[anonymously]

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

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

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

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

[Naturella]

Hey, all! It’s been a while! I’ve been in and out every once in a while, but mostly been busy with work and being offline while not at work.

Well, all is good, except the day has come that I believe my non-picky, will-eat-anything, didn’t-used-to-be-allergic-to-anything dog may have developed some allergies.

Over the course of 6+(ish) months I have noticed that he has been extremely itchy while on the following foods:

Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural
Wellness Core Original
Castor and Pollux Organix GF

Somewhat itchy on:
Solid Gold Winged Tiger Quail and Pumpkin Cat Food

And had 2 days of diarrhea after consuming 1/2 of a cherry tomato.

Common denominators:
chicken/poultry
potatoes
tomato pomace (in 2 of the foods)

Naturally, I believe Bruno has developed some sort of an allergy to the above 3 items, so after I had had enough of watching him scratch himself hairless, I ran into my favorite store and explained the situation, and left with a bag of Zignature Trout and Salmon to try and heal my pup.

Now, I am somewhat familiar with elimination, and I have never noticed excessive itchiness when I have given Bruno raw or dehydrated chicken bits, so I am not even sure it is the chicken/poultry that is the problem and I may need to just give him a break and feed the plain fish Zignature for a bit to see if the itching clears up (I also plan to equip him with Dr. Wysong’s sensitive skin shampoo), but I would love to be able to feed my usual toppers to kibble, which include raw egg, various canned foods which some do have chicken or other poultry, coconut oil, yoghurt, and other dehydrated additives (whatever’s on sale really). I was told to eliminate all additives (besides lukewarm water and limited coconut oil) for 2 weeks to see if there is an improvement. I will do it and see how it goes, and hppefully I will be able to return to the usual or somewhat modified toppers, and if any of you has an idea or a suggestion, I am very open to hearing it. 🙂

[Kim E]

I bought the salmon and chickpea for my 6 month old puppy. I was feeding him natural balance kangaroo and sweet potato due to his skin allergies. The NB dog food stopped his itching with in 3 days! Great right? But what’s not is the $22 for 4 lb. It lasted him about a 1 week and a half to 2 weeks if I remember correctly. The size were about half an inch in diameter for “puppies to adult”. I went to visit my parents who live town with no petco and ran out of NB. I went to heb and saw grain free heritage ranch 6lb bag for 8$ I was a little skeptical. But I thought worse case scenario I just pick up a bag of NB when I’m near a petco (which is what I was already planning on doing. Gave my pup a cup and he started eating right way. They are 1/4th the size of NB food, which I feel like is way more suitable for a puppy. It seems to be working for his allergies as he is not scratching or biting his feet constantly. So for me this is great because it’s less than half the price f NB, I get more product, and my dog loves it. I will add that I tried the HR with lamb and brown rice which is soy/wheat and corn free. This does cause my puppy to scratch against the carpet for about 1-5 minutes after eating. I believe this is because this formula does contain grain. We will be sticking to HR salmon and chickpea but if your dog isn’t alergic to grain I’m sure the lamb formula would be just fine

[Natalie R]

InkedMarie: thanks! We are trying to transition her (we have some fish to add once per week, and we recently added the egg), but since she’s still having problems with basic bones and pollen allergies, we’re being slow with the transition. We will probably introduce the fish in a few days, and we have some turkey for tonight. She had allergies when we introduced it at thanksgiving, and we wanted to wait for them to subside before we tried again in case it was actually a reaction to turkey or we would have continued sooner. Still, I hadn’t seen any recommendations for just HOW many kinds of meat should be in rotation, so that is very useful! Thank you very much!

DogFoodie: thank you! It’s always good to have reassurance.

[anonymously]

Did you check the search engine here? I do not agree with all of the opinions expressed. /forums/search/allergies/

Do not put anything on it, it will only make it worse.
Assuming your dog is in good health and has seen the regular vet recently.
The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.

Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

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

PS: If you wait, it may get really bad, keep an eye on the chest area for a bright red rash developing. When this happened to my dog I had to go to the emergency veterinary clinic. They usually prescribe steroids to stop the suffering and to temporarily get the situation under control. The Dr there reprimanded me for putting witch hazel on the rash. There are prescription creams that a dermatologist will prescribe that help, but usually only in conjunction with other treatments.

[Susan]

Hi Howard, did she take Metronidazole (Flagyl)? its an antibiotic for the stomach & bowel, also smell her breath does it smell & what of?? that’s how I know what’s happening with my boy when I smell his breath, when my boy starts doing the yellow mushy poos I have a few scripts of Metronidazole the vet has given me & I put Patch on the Metronidazole with food for 10 days & change diet, also I cook potatoes instead of rice, boiled rice can irritate the bowel…. Australian vets are using boiled potatoes now instead or the old fashion boiled rice..
When Patch has had the gurgling pinning bowel noises it was either from the boiled rice or an ingredient he was sensitive too, then over the years I found he has food sensitives…. He has had Pancreatitis when I first rescued him, vet put him on a vet diet for his skin allergies & the fat was toooo high at 19%…..now I cook chicken breast, potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, sweet potatoes, it depends some days I add Kangaroo rissoles some days or I add salmon in spring water drained, I put it all thru a blender for a few seconds….
I cant get The Honest Kitchen in Australia if I could I’d be feeding Patch the “Zeal” the fat is only 8.50% its low in carbs & limited ingredients & fish as protein so easy to digest, for the days I’m lazy…..http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal

I wouldn’t be feeding a raw diet with those symptoms, or if you do want to feed a raw diet, I went thru a Naturopath cause Patch was diagnosed with IBD & needs low fat diet & has Skin Allergies the raw worked for his skin but not his stomach (IBD) he kept regurgitating & burping up the raw Kangaroo & blended raw veggies but when I bake the kangaroo into rissoles & boil the same veggies, he’s OK, so I cook instead now & freeze meals…..

