[somebodysme]

How long has she been on Nutrisca? It will take a while on a new food for the crud to get out of their system. I’ve been dealing with an allergy dog too. Your story sounds a lot like mine and my dog started off in a low end type food Pro Plan and I wanted a better food so bought Blue Buffalo and then all he(( broke loose. I kept trying new food changing the proteins and she just got worse and worse with rashes and red ears and raw paws etc. We are on NB potato and rabbit for three weeks now and things are improving but not perfect yet. She also will break out suddenly out of the blue. I’m telling myself it is what they call a “healing crisis”. Supposedly that’s all normal. I will tell you that she looks better now than she has since I switched her off Pro Plan. I’m assuming you took her off the Rachel Ray stuff because you wanted healthier? Or was she having problems on that? On Pro Plan, my dog was scratching a little but had a watering eye and that was pretty much all. Then we finally realized that all the foods she was allergic to had only one common ingredient and it is PEAS. I know she is allergic to other things too though like rawhide and cow bones.

I would suggest that you give her only one food until you find that it is OK. I would also suggest to not give any of those supplements you mentioned because right now you have no idea what she’s allergic to. My dog reacted badly to spirulina! If she has yeast then keep the probiotic. Then once you know the food is OK, add ONE new supplement at a time until you know it’s OK and no reaction. Any of these things can cause problems for a sensitive dog. She could easily be allergic to salmon oil or coconut oil or that glucosamine. Honestly the only thing that I can give my dog without it causing a problem, that I have tried, is her human grade probiotic.

If your dog was NOT allergic to the Rachel Ray food then look at the ingredients and try and find a better quality food with the same basic ingredients. Like if it has chicken then you know that chicken was not the issue. What I have learned from having a dog with allergies is that you can’t just say “oh that food has 5 stars it great for my dog”. It just doesn’t work like that. These dogs have a whole new set of rules when it comes to what to feed.

[GSDsForever]

yellowdaisy,

I think HK is an excellent company, with quality foods and high standards (including safety). The formulas are pretty gentle and I’ve never known dogs to have trouble with it, especially sensitive/touchy stomach dogs. I like the Zeal formula best (which many sensitive dogs do well on when they can’t on other foods), then the Embark. Zeal is HK’s highest protein and uses a very high quality source, though the fat is very, very low — which some dogs do best with and others need to add back.

The only negatives I encounter with HK are that some formulas are grain inclusive (when owners don’t want that), some dogs aren’t crazy about the soupy texture, and high cost . . . esp. grain free Zeal & Embark. I would like to see, at their higher price point, their base ingredients be organic (like Stella & Chewy’s) when it’s a known heavily pesticide contaminated ingredient or preference for less contaminated fruits/veggies/greens chosen when organic isn’t feasable/prohibitively expensive — kind of like how I shop at the grocery store. But they are still very clean, high quality foods and I would feed them + highly recommend the brand.

In Nutrisource/Pure Vita’s defense, I really don’t think that their food can be blamed for tumors. Something triggers cancer to start in the body and that can be many complex factors, usually involving toxins as insults to the body and the immune system + some genetics. From there, we do know from research that cancer feeds selectively off sugars/simple carbs and need an acidic environment to be active . . . but that’s after the cancer has taken hold. Certain breeds (and their mixes) currently have very high incidences of cancer, like Goldens or Bernese Mountain Dogs; or there is a breed specific cancer like hemangiosarcoma. Some stats show more than half of all dogs and cats now die of cancer.

Pure Vita does pretty clean sourcing, for example using more expensive wild caught fish exclusively (protecting against toxins like PCBs in farmed salmon) and imposes a good bit of safety testing and quality standards. Many dogs seem to do really well on the food, esp. those with allergies/sensitivities or needing a bland diet and limited ingredient diet.

At the same time, virtually all commercial pet foods have significant contamination with bacterial toxins (enterotoxins, endotoxins, cytotoxins, etc.), from the meat, processing and handling, sanitation issues, storage, heat or lack of heat processing, moisture spoilage (like aflatoxins, etc in grains), lack of freshness, rancidity of fats/oils, etc. (You can read more about this in texts like UC Davis Vet School’s/DVM Strombeck’s Home Prepared Dog & Cat Diets, chapter 3 on commercial pet foods/food safety & preparation.)

