[anonymously]

Her symptoms may or may not be food related.
Allergies tend to get worse with age. My dog does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea (dry and canned) check Chewy . com.
Although her allergies are environmental. My dog may also have some food sensitivities.
Check the search engine here (type in allergies), you may find some tips:

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”.

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.

[AuroraSky GSDmix]

I’m a new fur mom. I fell in love with and rescued a GSD with a little something extra (mix), after she had spent her first 8 months being abused and used as a “Chew toy” for a fighting dog. Aurora has been with us for 5 months now and its been a learning experience, so forgive me if what I ask sounds ignorant.
Aurora has had issues with her ears bothering her and significant shedding, then she Really started scratching A Lot and incessantly licking her front legs/paws.I placed her on Diamond whitefish and potato after speaking to a dog supply small business owner. I didn’t know her ear issue could also be caused from food allergies, until I started reading reviews while researching dog foods online. Anyway I don’t think she is any better with the fish/potato. Fromm Prairie Gold was suggested to me and I saw it comes in Large breed puppy, but I will be ordering it online and don’t know what to use in the interm (she has just finished her LG bag of food). EVO red meat, Taste of the Wild, Natural Balance LID……? Help. What about puppy vs adult.
Also, I have seen chicken meal, chicken fat, or chicken bone-something and eggs in almost everything. I learned the hard way that eggs make her really itch and I’m not sure if the rest of these chicken extras will be an issue.

[Carrie R]

I have a Beagle/Bulldog Mix. She has always had a sensitive stomach and allergies. I have always fed her Purina Pro Sensitive Stomach Salmon formula. Which always seemed to do pretty well with her. She is now almost 8 and her allergies, skin, and stomach issues are getting worse and would like to try a different food to see if it helps. Any recommendations?

[anonymously]

I think the Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea works best for my dog with allergies because it contains no grains, no potato. I like Fromm, but it wouldn’t work for her. Different foods work for different dogs.

[Ptcbass]

I have a 9 year old shih tzu that is a little overweight and would like to find a good high quality food. She doesn’t need to lose too much but just trim down. I have been looking for food with a lower fat content but then noticed that sometimes the fat content is higher but the calories per cup number is lower. What number is more important?
She is currently on Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Venison but has a hard time getting it out of the bowl so I am putting Fromm White Fish and Potato kibble in with it.

The other problem I am struggling with is I just lost a dog this week. She had allergies and was put on prednisone and then developed small bladder stones. Then the doctor put her on Royal Canin SO (with me protesting but caved in). One week later she was in intensive care and in tons of pain with pancreatitis. She lasted a week (and over $4000 dollars later) she died. She was only 6 and I know that food caused it since she was healthy before and I didn’t feed treats or anything else during that week. Now I am looking for a food that won’t cause stones or pancreatic, is grain free and lower calorie, no Chinese ingredients and preferably organic. Well that is about impossible to find! I have read that sweet potatoes are bad to promote stones. Most grain free food contains sweet potatoes and then also low glycemic index food without grains seems to be hard to find. I know I am trying to find the “perfect” food but the pain my family and dog just went through was just horrible. I really want to do all I can not to ever repeat that again. Any suggestions would be appreciated! I am trying to take a step back and just go with a good food but then I get caught up in the details again. Right now I am looking at Natures Logic (but it is higher fat, acceptable calories), Acana Light and Fit (not grain free), Pinnalce, Stella and Chewy Duck (seems expensive), Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance (higher fat), and Fromm (grain free are higher fat). Help Please!

[Debra F]

I am beginning to think my two-year-old black lab pit mix has a potato allergy. She has one ear that gets very dirty and smelly. She has been on Back to Basics Lamb and Potato as her main dry food (I supplement with other flavors). As we all know by now B2B is going to stop producing dog food by the end of the year so I have been researching other quality, limited ingredient foods. It is nearly impossible to find a dry food that does not contain potatoes.

Additionally, I believe she has a problem with berries. When we first got her we put her on Blue Wilderness grain-free which contained berries. She had very back digestive problems so we then switched her to B2B.

Has anyone had issues with both potatoes and berries? I am not putting my dogs on a raw diet so please do not suggest this.

Thanks!

[Susan S]

What dry dog food does anyone feed for a dog with constant yeast? Someone recommended Taste of the wild pacific salmon. Is this food considered nutritionally complete and balances?

