dog paws been going with all the rain?? make sure when he comes back inside I have a small bath towel near the front door & I dry off Patches paws..

I would have purserved with the “Cytopoint” injections Cytopoint might be a bit more expensive but in the long run the Cytopoint will be better health wise, also the longer the dog is having Cytopoint injection the longer time in between the dog needs another Cytopoint injection, at first some dogs need a Cytopoint injection every 2 weeks now they only need a Cytopoint injection every 2months & stopped thru te Winter months… it’s the same with Flea Chews & oral flea meds like Comfortis the longer these dogs take these fleas chews then they do not need to take it monthly or every 3rd month as the drug builds up & stays in the dogs system longer like Bravecto flea chew (I would NEVER use) Bravecto is suppose to work for 3months, when dogs have become really sick after taking Bravecto the dogs have had blood test & the Bravecto drug was still in the dogs system 7-9months later, Nexgard is probably the same, just see, when your boy is due for his monthly Nexgard chew don’t give it till the next month, I bet you it will work the same, in Winter stop thru the Winter months give his body a break, my boy has IBD & is VERY sensitive to most drugs my vet tells me less is best when giving any toxic medications, she said these companies know the flea chews last longer then the recommended time but they don’t want their customers to know this as they’d go out of business….

[Susan]

Hi Karen H,
stay away from any oral chews for fleas etc especailly Bravecto it stays in the dogs system more then 3 months & if the dog starts to react & gets sick there’s no treatment to reverse the Bravecto…

Do you live in a high flea, high heartworm area?? ask vet when was the last time he had a heartworm patient in your area ask a few vets in the area normallly the vet staff at the front desk know?? Where I live vets haven’t seen any heartworm cases in 30yrs now.
Less chemicals you put in his body the better off he’ll be….
I have a very sensitive boy who has IBD & I do not use any flea chews, we don’t have fleas where I live but when I first rescued Patch nilly 5 yrs ago when we were walking thru the park before all these flea chews came out (Bravecto & Nexgard) there were fleas in the dog park after it rained thru the Summer months & Patch would tell me as soon as a flea jumped up on his leg, he’s allergic to flea bites, just 1 bite & he itches for days, Patches vet said the best product to use is “Frontline Plus Spot on” or the Frontline Flea spray, they both only penitrate 2 layers of the dogs skin, where other flea proucts like Advantage spot on penitrate thru to their blood, Patch was spewing blood after I applied Advantage spot on when I first rescued him, I dont know if it was a coincidence this happened but it was awful he woke up 2am vomiting & there were clots of blood in his vomit, I took his vomit to the vet that morning but the blood clots had mixed thru, this is how I’ve learnt all this info about flea products, the Frontline spray is expensive but it last a few Summers, I was just spraying his legs then put on a glove & spraying the glove then rubbing onto Patch fur.. but these last 2 Summers he hasn’t had no fleas at all I’d say everyone in the area are using all the new toxic chews for fleas, so my Patch is flea free when he comes home from his walks & he doesnt need any chemicals in his body..
Join a few “Natural Canine groups” & ask what they’re using for fleas, I know in Australia, Australian made pet foods have Garlic in them, at the end of the ingredient list, so there’s not much garlic in the dog foods, google what foods in a dogs diet stops fleas, you don’t add heaps of Garlic only very small amounts there’s other foods as well like Brewers Yeast…
I know Lavendar & Rosemary plants planted around the the yard are good to keep away Mozzies as Mosquitos hate Lavender & Rosemary, you can make up lavender, pepermint, eucalyptus in a spray bottle & spray the dogs coat, bedding, kennel etc to keep fleas away, I’m moving into a house in a few months & I’m worring about fleas as the last owner had a dog & a cat so there will be flea eggs in the dirt grass etc there’s no carpet inside house so hopefully the house will be flea free, but fleas dont seem to like Patch, Patches vet said she see a few dogs that are the same the fleas jump on them, then the flea jumps back off them, could be their diet….

[Krissy K]

Hello!