Nevertheless, I do think homemade diets (balanced) using a wide variety of fresh foods in rotation, cleanly sourced (wild fish, grass fed & free range, organic), are best. So I think you are on the right track. Good luck!

[muggle11]

I have a 13 year old Jack Russell Terrier with some skin allergies. Several years ago we switched her to a lamb and rice food and that seemed to help with the itching. She has put on a few pounds and is getting older, so I would like to switch her to a senior food. I have not been able to find one that contains lamb and rice. The pet store recommended Blue Buffalo, which does not seem to be a favorite from the comments I see on the site. Thanks.

[Lara]

I have a chocolate Lab that has had numerous issues. I rescued her off of Craigslist in Oct. The person I got Karma from had her on Rachel Ray Noutrish. I switched her to Blue Buffalo Freedom for puppies (grain free) It all started in December with a big ear infection to both ears and small, red bumps on her abdomen last December. Diagnosis: chicken allergy. Switched to Natural Balance Potato and Fish with tuna and salt-free peas which she did fine on…for awhile. I noticed increased itchiness..she scratched and bit everywhere…no fleas. She also developed a UTI with struvite crystals so I switched to NB Potato and Rabbit. My vet suggested Hill’s Prescription for the crystals and UTI which I refused. The vet also states to stop giving her tuna and peas as the peas may have contributed to the pH problem. My baby has had 2 back to back UTI’s one with the crystals and one without. During the 2nd UTI I switched to Nutrisca Lamb and Chickpea (grain and potato free) and canned Lamb from Wellness as a topper (only in a.m.) She seems to be doing better although she still itches and bites her paws but it appears to go in spurts….. I’m wondering if it is enviromental allergies and not food. She has some eye goobers but I started using Ark Naturals Eyes So Bright and that has helped tremendously. She also was very flaking but that has almost gone away since starting her on Nutrisca. She is on Claritin/Benadryl/probiotic/salmon oil/liquid glucosamine and sometimes coconut oil. She is also on a cranberry extract for a urine pH of 9.
I have started to notice she is losing fur on the tips of her ears (just started last week). She has no ear infection that I can see. I had been cleaning 3x per week because they began to smell…now I am down to 1x per week
I use Richard’s Organics Incredible Skin Spray for the itchy areas and any hotspots. I also at times will rub in coconut oil
She has little red bumps on her belly which come and go….literally they are there in the morning and sometimes almost gone by night (could be the benadryl/claritin combo)
I have tried digestive enzymes twice (different brands) and she has vomited with both…not sure she can tolerate them…I’ve started slowly both times
I have to bring her back in for a re-check of her urine to see if the pH is down
Every dog food she has been on she has liked….she is not a picky eater (she even eats pills as if they were a treat)
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and sorry it is long

[Mom2Cavs]

As you all may remember, I’ve been battling things with Laverne. She would have anal gland issues and goopy eyes, she would lick her forearm and scratch her back sides. Sometimes she would lick her back knee?…I guess that would be what it’s called lol. She would scoot only sometimes. Her stool would be loose to full blown diarrhea at times, except when we tried NV LIDs…then she was too constipated (they all were) and the other symptoms were still there. Finally, one of her breeders told me that her brother and mother could never have poultry! So….I’ve been working on getting poultry out of the house. We have tried Zignature, still didn’t do the trick (maybe I didn’t give it long enough). We then went on Holistic Select grain free. Things were a little better. Now, I also top with canned food (and something tells me sometimes it may be the canned that’s causing the problem). I’ve narrowed the canned down to a few kinds whereas I was using quite a lot of different kinds before. Things were a little better, still not where I would like, though. In there as well I used some Natural Balance I had in the dog closet to see if it would be better than the Hol. Sel. I had the Lamb & Rice and the Swt. Pot. & Fish. Things were even a little better. I used to like N.B. but am leary of it now..bummer. When I finished with the N.B. I transitioned in a small bag of Acana Lamb (from the dog closet, of course!) This is what they are on now. We’re only on the first day with only Acana Lamb & Apple as the kibble, but so far so good. I’ve stopped treats for the time being, as well. I’ve been using the kibble, which they all readily take (even picky Lucy…don’t know how long this will last). Today I gave Acana topped with Wellness 95% Salmon for breakfast and only dry Acana for dinner. I think that’s my plan….kibble and can for breakfast and dry for dinner. They also get part of their dry right before bedtime as a snack. It’s really too soon to tell but today has been fine with this arrangement. I pray it keeps on working….I like Acana and maybe eventually I can use other flavors, like Ranchlands. I’ll keep y’all posted. Please keep us in your thoughts.

