[Holly D]

I am so glad to have found this post! So much helpful information.
Rooney had an episode of the gulping, frantic grass eating and vomiting about a year ago. I noticed for about the last week he would gulp every so often then Monday night (it is now Weds morning) he had a full blown episode! I gave him Omeprazole right when it started and another yesterday and this morning but the vomiting and some slight gulping has been going on since. I gave him a little rice with a bit of sensitive stomach ID canned food last night but he threw it up around 4am this morning. Not sure if I should feed him or not this morning. Fortunately, he is not frantically eating grass and seems calm now but he has not been able to keep anything down since and still has the gulping every so often. He still wants to eat, is drinking water and pooping normal. Figured I’d take him to the vet today just to be on the safe side.
He is a basset hound and tends to eat anything he can find! I thought maybe it was prompted by something he ate…but, he was also on a round of antibiotics a couple of weeks ago for an ear infection so I though maybe his stomach flora is messed up.
Also – he is on Apoquel – is anyone else’s dog taking this for allergies? I was wondering if that could be causing a problem??
It is so horrible to watch them go through this and I hate to see Rooney so uncomfortable! It’s a been a rough couple of nights up and down and out at all hours. I’ve been up since 4 this morning and guess who is back curled up and sleeping soundly in my spot in the bed? 🙂

[Kimberly S]

Hello,
My Angel started with her Allergy to chicken as a puppy and it was explosive diarrhea, so be careful. I never in a million years thought a dog would have an allergy to chicken but turns out a lot of dogs do and they also have allergies to the grains too. Once I took her off the chicken and grains, unfortunately had no choice but to use the I.D diet by science diet to settle her GI upset for 10 days. Once that was settled, I used a grain free puppy food, and she was much better. In my girls case it was the chicken and grains causing her explosive diarrhea.
Angel did have some loose stool during the transition but not diarrhea.
Best of luck to you.

[anonymous]

My dog with a sensitive stomach and environmental allergies (treated by a dermatologist) did well on Nutrisca salmon as a base, for years.
We are now using Zignature whitefish.
Both are available at Chewy dot com.
PS: Some dogs can switch foods with just minor reactions, such as loose or softer stools for two or three days, others may have diarrhea.
Only one way to find out.
Good luck

[Blkdoodle]

This is good news but afraid Buffalo might be about the same score as beef. Will contact the lab that did her tests to make sure. Lamb is the next lowest meat score for our girl. I think the only reason so many pet food manufactures use chicken, is it’s a lot cheaper. Our girl must have about the same allergies as your fur baby. Going to check the Precise out. Never heard of it but I had never heard of Sport either. Ha

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by Blkdoodle.

[bexster]

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, unless our poor guy is knocked out beforehand, going to the vet for all sorts of tests is not in the cards.

He doesn’t have environmental allergies, it’s clearly things in his food. If I give him something like a piece of apple, he throws up the next day. Environmental he’d be itchy and scratchy which he is not; food he throws up and gets sores so it’s quite different.

Our last girl took probiotics and digestive enzymes; didn’t do a stitch to help her food allergies but I appreciate the thought. The digestive enzymes I take personally don’t do a thing for my food or airborne allergies.

Thanks for those two food suggestions. Unfortunately those both contain chickpeas and peas, both insufficient fillers, items I’m wanting to avoid. Nicely though, their poultry free foods are truly poultry free, a true rarity.

Is there no food comparable or similar to Pioneer Naturals?

Thanks

[Susan]

Hi Gina,
my boy has IBD Plus Environment Allergies & Food Sensitivities, as my boy aged now 9yrs old he has gotten worse with his allergies they dont get better as they age allergies get worse, baths are the best thing to do, weekly baths wash off any allergens on the dogs sick peas face, baths in a good medicated shampoo relieve their itchy skin & paws get some “Malaseb” medicated shampoo its really good for Allergies & yeasty skin problems…

My boy has never done well on vet diets, the vet diets for skin problems are very high in Omega 3, 6 oils, this makes his acid reflux worse, Patch cant take Prednisone it makes him sleepy, tired, nausea, vomit & diarrhea, so he takes low dose of Metronidazole (Flagyl) on & off now….

Regarding TOTW Australia, our TOTW formula’s are made at the South Carolina Plant, TOTW have 4 different Plants around America this could be why Australia hasnt been affected, plus some of the TOTW formula’s are different for Australia & Europe customers, Australia & Europe have very strict importation laws so any pet foods that come into our countries must follow strict guidelines…..
When TOTW did formula changes a few years ago I read on a EPI face book group dogs in the UK were having bad diarrhea after the TOTW formula change, TOTW had added Chickpeas to some of their TOTW formulas.
(Lentils are the new protein booster, add Chickpeas or Lentils to the kibble & up goes the protein % in the kibble, so less meat protein, Wellpets have just done it to their Holistic Select & Wellness Core formula’s, you’ll be reading complaints soon about Wellpet formula’s, my dog is having diarrhea/sloppy poo’s etc”)
So I wrote to TOTW in America & I begged TOTW “Please dont change the TOTW made for Australia, the TOTW Pacific Stream & the Sierra Mountain formula’s, TOTW has low fiber % & we have sick dogs with IBD & EPI in Australia we need a grain free, low fiber dry kibble without lentils & chickpeas, we dont have any other low fiber dry kibbles that agree with our IBD & EPI dogs, we dont want our dogs to react like the dogs in the UK are reacting to the new TOTW formula change,” TOTW listened to us, we have no peas or lentils in the Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula & our TOTW Sierra Mountain Roatsed Lamb formula has NO lentils YET Ive just noticed teh American Sierra MountainLamb formula has Lentils now it didnt 2 yrs ago the only thin different was the American Sierra Lamb had Salmon Oil we have Canolia Oil… it can take just 1 small ingredient & a dog with IBD can react..
Lentils, Chickpeas, Peas can irratate the bowel when a dog has IBD IBS etc