[suzanne s]

Here is my story on allergies. My dog suffered for 3 years being treated by antibiotics and otc allergen meds. Finally went to a specialist who told me that they only test for environmental allergies because food testing can be unreliable. She suggested my dog eat a food that they had, Rabbit and sweet potato, and stay away from everything else. This cost me $300.00 just for the food. Carolina still was at herself biting and itching. So I after 6 weeks I had them test her for the environment allergys, found she was allergic to birch tree pollen and dust mites, they wanted her to do allergy shots. In the mean time I came across a vet who does believe in testing for food allergies, brought Carolina up, cost $200.00 for the test. Lo and behold Carolina is allergic to pork, peas, sweet potatoes, and oats. Do you know how many good dog foods have pea flour or sweet potatoes, my dog never would have completely healed. She is none doing great. My suggestion to you all, insist that they do a food allergy test.

[Colby C]

Hey guys! I also researched homemade dog food for my bulldog and there isn’t a lot out there. He’s doing great on the homemade and loves it. Right now I’m using lickochops and dinovite supplements but I want to switch to something else because they make his breath smell awful!!!!!! I might try the u stew. I also agree homemade is pretty expensive and time consuming in the kitchen but he lovesssss it. I am still struggling with allergies with him and I’m pretty certain it’s the weather and him allergic to something outside

[Anonymous]

Come to think of it, my senior dog that has occasional anal gland issues does well on Wysong senior dry food, soaked in water overnight in the fridg. I have had him on canned, but a combo works best.

Another small breed of mine who has allergies and has had a positive response to immunotherapy, does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry as a base. Prior to her allergies being treated by a dermatologist, she had occasional anal gland issues. Issues appear to be resolved at present.

So, when the dust settles, ask your vet if he thinks these foods might be worth trying 🙂

PS: check Chewy .com for price comparison

[Susan]

Hi Jan, the medication your dog takes is called Metronidazole, its an antibiotic for the stomach & bowel…. Metronidazole can cause some bad side effects with some animals, so keep an eye on your dog, if you see any behaviour changes contact your vet ASAP, my boy started having bad paranoia, he became real scared of noises, other dogs, then one day he got that scared he ran across a busy road & this is a very friendly relaxed dog, he became a nervous wreck, Metronidazole shouldn’t be taken for long periods….

Have you done any research on Colitis? My boy suffers with Colitis IBD, food & skin Allergies, he has food sensitivities, once I stopped feeding certain foods his colitis went away & I didn’t need any vet diets….

Why people don’t like vet diet’s, is the ingredients, my boy didn’t do well on any of the Hills Formulas, he got worse, pooing water, blood & started scratching real bad, I ended up with more health problems in the end after he ate the Hills I/d Low Fat GI Restore & the Hills Z/d formula….He did better on Royal canine vet diets…..

People want healthier ingredients for their pets & are reading the ingredients & information online, we have a better choice of dog & cat foods…
Royal Canine Australia are listening too people & have changed a few of their formulas ingredients, their Gastro Intestinal Low Fat, R/C has taken out the maize, corn gluten meal, corn starch, brewers rice etc in their kibbles, but not in their wet Intestinal Low Fat tin food yet but with their kibble its a step forward, it’s more then Hills has done.. all Hills have done is re-packaged their vet formulas, I’d rather better ingredients then a nice kibble bag..

My boy stayed on the Eukanuba intestinal for 6months, the Eukanuba Intestinal fixed his IBD but he started having real red paws, his vet kept saying he has grass allergies, after 6 months, I had had enough & I introduced him to “Meals For Mutts” a Gluten, Dairy, Sugar free fish kibble, within 2 days, no more red itchy paws, now my vet uses “Meals For Mutts” gluten free kibble now on her IBD girl & recommends MfM to all her dog & cat patients……

When these vet diet companies stop putting all their money into advertisement & start improving their ingredients & start listening to what their customer want, customers will buy their formulas…..

“What is Really In Pet Food?”
http://www.optimalpetfoods.com/index.php?page=article-whats-really-in-pet-food-ingredients-to-avoid

[Krystal H]

OK, so there are a lot of options for every dog out there, and I have 3 with very different needs! I’m hoping I can get some suggestions for food brands for all 3 of them that I can hopefully find from the same (reliable) source. I am on a budget, but I do want quality. No known allergies/sensitivities with any of them.

Roxie:
Medium size
Mature/Senior
Overweight

Kovu:
Medium size
Young Adult
Active

Dessa:
Extra Large size
Puppy

[Alex p]

There are many theories as to why pets develop food allergies, and there’s probably some truth to all of them.

We know allergies are the result of an immune system overreaction which only develops after repeated exposure to potential allergens.

Many people believe the whole thing started with the “never switch your pet’s food” directive CEOs of major pet food companies began promoting 50 or so years ago as a way to gain brand loyalty.

Certainly feeding your pet the same food every day, year after year, for many years will increase the chances of your animal reacting to a component in the food.