Just came across this blog while researching heartworm meds. I’m originally from Canada where heartworm was seasonal and rare in our area. We now live in Florida and recently got a 1.5 lb Yorkie puppy. I’m trying to decide which heartworm medication to give her. Her natural vet and all the vets down this way advised heartworm meds are needed year round. After researching I agree, since she’s so little a lot of the brands are a higher dose. I have it narrowed down to heartgard or interceptor. Just the regular, I don’t want a combo flea medication. We have a good all natural regime for her that’s been working well. My concern is the heartgard is 0-25 lb’s she’s so little to be getting such a large dose. The interceptor is 2-10 which seems like a better dose however I’m not sure which medication would work well and have the least side effects on her. The vet said either would be fine but I like to really do my research before giving any meds. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Jeff S]

So I have a 14 week old Australian Labradoodle puppy who I was possibly transitioning to raw or at least mostly raw—want to keep some kibble to make it easier for travel and friends watching her. Anyway started transitioning her to Raw about a week ago. Have been using a sample pack from Darwin’s as well as some Primal Raw frozen–both chicken. She seems to be doing generally ok, although it seems that for about 1/2-1 hour after she eats, she gets very hyper–sometimes running in big circles with her tail between her legs and/or being very restless. Spoke with Darwins’ but they said they haven’t heard of this. has anyone experienced this? So far I have been only giving her commercial raw, except for yesterday when I gave her a piece of raw turkey wing (which she enjoyed and chewed up pretty well). Yesterday about 3 hours after eating the turkey wing she did regurgitate with much of the turkey looking undigested (she re-ate it). She then seemed fine. After playing for a bit and taking a nap she seemed very hungry so gave her a handful of kibble (Acana). About another 2-3 hours after, she threw up agin–mostly partially digested kibble. She was good the rest of the night (slept through until morning). Fed her kibble this morning and she was good most of the day. Fed her some more raw (Darwins chicken at lunch) got a bit hyper again but was good most of the rest of the day until after dinner–which was some more Darwins and a bit of Allprovide. Again shortly after eating she got very hyper, racing around the yard picking up sticks, etc.

So, is this normal? Am I transitioning her too quickly? is the hyper ness possibly an upset stomach (she sometimes seems to run and sit quickly–once and a while dragging her butt a bit (has been dewormed plus saw a tapeworm before i stated the raw and she was dewormed for that as well).

Also, since we’ve had her she has been a bit itchy/biting around the base of her tail and back legs, although the vet could not find any fleas and didn’t think it should be any more worms. Since starting the raw nothing has really changed with the itching (I realize it is kind of soon to expect any change in that–just bringing it up in case it’s a sign of something else).

Anyway, anyone have any thoughts. Not while I’m writing this, she has been panting a bit heavily and looked like she was going to vomit again although nothing happened.

Thanks

Jeff

[weezerweeks]

Thank you. I ordered some Interceptor. My vet is going to start having it again. I don’t want sentinel because it’s for fleas too.

[InkedMarie]

I’ve used Interceptor for years, on many dogs, never vomiting.

Christine, isn’t Sentinal for heartworm and fleas?

[weezerweeks]

My yorkie has been on Heartgard and I’m thinking about switching. I just want one for heartworms not fleas ticks. He has a sensitive stomach. I was thinking about interceptor but someone on hear said it caused vomiting in her dog. Any suggestions

[weezerweeks]

My 9 year old yorkie every 2 or 3 months has problems. He gags and sometimes throws up bile,making me think it’s a reflux problem but then he goes crazy pacing trying to eat grass, shrubs anything. My vet says it’s not bad enough to go to UGA for an endoscope. Usually a couple of cerenia stops it but Sept 12 th he wouldn’t stop. My vet put him on reglan twice a day for ten days and 5 mg of Pepcid. He just finished it yesterday and he was fine while on it. He says it doesn’t have anything to do with his diet. I cook different protein and give him THK preference and Dr. Harveys veg- to- bowl. I add peter dobias’s gut sense probiotic and prozyme digestive enzyme. I also give him a teaspoon of kefir every night. I am paranoid because in 2010 I lost a yorkie to renal failure. Should I wait and see how often he does this or should I go see an internist. I titer and do not give any vaccines or flea protection. I only give Heartgard plus because he’s a rescue and when I got him he had he. The treatment was horrible and I live in south Ga. any ideas or suggestions of test my vet could do. Thanks for reading this long post.

