[anonymous]

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
“Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and such”.
“You could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoors”.
“Bathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her case”.
Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.

[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

[Susan]

I forgot to add if you want to test for Skin Allergies then the ” Intradermal Skin Test ” is gold standard to find out what in the Environment your dog is allergic too….Dermatologist do this test..

Normally when a dog has Environment allergies he’ll also have food sensitivities as well…
I also use Huggies Baby Wipes Aloe & Cucumber wipes or the Coconut Oil Wipes & wipe Patches body down using a new baby wipe for different parts of his body to wipe off the allergens or pollens on his skin that’s making him nuts with itch, when I don’t want to bath him but he has his bath every Thursday in the Spring & Summer months in Winter we get a break from the Environment Allergies….When Patch starts rubbing bum & back on carpet I use the “Sudocrem” it takes away the itch as soon as I apply the Sudocrem, same when I apply the Hydrocortisone 1 % cream, I rotate between both creams….

[anonymous]

Mail-in hair and saliva tests are not diagnostic tools (just read the fine print).
Please read the blog below, nothing is being sold at that site, no t-shirts, no supplements, no kits, no books….nothing.

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

Excerpt from the link above:
Bottom Line
“The Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Stress Scan (formerly “Healthy Dog and Cat Alternative Sensitivity Assessment”) is a completely implausible test based on vague, mystical nonsense and pseudoscientific theories that contradict the legitimate scientific evidence regarding the cause and management of allergies. The general concept that hair and saliva testing can identify the causes of allergies is false. The marketing of this test is misleading and contains many of the hallmarks of quack advertising. Dog owners struggling with allergies would be far better spending their time and money consulting a veterinary dermatologist for a science-based approach to helping their canine”.
Also, per the search engine here: /forums/topic/desperate-food-recomendations-for-lab/

[anonymous]

Per the search engine here:

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.

Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/

“Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and such”.

“You could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoors”.

“Bathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her case”.

Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.

[Susan]

Hi, yes I have a dog with Seasonal Environment allergies & food sensitivities causing IBD & itchy, yeasty smelly skin, red paws, itchy ears & hive like lumps + IBD symptoms sloppy poos, gas/farts etc…
It has taken me 3yrs to finally work Patch out, in the beginning my vet said to keep a diary & you’ll start to see a pattern as the years go by & yes we did….
It’s best too see a Dermatologist they’re a but more expensive but in the long run you’ll save money, Dermatologist specialize in the skin….
Baths, twice a week or weekly baths or as soon as dog is uncomfortable & is scratching real bad then bath to relieve their skin…..I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, baths wash off any allergens, dirt, pollens & yeast if dog has yeast problems, Malaseb kills any bacteria yeast on the skin & keeps the skin nice & moist leaving the dog feeling so soft, Malaseb can be used daily if needed…..
I like using creams on my boy instead of medications he doesn’t do well on meds…I use “Sudocrem” sold in supermarket in baby section, I apply the Sudocrem on Patches red paws, around mouth, above his eye where he has white fur he seems to have all the problems, some nights when he’s real red around his mouth from eating I used Hydrocortisone 1% cream & on his paws & other parts of his body as well, I check patches body out as he’s sleeping at night before I go to bed & apply the creams, now I’ve removed the foods in his diet that he’s sensitive too his ear problem has all clear up, I did an elimination diet the best thing for food sensitivities & found when he eats carrots & beef he started shaking his head & scratching his ears, chicken causes his paws to go red 20mins after eating chicken, raw chicken was worse, also kibbles with grains made his poos sloppy, now he eats grain free kibbles that are Whitefish/Salmon or Lamb….if you don’t want to do the elimination diet & cook or do raw then it’s best to get a vet diet like Royal Canine PV- Potato & Venison or PS-Potato & Salmon or PR- Potato & Rabbit kibble or wet tin… then when dog isn’t scratching ears & is stable not itching you start & add 1 new ingredient with the vet diet every 6 weeks, no treats nothing else, it can take 1 day to 6 weeks for a dog to show symptoms for a food sensitivities…Once you find out what foods your dog is sensitive too you can stop the vet diet & start a diet without the foods he’s sensitive too.
I live Australia & I saw a Naturopath cause of Patches IBD, I wanted him on a raw diet.. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, we have a skin pack made by the Naturopath called Natural Animal Solutions, Skin Pack & it has DigestaVite Plus which balances the diet & fixes the gut, then it has Omega 3,6 & 9 Oil you add high dose for the first 2 months to diet & Vitamin C to work as a natural antihistamine…..
Here’s Jacquelines site there’s a lot of good reading & what natural products to use…on your left scroll down a bit & click on “Skin System” then click on “Skin Allergies” & she explains all about the skin & what causes what. She also has a F/B site & will answer any questions.. called “Natural Animal Solutions” NAS
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/education.php

[zcRiley]

Go to Chewy.com and buy Zignature dog food. There’s 5 different formulas from which you can choose and rotate. Reviews are proven success rate of curing food, yeast and skin conditions due to individual allergies.

[Don N]

The most important thing to consider is a good healthy treat. One with all natural organic ingredients….including gluten free flour, no eggs, no dairy, etc.
Dogs like humans can have allergies and reactions to the normal ‘store bought’ food and treats made with preservatives, fillers, chemicals, etc.
I make fresh ‘baked to order’ dog treats with all natural organic ingredients.
Check them out at Etsy……Tail Waggin Dog Treats.

[Susan W]

A lot of times dogs are diagnosed with allergies when really what they have is Candida. Does your dog have rust-colored spots on the feet, under arms, and around the genitals? Does he/she have bad breath? If so, you likely have Candida (yeast) as AT LEAST a contributing factor.
Stay away from chicken & rice. Rice will just feed the yeast & chicken often has enough antibiotics in the meat to kill off good bacteria. A lot of dogs have trouble eating chicken.
Feed complex carbs, raw veggies like carrots, broccoli, and green beans. Stay away from potatoes, sweet potatoes (more starch = more sugar = more yeast).
Pork is a good alternative to chicken. If you’re going to feed a commercial dog food, find one that is fish-based and has fewer fillers (like corn & other starchy things). Try to find a dog food that does NOT use salmon as it is usually farm-raised & not as healthy as wild-caught fish. Foods using menhaden fish is good because it is always wild-caught & it’s a renewable resource.
If you suspect your dog has Candida – or the vet agrees that he/she does – shout back at me here. I can give you some pointers from my own yeast battle experience. And try to discourage antibiotics or long-term allergy shot regimens.