Have a look at “Natural Balance” Limited Ingredients formula’s when I run the “Canine International Allergy” face book group a couple of years ago alot of dogs with IBD were doing very well eating the “Natural Balance” LTD, Sweet Potato & Bison or Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish formula’s…..N/B use to have Potato & Kangaroo formula but they dont have it no more, if you do decide to try N/B please read all the N/B LTD Formula’s as they are all different, some N/B formula’s have Chickpeas/Lentils/peas in them, the formula’s Ive posted dont have any peas, chickpeas or lentils, if you do try a new kibble make sure you introduce it very slowly over 2 weeks, if poo’s go sloppy then go back to the amount of new kibble & old kibble he was eating & doing firm poo’s on also dont reduce the Predisone until he’s stable on new kibble…

There’s a new drug called “Cytopoint” Injections for allergies or “Apoquel” tablets, the same makers Zoetisus make both, first Zoetisus made Apoquel & the Apoquel has a few side effects nausea, vomiting then Zoetisus brought out Cytopoint injections, you give injections every 4-8weeks depends on the dog, we dont have the Cytopoint injections yet in Australia, Patches vet wanted Patch to try Apoquel when it came out 2 yrs ago cause it can also help dogs with IBD, do you have a vet that specializes in your boy IBD? ask him about trying the Apoquel for his itchy skin & IBD, Aqopuel does NOT work if your dog has Yeast Dermatitis, you’ll need to change his Vet diet if he’s got yeasty itchy smelly skin, I dont know if your boy needs to be off the Predisone to take Apoquel, here’s Apoquel site, you can email & ask Zoetisus can a dog take Predisone & Apoquel together?. https://www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/apoquel/index.aspx

[Blkdoodle]

I understand your frustration. Sport was the only food I found that fit the allergy parameters for our Goldendoodle. I’m not sure we can use Sport with the chicken broth added. We used the Venison which was the lowest score for Callie’s allergies and that is now on indefinite hold. Don’t know about Pioneer naturals. If I come across something in my research I’ll give you a holler.

[anonymous]

Nutrisca and Zignature have grain free, no chicken formulas.

I have found they work best in conjunction with treatment prescribed for environmental allergies by a
veterinary dermatologist.
I also found that as my dog responded to treatment she can now eat a variety of foods including chicken.

[anonymous]

It’s not the food (IMO). Unfortunately many dogs are given up due to environmental allergies.
There is no cure, but there is effective treatment.
For best results go to a veterinary dermatologist.
The intradermal skin testing takes about 45 minutes and the dog is sedated so he will be comfortable.

See former posts. /forums/topic/inflammatory-bowel-disease-what-dog-food/#post-111755

If going to a veterinary dermatologist is not an option, continue to work closely with your veterinarian, there are newer treatments available.
There is no cheap way out of this……
/forums/search/environmental+allergies/

[anonymous]

I would make an appointment with a specialist (asap) either veterinary internal medicine or a veterinary dermatologist for testing/diagnosis/treatment. Sounds like environmental allergies could be the culprit and not the food.
Ask your vet to refer you. Prednisone is not good long term and can lead to other health issues, he has not responded to diet changes.
Enough is enough.
PS: There is no miracle food that will fix this.
Go here for science based veterinary medicine http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
You can use the search engine to look up specific topics. The comments are informative too.
The site is run by a veterinarian. There are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA.

[anonymous]

I skipped the blood test, the veterinary dermatologist told me after examination that her allergies appeared to be environmental. I had the intradermal skin test done and started asit (allergen specific immunotherapy). The test i’s not cheap but it’s the most accurate way to identify allergens.
Asit is the most natural way to treat environmental allergies, the treatment is lifelong.
My dog has been stable over 5 years. She eats a variety of different foods, but does best with Zignature
whitefish kibble as a base.
Frequent bathing with a vet recommended shampoo helps too.
There is no cure for environmental allergies but there is effective treatment.
Food allergies are rare, food sensitivities tend to fluctuate.
Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane.
Apoquel is prescribed for environmental allergies.
/forums/topic/poop-less-and-scratching/#post-111715
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/ There are even newer treatment options since this article was written.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Susan]

Hi Sandra,
if he wasnt scratching & licking his paws before on other food then yes change the food sounds like he is sensitive to an ingredient in the new food, take it back & exchange the kibble if you still have a bit left…
Which Earthborn Holistic formula is he eating??? is it one of the grain free formula’s?? as Earthborn Holistic uses Tapicoa in some of their grain free formula’s..
My boy gets the red itchy paws, he has them at moment, I’m about to give him his weekly bath & make his feel nice, fresh & itch free, 15-20mins after eating these ingredients- Chicken, Barley, Tapioca, Wheat, Oats makes him go mad with itch & gets red itchy paws also Carrots make his ears itch & he shakes his head…
My boy has both Food Sensitivities & Seasonal Environment Allergies get some “Malaseb Medicated Shampoo” & wash his paws leave on for a good 2-5mins then rinse off the Malaseb relieves itchy skin & paws kills any yeast & bacteria as well leaves their skin & coat feeling beautiful & soft, the Malaseb can be used daily..
I also apply “Sudocrem” on Patches paws before our walks & at night before bed, Sudocrem is a healing cream that is a anti bacterial cream for Eczema, Dermatitis & Nappy Rash, you can buy on Amazon or Ebay, the Sudocrem relieves any itchy skin & kills any bacteria & yeast on their skin & paws…..

Have a look at :”Canidae” Pure formula’s the “Pure Wild” & “Pure Sky” formaula are really good, if your dog can handle higher fat diets the “Pure Sea” is excellent for itchy skin & paws its higher in omega 3… https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[anonymous]

You could try a different food, however it sounds like it could be environmental allergies. Hopefully, if it is, they are mild and/or seasonal.
I would consult your vet, you don’t want him to scratch till he gets infections.
He may suggest a prescription/therapeutic diet to rule out food sensitivities, also, ask your vet about adding fish oil to combat skin dryness.
If it continues for 4 seasons/1 year without significant periods of relief despite treatment by the regular vet. Or the symptoms become worse and the dog is suffering, I would find a board certified veterinary dermatologist for accurate testing/diagnosis and treatment.
That would be your best bet.
Your vet should be able to refer you.
Hope these articles help
Keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/

/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Susan]