[CockalierMom]

Hi Atlas,
With your boy’s gut already irritated and inflamed from something in the Instinct, the rice irritated it more. Neither one of my girls can tolerate rice in kibble or when it is double cooked in water and time. As Susan mentioned before, once his gut gets healed he may or may not be able to tolerate rice. When it comes to food issues, it really is a matter of experimenting to see what they can tolerate.

My girls actually do good with the LID Natural Balance foods because of the low fiber, but I knew you did not want the expense so the Nature’s Domain looks like a good option. (If I had a Costco close to me, it is a food I would try). My girl with just the grain intolerance actually eats half Wellness Simple Turkey and half NB Duck and Potato–the fiber in Wellness is a little too high so I cut it with NB.

As far as the Sentinel, I used it all the time 10 years ago with my previous girls and then it was discontinued. When they brought it back 4 years ago, I decided to try it again instead of Heartguard, but after the first dose, their fur became very dull and dry (they are both black cockers). Our vet mentioned how bad their coats looked and wanted to know what I had changed and it turned out to be due to the Sentinel. I found this out when I took them off of it for the winter, and the shine returned to their coats. I did try giving another dose a few months later, and the same thing happened so it obviously did not agree with either one. I know there are a lot of people who use it without any problems at all. My best advise is if you want to try it just watch for reactions like you have done with the Revolution. After what I have been through with these girls with food problems, I limit as much exposure to heartworm and flea products as possible–I do not use any more than what is necessary. I keep my yard sprayed with Wondercide so they are not exposed to a lot of fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. You just need to use your judgement as to what is necessary in your environment. When you are dealing with a food issue, it is easier when you do not have other sources that may be contributing factors.

Keep us updated if you get a chance.

[Atlas T]

Quick update before I respond to specific posts: As of yesterday morning, I stopped the Nature’s Balance Puppy Chicken and Pea, and started mixing 1 cup of a new food into his chicken and potatoes two times a day. It’s the Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Sweet Potato & Fish. So far his poop is staying nice and solid, so fingers crossed! The only reason I tried this food instead of what folks recommended is that I had a small bag of it sitting in the garage, so I figured it’s worth a shot before I buy other foods. However, I could not sustain giving him this food long term, it’s SO expensive! It also seems to comply with most of Susan’s recommendations – no garbanzos, lentils, etc., fairly low fiber and fat, etc.
————————————————————-
Susan,
Your info is so helpful, thanks so much. As you suggested, I will try the Nature Domain Turkey & Sweet Potato next, I think.
Please forgive me but I have a few more questions:
-you mention the 6 month mark, so does that mean that sometimes those sensitivities go away and in the future I may be able to feed him foods that he can’t currently have?
-I thought the metro was an antibiotic for bacterial infections, right? So why do you think it would help to put him back on that if it’s just a sensitivity? And should I do it regardless, or should I only do it if his poop goes back to really soft once I start incorporating the turkey kibble?
Thanks again for the help and thanks for all you do at the pound!!
_____________________________________________________
Cockalier Mom,
Thanks for chiming in as well! I hear you on the Instinct kibble, but if that was it, then I wonder why his poop would’ve gotten worse on a bland chicken and rice diet, and why when I started incorporating Nature’s Domain Puppy, it would’ve gotten worse?

Thanks for the tips on the flea stuff. Do you think Sentinel (Oral) would be better since it addresses fleas and heartworm? Or maybe do pet armour for fleas and an oral heartworm preventative?

Thanks again for everyone’s help!

[CockalierMom]

Hi Atlas,
I agree with Susan about trying the Nature Domain Turkey and Sweet Potato. In my experience with food issues over the past few years, your boy is sensitive to something in the Instinct kibble, whether it was too much protein, fat, fiber or grains, but not the chicken. My other girl (not my allergy girl) had soft poos as a puppy like you are describing until I put her on grain free. I have noticed even on grain free she needs a lower fiber food (4% or under) or she starts going more frequently and it gets softer. We also have to stay away from chickpeas–green peas are fine.