Oh, I wanted to mention that I did order some Big Dog Natural in beef. While the dogs all loved it very much, it really did a number on Laverne’s bowels!! Too, too much for her so…..we will not be using it in the future.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[theBCnut]

When it comes to allergies, you go with what works first and worry about quality after. First you have to just find one food that works.

[somebodysme]

Ya know bandb, my dog does have some eye boogers (HA!) and I bet you are right, it’s most likely caused by the potatoes. I think for now we’ll “bask in the glory” too! HAHA! It’s a very small issue compared to before.

[BlackandBlue]

Ooh nasty anal gland problems (thank goodness my dog hasn’t gone there). For now I’m going to “bask in the glory” (thx Freeholdhound for that quote) of Wellness Whitefish & Sweet Potatoes. Never thought I’d say that about a 3 1/2 star dog food. Cause I can’t tell you how many food trials I’ve done with my dog, including raw medallions, dehydrated, and homemade. And you’re right Somebodysme, peas could be a problem for my dog and food with peas will be avoided.
At the vet, they suggested my dog go back on Royal Canine Potato and Whitefish veterinary diet. Yes, my dog did OK on it, except for really goopey eyes that disgusted my kids (caused by white potatoes). So, I refused the food and found the Wellness Whitefish. Anyway, there’s some Royal Canine Veterinary Diets that are only available in Canada that may work for my dog. Such as the RC Catfish kibble. I don’t know why they don’t sell that in the US? (Sorry I’m stooping so low as to be seeking out Royal Canine dog food but I’m in ear infection fallout.)

[somebodysme]

Patty, it would just seep out when she was sleeping. We’d be sitting around watching TV and she would be asleep on her blanket and all of a sudden the air would fill with that nasty dead fish odor.

OH and she is also allergic to beef rawhide and beef chew bones they sell packaged up like the Red Barn bones.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by somebodysme.

[theBCnut]

Anal gland problems are another allergy symptom, problably the one I hate the worst.

[somebodysme]

blackandblue, the NV LID has PEAS right after the tapioca so don’t dismiss it’s the peas. The symptoms of pea allergy with my dog are: red ears, watering eyes (mostly just one eye), hairless dime to quarter sized rash with pustules on her back and one large one on her tail, red/raw underside of her neck, red rash all over her chest, irritated genitals, completely raw paws with bloody pustules, scratching of her sides and thinning of the hair on the sides from scratching, pimples on her chin, irritated elbows, gnawing on knees. That’s about it, I think…UGH!

Natural Balance potato and rabbit is the only food, so far, that has worked for her…and it’s basically a bag of potatoes but I don’t know what else to do…she has to eat and she loves the food and it seems to very much agree with her. Not only are her allergy symptoms going away, she also has a very regular digestion and no anal gland problems like she had on the others.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by somebodysme.

[FreeholdHound]

I tried to try NV when I got a sample pack – Harry refused to go anywhere near the bowl- that was a cheap -n- easy food trial LOL

[theBCnut]

Allergies can be to anything that has protein in it. That’s why it’s so difficult to pin them down. So far my dog is some grains(I haven’t tried to find out which ones he is fine with yet, or if it is pretty much all the common ones) and chicken. There is still something that he gets ocassionally that sets him off that I haven’t figured out yet, so I’m still going through food trials. I’m finding more things that he can eat every week and that is kind of exciting.