Sounds like you just haven’t found the right diet yet or she may do what happens with Patch, he needs his foods changed every month when I feed kibbles or he starts reacting to an ingredient, I posted a link about this I’ll try & find it, he cant stay on the same kibble too long he starts doing yellow sloppy poos….
Go supermarket get a couple brown potatoes, 1 small sweet potatoes, 1 zucchini & a small broccoli head, peel boil & put in containers in the fridge also maybe change the chicken to turkey or try the chicken & potato & see if there’s any gurgling pinning bowel noises & yellow mushy poo, if its still making loud noises change the protein, no chicken…maybe at first just do the chicken & potato & see if there’s improvement in stools, if there is then add some zucchini wait 2 days look at poos if poos are firm then add broccoli or whatever you want to add, then after a couple of weeks start adding some tin salmon in spring water drained to get all the healthy omegas & vitamins from the salmon, I add 1/2 a small tin per meal but you could make a few meals for a couple of days having a smaller dog… if you do see vet ask for a script for some Metronidazole its good have in cupboard when this happens, she may have too much bad bacteria in the stomach/bowel (S.I.B.O) & needs the metronidazole to fix everything up again….

[Thaylia S]

Good evening, Mike!

Please consider adding Nature’s Logic to your list of Editor’s Choice foods. I have a 12-year-old female Samoyed who has had problems with food allergies for the past several years, and when I changed her food to Nature’s Logic at the suggestion of the good folks at our local holistic pet food store, Brookside Barkery and Bath, in Kansas City, MO, her skin has cleared up beautifully!

I feed both the canned and dry formulas to my two babies, and they love it! It is a little pricy, but so worth it in my opinion. As I tell my friends who say they would NEVER pay more than $XX for a bag of dog food, I would rather pay up front for the best nutrition I can find for my critters than pay later at the vet!

Thank you for your consideration of my suggestion for your list. 🙂

[Susan H]

It sure sounds like she has food allergies. I, personally, would try feeding plain old chicken and rice for a while, then consult the list and start on a raw product or any limited ingredient (/?s=limited+ingredient+dog+foods) food. I like the raw because of the lack of additives.

My old (16, 13 and 11 yrs) dogs are getting a combo of Orijen freeze dried, Natures Variety raw and green tripe. We had some skin and coat problems and this seems to be clearing it up. It'[s not an inexpensive way to go, but neither were all the vet bills.

[Susan]

Hi Boo, stop feeding the can wet food, I was feeding a wet can food & my boy started to scratch & shake his head, I was feeding the wet tin food of a morning & his kibble for dinner, since I’ve stopped the wet tin food no more scratching, I started a elimination cooked diet for breakfast, I knew his kibble wasn’t making him scratch its Fish & Rice kibble, he cant eat the grain free kibbles tooo many starchy carbs, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca, Carrots, Peas, etc, with his new elimination diet when I added carrots he started to scratch again & shake head (ears)….you need to work out is it from food or environment allergies??
Be careful with the apple cider vinegar & lemon juice that will dry out the skin & make the itch/rash worse, also bath in Malaseb Medicated shampoo every 5-7 days when rash is bad bath time…..I apply Hydrocortisone 1% cream on my boy red paws & under his mouth when if real red & itchy… you can buy the Hydrocortisone cream over the counter at the chemist, thinly apply the cream of a night at bed time & thru the day if needed… or try the Sudocrem its in the baby section, its for eczema, dermatitis, nappy rash etc….

[anonymously]

Did you check the search engine here? I do not agree with all of the opinions expressed. /forums/search/allergies/

Do not put anything on it, it will only make it worse.
Assuming your dog is in good health and has seen the regular vet recently.
The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.

Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

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

PS: If you wait, it may get really bad, keep an eye on the chest area for a bright red rash developing. When this happened to my dog I had to go to the emergency veterinary clinic. They usually prescribe steroids to stop the suffering and to temporarily get the situation under control. The Dr there reprimanded me for putting witch hazel on the rash. There are prescription creams that a dermatologist will prescribe that help, but usually only in conjunction with other treatments.

[Dori]

Kevin R. One of my girls, a Maltipoo, was riddled with food intolerances, sensitive and allergies and also environmental issues. Her dermatologist/allergist here in Atlanta, Ga. at Blue Pearl Georgia Veterinary Specialists suggested that I not do that particular testing nor the skin testing and shots. He told me it would be a very long process and the duration of the injections would probably be long term as she was such a mess. He advised me that the very best way to deal with her situation was to attempt to either do an illumination diet or try to figure out and eliminate ingredients in her diet and also to remove all, or as many, toxins in the home environment. I no longer burn candles, no air freshener sprays, no plug ins. I switched to natural type cleaners. Never ever any type of carpet freshening powders that are then vacuumed up. Hardwood floors are cleaned with a solution of vinegar and water. I also wipe her paws (all three dogs actually) when she comes in from out in the yard. I switched to a landscaping company that only uses organic products. I removed all the lawn in our patio/back area where they play and potty to stone, gravel and flower gardens….annuals and perennials. Just early on this year I had two types of testing done solely out of curiosity on my part because I had spent years “fixing” her issues to see what they would come up with. I did the Nutriscan Saliva test by Dr. Jean Dodds first and I believe the cost was around $250.00. If memory serves me that tests for 20 items. Though the test was informative as it did have things that I had already eliminated from her diet I did find that the test showed that she was sensitive to one of the few foods she actually does very well on. I then heard about a test called Glacier Peak Holistics on an allergy group I’m on. That tests for 200 including food and environment which cost $85.00. It is a food and saliva test. I that test was spot on for every single thing that through the years I had eliminated from her diet. The food that she does well on was not something that came up as a sensitivity on that test. It did come up with with food ingredient that I was not aware of and that was cucumbers. From time to time Katie would itch, not a lot but it was there. Turns out that they must have coincided with times that I shared cucumbers with the girls. I eliminated the cucumbers and she’s never scratched again. I feed all three of my dogs commercial raw frozen diets rotating brands and proteins with the exceptions of the ones that Katie cannot tolerate. For treats they get fresh fruits and veggies. I’ve been feeding them this way for a little over 4 1/2 years. Switching to the raw frozen was how I was able to eliminate her food issues as it was the quickest way to eliminate soy, grains, all fowl, corn, white potatoes, tomatoes, white rice, all night shade plant ingredients which are all pro inflammatory. I got Katie at the age of 9 weeks old and at that early age she was an allergy sensitive mess. It took me two years to go through the elimination process with her. She is now 6 1/2 years old and a happy camper. Quite comfortable and happy in her own skin. I continue to wipe all three toy dogs privates and paws with warm clean wash cloths. I should mention that I also have a “no shoes” policy in our home. No one, including repairmen, etc. enters our home with shoes on. It would defeat all I’m doing by dragging in environmental stuff that’s on the bottom of their shoes. Everyone is perfectly happy to go along with my wishes and as a matter of fact through the years more and more people that I know have gone with the “no shoes” in the house policy. I also purchased one of those iRobot Roombas that is programmed to go on daily and then I do a deep in the wall vacuuming once a week. It sounds like a lot but when it all comes together it’s all really easy and has changed her and our lives around.