[Denise R]

At times our dogs mouth are would get red if her allergies were active but mostly she’d lick open area on her skin & her fur thinned out. A simple blood test can tell you what your dog is allergic to. I don’t remember the cost but it was not an outrageous cost that I’d have remembered it. Living in a rural area, we did not have access to a veterinarry dermatologist. We did take our dog for allergy shots but eventually Just managed them through her diet. She did have environmental allergies too but when they were bad, she’d manage he time outdoors herself. Two important things to remember are: even though you may find a certain food that is working, you need to read the ingredients list on the bag every time. The companies sometimes change their formulas & the only ways you’ll know is by reading the bag, or by your dogs allergies flare up. Also, our dog was not diagnosed as being allergic to peas but the current trend is to add peas to the dog foods. I have read that a lot of the peas are imported from China and the chemicals used as pesticides & preserves are not good for your dog. Our dog definitely had reactions to formulas with peas in them. The blood test our dog had for allergies told us that in addition to various environmental allergies she was allergic to potatoes, peanuts, & soy beans. The test was accurate enough to make a significant difference in eliminating reactions & keep her comfortable. Good luck!

[anonymous]

Another previous post:

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
“Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and such”.
“You could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoors”.
“Bathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her case”.
Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.

[Paige C]

Hello everyone!
I adopted my first dog, Beast, in October. He is a 1 year old Cattle Dog mix.
We noticed pretty much right away that he is always scratching his mouth/ears after eating his breakfast. He doesn’t have any hives or hair loss or anything like that. Just always itching his mouth (it looks like he is trying to get something out of his teeth but theres never anything there) and itching his ears after eating. He also seems to have lots of eye boogies.
We completely eliminated poultry and potatoes(white and sweet) from his diet but he seems to still be doing it. Right now he is eating Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon so I’m wondering if it’s a sensitivity to peas.
At the same time I’m not sure if it even is an allergy. We’ve discussed it with his Vet who has been understanding of us switching his food, and suggested Benadryl for possible environmental allergies, but that seemed to make it worse so we stopped.
His previous owners were feeding him chicken and rice, so I’m thinking I may put him on a chicken/rice based kibble if possible. Or a lamb/rice since we haven’t given him lamb yet. What do you guys think? Everything I’ve heard for allergies have been red/swollen skin, hair loss, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. and he doesn’t seem to have that. Could it just be mild allergies or am I just being a crazy dog mom?

[Susan]

Hi Susie, yes Patch was also licking & licking his front paws after eating, I forgot about that, when I first got him he had skin problems, food sensitivities & environment allergies & was put on vet diet Royal Canin HP, the fat was really high at 19% & only 18% protein, then he got real bad acid reflux but I didn’t know back then what was wrong with him, his first vet was an idiot, Patch started wrecking his toys, shaking, chewing & ripping them, then a new vet said sounds like he’s in pain & Patch ended up with Pancreatitis from the vet diet R/C was too high in fat, 1 yr later we thought he had stomach ulcers he was still having acid reflux, chewing, ripping toys & whining while lying on his stomach & hungry 24/7, so I had an Endoscope & Biopsies done, when I picked Patch up from vets, vet said stomach looked really good & there’s no ulcers, I said but we still have the 2 biopsies, when will the results be back, I bet it’s Helicobacter-Pylori, I’ve had the Helicobacter-Pylori bacteria a few times & you feel so hungry 24/7 when the acid gnaws at your stomach, so you keep wanting to eat to take away the burning pain but 20mins after eating your in pain again with bad acid burning & gnawing in your stomach….& I was soaking Patches vet diet for IBD in water cause he’s a gulper with food & was gulping his kibble in 5-10 seconds, vet said just add water to his kibble, again I didn’t know until I read an article a few years ago around the same time those new stop gulping food bowls started coming out, the article said, why adding water with kibble can be a bad thing, especially if the kibble hasn’t soften yet, the dog gulps up the water & gulps air trying to get to his dry kibbles….years ago they were saying add water to your dogs kibble it was suppose to slow dogs eating down that gulped their food….then I was softening all his kibbles & draining all the water out as much as I could & making it like wet tin food with his dry vet diet.. I just knew something wasn’t right after Patch ate the kibble with water, he was burping, farting whinging after eating, he got worse….Those go slow food bowls didn’t work either for Patch he couldn’t get the small kibbles out cause of his big fat snout, then he was gulping air again trying to lick up the little kibbles, so now I just add a few kibbles at a time to his normal stainless steel bowl & tell him to chew, then when he’s has chewed all the kibbles I add more kibbles to his bowl & his bowl is on a stand level with his stomach…
It’s taken me 3-4 yrs to finally find foods that work, stop him itching, licking, whinging & have no acid reflux, that Helicobacter is very hard to kill, high fiber diets are no good, you need low carb, low fiber diets & no sugar diets, the fat can be around 15%max & no fish/salmon oil in food but all dogs are different it all depends on your dog…..

[Jimmy R]

Try the food I mentioned on my previous answers. My buddy has an 8 year old dog that developed severe allergies after being on his food for 5 years. I recommended this food and huge difference allergies gone, more energy and nice solid poop. I had bought Orijen from Reily originally but after reading the horror stories I returned it. The associates at the pet store even said only use the bags from Canada but I think we ran out.

[anonymous]

Before you throw out the food, I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist and get the skin condition that your dog has diagnosed. I am assuming that you have not had positive results with the regular vet. Her symptoms may have nothing to do with the food. She sounds like she is suffering, have you used the search engine here to look up environmental allergies? At least take her to the regular vet (asap) and see what he recommends. Best of luck.

[Suzanne F]

I used to feed raw, but now I feed canned only. For now it’s Wild Calling rotational diet Bison, alligator and rabbit. Wild calling is like 92% protein and no carbs. He eats sweet potato or yams and dehydrated pumpkin & cranberry by Diggin FirmUp on occasion. He’s not a fan of canned pumpkin. The doctor did a blood test to test for allergies and I did Dr Dods saliva test to test for food intolerances. He has many of both. Since I’ve made the changes he’s more willing to eat and less reflux. Also switch between Apple cider vinegar powder capsules and Zantac 150 mugs 2 times a day, ProPlan FortiFlora probiotics once a day. I feed him 3 times a day and a snack before bed. The empty stomach can make him throw up bile or or a white foam. Hope this helps. If you have any suggestions I’m all ears.

[Susan]

Hi Meagan yes Cytopoint was released 2016 & CADI was released 2015 both are made by Zoetis…..there’s a few people on the Dog issues, allergies and other information support F/B group that are having very good results with both products….one lady in group has just started the injections & asked is it normal for her dog he’s drinking more water ?? I don’t know, I control Patches skin allergies with weekly bathing in Malaseb & wipe him down with baby wipes after going on walks when the pollens are high & he’s done a lot of sniffing I always wipes around his snout & I don’t feed any of the foods he’s sensitive too for his food sensitivities…… Patch only has seasonal environment allergies & IBD he isn’t as bad as some poor dogs that have allergies all year round, he has a break thru the cooler months….