[BlackandBlue]

You guys totally get how troublesome dog allergies are! Somebodyisme (peas) and Freehold (sweet potatoes) both your dogs are allergic to non-meat proteins? Interesting. Maybe my dog is allergic to the tapioca in NV? Could that be possible?
The Wellness Whitefish & Sweet Potatoes is basically a bag of barley if you look at the ingredients (it’s only got 22% protein). Not an ideal dog food but if my dog’s issues clear up on it, what am I to do?

[FreeholdHound]

Ugh! That sucks. Did the ear thing w/ Harry too. Turned out to be Sweet Potatoes in his case. It’s soooo aggravating

[somebodysme]

blackandblue…it certainly could be something other than the meat that’s causing issues. That’s what I was doing…going from one protein to the next and finally I realized she’s allergic to PEAS! It caused all sorts of problems including itching ears. Now off the NV LID turkey and on to Nature’s Balance potato and rabbit and all her problems have vanished! But hopefully the wellness will be your answer! I just looked up that food and guess what…NO PEAS! Unless I missed it?

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by somebodysme.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by somebodysme.

[BlackandBlue]

Update: Sensitive allergy dog was eating Merrick GF Beef & Sweet Potatoes fine, almost finished a small bag. Transitioned to Nature’s Variety GF LI Lamb. Dog starts shaking head, scratching at mouth (lips itchy?), licking paws. Five days into the transition to NV, I take her to the vet. Microscopic cytology of ears ($28) revealed bacteria and yeast infection. Dog’s on Otibiotic Ointment ($12.50) ear drops for two weeks. No transition switch to Wellness Super5Mix Complete Health Whitefish & Sweet Potato Recipe dry. And dog’s doing much better, no itching and licking but I think her ears will take another week to heal up. So now I’m adding lamb (I think?) to the list of foods she should NOT eat.
Frustrating to say the least.

[somebodysme]

She is still going great on the NB rabbit formula. No yeast problems and her feet are just about all healed up, they had gotten really bad. I am seeing still some pustules pop up then go away quickly which I am hoping is healing crisis. It’s only been just over 2 weeks. She really loves the food. Her ears were always more pink than they should be on all those other foods we’d tried but now they are just normal looking. I’m very happy she can eat without getting a terrible rash.

I’d love to see a list of PEA FREE foods! I’ve got my fingers crossed they don’t go do something stupid like add peas to this formula like they’ve done with some of their others. Why would they add peas to a LID recipe? Isn’t the purpose of a LID to have few ingredients to help dogs with allergies? I just wish they’d quit trying to appeal to the human diet and worry about feeding dogs!

[BlackandBlue]

Your dogs’ issues sound like what I’ve got with my dog. So, I’d recommend these two foods because it sounds like your dogs do well on fish based kibble:

*Wellness Super5Mix Complete Health Limited Ingredients Whitefish & Sweet Potato dry dog food(not grain free but still this formula is great for dogs with allergies, etc). Protein 22, Fat 12, kcal/cup 400.

*Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Sweet Potato and Salmon dry dog food (grain free, only available at PetSmart, very reasonably priced). Protein 24, Fat 12, not sure of the kcal/cup but it’s less than the Wellness mentioned above.

I really hope that helps you and your dogs.

[baileydog]

We are bringing home an 8 week old black lab puppy this weekend and are trying to figure out which food to start him on. He is estimated to grow to about 90 lbs and has been eating Purina Pro Plan Sport. We also have an 11.5 year old chocolate lab (70 lbs) who has been eating Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison for a few years. I would love to be able to have both dogs eating the same (better!) food if possible and we would switch our older dog to the better brand. Our older dog has really slowed down, has had ACL surgeries, has arthritis and is prone to yeast growth in her ears. She has allergies, but I think they are more seasonal, to grasses and such (itchy skin, licks her paws) since they flare in the spring.

After reading through most of this thread, do you think it’d be okay to put both labs on Earthborn or Fromm?