Edit: I will add that there are some people that do not believe in the allergy tests that I have had done on Katie nor their efficacy. All I can say is that they really were spot on with Katie’s issues. Both companies will send you the kits that you need to do the testing with detailed instructions, you send everything back to them and typically in a week or so you’ll get an email with the results. You can then call them and they will go over the results in detail with you.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Dori.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Kevin,

I have a Cavalier that has had vaginitis, the result of a recessed vulva as well. She doesn’t have any allergies or food sensitivities at all. I’m lucky with her – she’s my easy dog. Her infection was treated with antibiotics and Mal-A-Ket wipes.

Did your vet first rule out a bladder infection or urinary crystals?

[anonymously]

I never had any blood tests (to identify allergies) done on my dog, just the skin testing by a dermatologist.
The best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.
Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

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

PS: A lot depends on the expertise of the specialist to get the solution right, regarding allergen specific immunotherapy. Even when it is effective, sometimes the solution has to be tweaked from time to time. And it can take a year or so to see dramatic results. In my dog’s case I saw improvement right away, however, they still have flare-ups…

[anonymously]

Is this the dog you posted about before? The one with allergies?
“She is a very allergic dog”
If so, the same advice applies. I would see a specialist. Her problems could be related to her environmental allergies (or some other medical issue) and have nothing to do with the food.

[Susan]

Hi Natasha, how old is your pup? & have you wormed her? My boy was eating the Wellness White Fish & Sweet potatoes Complete Health kibble, about 2 months ago, he was doing OK poos when I started introducing the Wellness White fish & Sweet potatoes kibble & mixing it with vet diet kibble…. I use a vet diet kibble that he does good on, to fall back on when something goes wrong with his poos……He suffers with IBD food intolerances & skin allergies….. after 1-2 weeks eating the Wellness kibble, he started farting, having bad gas pain & doing sloppy yellow poos, so I wormed him with Milbemax an all wormer cause he was due to be wormed & I changed his kibble back to his vet diet kibble & started cooking & freezing & feeding a cooked meal for breakfast, Chicken breast, potato, broccoli, sweet potatoes & zucchini, but at first I just feed chicken & potatoes to see his poos stayed firm & they did then I added 1 new veggie per week, only if his poo was firm….
I’d worm your pup if she is due soon to be wormed & change her food, try a different brand a limited ingredient kibble like “California Natural” Lamb & Brown Rice Puppy it has only 5 ingredients, the Wellness brands have tooo many ingredients to pin point which ingredient is doing this if it is an food sensitivity, if after trying another limited ingredient food & the poos are still yellow go & see a vet, she may need some “Metronidazole” antibiotic for the stomach & bowel….
Here’s California Natural site it has better ingredients then the American Vet Diets have, its good to have a food that you know they do well on so if you have to you have a kibble or wet tin food you can feed quickly if needed… In Australia our vet diets have better ingredients, its probably our strict custom laws…. http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products
Or you could try “Daves Pet Food” if you don’t want to cook Chicken, he has Delicate Chicken & Rice that puppys can eat…. look at the ingredients to the Puppy kibble it has too many ingredient like the Wellness… http://davespetfood.com/product/daves-delicate-dinner-canned-dog-food/

[HammockLover]

I just adopted a second dog yesterday and the shelter switched over to this food (they used to use Science Diet). I got really excited at the prospect of saving some money and the convenience of getting it at the grocery store (currently I use Merrick Grain Free) so the first thing I did was come on here to see if it was reviewed.

While it isn’t reviewed, I just got done going through the ingredient list to at least see which ones are controversial and thought I should share here:

***I couldn’t find info on the following ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Manganous Oxide, L-Carnitine***

Spray Dried Egg Product – Cheap protein filler, a by-product remaining after making liquid eggs for humans.

Tomato Pomace – Cheap fiber filler, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex – A controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.

The last one is what concerns me, so I plan on sticking with Merrick. I apologize if I missed any, this was just me looking at about 15 dog food reviews here and cross referencing the ingredients.

[zcRiley]

I dog sat a 10 yr old with half missing/bad teeth. I put the kibble into our Ninja blender & pulsed it to a chunky powder. No water needed, easy to eat. Is your Pap’s mouth in pain? Dental cleaning helpful? C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste nightly does wonders. Also check for allergies/diseases for the diarrhea, it may not be the wet food causing it.