[Angeline H]

I have a chihuahua w similar allergies that started around same age. She was on Blue Buffalo Life Source chkn/brown rice puppy formula and was doing well on it. Since she was gaining weight, Dr. advised transition to adult. BB Life Source ckn/rice:Was fine for a while, then allergies started-thought it was caused by her food. Had her tested for allergies via blood draw sample. Result: allergy to dust mites, fleas, and molds. But not the dog food. Great environmental improvements were made, along w an Rx for sublingual allergy gtt Tx.
Sx subsided. 2+ months to go. Still have to use Benadryl prn. She still has mild allergenic Sx. Which Dr. Thinks may be from Ckn sensitives causing IBS. Being managed w probiotics and Liquid salmon oil also helps both the IBS and any minor itchiness. In short, the allergenic blood test is best. Sublingual drops better than injections.

[Jenn H]

Does anyone feed their dogs a diet of kibble and canned/raw/dehydrated?
I have large breed dogs that I like to supplement their dry when the weather gets cold to keep their weight up.
My real.concern is my puppy. He’s 4 months old. GSD. Approx 30 lbs. I know I have to keep his calcium at 1.5% max. Because of that I am having a problem finding the right food.
He acts like he’s starving to death even though he gets 3 3/4 cups fed over 4 meals. Right now he’s on Wellness Core Grain Free Puppy.

I’m looking for either a food that will satisfy his appetite or something I can supplement/replace some of his kibble with that will allow me to stay within the calcium guidelines.
While I am not opposed to canned, raw or dehydrated, I cannot feed strictly those types of foods.
I would also prefer a NON grain free food. Unless a dog has allergies I know they actually need some grains. Plus it seems that grain free has far more carbs than non grain free.

I appreciate any suggestions.
Thank you.

[DogFoodie]

I should also add to my previous post that my dog also has known food sensitivities, in addition to his seasonal allergies, just not as many as I previously thought. 🙂

[C4D]

A couple of my dogs have food allergies to specific proteins. They’re symptoms included ear infections, excessive itchiness, a red rash on tummies and a bit of hair loss (most likely from butt rubbing). I tend to feed individual proteins so that I can see a problem fairly easily. If someone is suddenly becoming itchy, etc, I switch to a different protein. It generally solves the problem. One of them had what looked like a seasonal allergy, but cleared after switching the protein. It’s so difficult to tell sometimes, you do have to look at all of the symptoms and timing.

[DogFoodie]

It was funny, I have always thought my Golden was intolerant of fish. To make a long story short, it turns out that it was more a matter of timing. Each time he reacted, he was eating something that includes fish. I had been avoiding fish of any kind for him. I decided to do the Glacier Peaks Holistic alternative sensitivity assessment test and it said most fishes were OK. After a few weeks, I got brave, feed him a fish based food and he was fine. I couldn’t believe it. What I’ve determined is that he has environmental allergies (seasonal) and the supplements I mention have helped. His symptoms typically would present as an ear infection and itchiness. My Sam is young, he just turned three, so it took a couple of seasons for me to put together the timing of the onset of his “allergies.”

[Kim S]

Hello Norene, I have a 9 yo yellow lab that has skin issues and found out wheat was her problem early on. A little over a year ago she began to scratch and bite herself to the point of being bloody and raw. I started researching and this is where I found DogFoodAdvisor. I have found many other sites that have helped too. I looked an environmental issues, allergies, flea/heart worm meds and food. My vet was not able to help much and I took to the internet. I found that grains can greatly effect a dog and we knew that wheat was a problem for her, I went grain free only to find that potatoes are a big fill in for them and she ended up with a widespread yeast infection. I did try raw but she ended up being sensitive to chicken and lamb so that didn’t work. Here’s what helped and I highly recommend to anyone with skin issues. We did a Alternative Sensitivity Test by Glacier Peak Holistics, all done by mail. That gave me a wealth of information and confirmed all my suspects. She is now on Orijen 6 Fish and doing wonderful. I’ve also added a daily probiotic, digestive enzymes, coconut oil to her meals. I have nothing to do with Glacier Peak but there are other companies that perform these tests and sell the same products. I also have found very informative websites such as Dr Karen Becker, Only Natural Pet and obviously you’ve found Dogfood Advisor. Beware of the flea and heartworm products, they can cause a number of issues and there are natural remedies. House hold cleaning products, laundry soaps, fabric softners, fragrance sprays and such can effect your dog. I now have a green home as much as possible. Good luck and hope you find the cure. I can tell you that it will be up to you and not your vet and I do like my vet very much.