[mdbd]

So we have adopted a wonderful senior (12-year old) mini poodle. (I’ve always been allergic to cats but had a dog years’ ago). She was in a kill shelter for about a week then with a large dog rescue facility for 2 months. She had been on a generic kibble (apparently) with her original home. and the rescue. Our first day yesterday was absolutely fine, but today she had her first hair-cut and I noticed just what dry, flakey skin she has and her hair is quite dry. She has many flakes coming off and, of course, with all the flakes coming off – I’m now sneezing and my eyes are watering like crazy – as are my son’s. Other than the skin and coat, she is in wonderful health.

I am absolutely NOT going to give up on this old lady so I really need some helpful suggestions for foods and supplements as they have come a long way since I last had a pet.

a) What is the best dry dog food for a senior (does this equate to grain free or something else)? Cost is way less important than quality.
b) Are there any particular ingredients that are really bad for senior poodles and/or any that are really beneficial?
c) Should she stay on kibble given she has always had it or would you suggest wet?
d) Is there any dog food or supplement that will alleviate her dry skin and prevent the flaking? If so, liquid or tablet form?
e) This may sound crazy – but is there any food or supplement that helps decrease allergens in a pet to assist an owner who is reacting badly to the pet?
f) Is there anything (food or supplement) to assist in helping the dog become less smelly?
g) Is there any topical cream or bath wash that would assist her?

We’re an allergen-free house generally because of my allergies so wood floors, no drapes, etc.

Any help/advice would REALLY be welcome! Thanks!

[tamsam07]

Thanks ladies, I found the forum with the pic of the ingredients also. I had someone ask me about it, and I too informed him that I didn’t think it was a good food, especially for a dog with food allergies.

[theBCnut]

I’m glad you finally found something that worked for your dog. And I’m sorry that it took so long for you to try that particular combination. But your vet could have just as easily steered you wrong since he did not suggest that food knowing your dog had an allergy to peas. His knowledge was not what led him to suggest a particular food, other than to know you had a dog with a food allergy and he was suggesting a different food than what you were feeding.

His knowledge should have led him to instruct you on how to do a correct elimination diet.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by theBCnut.

[somebodysme]

Marie, my dog didn’t almost die, the person asking questions here had a dog that almost died. Had a reaction and swelled up and had to be rushed to the vet. Dogs die from that! Heck humans can die from that. Your throat swells up and you suffocate! This is not something you dilly dally around with and ask questions at the forum…you have to do what you have to do!

Marie, my dog had a terrible rash all over her back and tail for months until I finally fed what the vet suggested in the first place. What I said was that I could have saved my dog a lot of misery if I would have listened to what my vet told me instead I tried to research and self diagnose.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by somebodysme.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by somebodysme.

[Becky]

I’m the one whose dog had the allergy tests and it showed she was allergic to everything. But she’s my foster and it was her original family who did the testing. One strange thing, though, it showed she was NOT allergic to corn! But as I’ve had her for over a year, I’ve also found she’s allergic to sweet potatoes and barley. Or at least she gets diarrhea when she eats something with that in it, so I’m assuming she’s allergic or sensitive to those.

She’s on a food that agrees with her, she eats carrots and blueberries for treats and I found some Nutro grain-free treats without barley she can eat and she’s happy. (with her Atopica) She’s getting adopted Sunday after a year! I’m going to miss her so much but it will be good for her to have a forever home.

Does anyone else use acidophilus? That seems to help with her stomach issues, too.

[InkedMarie]

Somebody’s me: how did your dog almost die?

[somebodysme]

I could have sworn that in this conversation she mentioned that her dog was tested and basically allergic to everything. Without going back and reading it all…

I was lucky enough to discover that my dog is allergic to peas. Once I started feeding her a “healthy” grain free diet is when it all went to heck. I finally listened to my vet and fed the food that he suggested (he did NOT sell it to me) and that is when the rash went away. Once I had a food that I knew she could eat, I then went through every ingredient and found the only same ingredient of all the grain free foods she had eaten and that gave her a rash, was the peas. The new food has potatoes and no peas. I kept trying new meats to find a cause of a terrible rash she had.