Hi,
a dog only reacts to potatoes, sugars & starchy carbs if she/he has food sensitives to those particular food/ingredients, this is another Myth spread on the internet (Dr Karen Becker) saying Potato, rice, corn, oats, grains, sugary carbs cause yeasty skin & ears this is not true, it’s only when your dog is sensitive to that food he will react…
What was he eating when his ears became yeasty?
Here’s a site written by a Dermotologist “Karen Helton Rhodes” The Myths & Facts of Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs”, Please read, she has a facebook site called “Healthy Skin 4 Dogs” & frequents another f/b group called “Dog, issues allergies & other Information Support Group” join the group heaps of really good information, your better off taking your dog off any dry kibble or cooked wet canned dog foods, whenever I feed wet can foods to my boy he starts shaking his head & scratches his ears & skin, I think the wet can foods use binders in the wet can foods & he must be sensitive too them, he’s the same when he eats a dry kibble that has tapioca, carrots, chicken, barley & oats he gets red smelly yeasty paws, itchy ears & smelly yeasty skin, he cant eat these ingredients he’s has food sensitivities to them, you need to work out what ingredients your dog has food sensitivities too??…
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs
Have a look at freeze dried foods like “Ziwi Peak” air dried, Ziwi Peak also sell wet raw can food, it looks & smells like the cooked wet can foods but it’s healthier, Ziwi Peak is for dogs & cats who have skin/ear problems food sensititivies, Ziwi Peak has Novel protein meats (Venison Rabbit) & limited ingredients, Ziwi Peak must taste really good my cat goes mad when I open a can or open her bag of air dried Ziwi Peak, here’s Ziwi Peak site send them an email telling them about your dog yeasty ears & ask can you try some of their samples of their air dried formula’s, just make sure you give your address so they can send the samples out or go & buy some of the Ziwi Peak to try, your dog will get better & love the air dried & the wet can foods … https://www.ziwipets.com/ also when you do start a new limited ingredient food do not feed any treats or anything else in her diet just the new food..
also look for “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels Freeze Dried, Mussels are high in Omega fatty acid excellent for skin & ears, give 1-2 mussels a day as a treat..
K-9 Natural also sell wet raw can food & dehydrated food you just add water, same as “Honest Kitchen” look for the Zeal, Spruce or Brave formula’s https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/grain-free

[anonymous]

Zignature and Nutrisca have no potato, has your vet suggested a prescription/therapeutic diet? That would be the only accurate way to rule out food sensitivities.
Keep in mind your dog may have environmental allergies which tend to wax and wane, they may be mild, seasonal or uncomfortable enough that the expertise of a specialist may be needed.
See my prior posts per the search engine
examples:
How long has this been going on? Because I have a dog with environmental allergies, I had good results, but, only after going to a veterinary dermatologist.
I thought it was the food too, tried all kinds of things with poor results, my dog is doing well now on ASIT allergen specific immunotherapy times 5 years.
Turns out she can eat most foods but does best on Zignature whitefish (before that Nutrisca salmon) as a base.
So, I would consider going to a specialist if her symptoms go on for more than a year (4 seasons) without significant relief.
Food allergies are rare, environmental allergies are usually the culprit.

and
For the best results, make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist.
Here is a good article about what you might be looking at, keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/
/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[Aimee Y]

I just bought a bag of what Francine had posted. My dog has allergies very bad so I thought this looked like a good grain free option. The only review I see on this site looks like very old ingredients…. Can you please review this again with the most current recipe of this dog food on the market at Aldi’s? BTW, it appears the brand name of this food is now ‘heart to tail’….

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by Aimee Y.

[Susan]

Hi Melissa,
definitely sounds like your boy has Food Sensitivities that is casuing yeasty skin & ears & bowel problems when he eats them, also can be Environment Allergies if his eyes are watering & he rubs his eyes, he’d feel very uncomfortable & itchy, now the hard part working out what ingredients he’s sensitive too that’s causing his yeasty ears & skin, once you work out which ingredients are causing his yeasty skin & ears the yeast will stop, I did an elimination food diet & carrots were causing Patches yeasty ears as soon as I stopped adding the carrots to his meal he stopped shaking his ears/head…
Have you tried “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb or TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula? these TOTW formula’s were the 2 grainfree kibble that helped my boy IBD & Food Sensitivities, then his yeasty skin went away, another grain Free kibble that worked for my boys IBD was”Canidae” Pure Wild Boar, these formula’s only have 1 meat protein with limited ingredients…
You need to find a kibble that helps his stomach & bowel (No gas & sloppy poos) like the Purina One works then hopefully the new kibble will help clear his yeasty ears & skin…

Look for a grain free formula that has Limited Ingredients, that is around 25% in Protein, Fat around 15% & fiber-4% & under not too high for fiber…
Some high end grain free kibbles are way too high in Protein & Fat % also the Kcals per cup are too high causing stomach/bowel problems, stay around 360Kcals per cup & under….
Look at the ingredients in the Purina One & try & avoid these ingredients as your dog is sensitive to either 1 or a few ingredients making his ears yeasty, the Purina One helps with his sensitive bowel but like my boy when he eats the Hills Sensitive Stomach formula he reacts & gets yeasty smelly skin & paws…..
Start bathing him weekly in “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, the Malaseb killls any yeast & bacteria on his skin & relieves any itchy skin leaving his skin & coat moist & soft…
There will be an kibble out there that he isnt sensitive too & helps his stomach, bowel & stops his yeasty ears you just haven’t found it yet… also have you tried “Natural Balance” LTD Sweet Potato & Bison or the Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish formula these N/B formula’s help dogs with stomach/bowel problems & have skin problems aswell, these N/B formula’s have NO peas, No chickpeas or No Lentils as these ingredients can cause gas, bad farts, sloppy poo’s & diarrhea….
Keep a diary & start writing down what brand kibbles your feeding & try & avoid any kibbles taht have chicken just incase he is sensitive to chicken…..also look at the ingredients & protein % in the high end grain free brands you’ve feed, was there any common ingredients that might of been causing his gas & sloppy poos, alot of these new grain free kibbles use Lentils & Chickpeas now, alot of dogs with IBS symptoms can not eat these ingredients causes bad gas & diarrhea.