[Peggy]

Hi Bobby_dog! Good to be posting with you again.
Yes this issue popped up for both Tebow and Lady at the same time. I actually noticed it on Tebow first, as he was scratchng more intensely, rubbing his back on the carpet and scooting around on his butt.
Lady was scratching too but being sooooo laid back, not as bad. Of course first thought is FLEAS. I checked, combed, brushed and bathed them. Not a single sign of fleas anywhere. PLUS the fact that I myself am a flea magnet. If we ever have fleas (which we have not had in years), they are all over me. Yet the scratching has continued.

At the vet, after their examination, which included a search for fleas, flea dirt, etc., we talked to the board certified dermatologist who is on staff there. LOTS of questions about changes in environment, cleaning products, etc. He did quite a bit of testing, skin scrapings were taken to test for mites, mange, yeast infection, etc. Blood test for worms, and I don’t know what all else.

Since everything came back negative, the dermatologist narrowed it down to 2 things – either food sensitivities, or ragweed allergy. It is BAD here this year.

We’ve had issues with food allergies before, a couple of years or so ago, they were diagnosed with food sensitivities, We switched to grain-free Pure Balance, and the symptoms disappeared for almost 2 years. Yet here we are again. I’ve been wracking my brain about their food, and realized I have gotten a bit lazy about what I feed them. A couple of times I have veered off the grain-free food. I don’t know if that’s it or not.

Thank you for the information, Shawna.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Peggy.

[C4D]

Peggy, I didn’t address your question regarding weight loss. You need to feed less to cause weight loss. You will have to include the calories in any treats you feed in the daily intake. There is a calculator on this site to give you an idea of how much to feed. You should base the amount to feed on the ideal weight.

When trying to feed for allergies, you must make sure everything you feed, including canned food and treats are the same protein as the food you feed. You also need to make sure there are no grains in the treats. This is basically an elimination diet. Most of the time this method works. If that doesn’t work, you may have to consider intradermal testing.

[Anonymous]

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. Here’s how the process works”.

“First, your dog will be administered a mild sedative, and a 4”x8” area on their side (near the armpit) will be shaved – so it is easy to see the skin. Next, the Dr. will inject small doses of a wide variety of common, regional antigens into their skin”.

The above test is what I’m talking about, I never did the blood test. The specialist told me that IDT is the most accurate for identifying environmental allergies (which is often the problem).
It does not test for food allergies/intolerances.
You get the results right away and leave with a treatment plan (that was my experience).

[Anonymous]

Please consider making an appointment with a dermatologist/specialist for diagnosis and testing. Environmental allergies get worse with age and have nothing to do with the food.
/forums/search/allergies/ (I don’t necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed)

From what you describe, it sounds like your dogs are suffering. For serious conditions you need to go to a specialist, it makes a BIG difference. Best of luck.

[Peggy]

I joined the forum over a year ago for my 2 dogs Tebow (Jack Russell Terrier) and LadyBug (Shepherd/Lab mix). They were both overweight and experiencing food sensitivities.

Upon advice I upgraded their food (from Pedigree). Blue Buffalo, made them sick, so I switched them to Pure Balance on which they’ve been doing very well. Problem is, PB does not offer a large enough variety of can food, so while staying with PB grain-free dry, I’ve switched them to Wellness and Nature’s Recipe grain-free cans. They love both, especially the stews.

Now comes the problem…….. !
Tebow is again itching and scratching incessantly (NO fleas), and shedding horribly. Also chewing at his paws. I noticed a week or more ago that he’d developed a raw area on his chest.
LadyBug has a series of raw areas on her lower back, backend, and upper tail. REALLY raw.

Now, Tebow’s seems to be healing up, while Lady’s was getting worse, so I took her to the vet this morning. After skin scrapes, flea combing (no fleas or flea dirt), and 2 blood tests, the verdict is…. food allergies! UUGGHH!

The vet said that ‘perhaps’ I should decrease their beef and chicken intake and feed more duck and venison. Also decrease their twice-per-week salmon meal to just once per week because her skin seemed oily (she was dirty, as I had not bathed her in a couple of weeks).

ALL of this was preceded by “perhaps” with no real clear instruction. Soooooooooo….
I am again here asking for feeding suggestions. Additionally, both are still overweight, Tebow is 5 lbs over, and Lady is 8 or 9 lbs over.

OK – hit me with it. And thanks in advance.

[blaire t]

I have a 10 month old chocolate lab. We recently did a blood test to find the cause of a repeat rash on his groin area. Turns out he has several allergies, but I’m going to start with the food. The vet recommends sticking with “puppy” for a bit longer if we can, but the list of food suggestions from the lab doesn’t have a single brand listed on this site. Any recommendations? Has anyone heard of California Naturals or Canine Caviar?