Your comment about the diarrhea coinciding with the Revolution is an important point-trust your instinct. Even though it is a topical, it still gets absorbed into the bloodstream (and the gut). You may want to try using just a plain heartworm preventative like Heartguard without any additives for worms and parasites. If possible, try a plain flea product, like Advantage, without anything for ticks. (I found that I only need to use it every other month to control fleas during the warm months.) This all depends on your environment what you can limit, but I would look at options other than Revolution until you get your boy’s gut healed. The ingredients in Revolution could be part of the cause of the sensitivities, or a side effect since the gut is not healthy.

[Beatrice C]

Consult professionals flea exterminator.

[Madison V]

My Wheaton was doing exactly this type of gulping. She would vomit white foam and swallow anything in her path. As a result, she injested part of a rug and some of her bedding. The vet ruled everything out and assumed they were seizure related. I noted that these episodes would occur after applying the tick and flea med, frontline. It can cause seizures in dogs. I put her on pheno and it did help for a few years. She was laid to rest in 2013. I’ll pray for your dog. This is such a stressful and strange health issue. Vets don’t seem to know what it is.

[Susan]

Hi Jeri,
out of all the grain free formula’s you have tried what are the common ingredients in all these brands you have been feeding when he has had diarrhea?? is there always tapioca, chicken, peas, beet pulp, potato, chickpeas, fish?? do you feed teh same protein source? go thru all the brands & formula’s you have feed & write down the first 12 ingredients…. do you give any treats, is he eating anything else outside, are you using a flea product, did you change anything the times he’s had diarrhea??
Start keeping a diary & write down every single thing that goes in his mouth & on his skin if the flea meds are spot on’s, when he has diarrhea or starts doing sloppy poo’s…..I have a diary & it sits on loungeroom table & I write down what Patch ate, times, what his pos were like on walks, firm, soft, sloppy, yellow, condom over poo etc when he eats any treats, he’s eating the Hills Vet Diet treats at the moment & doing really well, so if he does get diarrhea I can look back thru his diary & see what has happened or it might be his IBD & he needs his Metronidazole tablets for 14-21 days again….

When you buy a new bag of kibble always read the “Use By Date” & I try & keep getting the same Use By Date Batches, this is what I do when Patch is doing really well, stick with the same Use By Date bags of kibble they always have 12-18 months on the bags of kibbles…..When the diarrhea has happened did you start a new bag of kibble?
also do you store kibble in a cool place, in air tight container?

My boy has IBD & this happens with Patch I’ve given him a food or started introducing him to a new kibble when he gets the rumbles (diarrhea sloppy poos) & I’ve just found out this year he can’t have barley tapioca & chickpeas, or he’s having an IBD flare too much bad bacteria….
Patch does the best on “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb grain free gluten free formula, it just has 1 meat protein Lamb meal, sweet potato, potato, peas, egg, blueberries, raspberries, Costco sells Kirkland Signature, Nature’s Domain, made by TOTW but cheaper….Kirkland Signature Salmon & Sweet Potato is the same as the TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula, or there’s the Turkey & Sweet Potatoes aswell, the Beef formula has garbanzo beans, you want a kibble with the least ingredients…
Have you tried “4Health” sold thru Tractor Supply, I’ve read alot of dogs with stomach sensitivities do really well on “4Health” grain free limited ingredient formula’s…look at “4Health, Duck & Potato”, it has the less ingredients, it has no beet pulp, no tapioca, no chicken, or there’s
4Health, Special care Sensitive Stomach or Special Care Sensitive Skin, sometimes in certain brands the Sensitive Skin is better then the Sensitive Stomach formula’s, read ingredient list to both formula’s, I think the 4health Sensitive skin is better it has Hydrolyzed Salmon, potato free (he might be sensitive to potato??) & it has less ingredients & it’s higher in Omega 3 what you want for his Skin, Joints, Stomach, Brain, Heart. you can always try both & see which one works best, rotate between the 2, they both might be good…Google “4Health” Tractor Supply also have the wet tin food $1.19c a 13 oz. can
When you rotate foods it helps with food sensitivites & strengthens their immune system..