[Susan W]

Hi!
I have a 12 y-o Golden w/no issues, and an 8 y-o mutt who has a very sensitive tummy. I have also been caring for my mom’s 11 y-o schnauzer mix who doesn’t seem to have digestive issues but she does have allergies. About 2 years ago I got a bag of 4Health that was moldy. The vendor exchanged the bag but I didn’t trust the food anymore and started making my own. THEN I got to where I didn’t have time to make my own anymore so I started doing research. I found a list of 15 companies who had never had a recall on BarkPost. It’s a list from 2014 (I think) but by the time I read it, 2 of those on the list had recalls. I contacted 7 of the companies from the list, never heard from one, got email coupons for up to $2 off from 5 companies, and got a nice email from VeRUS Pet Foods asking if I had any concerns about my dogs’ health, etc. so they could send me samples of their recommended dog food. They sent me free samples, they answered questions for me, and they won my undying devotion. My dogs are HEALTHY and they love this food.
I can be more specific about my mom’s dog because it has been more recent. She’s a little old lady dog for a little old lady. When she came to me, Greta pooped 4 to 6 times a day and they were occasionally just little pellet poops. After switching her to VeRUS, she poops twice a day, and they are good, solid, productive poops that have good color & aren’t soft or runny. Watching Greta’s poops for evidence of improvement on her new food has kind of turned me into a poop aficionado – gross, but… She has also become more energetic and bouncy.
I started feeding VeRUS about 2 years ago and they STILL haven’t had a recall. They’re an American company, kind of small, but they’re smart and they care. They even have a non-profit that benefits veterans & rescue dogs.

[Sarah P]

My dog has the following allergies and I am having a hard time finding an acceptable affordable dog food. He is allergic to:

Potatoes, rice, milk, barley, oats, pinto beans, wheat, beef, lamb, flaxseed, & yeast.

I was using Acana Pork & Squash Singles until the company changed its formula and added Pinto Beans. Even though it’s not one of the first five ingredients, my dog still reacted to it.

Any advice other than cooking for him would be greatly appreciated.

[David P]

Help! I have a Newfoundland, 170 pounds, 10 years old. Need food suggestion please 🙂

Over the past few months he whimpers a bit while getting up after he’s been lying down for a few hours.
I’ve been on this website for several hours and I’m having a difficult time navigating and searching for an ideal food for him. Fyi – no allergies.
His name is Dewey. I love him with all my heart. I know and I knew when we brought him into our family that his breed does not have a very long life longevity. I want to feed him the best food I can afford and to make his last few years as comfortable and happy as possible for him. I don’t know why am having so much difficulty filtering through the reviews of the dry dog foods to find a 4.5 or 5.0 dry food for him, but I haven’t been able to do so. I’d greatly appreciate any help 🙂 😓

[anonymous]

I would go along with the lab work recommended including thyroid, let the vet diagnosis her.
Or find another vet, however, it is not unusual to suggest bloodwork, some vets would like it done once a year.
And what’s wrong with medication that has been prescribed by a veterinarian that has examined the dog, that’s intended to make the dog more comfortable?
The symptoms you describe could be any one of a number of things including allergies.

Regarding the food, again, I would see what the vet recommends. Adding supplements and vitamins seem unnecessary for a pup that young, plus they might upset her stomach more.
I would allow the vet to take further diagnostic tests, get the dog diagnosed, then you can go over your treatment options.
In the meantime I might presoak her kibble and start giving her the reglan as prescribed.
Also, if she hasn’t been spayed, she will be going into heat soon.

[elaine c]

Answers Pet food is wonderful even if you do not have those allergies… it has nothing in it that you mentioned. It is a very high quality raw dog food. It is a national dog food and you can check it out on the dogfoodadvisor.com page. It is all fermented and so good for the gut.. I think the best food on the market… kibble is not great.. it is processed. Even the best. Good luck. Elaine

[Paul A]

I need a food that doesn’t contain any of the following; corn, flax, milk, oats, pea, pork, rabbit, rice, soybean, sweet potato, turkey, wheat grain, and white potato.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[Kristen L]

Jan, I had the same issue with my young golden retriever. She had giardia, was treated, and I also bought the panacur online at amazon for two additional treatments. It’s been awhile now so I don’t recall exact timeline, but I know she actually started having diarrhea AFTER the treatments. She had it for 2-3 months. I took her to the vet several times because I thought it was very odd. Good news is, it just eventually went back to normal on it’s own, so I do think the treatment does something. I also switched her food a few times because I was always switching my other Goldens due to his allergies, and I would just put her on whatever he was on, and I also thought it was the food after the vet said take her off lamb.. She did get a little better when I took her off it, but not fully. Both my dogs get diarrhea on lamb. It is very rich. And no, there was no correlation with the diarrhea and switching foods. I still switch and she has firm poops on the right food. I also agree that royal canin is junk! She actually has diarrhea right now, but I switched her to Kirkland puppy food last week. It has 4.5 stars, but I think Kirkland is junk. I was in a pinch though when I got it. I had tried every food out there because of my allergy dog. If they don’t have good poops, it’s usually the food, except in our case with the giardia, I think it is the treatment for the giardia that caused it. I like Zignature, Acana (the chicken is cheapest), TOTW is good too (I started both mine on that as pups), but I don’t believe it is the highest rated food. Nutrisca is good. It’s on Chewys. Good luck, I think it will pass with time. Ps. The panacur on amazon is very safe, the metronidazole is not. People buy the panacur as a preventative maintenance thing for their animals.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Kristen L.

[Natasha C]

Has anyone tried freeze-dried food and if so, did it help with storage mite allergies? I have a 2 year old lab with severe storage mite allergy. I make his food at home (potato/sweet potato, turkey and veggies), but I am frankly getting tired of doing that. It is a lot of work and I work full-time and have a family to cook for as well! I am looking for something I can buy, but I don’t want to undo the progress we have made with his dermatitis. Any feedback would be helpful.

[stephanie c]

UGH! My dog has been on the Canadian Six Fish for 8 years due to severe chicken allergies. I went out to my local pet stores and bought all the Canadian bags that were under the Kentucky bags!! I just signed up with Chewy today after an extensive conversation with the assistant that they get Orijen Six Fish from Canada only. She couldn’t find anything about the Kentucky plant and her manager didn’t know about the Kentucky plant. I wrote to Orijen yesterday to express my concerns and asked for delivery from Canada. Is there another reputable grain free fish based food as high a quality? http://www.DOGFOODANALYSIS.com is an excellent resource to find out quality of what you are serving your pup. Please share if anyone knows if how to get Orijen from Canada. Good luck to us all!!