Thank you!

[Brandon D]

after a trip to the vet yesterday it was determined that this is likely environmental allergies, and not a yeast infection. His skin is a little pink but he doesn’t itch much, chews a bit at a single paw. On benedryl 25mg three times daily for a week to see if the pink skin clears up, vet didn’t think any need for any steroid. If benedryl works( seems to help) then Zyrtek once a day for maintenance.
Appreciate all the responses, still going to consider some other food and bathing options as well.

[Sue S]

mix 25% new food with 75% old food for about 4 days, providing that your dog has no ill reactions to the new food (allergies, ect), then use a 50/50 mix for about 4 days, then 75% new food with 25% old food for about 4 days, then you should be ready to feed 100% new food.

[Anonymous]

I have a 9 pound poodle mix who does well on 1/4 cup of kibble and a tablespoon or two of wet food or chopped up cooked chicken breast, twice a day. Occasional chicken liver (broiled) as a topper instead, or chopped up cooked lean meat.

I give an occasional bite of chicken or something as a snack after a walk, carrots are okay, but I would just use the regular ones, the baby carrots are treated with something?

I don’t remember the exact amounts when she was 4 months, I think I fed her 3 or 4 small meals per day and tapered down to two meals per day when she was about 6-7 months old.

I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea for dry (base). I like Wysong for canned.
She’s a healthy girl at 7 years old, except for her environmental allergies :-/

PS: Start brushing his teeth every evening, see YouTube for how to videos, small breeds have lousy teeth.
You will learn what amounts work best, dogs have different metabolisms….my 20 pound dog eats only a little bit more per day.
If you don’t see the pup going to the water dish, add a splash of water to meals, some dogs don’t drink enough water. These small breeds are vulnerable to bladder stones down the road.

Tips: http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[Pitlove]

My vet and I had talked about the constant licking because my dog does that as well. She said paws usually is associated with environmental allergies and butt is associated with a food intolerance. Mine licks his butt and has bad gas when he eats beef. If I don’t feed him anything with beef he’s fine.

[T]

I have to chime in here… I fear too many people get overly focused on food allergies and forget that we’re talking about an entire living organism. I don’t believe dogs just develop food allergies out of the blue. I believe they have some weakness in their health that allows food allergies to occur. Not to mention that we feed them food their body is not equipped to deal with.

Anyway, don’t forget to think about creating a healthy, holistic animal! There are so many things you can do to help itchy skin besides changing to a different protein kibble. You can read some of the articles on my blog for more ideas.

Tabitha
http://naturalalternativesvet.com

[Patti S]

Using an inexpensive topical flea product that you buy at Walmart or a supermarket such as BioSpot or Zodiac Spot On would be better than not using any flea product at all!

As far as the food goes, you won’t find a hypoallergenic dog foods at the supermarket, you’d need to look at pet stores or specialty feed stores. You need to find a food with a dog food with different protein and carbohydrate source that what he’s currently eating. You should try keeping your dog on an “elimination” diet for 8-10 weeks to see if his itchy symptoms improve. In an elimination diet, the dog is fed a food that has a protein and carbohydrate source he’s never had before. There are many over the counter foods you can use, for this purpose. I’ll suggest a few further down. Your dog’s elimination diet should not contain:

• Wheat, barley, rye – ALL of them. (including bread, snack crackers, treats, wheat/gluten, etc.)
• Dairy products – ALL of them. (including milk, cheese, whey, casein, dried skim milk, etc.)
• Soy – ALL forms
• Corn- ALL forms (including corn gluten meal)
• Artificial preservatives and colors
• Beef and fish – (only if allergy symptoms are present/persist for longer than 8-10 weeks. These are “secondary” allergies.)

By eliminating the above items, you will be taking care of at least 80% of all food allergens and all three of the major sources of food intolerance (gluten in grains, casein in dairy, and soy protein.)
This diet must be strictly adhered to, it includes ALL foods, including TREATS and TABLE FOOD! Be strict! Food allergies can be very sensitive conditions and the least amount of the offending substance can trigger reactions that can last for days. Be creative in finding safe treats for your dog those that MATCH the diet rules. This will be a lot harder on you than your dog.

Giving your dog an essential fatty acid supplement can also help suppress itching. Arachidonic acid is stored in cell membranes and released when the cell is damaged, it then combines with certain enzymes causing inflammation and itching. Essential fatty acids combat this reaction because the essential fatty acids combine with the enzymes, making them less available to bind with arachidonic acid, reducing the inflammation and itching. Your dog would need to be given an essential fatty acid supplement daily for at least a month before you see it’s beneficial effects.