If after trying either the Kirkland Signature, Natures Domain, Turkey or the Salmon + sweet potatoes formula’s or the 4Health Duck Meal & Potato or Sensitive Skin formula & the same thing happens you might have to ty a limited ingredient grain formula & see does it happen as well?? if it does happen then he might have small intestinal bowel overgrowth S.I.B.O, stop feeding kibbles with Beet Pulp, is poo yellow, is it just a one off diarrhea? or do you need Metronidazole (Flagyl) from the vet to stop the diarrhea & get rid of the bad bacteria in stomach & bowel ??
I had to use the Metronidazole (Antibiotic) maybe three times a year to fix Patches bacteria & kill the bad bacteria cause it takes over the stomach & small bowel when he was eating kibble with Beet Pulp… S.I.B.O…..
Pick a new kibble with different ingredients to what he’s eating at the moment..
Good Luck keep me posted..

[Tyla M]

Hey Tabitha,

Welcome to my life about 2-3 weeks ago. My puppy just turned 4 months and has been scratching and biting since I got her at 9 weeks. It definitely isn’t fleas so vet gave me fish oil incase it’s dry skin. Hasn’t helped, so I also felt like it was a chicken or dairy issue. I was using Fromm’s large breed puppy food but it has eggs and chicken so I did tons of research to find a food low in calcium with no chicken. My vet also wanted me to try grain free, so that made this process even more difficult. I personally would stay away from corn… I’m trying zignature zssentials… it has no chicken or dairy and calcium isn’t horrible. When I looked it up online it had said minimum 1.0% so I figured the max couldn’t be too high (Don’t want over 1.5%). However, the bag says the min. Is 1.2% so I’m assuming the max. Is 1.5%. I’m waiting to hear back the exact max. Or average because I emailed the company. I couldn’t wait longer though so I am currently weaning her off fromm’s to the Zignature. I also bought Weruva’s Hot Dayum canned food which has no chicken, and I use it as a topper. There is just so much info. Out there though and it’s hard to find a food that hits everything you want, especially for a large breed pup. I’ve spent way too many hours trying to research it all and now I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this food works. Fortunately, my pup, Luna, hasn’t scratched or bit until she was raw or losing hair…not yet anyway. Best of luck!!

[anonymous]

Hope this helps:
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.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Susan]

Hi
this does my head in, I live in Australia & we are NOT having this problem with TOTW in Australia, TOTW have 5 manufacturing facilities that make TOTW, 1 plant is in Central California, 1 is in Northen California, Missouri, South Carolina & Arkansas…
People have to start posting the area they live, the TOTW formula they are feeding & the use by expiry date on the back of kibble bag????? not just “Don’t feed TOTW”
this way we can work out which facility these TOTW bags are coming from that are making dogs sick?:?? the TOTW that comes to Australia & goes to all of the countries in Europe comes from their South Carolina facility, we are not having any problems in Australia so there’s 1 facility that isnt having any problems with TOTW formula’s they are making, so probably people in America getting their TOTW from the South Carolina facility their dogs are OK….
after looking into this & emailing TOTW before any TOTW formula’s leave their facilities each batch gets tested & the test results of that batch gets put into their computer so the can look back if anything happens, I really think it could be a storage problem, it’s hot Summer in America & the last pet shop from California that made a big fuss about TOTW being bad ended up being contained to their customers buying from their pet store….

All these post on Face Book scares people especially when you have a sick dog, I have a Staffy with IBD + Skin Allergies + Food Sensitivities, he has a very sensitive stomach & he does his best with his skin & bowel when he’s eating TOTW Sierra Mountian Roasted Lamb formula, I do rotate between different brand kibbles but not as much as I did a few years ago when I was looking for a kibble that wasn’t a vet diet that helped with Patches skin as well as his IBD & finally I found a kibble he does real good on & doesn’t get his stomach pain & diarrhea was TOTW, he does OK on Canidae as well but Canidae uses chickpeas in their lower fat grain free pure formula’s, so he gets the Canidae Pure Wild only a few days a week so he doesnt get his stomach pain, it has chickpeas & is higher in Kcals then his TOTW formula is…..