[gdijess]

I just said it is NOT environmental allergies. And the site you gave me said that the closest one is actually 4 and half hours away. My dog’s vet is a large animal vet because the only vet that treats dogs and cats teaches at a school and never has time to see new clients, not to mention is actively trying to push for BSL in my area. I live in a small town that’s main focus is agriculture, so most people here don’t care much about their dogs and dont want to spend anything more than like 30 bucks on the animal. Half of the people here in town have never even seen a rottweiler. I’m not going to let somebody who has zero experience anywhere near my dog, especially if they are terrified of him. (Which happens more often than not) Driving to another state to see a dermatologist is not something I can do. I work in a job where its nearly impossible to take time off. I work two different jobs, so I’m working 7 days a week. (He gets to come with me) Its also something that isn’t needed because MY DOG HAS A FOOD ALLERGY.

Thank you for commenting on my post but since you have nothing else useful to say I would request that you stop. Have a wonderful day!

[anonymous]

“I have no access to an animal dermatolist unless I want to drive 4 hours”.

Not true. You don’t want to go to one, so be it.

But they are everywhere. Just ask your vet for a referral.

https://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?ids=16_Find_Dermatologist

PS: I have no food recommendations as food has NO effect on environmental allergies.
You may be trying to treat the symptoms, GI distress is a symptom of untreated environmental allergies.
The immune system breaks down and the dog is vulnerable to all kinds of stuff.

[gdijess]

There are definitely no plans on breeding him, he is the only puppy from this litter with allergies. The rest do terrific on their foods. I call some of his sensitivies allergies and the others just sensitivities die to the severity of the reaction. I have no access to an animal dermatolist unless I want to drive 4 hours.
I’ve seen proof both way for the evidence of developing allergies. But regardless I want him on a rotational diet because he gets bored and I have to get him food toppers to even eat his food when he doesn’t want to, and that can get pricey.
Thanks for the sites for information.
I’m mainly looking for other foods that my dog might be able to eat, so if you have suggestions please feel free to share.

[anonymous]

I understand, my little dog was the same. At age 4 we ended up at the emergency vet times 2, then a veterinary dermatologist (we didn’t like him).
We tried another veterinary dermatologist (within a week of seeing the first one) with excellent results.
BTW: Dogs do not develop allergies from eating the same foods day after day.
RIDICULOUS! My dog now eats chicken almost every day!
For science based veterinary medicine go here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies
PS: Allergies get worse with age, not better.
You may want to notify the breeder (if you know) it’s a hereditary condition, best not to breed this dog.
Good luck

[gdijess]

It’s definitely a food allergy since all the symptoms are usually gastrointestinal. (Minus the hot spots and chewing on the feet. Which is what he gets when he eats lamb.) He does have allergies to smoke (I learned that after we had some really bad wildfires this last summer here in the pnw)
He does best on the Pork Zignature, he just gets bored and I don’t want him to develope any issues with that food because it’s already hard enough to find foods without chicken or chicken products in it. I am a creature of habit so I know for a fact it’s his food causing these symptoms. Not to mention it’s pretty much all the classic signs of a food allergy.
These issues have been going on since I got him at 8 weeks old in July. He has a clean bill of health from his vet, so there isn’t any parasite issues. It might just be that he is sensitive to them and it’s not a full blown allergy, but I refer to it as that because a lot of people don’t seem to know the difference. He’s just a sensitive dog lol

[anonymous]

How long has this been going on? Because I have a dog with environmental allergies, I had good results, but, only after going to a veterinary dermatologist.
I thought it was the food too, tried all kinds of things with poor results, my dog is doing well now on ASIT allergen specific immunotherapy times 5 years.
Turns out she can eat most foods but does best on Zignature whitefish (before that Nutrisca salmon) as a base.
So, I would consider going to a specialist if her symptoms go on for more than a year (4 seasons) without significant relief.
Food allergies are rare, environmental allergies are usually the culprit.

[Susan]

Hi,
have you looked at “Canidae” Pure Wild formula, it’s Pork & Canidae Pure Sky is also really good dog food, Canidae grows all their veggies & fruit, if you go onto Canidae’s f/b page you’ll see their video….It’s good you’re rotaing his kibbles, it will strengthen his immune system, have you see how high the fiber is in the Earthborn Venture formula’s?? some formula’s are very high in fiber, I dont know how your boy does with his fiber but my boy who has IBD, Food Sensitivies & Skin Allergies doesn’t do well on high fiber diets..
Below is Canidae’s site, click on link then scroll down a little look to your right & you’ll see all the pages “Under the Sun” first & then all “Canidae’s” formula’s…
Canidae did really well when their kibbles were tested last year for Toxins & Contaminates, so did Canidae’s cheaper brand called “Under The Sun”, if I post the link or name for you to see all the popular dog foods that were tested it gets blocked google, “T0xins #n Pet F*0ds” & you’ll see a site come up that completed a study of 1,084 pet food products from 80 brands.
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Ryan K]

Thanks for the replies! 🙂 I decided to pull him off of the ZD as his poops were just far too liquidy for too long. My vet put him on Royal Canin’s hydrolized protein diet instead and he seems to be doing OK on it. His allergies (which are still unknown to me) have decreased immensely BUT he seems a little out of character since he started this food. It’s hard to explain. He just seems…restless. He’s only 8 so it’s not really an “old dog restless” thing…he just seems unhappy. He typically is the kind of dog that will just sleep when I sleep and relax all day but he has been crying to go out like crazy and although his poops are solid again…his stomach seems to be grumbling a lot. I think the food is not sitting well with his digestive system for some reason despite it doing wonders for his skin.

I want to get him on a regular, more nutrient beneficial dry food. I think he might be sensitive to peas and lentils since that is really the only thing in the Kangaroo diet he was on that could have been causing his insane itching unless he is allergic to kangaroo itself. Does anyone know of any good dry dog food without peas and lentils that is limited ingredient?

[Amy N]

Last time I asked, someone had recommended Sport Dog Food Beef formula and it was fabulous for my dogs and truly eliminated all allergies. Well now they are charging all recipes and I can’t get any response. Is there anything comparable anyone can recommend? I would like limited, healthy and chicken free ingredients. Both of my boys are Labradoodle (70 Pounds) service dogs. Thank you, in advance.

• This topic was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Amy N.

[haleycookie]

If you think he’s going to be over 55-60 lbs as an adult then he needs to stay on a large breed puppy food for at least a year and a half. Also avoid neutering him until then as well if he isn’t already neutered. I also recommend Fromm large breed puppy or wellness core puppy. Both are formulated correctly for large breed growth. However. I’ve heard the 4health is good for sensitive stomachs. I would try a large breed puppy food first (make sure it has the proper calcium to phos ratios though not all large breed puppy foods do) then if for whatever reason he’s showing to have a sensitive stomach I would then try the 4health. Also have you been to the vet for the scratching? I would do that first just to rule out any health issues and make sure it’s not environmental allergies.