[Norene D]

We took our girl to the vet. At a glance, she thought that maybe it was the dog beds that we have that may be causing the allergy. But another thought came up. It was the fact that after surgery, sometimes a dogs system changes and allergies can come up. Well it wasn’t too long after our girl had some surgery done that these skin issues arose. So our vet gave us some prednisone to take care of the immediate issue. But she also gave us strong dose of antibiotics to give our dog, in case of infection. We’re doing all that now. We’ve changed their dog food to Vets Choice (4 stars on this website) and with just that, she’s not scratching incessantly like she was. We’ll know more after the prednisone and antibiotic course. We did throw out the cheap pet beds though, just in case.

[C4D]

Hi Brie,
I’ve had dogs that develop allergies to certain protein in food with similar symptoms. While checking in with your vet is a good idea, especially to take care of the ear infections, I don’t think you have to rush to a dermatologist unless there’s no improvement after doing an elimination diet and/or if you don’t see a change from the switch in food.

You need to make sure ALL treats are grain free as well and it’s best to feed everything using the same protein as the food. So you need to use fish based treats. Limited ingredient diets are good if you don’t get great improvement on the current food. I do use Kefir as a probiotic since it helps control yeast. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Consider seeing a dermatologist for allergy testing (not a mail-in saliva test) for the most accurate results.
/forums/search/allergies/
http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
PS: In my experience, sprays and OTC stuff, supplements don’t work. You could try a grain-free, potato free food. An elimination diet under the guidance of a vet might help, however if the allergies are environmental, it won’t make much difference, if any.

[Pitlove]

My pitbull has the same problem. My vet is certain is it related to environmental allergies. best thing you can do is talk with a canine dermatologist. my boy has also benefited from salmon oil with his food.

[Susan]

Hi, have you heard of Glacier Peak Holistic hair & salvia testing, it test for 100+ Environment allergies & 200+ Food triggers, & only cost $85 there’s also Jean Dodds Salvia testing but that just test for 30 foods & is dearer….. http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com/More-Than-an-Allergy-Test_p_80.html

Purina FortiFlora is suppose to be really good they tested 10 dog probiotics & only 2 of the dog probiotics had live active bacteria & Purina FortiFlora had the most live bacteria….

[Jane K]

Yes. And vasculitis. They could spend a whole week doing tests and still not have a complete why so I asked for aggressive treatment for the PLE immediately. They were going to wait Fri – Tues and keep her stable if possible since it was a holiday wkend and not all the tests were available. She is 90% better in looks. Imagine a balloon with a teeny dog head. Now she looks like a real dog. Her legs are almost normal dog size. She’s kind of lumpy in the body but they said she had not been retaining more fluid after IV treatment and draining on Friday. I’ve been going with massive allergy problem but they said no. She has outdoor allergies. My husband likes to buy all those treats for her and her step-sib Border. Out of no where this blew up over the summer. I think it had been coming on but once summer hit we attributed some symptoms to her nutty behavior with allergy. She gets food funny, won’t step off the sidewalk, stays inside, and pretty much eats her feet without a shot and benedryl through the summer. Early Aug our vet told me she was fat and blamed us for over feeding. I kept arguing that a dog does not gain 9 pounds in 5 weeks. And I told them I thought she was breathing in a different pattern. I lost. We were sent home with a diet and exercise plan that masked even more symptoms. I still think I was stupid to not notice this.
I don’t think they checked for all types of cancers? No mention of kidney or liver problems. Her heart checked out fine. Her worm check in July was good. Clueless. She is probably one of the most annoying dogs I’ve ever in my life had which means we love her to the moon and back. As a cowdog she likes to herd squirrels. She chews on the sliding door on the way out and if your leg is in the way….well, too bad. She talks and sings and shrieks from her squirrel perch bench in the back of the house at the several dozen or so squirrels in our lot. They come up to the window and mock her. She helps with trash by attacking the bag all the way down the hall, out the door and to the can. She chews on the cat and then humps her. The cat allows this. We try not to watch. She doesn’t know a stranger. We got her to keep the old dog young so this is so, so sad. Old dog will be 14 in October. We shall see. She gets chicken tonight. I’m expecting a miracle. She deserves it!

[cori R]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I took Teddy yesterday to his Vet and she thinks that may be food allergies. She gave me to try HA Hydrolyzed Canine Formula by PURINA VET…but honestly I’m not 100% sure as it main source of protein is Soy.
She also suggested to change the prohibiotic to FortiFlora by Purina as well.
I will be doing some blood work for food allergies and maybe an ultrasound of his belly in the next few days.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by cori R.