I’ve read thru some of the complaints on Consumer Affairs site & some people are just idiots, 1 lady’s dog got Pancreatitis while eating the TOTW High Prairie formula, probably cause the protein & fat was too high for her dog, so her vet put her dog on a low fat vet diet then after 2 weeks this lady put her poor dog back onto TOTW High Prairie formula & then she complaining, TOTW is killing her poor dog cause it had another Pancreatitis attack, what an idiot donatate the rest of teh kibble to someone or a rescue group, some post the people had a sick dog with health problems, nothing to do with what the dog was eating, if you look Consumer Affairs 10 best dog foods, TOTW cames 13th & Canidae came 1st…. another thing that can make a dog react & very SICK is flea products…..

You should always rotate between a few different brands that have different proteins…… when a dog eats the same food 24/7 year after year they can react to an ingredient in the food after eating it for years…. Hills & Purina write this on their Hydrolyse vet diet section…

[anonymous]

Please do not apply anything to the skin or give over the counter meds intended for humans or give supplements unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.
You could make things much worse and increase the risk of infection.
Hope this helps:
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.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Tyla M]

@pitlove
In the month that I’ve had her I have not seen one flea! Vet also checked today. When she nibbles I also look in that spot and go under her fur and see nothing. She’s a yellow lab mix so she’s light colored. I’ve also given her a few flea and tick baths, washed all her things in hot water, and she wears a tick and flea collar. That’s why I think it’s something else.
Also, she is 3.5 months

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by Tyla M.

[pitlove]

Hi Tyla-

This might be a silly question, but have you checked your puppy for fleas?

Also how old is your puppy? Allergy symptoms in very young dogs are rare.

[Susan]

Hi Rita
you should start to see an improvement within 3-5 days taking these medications, it’s best
to give the Metronidazole & Amoxicillin every 12 hours with a meal, best to feed 3-4 meals a day, meds given with the bigger meals….
I would be feeding a lower carb kibble under 40% in carbs that doesn’t have any fermentable carbs like rice, oats, beet pulp, barley, wheat, lentils, chick peas, beans, rye….
I have found kibbles that have 1 protein, sweet potato, potato, peas, egg seem to work the best preventing acid reflux with my boy…
I feed “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb kibble…
if he seems un sure above eating his food I would look for a limited ingredient low carb food, protein around 25%, fat under 15% or feed a lean cook meal, I feed both, kibble for some meals & cooked the other meals….
also flea medication avoid any of the oral flea meds…
have a look at rescue remedy it’s suppose to be really good for nervous dogs who suffer with anxieties, when u know your going somewhere or something is going to happen that stresses out your boy put about 2 drops on tongue, ask vet see again…

[LuckyLab]

The new vet we are seeing who we like offers both an oral and Vector as options. Looking briefly online Vectra seems to have much less serious side effects associated with it and it sounds like something we could use once a month in the summer and discontinue easily in the winter (its too cold in Colorado for fleas in winter).

My vet supports either decision and even no action if that’s my choice. I will get a flea comb and try that out, we did bathe him with an oatmeal shampoo and never saw anything but as you guys pointed out we may never see them (that’s consistent with our vet too).

We are watching him very closely and the itching does seem to be mildly improving, I’m hoping it gets to a point where there is no way its fleas and we can move on. I know half a dozen breeders I’ve spoken to in CO have said they’ve never given their dog flea/tick meds so its indication this would be out of the norm.

We’ll run Vectra by her doctor and in the meantime watch him closely. Assuming we see no more improvement in the next week and her doctor is ok with its application in our home we will administer the Vectra. At that point, he’ll be closer to 11 weeks old and 3 weeks past their 8-week recommendation.

[pitlove]

At the clinic I am doing my externship at we use ShieldTec Flea and Tick spray on any puppies or kittens that come in with fleas that are too young for prevention. ShieldTec is not a vet only product.

[anonymous]

Hope this helps:
Flea Allergy Dermatitis or Flea Bite Hypersensitivity
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith

Studies have shown that there are over 15 different antigens in the saliva of the flea. Each one of these is capable of causing an allergic response in a sensitive dog or cat. Despite recent advances in flea control, flea bite allergies and flea bite dermatitis still continue to be common problems.