[Michelle A]

My beagle has put on some serious weight in the past few years as he’s now a senior and just not as active. He’s always had food allergies, and our vet is now recommending a grain free, chicken free diet food, suggesting salmon, sweet potatoes, whitefish, etc.

Any ideas where I can find this?!

[pitlove]

Hi Kimberly-

Susan hit the nail right on the head with her whole post. It’s too bad they won’t give you a refund on the blood test since it’s known to be so inaccurate! The vets I work for recommend an elimination diet like Susan had mentioned. This is the golden standard for assessing food allergies.

If you would be interested in doing a food trial, I will warn you that is it challenging to do correctly and it takes a lot on the owners part. Whether you choose to use a prescription diet or homecook for the dog yourself, you can not give anything extra at all. No treats, no table scraps, no favored medications, no eating stuff outside, no food from another pet, no chews (dental etc), literally nothing but the diet. If the dog gets ahold of something that is not apart of the diet meant for the food trial, the trial is then considered void and must be redone.

[Susan]

Hi Kimberly,
the only true 100% test for food Sensitivities & food Allergies is a food elimination diet, those blood, salvia & hair tests all give false positive results, go back & have the test done again thru another company & the test results will be different to the one you have had done & chances are what he’s eaten in the last 1-2 weeks a few of those ingredients will come up as an positive allergen, this is what my vet told me when I wanted to have a blood test done on Patch 4 yrs ago, in the end I did an food elimination diet instead & now I pretty much know what he can’t eat but cause of Patches environment allergies as well this can cause confusion to a new dog owner as the dog may eat his single novel protein & 1 carb meal, then go outside then start reacting to something outside & then the owner thinks its what he just ate but its probably something from outside, as they age they get worse with their allergies, I’ve even been thinking of trying the Apoquel or the Cyto Point injection as this is the worse Summer Patch has ever had but we have just moved here… Patch he reacts 20mins after he eats something he’s sensitive too, the other day the lady at the pet shop gave him a few kibbles as a treat they had Chicken in the treats, it was too late before I said NO Patch had gulped them down aaaaaarrrrrrhhhhhhhhhh then he was really quiet while driving home I looked thru the mirrow & he was licking his back paw it was red & hot, it needed a ice pack, thats how quick he reacts, food sensitivities can take anywhere from 1 day up to 6 weeks to react,Patch reacts within 20mins of eating the food …… You’d have an idea how quick your dog reacts when he’s sensitive to an ingredient start a elimination diet & add one of the ingredients on the list he’s sensitive too ingredient & see does he react?? pick an ingredient thats in most kibbles, cause your not going to find a kibble without lamb, chicken, turkey, kanagroo, rice, potato etc.

It’s very rare to be sensitive to all those meat proteins, he’d have IBD as well, I really wouldnt believe in the blood test it will drive you mad, cause there’s no kibbles out there you are looking for unless you try a vet diet a Hydrolyzed vet diet Purina HA, Royal Canine Allergenic google & have a look at all of the Royal Canine vet diet formula’s or look at Canadian “Rayne” formula’s or a look for a premium kibble that has 1 carb & 1 meat protein diet or feed homemade raw diet thru a nutritionist…..

Have a look at Canidae’s “Under The Sun” Whitefish a few people who have dogs with bad food sensitivities feed “Under The Sun” Whitefish formula, also look at all Canidae Pure formula’s Pure Wild Boar has, Wild Boar, Pork Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Chickpeas, Canola Oil, Suncured Alfalfa …
Here’s the Canidae link just scoll down little look at the UTS formula’s then look at the pages on your right, Wild Boar is page 3
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Sheila H]

I have our third Shiba Inu with multiple allergies. I had to resort to home cooking with her but this has turned out easier than one would think and requires a simple list of ingredients and no crockpot. I got the recipe from “Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets,” by Donald R. Strombeck, DVM, PhD. He has a website: http://www.dogcathomeprepareddiet.com. Because he is a vet and has been doing this for so long I trust him implicitly.
She also has a heart valve problem and has successfully lost the required amount of weight on this diet. I am now keeping it as maintenance.
I use his “Poultry Meat and Boiled Rice Diet (low fat).” I make her food twice a week and store it in a large zip loc bag. it uses rice, ground cooked chicken and a few beneficial additives (salt substitute, bone meal powder, salt). You could easily add veggies you know your dog can handle, but I feed mine a separate bowl of frozen, slightly thawed in the microwave (50 sec), cut green beans. Our dog is on a weight loss diet and the beans in the extra bowl of food perk her up for very few calories.
I buy prepared rice which comes in 2 cups per bag, and cooks for 90 seconds in the microwave. I cook a large breast of chicken, usually larger than the 6 ounces the recipe specifies, but I increase the other ingredients accordingly. She gets fed three times a day, and also gets a pet multi-vitamin and half a Dasuquin as treats.
Her allergies are under control her coat looks good and I don’t have to read the fine print on can labels.
She is at her desired weight of 20 pounds. She receives 3/4 cup chicken-rice mixture and 1 cup of cup of green beans three times a day.
You can go crazy with every idea on the internet. Trust a vet who has devoted his life to this service.
Good luck

[JILL N]