[alberta H]

Hi Sharon… we have a 14 year old moxie who was having the same problems …. and a lot more. We had our regular vet do an allergy blood test and that did show what she is allergic to food wise. Found out we have been feeding her food she was horribly allergic to and have since changed. But, we still have to give our gal 1/2 a benedryl during certain times of the year when she starts sneezing and reverse sneezing. This helps. The problem with possible food allergies is huge though. Many homemade dog foods have rice or corn and in our pups case she was extremely extremely allergic to both those things. Because of this the vet tried 3 different dog foods (one was this dyrolized dog food and it almost killed her ..literally). So for right now, she is actually on a dog food with rice AND corn and doing fine. We were told that sometimes even with allergies a dog can handle certain foods. So it is very confusing. In our case though we wound up going to a holistic veterinarian. Because our doxie has a history of pancreatitis many of the things she is NOT allergic to (test showed she is not allergic to pork) she can’t have because of the fat content. But she is getting a holistic concoction that has been keeping her pancreas soothed and working well now and she is oddly on a food she should be allergic to but is not. If she can’t handle this dog food she is on now our holistic vet has some other recommendations we will try but for now she is doing fantastic. We believe this is because of this holistic vet (she is a “real” vet who has been to school for other things and believes in more than the standard veterinarian ways. She actually saved her life after the hydrolized dog food almost killed her (from the other vet).. So perhaps getting with your vet about 1/2 a benedryl? then a allergy test? Great luck though… our doxies are special !!!

[anonymously]

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies. If I were you, I would consult a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist or dermatologist. Diet/food may not have much to do with his symptoms.
At age 16, I would let the dog (if it was mine) eat whatever he wants, in moderation.

PS: Check out the search engine here at this site, lots of info.
I assume your pet has had a senior workup, if not, that might be a good place to start. The veterinarian may be able to prescribe medications (depending on the results of the exam) that will keep your dog comfortable.

[zcRiley]

Zignature Zssentials is a budget friendly food that worked for all of my AmStaffs’ ailments for a year now. Nothing else was working due to their allergies, diarrhea, dandruff etc. It’s their main entre but I rotate their side dishes of dry & canned for nutrient variety. Read the ingredients on Chewy.com. They offer free fast delivery. Also, Aroma Paws Honeysuckle Jasmine all natural shampoo is specifically for dry skin & dandruff. I bathe once every 2 weeks.

[anonymously]

“We lived in different areas with different weather, different homes so I know it’s not environmental”.

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

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.
Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

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

via search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

Another site you may find helpful http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/

[Ruthy N]

Anyone has suggestions for large breed adult food?
I have an American Bulldog, Odin, that is a year and 4 month old, weighs 95-100 lbs. and a 4 years old French Bulldog mix with something perhaps English Bulldog, Charlie, weighs 36-40 lbs. I recently started feeding them Whole Earth Farms Grain Free either the Salmon or the beef/pork/lamb combo. My dogs also love fresh veggies like cucumbers, carrots, green beans, and fruits.
I have 2 issues I am dealing with:
Minor but important: the size of the kibbles with the “All Dog Breeds Foods.” It is not suitable for a large breed. Odin is not chewing it well.
The major issue: The American Bulldog has skin problems. He is allergic to something. He has redness around his face and skin and red spots on his belly. We tried different kind of dog foods and nothing seems to work for him. We also tried different kind of allergy medicine. The vet can’t figure out the problem as well. So far, we are avoiding chicken and grains. The allergy is possibly environmental, perhaps grass or pine straw. We picked up Odin at 6-7 weeks old infested with flees and ticks. He was covered with tick larva. It was horrible. This may be related to his allergies. The vet has been running tests, but no luck so far.

Any suggestions for food or anyone encountered similar problems?

[Susan]

Hi Kristine, yes I know what you’re going thru, I rescued my boy at the age of 4 yrs old, the day he was suppose to be put to sleep & it was his birthday, today actually, the 20th November, he was Micro Chipped with DOB, the lady said feed him a healthy diet & he’ll look good again, he was in real poor condition, he suffers with skin allergies as well from food & Seasonal environment allergies, so I’d say Patches old owners took him to the pound cause of the IBD & Skin problems & got rid of him 🙁
Until Koji has biopsies you will be going around in circles, so the sooner he has his biopsies you’ll get some answers on what type of IBD he has & what is causing the inflammation of the small bowel….Patches vet also blind medicated Patch & I would watch him get worse with some medications, the Prednisone (Steroid) made Patch sick, ant acid meds made him worse, finally this year I learnt he’s not making enough stomach acid Hypochlorhydria, so no more ant acid medications….. Metronidazole seem to be the only medication that helped him & certain foods…… boiled rice irritated his bowel causing noisey, gurgling bowel noises, bad wind & then diarrhea, kibble was no good, it irritated his stomach more, so I was soaking the vet diet kibble in warm water till kibble was soft then fully draining all the water & squeezing out any water & putting the soft kibble in a blender for about 5-6 seconds but its still over processed kibble & hard to digest, water added with kibble can cause acid reflux another thing I learnt this year….

I cook now for Patch but I still have problems with his weight keeping it on & his stomach some days & every 5-6months Patch gets S.I.B.O & has to be wormed then put on Metronidazole for 2 weeks then he’s all better again……
In the beginning I belonged to the “IBDogs” a yahoo group & they were the ones that told me to have an Endoscope & biopsies done on Patches stomach & small bowel, it only cost $750 that’s with 2 biopsies…. but Patches flap (pyloric sphincter) to the small bowel was closed & vet couldn’t go thru to his small bowel but the ladies in the “IBDogs” yahoo group said their vets got thru to the small bowel, so maybe some specialist know how to open the Pyloric Sphincter so you can go thru & get biopsies from the small bowel….

This time next year Koji will be much better, sounds like you have the right specialist, Koji is a very lucky boy, he has you, some people just give up & do what happened to Patch dumped at the pound… all I did in the beginning was breathe, sleep, dream, IBD & Skin allergies….