[anonymous]

The decrease in seizure activity is most likely in response to pexion and the valium (anti-epileptics). I would not stop meds unless under direction of the treating vet.
The reason the vet didn’t explore the option of food allergies causing your dog’s seizures is that based on my knowledge, that it would be extremely rare for this to be true.
The vet addressed the issues that would cause seizures in an elderly dog. “All the information and money” you gave him was so he could determine what testing to do to diagnose your dog and prescribe treatment.
It may be best to keep his diet simple, maybe even a little bland, as certain foods, preservatives and chemicals may be actual triggers.
PS: There is a lot of inaccurate information on the internet, and even if you find some helpful information, it is not specific to your dog.

[Libby B]

Hi, I have a nearly 14 yo labradoodle who started having seizures 18 months ago. He had had random dizzy spells where he lost balance for a year before that. At first the vet told us it was vestibular disease, then later a brain tumor.
He is on Pexion for the fits and Valium to help between doses.
I have had a major break through in the last two weeks, realising first of all that chicken would bring on a seizure within twelve hours. We stopped feeding him chicken. We bought expensive dry dog food and it helped slightly. He would have bad and better days but never without ‘twitching’ as we call it.
The other day I gave him the leftover pasta noodles that had a tiny coating of bolognese sauce on them. He wolfed it down ……that night and next day NO Twitching AT ALL! Gave him BBQ beef next day and back to twitching.
We are now giving him high carb diet thinking the proteins are not being metabolised easily and it has made an incredible difference. I am wondering if I can get rid of the Pexion and will ask the vet next visit.
I have arrived at these conclusions myself by watching his reactions to these foods and only googled it this morning to find that food allergies can cause seizures. Would have loved the vet to perhaps explored this option, and am wondering what all the money and information I had given him was for!

[anonymous]

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/

/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
“Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and such”.
“You could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoors”.
“Bathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her case”.

Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.

[Susan]

Pitluv
Yes maybe now from 2014 or 2015 vet diets can be feed long term now,
but before 2014 & back in 2009-2010 when my boxer was on a vet diet Hills Z/d I remember telling the vet I was seeing at the time, this Z/D can’t be feed long term but I think he knew Angie was dying & didn’t say anything….then 2012 when I rescued Patch we tried most of the Intestinal & skin allergy vet diets from 2012 to 2015 & I remember showing my new vet a small bag of the Eukanuba Intestinal that Patch was eating I got off the shelf & I showed her “Not for long term use” & she said, yes we’ll only be feeding Patch
the Eukanuba for 9 to 12 months enough time for his stomach & bowel to heal then we’ll start introducing other foods into his diet…. I wanted to change his vet diet kibble that day it was Summer & poor Patch was so itchy & stunk real bad with yeasty skin after being on the Eukanuba vet diet for 2 months…….now I’ve learnt he’s sensitive to Beet Pulp, Corn/maize, chicken, barley, vet just said his poos are going good I don’t want to rock the boat yet just start bathing him daily if you have too instead of weekly & applying the cream I prescribed (Hydrocortisone 1%) & sold me Paws Nutriderm replenishing conditioner to leave on after I bath him in the Malaseb shampoo… then I started doing my research & it took 2 yrs to find a kibble that made Patches poos firm never gave him any stomach/pancreas pain & kept his coat looking beautiful & shiny he still gets a bit itchy from environment allergies that can’t be helped, it’s only thru the Summer/Autumn months, we can cope with that he’s not like he was when on the vet diet…”Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb is what works for Patch & I remember coming on this site DFA & people knocking all Diamond made foods, saying its real bad etc so I never tried the Taste Of The Wild & wasted 1 yr trying other kibbles… The TOTW has better quality control now then most kibbles on the market…

Food Safety

When a new batch is made 1 bag of kibble is taken off every pallet the bag is cut open & the kibble is tested…also they use purified water & TOTW is the only kibble I have never had any problems with & Patch has a very sensitive stomach when it comes to off rotten
potatoes & veggies or off meats, he gets diarrhea very easy, the ingredients have been
changed for the Australian market we don’t have the fish oil which I prefer less change the kibbles oxidizing & going rancid as soon as the bag is opened from the oxygen, we have Canola oil instead & 1 formula the Pacific Stream has no peas for all the dogs with EPI & IBD, we contacted Diamond & begged them to not change the Australian & Europeon made Pacific Stream & add the Garbanzo beans cause these sick dogs probably wont cope & could get real bad diarrhea again like what is happening in the UK where the Pacific Stream just had been changed & garbanzo beans where add….& a few dogs are having bad diarrhea… & TOTW listened & didn’t add the Garbanzo Beans, it made a lot of people happy…Patches vet rung me & asked is Patch OK I haven’t seen you both in 6months, I said yes Patch is finally off the vet diet & eating TOTW & doing really well…

Since 2013 Hills & Royal Canin vet diets have changed their packaging & ingredients 2-3
times now & in August 2016 Hills improved their Z/D & I/D Digestive Care formulas
& wrote in small writing “New Formula” but never notified vets, I’d say Hills did this cause Purina Pro Plan had just released their new Pro Plan Vet Diets in Australia their Hydrolyzed HA & EN Gastroenteric & another 2 vet formulas so Hills had some competition these Vet Diets are lower in fat I only know all this is cause I had contacted Purina in America the year before when I couldn’t find Patch a food for his stomach & skin low enough in fat & told Purina we do not have any Vet Diets for the skin & stomach that are lower then 15% in fat… but I was very disappointed with the ingredients some of Purina vet formulas are worse then Hills formulas, the Purina HA uses Corn Oil Patch cant have corn I told Purina lady she said this might get changed if dogs are reacting to the corn oil then the Purina lady said don’t forget its money back guaranteed you just try it & see so if Patch has another bad stomach & pancreas episode again I’m going to either try the Pro Plan OptiDigest-Sensitive Digestion or the OptiRestore-Sensitive Skin & Stomach or i’ll try Purina HA Vet Diet but when I spoke with the Purina lady she said the Vet Diets might be better for Patches IBD they have better quality control then the Pro Plan normal formulas….
The people in America that are feeding the Pro Plan formulas not the Pro Plan Vet Diets, should email Purina & ask can the American Pro Plan Formulas be improved like the Australian Pro Plan Formulas have been improved, Purina might listen if they get enough people asking..These are our Pro Plan Opti formulas the ingredients are a bit better…. https://proplannutrition.com.au/dog/products/optirestore