[jeri h]

Kevin. I make my dog food and have done so for several years now and have seen an improvement in my beagle with skin allergies and yeast problems. what I have found most helpful with the yeast and itching is to take one whole lemon slice it thinly steep in almost boiling water overnight.strain and sponge onto my dog. she smells great, redness diminishes,her itching diminishes,her coat is very soft and the yeasty smell is gone. I also wipe her ears out with it. has to be repeated as long as there’s a problem. Source-Dr. Pitcairn Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.

[Anonymous]

If the symptoms are related to environmental allergies, changing the food will have no effect. Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane, so you will think you see improvement, where there is none. The symptoms always come back and tend to get worse with age.
See the posts in this thread, you may find some helpful tips. I don’t necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed. Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

http://www.allergydogcentral.com/2011/06/30/dog-allergy-testing-and-allergy-shots/

Intradermal Skin Tests
“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. Here’s how the process works”.

“First, your dog will be administered a mild sedative, and a 4”x8” area on their side (near the armpit) will be shaved – so it is easy to see the skin. Next, the Dr. will inject small doses of a wide variety of common, regional antigens into their skin”.

The above test is what I’m talking about, I never did the blood test. The specialist told me that IDT is the most accurate for identifying environmental allergies (which is often the problem).
It does not test for food allergies/intolerances.

[amy R]

I have a 1 y/o pit mix. He has extreme food allergies, and we just got his results back. He cannot have GRAIN, WHEAT, OAT, PEAS, SWEET POTATOES, RICE, CANOLA OIL OR PEPPERMINT.

Those items are in almost every dog food i’ve searched. If anyone has any clue what dog food has limited ingredients that DOES NOT include anything on the list above… please let me know!!!

[Pitlove]

A lot of foods claim to be hypoallergenic, however that is more of a marketing thing than a proven scientific fact.

True food allergies are very rare in dogs. More commonly food allergies are mistaken for environmental allergies or food intolerances. There is a possiblity that your dog is intolerant to an ingredient in the Blue Wilderness. While it is very hard to give a recommendation for a food when you are not actually sure what your dog is intolerant to, or if food is even the problem, what you could do is switch to a different food with a protein and carb your dog has never had before. A limited ingredient food could be a good idea as well. If you don’t see an improvement, food is probably not the issue. Someone I know got their dog tested for environmental allergens and come to find out he was allergic to the wool blanket he was sleeping on. Food will not improve something like that.

The best thing you could do would be to get in contact with a canine dermatologist to properly diagnose your Boxer’s skin condition. Especially if you have a Boxer that is predominantly white, they are known for having skin issues because mostly or all white is unnatural for them.

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

[Anonymous]

If you soak dry food overnight in water in the fridg (2-3 day batch) it is okay as a base, then add a spoonful of chopped cooked chicken breast, lean meat or chicken liver.
Occasional canned food as a topper instead. Maybe a little dry kibble as a treat now and then.
It’s all good.
My senior does well on Wysong Senior. My other dogs (one with allergies) does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.

Don’t free feed…..see General Guidelines for tips : http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
Hope this helps.
Oh, and brush their teeth once a day, see Youtube for how to videos.

This has been what works for me.

[Susan]

Hi Xavier G, my boy gets the red in between his toes & red just after the big pad, he gets it when he eats kibbles with corn & maybe chicken? he was put on a vet diet for his IBD Eukanuba Intestinal, the Eukanuba Intestinal helped his IBD & he was pooing firm poos but got real red toes & paws, vet kept saying grass allergies, then I changed his kibble to a Gluten, Dairy, Sugar & Potato free, fish kibble & his paws cleared up within 2 days, so I looked at the ingredients in the Eukanuba Intestinal & it had to of been either the Gluten corn, Maize or the chicken……just before bed I was putting Cortic-DS 1% cream hydrocortisone acetate 10mg/g you buy over the counter at chemist, I was putting cream in between his toes with a cotton tip & on the fur/skin just after his big pad, then I was putting on socks, when he’d wake up in the morning his paws would be all clear, no red in between his toes or red about the big pad, then I’d feed him the Eukanuba Intestinal kibble for breakfast, then go on his morning walk come home & he’d start licking & licking his paws, I’d look & his paws would be red again, finally worked out it was his kibble, he was sensitive to an ingredient….. also I’d bath in the Malaseb Medicated shampoo when his paws were red it helped his paws ……
I’d change his kibble to a limited ingredient kibble with a different protein (Fish) & carb (Brown rice) something he hasn’t eaten before….. I find limited ingredient kibbles with brown rice work the best for Patch & bathing his paws/body in the Malsaeb shampoo, I think Walmart sell an antifungal/anti bacterial dog shampoo with the same ingredients as the Malaseb but I can’t remember the name, it started with a M cause a lady was saying how they have the same ingredients & is cheaper & helped her dogs red paws…….
The Antibiotics will not fix the red paws, not if he’s reacting to a food ingredient…also fish oil capsules or give some sardines in spring water as a treat…
if you cant afford the California Natural Lamb & Rice try the “Racheal Rays Nutrish Just 6” Lamb Meal & Brown rice sold at Walmart http://nutrish.rachaelray.com/dog/dry-food/just-6-lamb-and-brown-rice … its gluten free, corn, wheat, soy, free, no preservatives, byproducts fillers etc …