Had I LISTENED to my vet, I could have saved my dog a few months of misery. But NOOOO, I thought I knew more than my vet! We are not giving our vets enough credit for all the experience they have with working with thousands of animals for many years. So maybe they aren’t trained a lot in nutrition in college…so what, can’t a vet do reading and research on their own just like we can. And to generalize and say “vets know nothing about dog nutrition” is just wrong to say! There are way too many self proclaimed experts on the Internet these days! I’m not saying to just not do your own research but when a dog is so sick they have almost died, it is time to listen to our vet’s advice! Time to stop self diagnosing!

[DogFoodie]

Hi guys,

For those of you dealing with extreme allergy issues, have you had allergy tests performed by your vet?

I seem to recall a conversation a long time ago about the reliability of those tests and can’t recall what some of the opinions were regarding that, but it seems like your vets would’ve at least suggested it by now.

[Becky]

definitely–and that’s what we pay them for! If you can’t trust your vet with your dog’s food, you might want to find another vet.

[somebodysme]

But when you are dealing with a dog that’s almost DIED from an allergic reaction to food, I believe that a prescription food is warranted! Obviously her food choices she is making are not working, her dog almost died from it! I really think it’s ridiculous for us to be saying that vets know nothing about food! I think it’s crazy to think that we know more than our vets!

[Becky]

That’s not necessarily true of all vets. My vet doesn’t push any particular food and always goes for any natural, holistic treatments first. But, those don’t always work in every situation.

[NectarMom]

Seriously Somebodysme? I would never recommend a Vets choice in food for any dog or cat . Simply because Vets have had no Canine or Feline training on feeding the proper diet. Most Vets sell science Diet prescription diet and if you look on here at the ingredients you will see it is not a good choice for a diet for any dog or cat.

[somebodysme]

Could you go through the ingredient list on Stella and Chewy and use some of those ingredients to cook a meal? I also thought about Wysong has a rabbit canned food that’s all rabbit. You could maybe try that and cook some of the vegetables that are in the Stella and Chewy food? Just give some of the rabbit canned mixed with veggies that are OK? That would make it less expensive!

TBH, at this point though…if I were you, I would buy some of the vet dog food and try that. I’ve heard of dogs that have really good results with it. I just would try it if I were you. Maybe your vet can give you a sample of it? At least you could know if she reacts to it.

[theBCnut]

I don’t think there is a cheap solution to your problem. Xena needs a food that does not have any of her triggers, even if that means you have to make it yourself. If Stella & Chewy’s Rabbit worked for her then that is where I’d start. You might want to look at what protein sources Hare Today has available, but as I said, it isn’t cheap. Good Luck!!

[Becky]

It’s also available as a generic–cyclosporine. It’s still kind of expensive, but much cheaper than the brand name. Have you looked into that? Even if you can get her on it for a little while to give her some relief. I’m serious when I say it’s a miracle drug. Another place you could check is http://www.thehonestkitchen.com They’re not real cheap either, but they have some good info on there about nutrition. You mentioned Hills Science Diet–that’s not the same as the Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein. One bag of that cost me about $36 which is about what I was paying for the Nutro, so it’s not a whole lot more than a good quality dog food (and less than some of them!) Worth looking into…. Good luck! I know how frustrating it is.

[konamisan]

Hi Becky,
I’m teary eyed that you responded so quickly! God Bless you and thank you so very very much. I don’t have the funds now to buy that prescription and I have exhausted my Xena taking her to soooooo many vets pumping her with steroids she is way over her normal weight and each vet recommends that I give her that hills science diet food.
Konamisan

[Becky]

Poor Xena. She sounds as miserable as my foster was when I got her–maybe worse. Ellie has been eating Nutro’s Grain Free Lamb and Potato but if Xena can’t eat Potato, that won’t work anyway. What helped Ellie was the medicine Atopica. It literally saved her life. Her family was going to have her put down because she was so miserable but they couldn’t afford the Atopica. Our pug rescue group got her, thank goodness. Within 2 or 3 days of taking it, she was a totally different pug–comfortable, able to lie down and relax, not scratching and rubbing all the time, the inflammation went down, etc. She also was on an antibiotic because she scratched till she was infected. Anyway, that was a year ago and she’s still doing well on Atopica, the lowest dose.