[Susan]

Hi Paul,
as we get older we don’t make as much hydrochloric acid to digest our food & its harder to digest food so the food sits in our stomach, Google “Hypochlorhydria” is low stomach acid
it may just be a coincidence the glucosamine has cause this, I prefer to give my 8yrs old Omega 3 supplements or feed foods high in omega 3 fatty acid for his joints, skin etc, I’ve been very lucky with Patch he doesn’t have any joint problems yet, he is walked 3 times a day cause I live in a unit & he’s kept lean…but my boy does have IBD mainly stomach problems & skin allergies & was vomiting undigested food a year ago, I had to make his gut strong & healthy. Dog probiotic like Purina Fortiflora is good, they tested 10 dog probiotics & found only 3 of them had live cultures & Purina Fortiflora was voted number 1, I give Yukalt it’s a probiotic drink in the fridge section at supermarket, I drink 1/2 & Patch gets the other 1/2 there’s 5 small pink drinks, he has stoped his vomiting & eating grass every morning, so the Yakult drinks have probably fixed his bacteria in his gut & bowel & made it healthy again..
https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets/dp/50000
I feed lean white meats, I buy lean pork grounded mince 1kg (2lb), add 1 whisk egg, a few chopped up small broccoli heads broken off the broccoli, 1 teaspoon chopped up parsley, some kale chopped up just 1 leaf, or you can use 1 spinach leaf or another veggie, I was grating 1 small carrot, I suppose start with less is best then the next batch of rissoles add another finally chopped up veggie….. mix all together & make 1 cup size rissole, (it makes about 8-9 x 1 cup size rissoles) & bake in oven on a foiled covered baking tray, when they’re 1/2 cooked take out tray of rissole & drain any excess water & fat there’s normally hardly any fat, then turn over the rissoles & bake, don’t over cook the rissoles as soon as there’s no blood they’re ready, I also peel & cut up sweet potato & boil, I do not boil rice, rice ferments in the stomach, it’s no good, the new thing is to cook either potato or sweet potato…. Hamburger mince is very high in fat it’s not recommended anymore…. I also boil some pumkin & freeze you can also freeze the rissoles, I only add about 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of sweet potatoes or potatoes & a small piece of pumkin to 1 rissole, mix altogether & cut up rissole finally so it’s easier to digest…
Do not give a raw feed dog any dry kibble, kibble is harder to digest even when water is added, vet hasn’t prescribe any kibble, fed a wet tin food if vet advises a vet prescription diet…but a cooked diet is heaps better then any vet diets….cook foods that are easy to digest & white lean meats for now, beef is a stronger more rich meat like Kangaroo, I didn’t know this lol poor Patch he loved his beef & kangaroo rissole but his stomach didn’t it came back up undigested…
also cook some home made healthy doggy treat biscuits there’s a few recipes online… I have a few if needed.. he may need a 10 day course of Metronidazole it’s an antibiotic for stomach & bowel.. also feed 3-4 smaller meals a day.

[Cannoli]

Hi Leslie,

Sorry to read your pup is having so many issues with new food. Sad to hear breeders are breeding dogs with food allergies.

You may need to embark (which it sounds like you are) on an elimination diet.

Probably visit a vet to ensure nothing else is at play with your pup

[pitlove]

Hi Jeannine-

Osteosarcoma can have a genetic link and pediatric spay and neuter can also increase the risk of Osteosarcoma. It’s unlikely that food played any role in the diagnosis.

When your vet suggested “an allergy” could be the cause of the pink ears, did she make mention of what kind of allergy it could be? Food allergies are not common, especially not in a dog so young.

As much as I like Fromm I do hear an overwhelming amount of complaints about loose stool on it. I would choose a food for a growing large breed puppy based on the guidelines of WSAVA. http://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Recommendations%20on%20Selecting%20Pet%20Foods.pdf

Most diets from companies that meet these standards will have an appropriate large breed puppy food.

[Fran C]

Hi Michelle, I have a Shepherd mix with skin problems, and 2 other dogs who are not affected with allergies. My dog started having her skin problems at 2-years old. Two weeks ago I didn’t make it on time to Petco before it closed to buy my dogs’ their dry kibble so I was forced to go to Target and pick out what I thought would suffice until the next day. I was not surprised to find that some of the lower rated dry dog foods were actually “catching up” with the highly rated dog food brands with their farm fresh natural ingredients, grain free (not for my dogs though), etc. and Made in the USA! It was a toss up between Purina’s Beyond and Rachel Ray’s Nutrish dog food… I chose Rachel. The ingredients were good and the majority of her dog food has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Target’s website alone. The best part is two of my “picky” dog eaters (Shih Tzu and Beagle) are now willing to eat without wet food mixed into their kibble. I have always fed my dog’s 5-star dog foods and have tried practically every brand throughout the years… hoping Rachel Ray Nutrish is a keeper. You may also want to consider taking your dog to your vet for an exam and if necessary, a skin scrape test and/or a blood test for fungal/bacterial infection. It could be as simple as the flea control you’re using or it could be environmental. There are low cost veterinary clinics that will not up sell you. My shepherd unfortunately suffers from serious skin allergies in the Spring and Fall so we have to pay a visit to the vet twice a year to try and stay on top of her allergies to control her skin from getting worse. The vet prescribed Simplicef (generic brand is Cephalexin) and she has to have frequent baths with medicated shampoo (about $11 from the vet). I hope your dog’s allergies are not as serious as my dog’s and wish you the best of luck.

[Susan]