Preventing flea bites is critical for pets with flea allergies.
Dogs and cats rarely become desensitized to flea bites once they develop an allergy. Dogs and cats that are not allergic to flea bites rarely develop lesions from the bites, but may bite or scratch at the flea when it bites them. Some studies have shown that up to 40% of dogs in any given area will test positive for flea bite allergies. Other studies show that many dogs with flea allergies also have inhalant allergies (atopy) compounding the problem. There does not appear to be a breed or sex predilection for this allergy.
Symptoms

Flea bite allergy is characterized by being a seasonal allergy that is worse during peak flea times in the summer and fall. Even in temperate areas or in cases with home infestations, the symptoms of flea bite allergies appear to worsen in the summer and fall. Dogs that have flea allergies will bite at the base of their tail and scratch frequently. Even a few fleas can cause hours and days of intense itching. Many dogs have a characteristic loss or thinning of hair above the base of the tail. In addition, fleas or flea dirt (feces) can be found on the dog the majority of the time. The feces, or flea dirt will dissolve into a red color when moistened; this is because it is primarily digested blood. However, if the dog is bathed or treated regularly, very little evidence of fleas may be found. Severely affected dogs may itch over their entire bodies, have generalized hair loss, and red inflamed skin. Hot spots are often a result of flea bite allergies.

Flea bite allergy is characterized by being a seasonal allergy that is worse during peak flea times in the summer and fall.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be made by visual signs in combination with the presence of fleas or through intradermal skin testing. Intradermal skin testing is a very effective diagnostic tool for this particular allergy, although some false negative results can occur. Since many affected dogs also suffer from other allergies, many times the flea bite antigen is incorporated into a broader intradermal skin testing program.
Treatment
Treatment primarily involves preventing the flea from coming into contact with the dog.
Flea Treatment of Dogs: A number of both topical and oral preparations are available to use as flea control. It is best use an adulticide, which kills the adult fleas, plus an insect growth regulator (IGR) as well. IGRs help to kill immature forms of the flea, preventing them from developing into biting adults. Talk to your veterinarian about what flea product(s) will work for you. In choosing the product(s) your veterinarian will consider the severity of the flea allergy dermatitis, the severity of the flea infestation, how much your dog goes outside, whether there are multiple dogs in the household, how easy it is for you to treat your dog, etc.
Treatment of Environment: Environmental treatment for fleas involves treating the house, outside areas the dog may frequent, and especially sleeping areas of the dog with a product that kills the adults (adulticide) and with an insect growth regulator as well. Another alternative is to use sodium polyborate powder (eg., Fleabusters). Vacuuming, and proper disposal of the cleaner bag are also very beneficial. Other pets in the home should also be treated as they could continue to bring fleas into the environment. While injudicious use of pesticides and growth regulators is never recommended, an effective flea prevention program is much safer and easier than dealing with a full blown flea infestation.
Hyposensitization: Hyposensitization of dogs with a series of injections does not appear to be very effective.

[CockalierMom]

LuckyLab there are a couple of easy things you can do. Flea combs are excellent to find fleas. If you comb once a day for a week and do not find a single flea, then the odds are pretty high there are no fleas. If there are fleas, I think you will find them the first time you comb. I keep a small container of water next to me so that I can drop or shake the fleas in the water to keep them from jumping off the comb before I can kill them.

Also, it has been my experience that if you give them a bath, you will see at least 1 or 2 come off in the rinse water. (Rinsing in a bath tub works well for seeing the fleas.) Not necessary to use a flea shampoo, just any gentle shampoo appropriate for puppies will work.

[anonymous]

If the pup has a flea allergy, they are so sensitive, one bite and all hell breaks loose.
The topical is fine, just keep your wife away from handling him for 48 hours, then you can bathe him in a gentle shampoo, then it is okay to touch the area again.
Just remember to treat the environment too, clear out any clutter, wash all bedding in hot water. Professionally clean carpeting.
Ps: Often you will never see the fleas…..
The symptoms you describe are diagnostic. If he has other environmental allergies, time will tell. In the meantime I would try to trust the veterinarian (health care professional that examined him)
You are going to have to start him on flea/tick and heartworm preventatives soon anyway.
The natural solutions are scams, ineffective and a waste of money.
I hope you are not listening to the homeopathic crowd, dangerous stuff.