There’s also Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein food. Maybe you could look into that. I’m not sure how it works, but it’s something with the way they take apart the proteins or something. So even if they’re allergic to chicken, for example, they can still get the chicken protein. I may have it totally wrong, but you might look into it. It’s a prescription food available from your vet.

I hope Xena starts feeling better soon. I know these skin allergies are terrible.

[konamisan]

Hello everyone, HELP PLEASE!!!
I posted a comment as you can see back in March of 2013. I read your forum as often as I can. I would please like some suggestions and help with my post. I have her on Ziwi Peaks Venison and that is over with now. My Xena isn’t even digesting this food anymore. She threw it all up after two full hours after eating it. Xena can’t eat any fowls, beef, fish. I gave her some boneless skinless very very low sodium sardines and the girl would have crawled out of her skin if she could scratched like the dickens and had to wear a e-collar for 3 weeks. She can’t eat any form of potatoes either. The pet stores don’t really offer a long line of products and I have to travel by public transportation just to buy her food. I was thinking of putting her back on the Stella & Chewy’s Rabbit Formula.
Thank you,
Desperate Konamisan

[SandyandMila]

My Mila (1 1/2 today) isn’t picky at all and I’ve had her on a lot of variety. Kibble [Canidae, Earthborn, Orijen, Acana, Brothers, Wellness, Fromm, Annamaet, (Chicken Soup, TOTW when I’ve had to)] and canned (Merrick, TOTW, Fromm, Canidae, Dave’s GF, Tripett, Wellness, ATG). Freeze dried and Dehyrated: Stella and Chewy’s, Primal, THK, Grandma Lucy. Premade raw: NV, Primal, Bravo. Raw organ/muscle meat, green tripe. And also RMBs:chicken back, turkey necks, pork necks. The only one I wouldn’t recommend is the Canidae Single Grain Protein Plus, although a 5 star food, because of the multiple protein sources and not grain free. (It was suggested at a pet store before I got Mila) You have received great advice above, stick to a single protein source and try to go grain free. Is it just when the dog has chicken protein that you see these issues? Maybe Sadie has a chicken food allergy? Try other protein sources beef, lamb, turkey, fish and also add a little canned pumpkin and plain yogurt (digestive enzyme and probiotics). And once you find a few that work rotate them, being on one type of food for too long can make it easier to form food allergies. Mila does have sensitive skin especially during spring-summer allergy season, I guess that might be a “pit issue”, so adding omega 3s and coconut oil to her food are a big help, and also bathing often is key. I’m using a medicated antifungal antiseptic shampoo right now because her skin was negatively effected after getting her spayed and vaccinated during allergy season, which is a big no-no. (The main reason I’ve switched to raw) But also like Earthbath or any good teatree oil shampoo. Try not to use a oatmeal based shampoo especially if Sadie’s skin has open sores, red, and irritated.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by SandyandMila.

[theBCnut]

Mine aren’t thrilled with veggies but they eat them if I mix them with some ground meat. So, no premix or anything? Then I would definitely stick to one protein source long enough to know that your dog is not reacting to it, then try one more long enough to make sure that it isn’t a problem, and so on so you can figure out what your dog is reacting to. You really need to look into what the absolute minimum you need to get into your dog to balance her meals.

[somebodysme]

I would absolutely just feed one thing until you are sure that’s OK and then just add one new thing at a time. That’s what you should do for an allergic dog, it’s called an Elimination Diet. It’s the only way to be sure what he’s allergic to. Do NOT discount the idea that the vegetables can be the issue. I just discovered that my dog is HIGHLY allergic to peas and I’m pretty sure green beans too! I had tried to give her some garden fresh green beans and she had a reaction the next day. They are both Legumes.

I would not give any vitamins or supplements etc during your Elimination Diet either because they can also be allergic to those!

[ninajenks]

I’ve tried some veggies, but she doesn’t care for many, mainly carrots and home canned green beans. And she loves apples, so not many choices….