Hi, stop feeding the Pedigree, it sounds like its up setting his stomach & he’s reacting badly to ingredients, having bad skin & his stomach problems, he cant eat it.. He probably has food sensitivities they have stomach/bowel problems & their skin itches, smells yeasty, red paws, itchy ears, some will rub bum on carpet, floor & grass… My boy has IBD (stomach) & food sensitivities & skin Allergies, look at foods that have limited ingredients & NO LENTILS OR CHICKPEAS these are harder to digest… Can you cook a lean meal boiled potatoes & a lean white meat or afford wet tin food or a raw diet?? When I rescued my boy I think he wasn’t feed kibble & was feed either a cooked diet, wet tin food or a raw diet, cause he would just look at the bowl of kibble & wouldn’t eat it, he preferred the wet & cooked food, then my nightmare began with his IBD (food sensitivities), vomiting, acid reflux, sloppy poos, up early hours of the morning with his bowel making loud noises, itchy skin, rubbing bum on my carpet, red paws that he licked & licked…all this just cause he was sensitive to something he was eating, I couldn’t believe it, I have never owned a dog like this all my pets could eat anything & were feed Pedigree & Purina until I learnt they’re are awful foods with bad ingredients….The Vet put him on Royal Canine Hypoallergenic HP till I worked out what I was going to do, the Royal Canine helped his skin stop itching but not his sloppy poo & vet gave me “Malaseb” medicated shampoo said to bath daily if needed or do the weekly baths…..you might need something stronger then the oatmeal shampoo your using & do weekly baths. Look for shampoos that are Anti Fungal shampoos like the Malaseb medicated shampoo, I’m pretty sure I read that Walmart sells a Anti-Fungal shampoo that’s like Malaseb…. Can you afford to feed a lean raw balanced diet or feed raw for breakfast & a kibble with limited ingredients for dinner? A Balanced Raw Diet is the best to feed a dog with food & skin sensitivities..
Finally I found *”Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, 30lb bag for $49 thru Chewy, it worked the best for my boy, it’s Lamb, sweet potatoes & peas & it has limited ingredients..
* “Sportmix Wholesome” Grain free or grain a 40lb bag $$29-$34
*”California Natural” Lamb Meal & Rice it has just 3 ingredients.
*”Pro Pac Ultimates” there’s their grain free or grain a 28lb bag is around $29-$35
*”Holistic Select” Adult/Puppy Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines Grain Free it’s Fish & Potato $54 & its for Digestive health & their skin as well, Holistic Select is high in Omega 3 fatty acids what’s needed for the skin..
Look for kibbles with Lamb & Rice or Fish & rice, or Lamb & Sweet Potatoes or Fish & Sweet Potato NO chicken for now till you work out what he can eat, theres also
*”Canidae” Pure Formulas that’s are limited ingredient the Pure Sea or Pure Wild or look at the Canidae Life Stages formulas the All Life Stages has their 44lb bag for $54….
make sure you read ingredient list, most kibbles are money back guaranteed that’s why I like going to Pet Shops so I can take back the kibble & I say he wont eat it, when I say he scratches or vomits it becomes too complicated. Holistic Select covers every health problem & refunds money but it depends on the Pet Shop, so I always send the kibble company an email telling them what’s happening with my boy & is your kibble refundable then when I go to the Pet Shop or online Pet Shop & I show them the email or say they said it’s money back, I’ve tried nilly every kibble in Australia & taken back so many kibbles…
Look at the Fat% look for around 10-15% max in fat & 24% to 29% Protein he probably wont do well on a high fat over 15% & a high protein diets over 30%….. then later after he’s doing good look for another kibble & rotate between them..

[anonymous]

Mail-in hair and saliva tests are not diagnostic tools (just read the fine print).
Please read the blog below, nothing is being sold at that site, no t-shirts, no supplements, no kits, no books….nothing.

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

Excerpt from the link above:
Bottom Line
“The Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Stress Scan (formerly “Healthy Dog and Cat Alternative Sensitivity Assessment”) is a completely implausible test based on vague, mystical nonsense and pseudoscientific theories that contradict the legitimate scientific evidence regarding the cause and management of allergies. The general concept that hair and saliva testing can identify the causes of allergies is false. The marketing of this test is misleading and contains many of the hallmarks of quack advertising. Dog owners struggling with allergies would be far better spending their time and money consulting a veterinary dermatologist for a science-based approach to helping their canine”.

Also, per the search engine here: /forums/topic/desperate-food-recomendations-for-lab/

[Jeanne M]

I was dealing with a similar situation with my Sheltie. Food allergies was the culprit. I was already feeding raw freeze dried but it had alot of fruits/veggies in it. I purchased a test from http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com and they did a complete scan of my dog from her fur and saliva samples I sent them. They told me everything she was reactive/allergic to. It allowed me to build her diet from there whether it was something i made myself or purchased. The test was about $80 and worth every penny. Hope this helps!

[Jeanne M]

I have been dealing with allergies of some sort with my Sheltie… didn’t know what was causing it. Her feet were raw (some some of her legs) – she was biting them all the time. I purchased an allergy test from a local privately owned pet store who focuses on holistic remedies and high end dog foods. The test is produced by Glacier Peak holistics – its called a Pet Wellness Life Scan. You purchase the “kit” and send them fur/hair and saliva from your dog and they test for absolutely everything. It took about 3 or 4 weeks to get the results back. You get a complete scan of everything that your dog is reactive to and you can build their diet from there. Whether you purchase your food or make it yourself, this scan provides your answers. I am so glad i did it! The cost was about $80. which is much much less than my vet wanted. http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com Hope this helps.

[Laura B]

I’m sorry, I had put this in the wrong place, previously!

Hello, I just joined.
My lab/pit has just turned 7. I have ALWAYS made his wet food (turkey, eggs/shells, fish oil, oatmeal) mixed with a grain-free dry (call of the wild).
He battles with seasonal allergies, which in turn gives him trouble with yeast, due to compromised immune system. I have since stopped the oatmeal, his daily bone replaced with dehydrated chicken.
I’m now looking to reformulate his food. I would also like to start phasing out the dry (even though it’s considered a decent brand, I don’t fully trust it).
My dog has never liked a vegetable!! I need to start sneaking some in if I’m going to phase out the dry (which actually includes a fair amount of fruits and veggies).
I’m looking for some suggestions, I had read that legumes might be ok, but also read that they may also feed yeast. Puréed kale might be undetectable!!
Thank you,
Laura

[anonymous]

Okay, start by using the search button here: /forums/search/allergies/
It sounds like environmental allergies (at the least), may very well be why the dog was given up.
I will be straight with you, the dog needs to go to a veterinary dermatologist and it will probably cost about $1000 for a diagnosis and to start treatment. Maybe a few hundred a year to keep him stable.
If you do not have pet insurance, or, cannot take on this kind of an endeavor, talk to the shelter. Otherwise, if you want to keep him, I would make an appointment with an Internal Medicine Specialist and go from there.
Regarding the food, you could try a limited ingredient grain free kibble, such as Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (check chewy dot com) see if that helps. Add a little water to the kibble.

[projectleda]

I own, likely one of the pickiest GSDs I have ever known in my entire life, having known a great many of them throughout my childhood. Leda (2 as of Dec 2016) has never particularly been a great eater, with her interest in a certain line of food waning even as quickly as a month. So we’ve adopted the habit of switching out her flavors and even rotating through a variety of brands. However, she’s also pretty allergy prone, and cannot tolerate any fish.