Good heavens! What a plethora of advice (some good, some not so much), mostly just confusing. I’ll try to give just basic advice. Raw food is going to greatly benefit your fur buddy: white teeth, free of tartar and dental disease, shiny, smooth, oil-free coats, flake-free and itch-free skin, chronic allergies and infections subside and/or disappear, odorless breath and body, improved energy and vitality, decreased visits to the vet, positive changes in poop (consistency, less frequent, smell), mental stimulation from working at mealtimes. Here are the raw food basics: your dog needs raw meals that are composed of “complete” nutrition. “Complete” meals are “whole prey.” For instance, the entire chicken (muscle meat, bones, organs, head and feet). All the nutrition your dog needs is in the entire animal or whole prey. Add some raw fish (mackerel, sardines) 1-2xs week (optional) and you’ve got a good raw diet for your dog. Don’t freak out, your dog’s teeth and digestive system will make quick work of raw and raw/meaty bones. Never give your dog cooked bones. Your dog does not need veggies or fruit for complete nutrition. However, veggies and fruit are great as treats or mixed into your ground complete meals as a bonus. Here’s a great site for creating balanced raw meals for your dog:
https://keepthetailwagging.com/how-to-create-a-balanced-raw-diet-for-a-dog/
If you’re not into customizing each meal (hmmm, shall I give Spot the lamb shank with calf liver tonight or the Turkey Offal with a marrow bone?), then chk out Raw Paws Pet Food at
http://www.rawpawspetfood.com for complete meal orders with free shipping. They also have a raw food calculator based on the weight/age of your dog (type “calculator” in the search field) so you can know how much to feed. Also, review Suzie’s Doggie Delights at http://www.freshrawdogfood.com for complete meals and a la carte items. They have a $10.00 shipping fee but their prices on fresh (shipped frozen) raw meats and bones are cheaper. If you decide to order raw in bulk or per month (so much cheaper!!), you’ll need a food scale (AccuWeight Digital Kitchen scale, $9.99 at Amazon.com), and a 5.0 cu. ft. freezer chest for food storage. Congratulations on making your pet healthier!

[anonymous]

What type of allergy testing was done?

PS: Because if one were to believe the results you have presented. There is no commercial dog food that will meet your criteria. Cross contamination and all.
You would either have to go with prescription/therapeutic food or consult a veterinarian that specializes in nutrition.
Not the internet.

Food allergies are rare and food sensitivities tend to fluctuate. I would consider consulting a veterinary dermatologist for a second opinion, intradermal skin testing (the most accurate way to identify environmental allergens).
Good luck

[anonymous]

What dog food is he on? If he has no issues why do you want to switch?

Hope these sites help

https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/

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

I lean toward fish based, Zignature or Nutrisca but that is because one of my dogs has environmental allergies and does best on fish as a base.
I have heard good things about Pro Plan Focus Salmon and may try it in the near future.
I avoid potato, not that there is anything wrong with potato, but I don’t think it should be more than 10% of the diet.
Some kibbles are LOADED with potato (cheap starchy filler)

PS: You may enjoy this 🙂

Ahhh, Dr. Google

[Susan]

Hi RollTide10,

some vets + Anon 101 who aren’t up to speed with what a Dermatologist recommend to do for itchy dogs with allergies, yeast dermatitis, food sensitivities & other skin problems, will say bath less, this is old school now, “if you wash a dog you’ll dry out his skin, you’ll wash away their natural oils” this is not true, if your dog is eating a healthy balanced diet & the shampoo you’re using is a shampoo that moisturizes the skin, paws etc & agree’s with the dog skin, baths are the best thing to do for itchy skin & paws, the dog will be better off & can be bath daily if needed, we humans feel heaps better after a bath/shower especially if we have itchy skin, once you’re using a medicated shampoo like “Malaseb” medicated shampoo you can bath the dog daily if needed, Malaseb has ingredients to keep the dogs skin moisturized soft & beautiful, after I bath Patch in his Malaseb shampoo he feels so soft, silky & stops his scratching & it relieves his itchy paws & skin… I bath Patch as soon as I see him starting to scratch & he’s itchy, it’s Summer here in Australia & Patch has Seasonal Environment Allergies & Food Sensitivities so he also gets yeasty smelly paws, ears & skin if he eats ingredients he’s sensitive too, I’ve finally worked out his food sensitivies but with environment allergies it can be so many things he’s sensivtive too & I cant put him in a bubble…so baths is the next best thing.

Join this face book group called “Dog Issues Allergies & other information support group” a Dermatologist, Karen Helton Rhodes from “Healthy Skin 4 Dogs” frequents the f/b group she highly recommends bathing…

Why the Royal Canin kibble was helping your dogs skin the Omega oils were probably balanced properly, start looking for a few new kibbles that have better ingredients & make sure the Omega 3 & 6 are balanced properly, also add either the tin sardines/salmon daily or fish/salmon oil capsule daily or Krill Oil capsule daily if dog has stomach problems & make sure you keep your fish oil capsules in the fridge out of the heat.

Start joining/following groups, sites that support natural healthy dog health, “Rodney Habib” has a few really good post at the moment on his f/b page…. https//www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

[pitlove]

Hi RollTide10-

You are correct, at 2 years old your mix breed is capable of regulating his calcium uptake now and no longer requires a large breed puppy diet or for you to be concerned about the ratio of calcium and phosphorus. He can now be placed on an adult maintenance diet or all life stages formula. Most importantly now is keeping him lean (4/9 on BCS).

As far as foods go, it sounds like he was doing much better on Royal Canin, so if I were you I would put him back on that since it was already established that he was doing well. Itching his back a little bit is not an indication of allergies. Dogs get little itches just like we do, doesn’t mean we are having an allergic reaction and same is true for them. However with WEF it does sound as though, either the source of the Omega 3s is not as quality of a source as with Royal Canin or its not enough. BTW, as an aside, ingredient lists tell you nothing about the quality of a food, only what should be in it. Royal Canin has strict sourcing and has often denied shipments of corn that Kelloggs then buys from them for our cereal. So I would not worry about their ingredients being of poor quality.

[Susan]

Hi RollTide10,

If you want more info on a dog kibble its best to send the dog food company an email & ask what the Omega 3 % is & what is the Omega 6% is, the Omega 3% should be around 1/2 or a bit under 1/2 of what the Omega 6% is, “Rodney Habib” is really good to follow on his FaceBook page….Last year Rodney sent away a few popular dry kibbles & results found most of the kibbles that they tested were unbalanced & the Omega 3 was very low & the omega 6 was very high, this can cause skin problems in a dog, so it’s best to buy tin Sardines & tin Salmon in spring water & add about 2 spoons of the sardines or salmon to 1 of his meals a day, Omega 3 is Neutral-anti inflammatory & Omega 6 is Pro-inflammartory…. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. … Most omega-6 fatty acids in the diet come from vegetable oils, such as linoleic acid (LA), not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an omega-3 fatty acid.
If you want to continue feeding dry processed kibble to your dog then make sure you start rotating between a few different brands & meat proteins, eg: 1 month feed salmon kibble then next month change to another brand & feed lamb, the next month feed Turkey dont just feed the same brand & formula of kibble 24/7 this is when health problems can occur especially if the kibble is unbalanced or very high in toxins…