[Coonhound Dad]

Hi Coonhound Mama,

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af40/VolcanoGuy/P1010006_zpsjqflqyc2.jpg

Maggie is a Black and Tan Coonhound who is now about 7 years old. She’s had itching problems since we got her at the Amador County Animal Shelter 6 years ago and am not sure if it’s caused by food or airborne allergies. I tried a food without Lentils or Peas a while back and it seemed to help. Then, I switched her to a food that has chicken in it without lentils or peas and the itching started up again so I’m going to try once again a food without lentils, peas, or chicken and see how that goes. Good luck with your friend.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Coonhound Dad.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Coonhound Dad.

[Michelle H]

I would like to see a review of this by Dog Food Advisor too!

My 13 year old Shih Tzu has allergies to a whole slew of things (chicken, turkey, sweet potato, potato, venison, beef, alfalfa, dust, ragweed pollen, grass, possibly lamb….ugh). This has made feeding her particularly challenging. We had resorted to buying ground raw quail or rabbit from a local “pet food deli”. But it is a 45 minute drive each way; which results in us choosing to buy a LOT of food and freezer storage for it. It also results in us adding supplements and “safe” veggies without knowing if we’re getting the ratios right, etc.

SO….I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Cocolicious Wild Caught Salmon & Pork by Party Animal. I bought a case from Chewy and she has been eating for about 2 weeks. She likes it (but she generally likes most food) and so far I don’t see any allergy reactions. (Hooray!)

How does one request a review from the editor?

[Jenn H]

Ah puppies & diarrhea. There’s a million causes.
Given that he’s been having to adjust to new environments in his short life I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that it’s just stress/excitement.
To help him symptomatically make sure the rice you give him is white rice. Brown can be more difficult to digest. When you make the rice save the water it’s boiled in and pour it over food and/or give it to drink.
Pumpkin is a great help in relieving diarrhea. 1 tsp/10 #s.
I have also had great luck with probiotics. An easy 1 to get a hold of is Nutri-vet Food Transition. It’s at Petco & comes in packets or tabs. It’s not expensive. Works great.
Then there’s my all time favorite thing and that’s raw goat milk.
When giving probios or goat milk wait 2 hrs before or 4 hrs after meals if on an antibiotic.
If you think he has a chicken allergy you can try giving him organic ground beef w/ the least amt of fat you can get. Boil it like you would the chicken.
I usually get i/d cans when my dogs need to be on a bland diet. It’s a prescription food. But it makes me feel better to add the rice, chicken/beef to supplement the food because then I know it’s balanced. This is obviously a diet that isn’t meant to be fed for too long. Especially with a growing pup.
Ask the vet to hold off on vaccines until his immune system isn’t busy fighting something else or he’s less stressed. Also I personally prefer to spread out vaccines at least 2 wks apart. I don’t do combos. (Except the parvo. It only comes that way.) It’s easier on the immune system and if there’s a reaction I can know which was the cause. And I only do the core vaxx. Understand that I am not an anti-vaxxer. Just not an over-vaxxer. It took me 30+ yrs of raising dogs and other animals to figure out that they don’t need a lot of the stuff we shoot them up with. And the difference between vaccinating and immunization. And what the shots do when an animal isn’t in optimal health at the time they receive them.
Sometimes dogs lick their paws because they have a fungus. That’s not always a sign of allergies. So if eliminating chicken doesn’t help, try looking into that.
Good luck with your new puppy. Congratulations!

[anonymously]

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

Check the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/

Also, if the dog is still sick tomorrow, you may want to ask the vet about postponing vaccinations until he is medically stable.

Down the road if the allergy symptoms continue, the best choice would be to see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, if one is available near you (here is a list: http://www.acvd.org/).
Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests, I have heard they are unreliable.

PS: Any kibble soaked in water overnight is like wet food, especially if you mix something tasty in it. Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry and canned has no grains, no potato, no chicken or egg. See Chewy. com for price comparison.

[enny]

Research Brothers dog food. They don’t have white potatoes. I was using it for my dogs arthritis problem. Somewhere I read that a Ft Lauderdale? canine unit cured their dogs allergies with this food. It comes from a Florida pet store and they UPS it to you if you don’t live nearby. I now use Earthborn Holistics which doesn’t use white potatoes in its Great Plains Feast (bison meat). Good Luck!

[Patrick M]

We have been feeding our dogs good friends from pups to adults. Never have any issues with allergies, they have high energy, good bowel movements and digestion and shiny coats. Our vet was even amazed at how healthy our pets were and she never heard of it before we told her. My brother in law has a dog he was allergic to almost all dog foods except high end expensive ones and he tries our Good Friends and has also been using it ever since.

[anonymously]

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

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

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

via search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

Another site you may find helpful http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/

PS: Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea (dry and canned) is grain/potato free, check Chewy. com for price comparison.

[anonymously]

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

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are also other treatment options that a specialist could offer.

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

More info here:
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm
Skin tests to determine what your pet might be allergic to are considerably more accurate, on the whole, than blood tests. However, they are not 100% accurate either. To have them performed, you will need to locate a board certified veterinary dermatologist

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

via search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

Another site: http://www.allergydogcentral

[M M]

@Olga, what did/do you feed your vegetarian dog? Do you give any vitamin or taurine supplement?

We use V-dog kibble and she adores it enough for us to use it as training treats, but she goes NUTS over blended beans and broccoli so I would like to home cook for her more. Our dog cannot have milk due to food allergies, but she just loves all the veggies and low-sugar fruits she can get.

I will likely check out a new cookbook called Healthy Happy Pooch with recipes for home-cooked meals, but I would also love to hear what someone with your experience feeds your dogs as you clearly have had great results. We’re happy V-dog exists, but processed kibble in any form doesn’t strike me as an ideal long-term diet.

Thank you for sharing your story. Our dog is thriving on her veggie diet (vet and staff always remark how nice it is to see a healthy dog of her breed), but it has been only a year.