I’ve always had her on grain free – since I picked her up at 8 weeks we started on Wellness puppy. However, her pickiness and allergies (even for fish oils which are mega common and sadly one of her favorites) have always made trying new foods (especially the really nice quality ones) difficult because I can’t afford to constantly sample different brands, and a 4 lb sample bag doesn’t even feed the dogs for one day. (2 others in the house)

Recently however after a move I took her to a new local vet who suggested some of the dreaded 2 star foods because in her words ‘ grain free diets are too high protein ‘ sometimes. At the end of my sad little rope, I got her a bag of Purina One SmartBlend, which is 2 stars and still 40+ dollars for a month which makes me cringe-y and sad.

And Leda is SO much better. Her coat is better, her stool is better, she’s SO much less itchy and generally a lot happier now that her skin issues are clear for an extended period of time.

But MY main stumbling block is that I’m feeding her something that I’d rather not support the production of, for the same cost as some really really dog foods.

So, I seek your help here; Can anyone recommend me some approximately four star, (40-55$ for approx. 33-40lbs) foods that have flavors completely free of fish products, but also wouldn’t be too high in protein to upset her? They don’t necessarily have to be grain exclusive, or grain inclusive, really the protein content is what appears to be important.

Thanks in advance from Leda, Frodo, Samwise and Athena <3

[Jodi L]

I’m really glad I found this topic. My 7 mo old Rotti has been chewing and kicking his rear for what seems like forever! Fleas? Nope, not a one and he’s treated monthly for them. His anal sacs are full? Nope, they seem to be as empty as empty can get. Dry skin, somewhat but not really. Allergies, doesn’t seem to be an issue since it’s the only place on his body that he licks and chew excessively. Yvan became very sick over the Thanksgiving holiday. We were nearly on our way out the door to Michigan state ( A large Veteinary School University) when he made a complete turnaround. He had violent diarrhea, some vomiting and had become lethargic. He went or side and expelled from both ends….came inside and viola! Different dog. Unfortunately about a week later it happened again so we visited the vet this time. Everything checked out fine and since he’d been turning his nose up at his food for a few weeks….but had been trying to eat my others dog food (they are on a different food) we came to the conclusion that the food was not agreeing with him. He was eating at the time Wellness Large Breed Puppy Chicken and whitefish. Immediately took that food away and put him on Royal Canin Gastrointesial food for just about a month with a round of probiotics and not problems with the violent diarrhea or vomiting or lethargy since. I had also noticed that he had stopped the chewing of his rear the week or so that he had the probiotics. So he is now on VertiScience Mega Probiotic. I’ve also began feeding two candy of sardines packed in water and no salt added every week to help with his coat. I’m feeding Fiamond Naturals, No grain Salmon and sweet potato. He’s only been eating it for about 4 days and unless I’m delusional I believe the chewing is diminishing. He’s always had softer stool so I’m hoping that between the food and probiotics that it begins to get better. I couldnt figure out what was going on. Between the metallic breath, lose stool, chewing and biting..I was going insane trying to figure out what was going on with Yvan. I’m firmly convinced that all these symptoms are an anal gland issue caused hopefully by diet. Now that he’s on a Slamon and Sweet potato diet and the probiotics I’m crossing my fingers that when I go out to scoop poop that I’m scooping frozen poopcicles (frozen poop during a Michigan winter) versus frozen cow patties!

[anonymous]

What does the veterinarian that examined her advise? What is her diagnosis? Her condition may have nothing to do with the food. If it is pruritus and an undefined skin condition, I would consider making an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist, since this has been going on for a year/4 seasons.
PS: Nutrisca salmon and chickpea is grain free/chicken free. It’s considered a limited ingredient food (check chewy dot com) however, if her allergies are environmental it won’t have much of an impact.

[Cannoli]

Hi Liz,
Regarding your question:

‘if anyone had an easy way to incorporate more variation in my dogs’ diets’

This is tough for us to answer as we don’t know your dogs nor do we know how well they handle different foods or if they have any allergies. My guess is that if your dogs have been fed grain free dry food most of their lives a very slow transition might be needed with different food sources so that they don’t poop their brains out

If your dogs can easily handle different foods without massive amounts of loose stool or any known allergies than your only your imagination is holding you back.

Simple things as canned mackerel or sardines are rich and loaded with Omega 3s that you can add to your dogs kibble during the cold winter months to help them with their coats.

Obviously the concern is too feed toppers or food that is not lethal to dogs….Basically go down to your grocery store with a list of foods that are toxic to dogs and don’t buy those.

[Susan]

Hi Robert,
Why he tolerates the Hills W/D is it’s very high in Insoluble Fiber & Crude Fiber.
Crude Fiber-16.8%
Insoluble Fiber-28.8%
Soluble Fiber-1.5%
Protein is low at 18.9%
Fat is low at 9.1%
Carbs are 50.7%,
there is NO WAY you will find any dog dry kibble sold online or at a pet shop with those high fiber percentages, pet shop kibbles are for healthy dogs without any health problems……
Start looking at other vet diets like Purina contact or email Purina & other prescription vet diet companies & ask do they make a formula like the Hills W/D for diabetes/weight loss & write all the Insoluble, soluble & crude fiber percentages down, they normally ring you back to talk to you & you get free vet nutrition advice, then later look up their formulas online & see if ingredients are a bit better & see if it’s a bit cheaper..
If your vet ask why do you want to try another vet diet kibble (cause you need a prescription in America, we don’t need script in Australia, we can buy all vet diets on line) just say he’s getting sick of eating the Hills W/d & it’s getting too expensive for a large breed & I’d like to try such & such kibble it’s cheaper something like that, the Purina vet diets are very similar to the Hills vet diets & Purina is cheaper, also the protein % may be higher then the Hills W/D formula is.. then you introduce the new vet diet if he does well then start rotating between the vet diets making your boys gut stronger, 70% of our immune system is in the intestinal tract also are you giving the Purina FortiFlora Probiotic?? I know Purina has a bad name but their FortiFlora was tested with 10 other dog probiotics & Purina was one of the best of 3 that had active good bacteria the rest of probiotics were a waste of money.. I know you want cheaper kibble but all next year 2017 your going to make your boys gut healthy & strong again & the only way to do this is slowly introduce healthy whole foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins etc veggies high in insoluble fibers & introduce a new vet diet & look at introducing a weight management kibbles, I’ve written about weight management kibbles the 2nd last paragraph.
My boy has IBD & skin allergies, all I’ve done is research, join IBD groups trying to make him better & fix his stomach & bowel, looking for kibbles that work, introducing healthy foods in his diet that are high in Omega 3 very slowly, you start off just giving say 2-3 small pieces of peeled apple as a treat & some almonds, I bite 1/2 the almond & make Patch chew the other 1/2 of the almond he loves them & his coat has become so shinny but they can only have about 3 whole almonds a day, almonds can cause sloppy poos when given too many, when you introduce a fresh healthy food, do it same time every day, this way you know when he poos what poos are firm or a bit sloppy was that when he ate the new fresh foods ??