[Anonymous]

Environmental allergies? You may want to consult a dermatologist.

via the search engine here: /forums/topic/lab-with-food-allergies-any-help-is-appreciated/

/forums/search/allergies/

I don’t necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed.

[Pitlove]

Hi Anna- This is just my opinion and interpretation on grain free vs grain inclusive, but here it goes.

Dogs don’t have a high requirement if any for carbohydrates. They can break down carbs to be used as energy, but not as well as we do. Dogs derive energy better from animal proteins and fats. Dry kibble is always going to contain carbs because they are the binding source for the kibble. It could not retain it’s shape without a carb source. Grains have become demonized as a filler ingredient in dog food and so the pet food industry answered that with a new marketing plan; grain free dog food. It’s marketed as better for dogs with “allergies” and overall marketed as being superior to grain based foods.

My first problem with that is that resolving a dogs food allergies or more commonly their food intolerances can’t be done without knowing what they are intolerant to. If my dog is intolerant to chicken, but not rice, feeding a grain free chicken based food is not going to fix the intolerance.

Also, many people are under the impression that grain free means carb free. It does not. Grains are replaced by peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils etc in grain free foods. All of which are also things dogs can be intolerant to, but aren’t nessesarily. Same thing with rice, barley, oatmeal etc.

Grain free foods however, do have a tendency to have a higher meat content than grain based foods. That is not always the case though. Plenty of grain free foods are guilty of sacrificing meat content for carbs.

I know plenty of dogs including my own that do just as well on grain based foods, as they do on grain free. I’m currently feeding a grain based food, however I’ve fed both, mainly grain free. Some people don’t feel comforable feeding grain based foods. I don’t care because to me they are getting carbs either way, which they don’t need in their diet. I consider all carbs to be filler ingredients.

Again this is my opinion and lots of people will disagree, but I thought I’d share my perspective.

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

[Anonymous]

Everything We Eat Cures Cancer! (or Causes it?)

Regarding the skin issues, have you consulted a dermatologist?

My dog with allergies does best on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (no grains, no potato). But since receiving care by a specialist/dermatologist she can tolerate a variety of foods as her allergies are environmental. She had IDT (Intra Dermal Testing) and has responded well to ASIT (Allergen Specific Immunotherapy)
Some info here: http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/dermatology/allergy-testing.html

PS: I sometimes bathe her twice a week (approved by the specialist) with Malaseb or Antifungal dog shampoo by GNC I like the lavender smell.

Check the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/
I don’t agree with all of the opinions expressed. Hope this helps.
More info here: http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/

[Renee A]

Hi, our lab has terrible environmental and food allergies. She had diarrhea, itching, scratching biting, etc. We had to do an elimination diet. try one thing for x amt. of weeks and then another until she improved. Natural Balance Duck/potato she could eat but I didn’t care for the ingredients. We found she was allergic to chicken (very common), turkey, beef, eggs, etc. We had her on Canidae Lamb/rice and it was also good, but now we switched to Blue Basics Lamb/potato and that’s working also. These are expensive so if you need the middle of the line food and price tag, Taste of the Wild Lamb is good also. We also found out thru a blood test, that our dog is allergic to grasses, mulberry trees, etc. So, bec of such bad env. allergies, we have her on a prescription med. We’ve tried holistic. Also on fish oil caps.

[Anonymous]

How old is she? I have a senior peke that has some issues in that department. In his case, it’s not the food. How often is she having bowel movements? Is she constipated?

PS: With my dog, he is old and his anal sphincter doesn’t work that well, anymore.
He does best on Wysong senior kibble soaked in water overnight, sometimes a spoonful of chicken, more water.
But, he often needs help to have a bowel movement. I have a medical background so I deal with it.
Talk to your vet as how to proceed.
Consider seeing an Internal Medicine Specialist, if you have to. You don’t want to end up in prolapsed rectum territory.
Have environmental allergies been ruled out? X-rays to rule out an obstruction?