[Shawna]

Hi Ken,

I haven’t read through all the comments but I wanted to state that it could be the chicken causing the issue — a chicken sensitivity versus and allergy. Maybe the chicken itself OR what the chicken ate even (since it seems to be brand specific). I’m a raw feeder of multiple dogs (I have six of my own right now and foster) for over 10 years by the way. My Pom gets ulcerative colitis (bright red blood in diarrhea (her’s is almost liquid though)). Chicken is what sets my girl off (only the muscle meat – she is fine with eggs, liver, kidneys etc).

Sensitivities can manifest after the dog (or person) has been on the food for a while. A protein in certain foods, called a lectin, can bind with the gut wall and cause disease. Initially it binds with IgA (an immune system antigen) but eventually the body is not capable of producing enough IgA to bind with the lectin and then you see symptoms. Typical allergy tests test for IgE immunoglobulins so they can’t detect food sensitivities (which are actually much more common than IgE allergies). I understand that the food he gets better on is “boiled chicken” but boiling (at least with legumes) leaches some of the lectins from the food making less for the body to have to deal with. OR possibly the boiled chicken is different than the one causing the IBD because of something the chicken ate (organic grains fed to livestock have lectins too).

Okay, that was just one thought. The other is that the raw chicken drumstick and thigh diet is not a balanced diet. I know, I know……eye rolls and oh not one of those must be balanced nuts. 🙂 hee hee But there really is something to it. Dark meat chicken is an excellent source of linoleic acid (the omega 6 fat that is necessary for health). However when LA is over-consumed and/or not consumed in balance with omega 3 fats it can be quite inflammatory. Although a good source of LA, chicken is deficient in saturated fatty acids which the body also needs. You don’t mention organs which supply other nutrients. This may or may not be a direct cause but it certainly could be an indirect cause.

Hope, whatever it is, you can get it figured out and get back to wonderful health.

[Susan]

Hi, my boy does poos with red blood when he eats something that he’s allergic too, also Bone stop any bone in the diet & add grounded egg shells instead for calcuim, I went thru a Animal Nutritionist to put Patch on a raw diet, I had to start with low fat meats Kangaroo, Chicken or Turkey & just 1 protein, no bones or organ meat….. I then had to blend some broccoli, Celery, Carrot & Apple in a blender & stop just before the veggies turn to a pulp water, I was adding 1 cup kangaroo with 1-2 spoons blended veggies, freeze the rest in section in freezer for the rest of the week/month… the Nutritionist wouldn’t let me feed any pet shop meats, raw Barf diets….she said the meat is real low grade quality & make my own raw…..
Patch didn’t last on his Raw Diet, he has IBD Skin/Food Allergies, I now cook his meals & he’s doing heaps better no blood, no jelly poos he also eats a kibble but not mixed with any cooked meals….

[Amy W]

Hi Ken,
I’m pretty new to the site too. My dog has seasonal allergies (watery eyes and nose) and also a chronic yeast issue. The vet says they feed off of each other, compromised immune from environmental allergies make opportunistic yeast more rapid spreading. I have a French Bulldog with lots of folds, so yeast has a great place to hide. Like you, I wanted to cut out all sugars, which feed yeast, too see if it helped. I chose a freeze-dried raw from this site (TruDog) which has been less complicated from a safety standpoint. They have Turkey and Beef ( which it looks like your dog is allergic to).

I do try to keep her off as many harmful meds as reasonable, but I have found that despite my best efforts, she still needs allergy meds during seasonal allergy times. We will see if after a good freeze, the yeast slows down with the other allergies. I regularly clean my dogs “folds” and ears, and soak her feet. That helps some with yeast.

I guess basically what I am saying is the whole allergy/food/environment/ genetic thing is complicated, and while I personally think cutting the sugar with a raw diet seems like a good plan for dealing with yeast, I am finding that if I really want to do right by my dog, just the diet won’t alleviate all of her issues. You might check out a freeze dried raw. There are a couple on the site. A little more quality control for my piece of mind. Good luck, itchy is complicated!

[anonymously]

If it was my dog I would take him to the emergency vet now/today for some testing and x-rays.
Bloody diarrhea is an indication of something being very wrong. Maybe a sharp bone fragment has caused some internal bleeding? Why are you doing this? A lot of dogs can’t tolerate raw.
Please do some research:
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+food
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=nutrition

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2011/09/integrating-myths-and-nonsense-with-standard-advice-for-allergic-pets/ (excerpt below)
Bottom Line
Allergies are a serious medical problem that causes a great deal of suffering for pets and their owners. Causes are complex and involve both genetic, developmental, and environmental factors, and symptoms tend to come and go unpredictably, which makes evaluating the effects of any particular intervention challenging. While there are many safe and effective therapies that can help manage allergy symptoms, there is no cure. Only complete avoidance of the antigens the individual is allergic to can eliminate symptoms entirely, and this is often not possible. No treatment that has any benefit is completely without risks, and the risks and benefits must always be carefully and rationally weighed.

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

Intradermal Skin Tests http://www.allergydogcentral.com/2011/06/30/dog-allergy-testing-and-allergy-shots/
“An intradermal skin test involves the injection of a small amount of antigen into your dog’s skin. This procedure is most often performed by a veterinary dermatologist or pet allergy specialist”.

BTW: Dogs can be stoic and not show any signs and symptoms of pain and discomfort, until it is extreme.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by anonymously.