I started feeding a small cooked meal it was just turkey mince made into little balls baked in oven & I added some sweet potatoes, a very small meal for breakfast 7am & he still ate his vet diet at 8-9am, if your boy is thin then don’t take away any of the vet kibble if he is prefect weight then take away about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the vet diet when adding fresh foods..

Google, vegetables that are high in Insoluble fiber & lower in soluble fiber, soluble fiber veggies ferment in the stomach, Insoluble fiber bulks up the stool, 1 serving of Sweet Potato contains 2.2 grams of insoluble fiber, I just got that online when I googled “Is Sweet Potatoes a soluble fiber” it takes time but in 1-2yrs I bet you’ll have a list of foods he can eat & be added to his kibble to make it more healthy..

Weight management kibbles are high in fiber look for weight management kibbles that are the highest in the crude fiber, you’ll find only crude fiber % on kibble bag or their internet site, you won’t find a kibble with 16% crude fiber but maybe you’ll find 10-12% crude fiber then contact that kibble company & I always send an email & write, something like, My boy has IBD & I want to try your name of kibble, my boy needs a high insoluble & low soluble diet can I please have the percentages to the soluble, insoluble & crude fiber please, get a book & start writing this all down cause later on as he gets better & older what didn’t work a few yrs ago might work later & you try again & I always go to pet shops so I can take back the kibbles when they’re money back guaranteed if they cause diarrhea…
Have you tried the Diamond Naturals Light kibble? its a weight management kibble over the yrs I’ve read a few people who have dogs with diarrhea problems do really well on the Diamond Naturals Light, I know its made by Diamond & they have a bad name but after paying triple price for a Hills vet diet what could be worse? if you find a kibble that you could even mix 1/2 vet diet & 1/2 normal kibble & poos are good who cares what brand name it is, like Taste Of The Wild, people on this site say this & that about TOTW kibbles but when I see my boy doing nice firm poos & he’s happy that’s all that matters, Contact Diamond & ask for the insoluble fiber % & the Soluble fiber % it may be close to the Hills W/d formula & this way your adding another protein to his diet which is lamb meal & this will strengthen the stomach & bowel, my boy needs a lower fiber diet he gets bad acid reflux & stomach problems when fiber is high…

Start google & find out which grains & veggies have more insoluble fiber with less soluble fiber.. Lentils are higher in insoluble fibers so look for weight management kibbles highest in the crude fibers then email the companies if he doesn’t do well on the Diamond Natural Light kibble.
It takes time but when you do find that kibble that works its like winning the lottery & when you get them OFF a vet diet its feels excellent but you still know that that vet diet will fix any diarrhea problems just for a while until you find that right kibble.

Look at Purina EN Gastroenteric Fiber Balance Canine Formula
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.com/products/#for-dogs

Here’s the Diamond Light Naturals
http://www.diamondpet.com/our-brands/diamond-naturals/light-adult-dog/

List of high fiber foods soluble & insoluble
http://www.healthhype.com/list-of-high-fiber-foods-soluble-and-insoluble-fiber-chart.htmlesn

[SummerRainAussies]

I agree with both zcRiley and Elaine. Raw food is the best to eliminate allergies but it is not an option for all. There are plenty of premixed raw formulas but a unbalanced raw diet is worse than even an average kibble.
I have a girl that was really itchy. Things that really helped my girl other than her homemade raw diet include Brags apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, fish oil, and a good probiotic.

[anonymous]

@ Kristen L
Sounds like environmental allergies. I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist. Check the search engine here: /forums/search/environmental+allergies/
Food can only do so much, come back if you have more questions.

[Courtney M]

Hello,
I have a 19w ACD puppy, I am having some trouble finding a food that I am 100% comfortable with. I started her with Taste of the Wild but she was not fond of the flavor, and I was kinda sketch that they were manufactured through Diamond (I know they haven’t had any recent issues but still) as well as the AAFCO statement says “all life stages” and I would prefer one that says “growth and gestation/lactation” instead.

I now have her on Fromm Gold puppy, which she enjoys but I am not too fond of the idea of feeding a food that has cheese in it regularly, even though with where it is on the label, and after all the processing its probably a very small amount which is the only thing that makes me feel a little ok with it.

I am debating switching to the Wellness Puppy Complete Health or Pro Plan but I am not sure. The thing about the ProPlan is that the chicken that is the first ingredient is going to be a way smaller amount then the rice that is in it, and even though they are one of the companies that do feed testing I still am not sure that is something I want to feed, as well as the ProPlan puppy is also labeled for “all life stages”, but if I am going to feed something for “all life stages” I would trust a company that does the feed testing over one that doesn’t.

I am not sure what throws me off about the Wellness Complete Health, looks like the formula recently got an upgrade and a lot of some fillers seem to have been removed.

Looking for some input, or other advice for diets in the same price range. She has no allergies or sensitivities. I am not all about the high protein/grain free fad that is going on right now so not looking for anything crazy.

Thanks! Sorry for long read!

• This topic was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by Courtney M.

[Linda L]

Hi there,
I have had health issues with my dog Bichon Pappylon. Tried lots of different dog food for a few years and had the same issues. Finally found a vet that tracked down the problem.
Allergies to wheat corn soy no by product and also chicken as it is grain fed. So I was buying grain free dog food beef veal lamb etc grain free. As long as it said grain free I bought it not realizing that the 4th or 5th ingredient was chicken meal or chicken broth Grain Fed.so the dog was getting grains anyways, totalling defeating the purpose of allergy pills .Since then there has been a great improvement 80% He still has some allergies.that we”re not sure of. I hope this will help in some way
I also use non allergenic shampoo
I use presidents choice grain free ,simply nourish and good natured. I change the food around every 6 or 7 months when the dogs start sniffing at the bowls and walk away. I guess I would get tired of the same food for 6 months. Linda l

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by Linda L.

[Linda L]

Hi There, I mostly have questions and here is a little info. I have one dog bought from a puppy mill (didn’t realize it at the time) been a sickly dog most of life no major problems teeth, ear infections major allergies cateracts in one eye. arthritus both knees. Buddy Bichon Pappy. The other dog bichon shitz shu Bailey Has very few health problems gets ear infections from time to time and is developing arthritis stiff legs and he can nil afford anymore weight at 27 lbs The problem is I need a grain free Kibble with no chicken either for seniors or weight control. so far I haven’t found anything in canada. Both dogs are 10 years old weather permitting we walk every day Any info will be greatly appreciated. thanks Lue 48.
Would be willing to try homemade dog food if anyone has a good recipe.