Have a look at “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato the Omega 3%-1.00% the Omega 6% is 2.80% it also states on the Wellness Simple kibble bag,”Skin health & for dogs with food sensitivities” there’s also the Wellness Simple” Salmon & Potato formula, Omega-3%- 1.00% Omega-6% 2.75% so you can rotate between them but not straight after each other feed another brand inbetween “Canidae” Pure Sky, Pure Wild & Pure Sea are really good for dogs who have skin problems…

another thing google “How long does kibble last once opened” Steve Brown wrote a really good article, after you open a bag of kibble it has a life of 14 days the air gets to all the oils & the oils start going rancid, so make sure you keep some kibble in a air tight container that you use daily & the rest of the kibble bag close & seal air tight as good as you can then put in the coolest place in the house, I leave in the air con room & put the kibble bag in another plastic bag seal with sticky tape then put in one of those storage containers…
another good reason why its best to add 2 spoons of salmon or sardines daily to your dogs diet, adding fresh whole foods to your dogs diet daily or 4 times a week is very healthy & better then feeding a dog just dry kibble 24/7, also meals you cook for yourself any left overs that a dog can eat add to his kibble, take out some kibble & add some of the home cooked meal, if you follow Rodney Habib look thru all his video’s he also has another f/b page called “Planet Paws”
Baths make sure you’re bathing weekly Baths wash off any allergens that may be on teh fur/skin Environment allergies cause problems as well, I use “Malaseb” medicated shampoo it’s excellent for itchy skin, yeasty skin, dry skin, most skin problems, Malaseb puts the moisture back into the skin & kills any bacteria yeast that may be on skin & paws….

Good-luck with your new rescue & feed a healthy diet that’s rotated with different foods dry kibble, freeze dried, cooked meals & raw meaty bones for teeth health….

[anonymous]

For best results I would make an appointment with a board certified veterinary dermatologist for accurate testing, diagnosis and treatment.

Environmental allergies? Has mange been ruled out? Atopic dermatitis? Medical condition? Has lab work and skin testing been done?
Treatment is often a multifaceted approach. It’s not just about finding the right food, or the right shampoo, or the right supplement.
In fact the food may have nothing to do with his symptoms.

Do you have pet health insurance? You may want to consider getting it before he is officially diagnosed. Treatment can be a little expensive.
If it is environmental allergies, there is no cure. There is effective treatment, however it is lifelong, allergies tend to wax and wane so you may get lucky, they could be mild or seasonal (if that’s what he has). He could very well have some other skin disorder or medical condition that is causing these issues.

Bathing with a very gentle puppy shampoo at least once a week may help, but not if the skin is red, bleeding or irritated, in that case I would defer to the vet.
Talk to your vet, if you want to rule out food sensitivities ask about a prescription/therapeutic diet, that might be a good place to start, it depends on how severe his symptoms are and how uncomfortable the dog is.

I would go directly to the specialist if it was my dog, my dog sees a veterinary dermatologist once a year and has had a positive response to treatment.
She did well on Nutrisca salmon for years but is now on Zignature whitefish or catfish.
You could add fish oil (approved for veterinary use) once a day to his food, it’s supposed to help with dry skin. I add a little water and a topper, like a bit of scrambled egg (2 meals per day)

[anonymous]

*crickets*

I have never tried the brands that you mentioned. For a limited ingredient food I have had good luck with Nutrisca (salmon) and Zignature (whitefish or catfish).
Both are grain free and potato free, one of my dogs gets loose stools on foods that contain potato (sweet or white). The other one has environmental allergies and sees a specialist with good results.

Nothing wrong with potato, except I don’t think it should be more than 10% of the diet and a lot of kibbles are LOADED with potato (cheap starchy filler). So, I avoid potato altogether.

I have heard good things about Pro Plan Focus for sensitive stomach and skin, it’s not grain free, but it is potato free. I may give it a try in the near future.

[Kimberly S]

Hi Meghan,
I recently put my GSD on
Wellness Core Reduced Fat kibble and mix it with the can because she seems to still be hungry with just the kibble. This is a grain-free kibble which is great because my Angel has allergies to grains. I put her on this because she needs to loose weight, and she really loves the food. This is listed on the Editor’s Choice too if you want to check it out in more detail before you purchase. For me and my girl it has worked out really well. Maybe it can do the same for you. I know you just want to do the kibble and I think you just might be pleasantly surprised at just using the kibble.
Good luck, I hope this helps you and your fur babies.
Kim

[Meghan K]

Hi. My Golden is currently on medicine for his allergies. I know the best is to go grain free as far as food but I need help deciding what is the best brand to try. He also is very overweight and needs to probably be on a rather healthier type of dry food preferably. I doubt I can find a 2 for 1 (helping allergies and weight) but any recommendations for a good brand on either issue would be so appreciated! Thank you in advance!

[Susan]

Hi Ryan,
Is the Hills Z/d helping with his allergies (Skin) ? does he suffer with Environment allergies or Food sensitivities or does he have both? my boy suffers with both, if his skin seems better on the Hills Z/D it’s probably the high Omega fatty acids they put in the Vet Diets, start looking for another limited ingredient single protein kibble, if the California Natural ingredients didn’t really help read what the ingredients were in the California Natural, I’m pretty sure the CN Kangaroo formula has Red & Green Lentils these ingredients will not help if a dog has sloppy poos/diarrhea you need to aviod Lentils…
With environment allergies baths are best in a medicated shampoo, I found Malaseb works the best for my boy, twice a week or weekly baths, washes off the allergens on the dog skin/paws if he’s doing sloppy poos then Sweet Potatoes & Potato is the best to firm up poo’s, the only way a dog will get yeasty skin & paws is if he is sensitive to an ingredient & from environment allergies, Potato does not cause yeasty skin/paws in dogs this is a Myth, thats if he gets yeasty smelly skin & paws….