[Susan]

Hi, does the brand his brother eats have a large puppy food? To gain weight google the food your interested in feeding & look at the Kcal/per cup Calorie content, its normally under the “Feeding Guidelines” some companies just write the Kcal/per kilo not per cup…..I always try & buy a kibble that’s over 400Kcal/per cup, that way you need less kibble to feed but I still feed a bit more then recommended, an extra cup divided between the 4 meals a day…Patch also has sensitive stomach IBD & has trouble keeping on his weight…. I have found with wet tin foods he regurgitates them back up into his mouth when he burps but your boy might be different, Patch also lost weight on the wet tin food, he needed to be feed 2 large tins a day, its seemed too much no wonder he was burping the food back up…..I was feeding 1 full cup of kibble for Breakfast & wet tin food for lunch & dinner, now I feed 1 full cup of kibble 406Kcal/cup breakfast & cooked chicken & sweet potatoes for lunch & dinner, he seems to keep his weight on better eating cooked chicken, then when he was eating the wet tin foods & its cheaper buying the fresh chicken pieces & sweet potatoes cooking then freezing weighed meals, then buying the wet tin foods & I know what he’s eating when I cook his meals….I bought one of those Dog Meat Rolls today from Pet Shop, Kangaroo & Potato, preservative free, gluten free, for skin/stomach allergies…. I’m going to give the Roll a go & see how he does….

Try & feed 3-4 smaller meals thru the day if you can….Holistic Select have a Grain free Puppy & Adult Anchovy, Salmon & Sardine kibble, its only but its only 341kcal/per cup that way they can both eat the same kibble, Holistic Select also make wet tin food but I have found its cheaper to buy a couple of kilos of chicken pieces, I remove all the skin then put them in a big pot & boil 20mins you collect all the cooked bones then slowly boil the bones over night & make bone broth, bone broth is very healthy… http://holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog

Also here’s a link for a Calorie Calculator, it’s for German Shepherds but its still works for any breed of dog, it gives you an idea how many calories your dogs needs to eat a day, work out how many calories your boy should be eating a day, email kibble or wet tin food companies & ask how many Kcal per CUP is their food..that’s what I was talking about Kcal/per cup, if I feed a kibble that’s 400kcal/cup then I feed just under 3 cups a day Patch needs around 1100 calories a day…..
http://www.german-shepherd-lore.com/dog-food-calculator.html

[anonymously]

Did you try the search engine here? /forums/search/allergies/

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

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been exhibiting symptoms for 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. There are other treatment options that she may respond to.

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

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

via search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

Another site: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/allergy-stories/

[zuponicafe]

Hi Debbie.
I have a 10 m/o medium/large mixed breed and after my initial puppy paranoia I decided to feed him a variation of different brands wet & dry.
I find great deals on some really decent food and it has helped to keep things w/in reason on food costs. Luckily he doesn’t have allergies so I’ve not had to worry there and his tolerance to switching has been fantastic.
I might add there are a lot of different pet food suppliers nearby, so I can kinda shop around which is great for finding deals.

[Ginette M]

Hi everyone, I have a 6 year old Morkipoo with lots of allergies and I’ve had a hard time finding food for her. She allergic to corn, carrots,potatoes,peas,barley and duck and that’s just the foods allergies.
Does anyone have any suggestion for a good dry dog food for her.

Thanks

[Susan]

Hi, some dogs cant handle the higher fat & higher protein & need a diet that’s lower in fat & lower in protein…which Hills vet diet was she put on?? she should be doing nice firm poos now, she must not be on the right vet diet, all vet diets are money back & you can change over the vet diet for a different formula or brand but some vets just sell the 1 brand of vet diets….. if she was doing nice firm poos now, I always look at the fat % Protein % & Fiber % & then look for a limited ingredient kibble that’s around the same percent, have a look at “Canine Caviar” Special needs the fat is lower & so is the protein, probably the fat & protein was too high in Orijen ….

Special Needs

Also have a look at “The Honest Kitchen” ZEAL
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal
you can also try their sample I think they’re 2 for $1

If you want to stay with a vet diet, so you have a diet to fall back onto when a food isn’t working & something happens (Diarrhea) I have found Royal Canine vet diets to be the best for Intestinal problems, my boy eats the Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat on & off……..Most of Hills intestinal & food allergies vet diets are higher in in-soluble fiber & some dogs don’t do too well on high in-soluble fiber diets, the Z/d Ultra & I/d Gastro made my boy poo yellow slop, just one big cow patties, & I couldn’t pick it up..

I feed a kibble for breakfast & I feed a cooked meal for dinner, Chicken breast & Sweet Potato sometimes mashed carrot & broccoli.. I cook & make up sections 1 cup & freeze the chicken breast…. I’ve been buying the Aldis baby food Organic Monkey Sweet potatoes & Carrots there’s a few different ones, I add a couple of spoons of the Sweet Potato to 1 cup of chicken breast then put in a blender & blender for a 5-7 seconds ……Cooked meals are fresher & are heaps better then any over processed kibble… even wet tin foods are good if you buy a good brand, I’m going to try the Wellness Complete Health wet tin foods or the Wellness toppers, but be careful with the fat %, as its different to kibble fat %, if it say’s 5% fat then when converted 5% fat is about 22% fat if it was a kibble, so I stick with 4% & under for wet tin foods, Wellness also have their Small Breed wet tin & kibble, Patch was eating the Wellness Small Breed Healthy Weight then it was discontinued at my Pet Shop….Now he’s eating the Wellness Complete Health White Fish & Sweet Potato kibble & sometimes he loves his vet Diet Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat, I let him pick what kibble he wants to eat in the morning…
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/index.aspx

[Susan]

Hi Michelle, my vet told me, when a dog is itchy around the lower back & top of tail area it’s normally fleas, check that she doesn’t have that one flea, some dogs are allergic to the fleas salvia, one bite & they go nuts with scratching & scratching, like my boy does….
I bath him in Malasab Medicated shampoo, weekly when spring & Summer come the Malaseb relieves their itchy skin, kills any bacteria & leaves them feeling beautiful & soft then I use the Paws Nutriderm Replenishing conditioner…. its Oatmeal & Ceramides for dry itchy skin…
For fleas I use the Frontline spot on, then about 2 days later I use the frontline spray, my vet recommended the frontline spray she said she has found work the best if you don’t want to use tablets….Patch suffers with IBD & Skin Allergies & had a reaction to the Advantage spot on, spewing blood, side of face & ear swelled up, it was awful…..the Advantage goes thru to the blood where Frontline only penetrates a couple of layers of the skin, I just bought the small bottle of Frontline & you put on a glove & spray around the tail area, back legs & front legs, I have problems when walking thru the park & fleas will jump on my boys legs then he brings home 1 hitch hiker (Flea) & starts going nuts rubbing his lower back up & down the walls, rolling on the carpet…I have found the frontline spray to work really well…… http://www.frontlineplus.com.au/Howtouse/Pages/how-to-use.aspx