[theBCnut]

Yes, you can. What are you giving besides just meat? Those things may contribute to allergies too. If the answer is nothing, then feeding an unbalanced diet is OK short term, but not forever. And some of the things she is missing may be what is leading to some of the itching.

[BlackandBlue]

Good for you for adopting a pit and a handicapped one at that! I’d like to suggest trying PetSmart’s brand of Simply Nourish. Specifically the Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Sweet Potato and Salmon dry dog food. And the canned Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient Diet Fish & Potato Stew is excellent for allergies too. My scratching and licking allergy dog stopped that behavior cold turkey when on this food. The only issue she had on it was her eyes got goopey. I think she has mild reaction to potato. This food is on sale often and there’s coupons sometimes too so it’s a very affordable dog food. PetSmart just emailed me a $3.00 off coupon for any Simply Nourish purchase! I know right away if a food causes scratching to my dog. Return it to PetSmart if it doesn’t work out. Good luck with your pitty!

[ninajenks]

I have been feeding raw since March of this year, I have a Bassett Hound named Lucy, she is 18 months old and weighs about 45lbs. I switched to raw mainly due to itching and shedding like crazy. I started just like all the directions have said…..chicken, then turkey, pork, beef, organs etc. She loves her food, but she is still itching…..the shedding has eased up quite a bit. She has been eating deer for a few weeks and loves it. I was wondering if I could just feed deer for a couple of weeks, since I’ve heard it rarely causes allergies, and see if the itching stops. Then add other meats one at a time to find the culprit. Any suggestions are welcomed, the itching is driving us all crazy!!!

• This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[pugmomsandy]

Start with something like AvoDerm Revolving Menu. It’s single protein and “medium” protein. Other “medium” foods are Nutrisource grain free Heartland Select and Seafood Select or PureVita. If budget is not an issue, check out The Honest Kitchen Zeal. It’s grain free, potato free and single protein (fish) but “high” protein or Sojo’s grain free or Natural Balance LID (both single protein, low protein). I would just recommend a simple ingredient food for a few weeks to see if it helps. If she does ok with that type of food, then slowly add a different food and watch for reactions. Also give probiotics. This will help seed the gut with beneficial organisms for better digestion and less gas. Herbsmith has an herbal allergy formula and quercetin is for allergies too. She can always work her way up to a 5 star food. Some dogs just can’t do it right off the bat.

[DalLover]

We have a soon to be 5 year old Dalmatian who is currently eating ProPlan Salmon. We rescued her in March and her coat was fine. Since the summer she has been itchy and looks like a rash under her coat. She is also chewing at her paws. We thought we’d switch to another food to help/investigate if it was the food (Proplan worked for our other Dals) or see if maybe she had allergies to the grass (which another Dal had). I also wanted to give her a food that was more nutritional and not a lot of fillers, hence the Blue Buffalo. People rave about this, but I don’t like the newest posts that I’m seeing! Any other suggestions?

[labber]

We tried a round of almost every probiotic for “dogs” out there… mercola, purina, micro flora, blahblah blah. I can vouch for Probiotic Miracle. We got the best results with PM and when we decided to stop supplementing for a few weeks all the allergies and poop problems came back. So now all our dogs get Probiotic Miracle every day, which, if you get the 3-pack, it is very affordable (and way cheaper than vet visits!). Been about 2 years now and we have healthy dogs all year round. Last 6 months we’ve also switched over to their raw grain free dog food formula which is cream of the crop in my opinion. Anyway PM is the way to go where probiotics for dogs is concerned.

[DogFoodie]

I’m not a fan of Blue Buffalo.

Tell us more about your dog; ie: breed; age; medical / nutritional needs; food intolerances / allergies. What are you currently feeding your pup?

[gmcbogger38]

I never thought I would want to order online until I found chewy.com. Great prices and free shipping over $49. I’m not a fan of any of the foods you listed. With that said, Wilderness is probably the best one you listed because it is grain free. Have you thought of switching up the protein every now and then? That will help prevent allergies and also keep him interested in his food. Also, you don’t necessarily have to feed a puppy formula. As long as the food is made for all life stages you can feed it. That may open up other options for you.