A few ladies at the dog park all use Comfortis tablets, I don’t use on Patch cause he has IBD & I don’t like giving him any pills but I was using the Comfortis on my cat & the cat stopped bring home the fleas, the ladies at the dog park swear by Comfortis they said they were giving the 1 monthly tablet for 3 months then they noticed they didn’t have to keep giving the monthly tablet & stopped over winter & Autumn months, the fleas stayed away, but you must know your dogs proper weight & only give 1/2 tablet with food breakfast at first & then watch your dog for 1 hour just incase they vomit the pill back up, then if your dogs is OK, then you give the other 1/2 tablet with their dinner…If your dog does vomit up the 1/2 tablet the vet told me to come back & Comfortis give you another tablet this was for my cat the first time I tried it on my cat didn’t vomit….

When Patch is trying to scratch around his tail & rubbing up & down the walls cause a flea as bitten him, if I have the time I bath him in his Malaseb shampoo so the fleas get off him, but if I haven’t the time to bath him then I use some Sudocrem to relieve his itch its for Nappy Rash, Dermatitis, Eczema, Sudocrem is excellent as a stop itch cream, even Aloe Vera cream is also good to quickly relieve the itch..

Antiseptic Healing Cream

Also once fleas bite your dog, your dog will get tapeworms again, tapeworms are from fleas… so I wait about 2 weeks then I give Patch an Allwormer, I have found Milbemax is a milder allwormer & doesn’t upset Patches stomach & bowel like the other allwormers do…..Once you control the fleas you’ll stop the itch & stop the tapeworms…

[Susan]

Hi, to save all the stuffing around, Get a Salvia & Hair test done thru Glacier Peak Holistic cost only $85 & test for 100+ Environment Triggers & 200+ Food items… once you know what is causing her itch you can eliminate them…
I bath in Malaseb medicated shampoo look into feeding a raw or cooked balanced diet, you cant eliminate the carbs in kibbles as they need the carbs to bind the kibble, most grain free kibbles are high is starchy carbs, peas, potatoes, tapioca, lentils, chickpeas etc or look at feeding those Dog Rolls read ingredients first as some may have crappy ingredients…. in Australia we have Crocodile rolls, Lamb Roll or Kangaroo rolls for dogs with allergies….
http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com/More-Than-an-Allergy-Test_p_80.html

[anonymously]

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

Most dermatologists will not skin test for allergies until the dog has been suffering for 1 year/4 seasons. There are many other treatment options that she may respond to.

A summary of treatments for canine atopy:

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

And here is a recent update:

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

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

via search engine here: /forums/search/allergies/

Another site: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/allergy-stories/

[Korina]

We have a 6 month old lab/retriever mix puppy. At about 4 months of age she started chewing on herself and had some bald spots. We went to the vet and that was temporarily stopped. Then it got worse. Went for another visit and she ended up with a cone and a shirt. While the red/bald spots have healed she has been extremely itchy lately and it breaks my heart to know she is suffering.

First time at the vets they gave her steroids which caused her to not only pee in the house and her crate ( which she never did even as a 2 month old) she was extremely depressed so I prefer not to go that route again. Second time around she got a antibiotic injection and a medicated shampoo/conditioner. We have been giving her a bath now once a week and have been more diligent with brushing as well.

She is currently on Kirkland Signature puppy food which is rated 4.5 on this website. Vet believes it is allergies but not sure it’s food allergies. The itching / licking started for the most part once we started taking her outside ( we did not do any walks until she was done with puppy shots) . As you can imagine as with any puppy she goes nuts when I mention the word “walk” so I can’t imagine having her locked up in the house all the time.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! I’m not sure if getting he tested for allergies is a great idea as she is still very young but any advice on how to help/minimize the itching would be very welcome

[anonymously]

I seriously hope you will take your dog to the vet as soon as possible, he may have obtained some type of internal injury due to the accident you described, that only an x-ray would reveal.
I think it would be money well spent, rather than buying supplements and over the counter meds (not prescribed by a vet) that may not help and may cause more harm.
And trying various different brands of food, his issues may have nothing to do with the food.
Use the search engine here, look up allergies. I would trust a vet that has examined my dog. My dogs enjoy going to the vet.
Best of luck.

[anonymously]

Allergies or food intolerances?
http://www.2ndchance.info/allergytesting.htm

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

[anonymously]

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

[Ptcbass]

My dog I just lost had horrible allergies. They were finally getting better after I switched her to Grandma Lucy’s Venison. Her face would get red and swollen, her paws red and sometimes she would break out in little bumps. During her bad break outs I would use aloe vera (natural from whole foods) and rub it on her face and all around her mouth. I would put coconut oil on the rest of her spots and sometimes I would use Vets Best Ear Relief. Unfortunately she did take benedryl every day. We tried Zyrtec but then we found out that with some when it is wearing off it can cause itching. Crazy that a allergy medicine can cause itching! Anyway best of luck with your pup. Oh and I sometimes used apple cider vinegar as a rinse after a bath.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Ptcbass.

[Ptcbass]

She has gotten the sturvite crystals a few times in her life. We have kept it under control pretty well but just want to safeguard against them coming back.

My other dog had sturvite and calcium oxide ones but they were very tiny. We were hoping she would pass them. I think the prednisone she was periodically on due to allergies was the cause of them.

I plan on rotating foods and watching her fat intake. A lot of the raw and freeze dried foods are higher in fat so it might be a struggle to find very many to put into the rotation. Since we live in the hot south I really want to stay away from frozen.