You can start an elimination food diet & start working out what foods he can & cant eat, Potato & Sweet Potato firmed up my boy poos up with his IBD now he doesnt need his anal gland expressed no more, sometimes after Patch has done a poo I see the fluid running down his black bum, when I go home I get a baby wipe & wipe that area, after I started feeding Patch “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, it has just Lamb as the protein source then Sweet Potato, Potato, Peas, Canola Oil, Egg I started rotating & feeding “Canidae” Pure Wild Boar, Patch has had no more anal gland problems..
Here’s the Canidae site to look at formula’s & ingredients,
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Canidae also have their Pure Sea & Pure Sky formula’s they’re really good for skin problems cause they’re very high in omega fatty acids, Canidae also make another brand called “Under The Sun” but its yellow pea & chickpea heavy, I’d avoid if your dogs has sloppy poo problems..
or look at “4Health” Special Care, Sensitive Stomach” it just has Potato & Egg excellent for doing an elimination diet once your dog is doing well you start adding 1 new ingredient for 6 weeks & see does he react in those 6 weeks there’s also “4Health” Special Care, Sensitive Skin formula it has Hydrolyzed Salmon but has more ingredients then the 4Health Sensitive Stomach formula has, or there’s other “4Health” formula’s Turkey & Potato, Duck & Potato, Whitefish & Potato look for a formula with the least ingredients just google “4health Special Care, Sensitive Stomach” & you’ll see all the 4health formula’s …

Hills Z/d is Guaranteed Money back so I’d take back the remaining Z/D kibble, keep a bit of the Z/d kibble to help introduce a new kibble & tell the lady at the vet counter what is happening, Hills like feed back how your dog went on their vet diets, you can even send Hills an email & have a Vet Nutritionist call you back they will help you with the vets diet, which is best to try next, Hills have their Potato & Duck skin formula or their Science Diet Sensitive Skin formula, the Z/D had been changed twice in the last 5yrs & the Hills I/d Digestive Care has just been changed & improved again, thats 3 times in 5 yrs so Hills must get a few complaints with their vet diets….
There’s “Royal Canin” Hydrolyzed Protein HP formula or Royal Canin have their Select Proteins, PR- Potato & Rabbit, PV Potato & Venison, Skin Support SS is Rice & Fish, that’s if you want to try another vet diet again, or look for a premium limited ingredient dog kibble & add your own omega oil, just buy some Fish/Krill Oil capsules & give 1 capsule with 1 of his meals a day but only start adding the Krill Oil capsules once he’s stable on the new kibble as fish /Krill Oil can cause sloppy poos in some dogs, fish/krill oil its excellent for dogs skin/coat..

[Kimberly S]

Hi Ryan K,
You didn’t specify what his allergies are. But a lot if dogs do have allergies to grains ,rice and chicken. The anal sacks are released with harder stools that is why he is having a hard time with the present food.
My recommendation would be to find a grain-free food like Merrick or Zigatature (I think this comes in grain free) These are very good alternatives and can be found either in a store or on Chewy. Com.
Best of luck to you and your fur baby.
Kim

[anonymous]

Zignature, for something a bit more reasonable, Nutrisca
I have found that grain free and avoiding potatoes helps.
From a previous post of mine per:
Excerpts (out of context) from article below: https://www.vetsecure.com/veterinarymedicalclinic.com/articles/136
Overview:
“Anal sacs are the reservoirs for the secretions of anal glands which are located on either side of a dog’s anus, at approximately four and eight o’clock. These sacs contain liquid secretions from the anal gland, which, in healthy animals, are normally pale yellow-brown to grayish in color. The contents are usually emptied during normal bowel movements, or when a dog is nervous or scared. In most animals, these sacs empty easily. However, some dogs, especially small breed dogs, are not able to empty the sacs properly and become susceptible to anal sac disease”.
Transmission or Cause:
“The cause of anal sac disease is unknown. Smaller dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas and poodles, are most often affected. Excessive anal gland production, soft feces or diarrhea, poor muscle tone, and obesity also contribute to higher risk of developing anal sac disease. Anal sac abscess tends to occur after an impacted anal gland has become so severely swollen and infected that the anal sac forms an abscess and ruptures”.
Prevention:
“Expression of the anal sacs every few weeks or months often will help prevent anal gland fluid from accumulating and becoming thickened again. High fiber diets have been shown to help prevent anal sac disease in at-risk dogs, especially those that are obese”.

Regarding allergies, it would be best to make an appointment with a board certified veterinary dermatologist for testing/ diagnosis/treatment, if you don’t have good results with your regular vet within a reasonable amount of time.
In the meantime, has your vet recommended a prescription food/therapeutic diet? That may be a good place to start.
Beware of homeopathic miracle cures, forget about mail-in hair and saliva tests (no good).
For science-based veterinary medicine go here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
You can use the search engine there to look up topics.
This site has a search engine too, see my posts.
Good luck
PS: Regarding the blood test via vet, food allergies are rare and food sensitivities tend to fluctuate. Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist is the most accurate. My dog has environmental allergies, her anal gland issues cleared up immediately after she started the prescribed treatment by the specialist.

[Ryan K]

I recently started my dog on a prescription diet (Hills ZD) for itching/chewing from allergies. He actually loves the food BUT I am noticing that he’s pooping an almost insane amount and the poop is pretty “soft and mushy” looking. He’s been on this food for a month and I am still noticing this. His anal glands have also been bothering him a lot since starting this. He’s constantly scooting despite getting them expressed. I feel like the food just isn’t really impressing me enough to want to keep paying such a pricey amount for it. My question is this…is there a better dry food that I could get him on that will help his glands release naturally while firming his stool up and that will also alleviate his itching? I had him on California Naturals Kangaroo but it’s really become quite hard to find and it didn’t seem to help that much with his symptoms. Any thoughts?

• This topic was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Ryan K.

[pitlove]

Adriana-

I had to switch to a different Pro Plan formula because after we switched my dogs food thinking it would be better for his allergies, he had a bad reaction (vomiting, diarherra) to it and after that the Sensitive Skin & Stomach no longer was working for him. After talking to a lady at the Purina vet diet customer service line for an hour we determined he might need a lower fiber food, so we went back to the Pro Plan Sport 26/16 and hes been perfect ever since.

Edit: As far as the expired foods go. The only time a store should be putting foods on sale are when they are CLOSE to expiration, within a month or so. If they are not checking their shelves regularly for expired product that is an individual store issue. PetSmart is known for having food be in poor conditions like this. You might be better off buying from chewy.com or seeing if any of your independently owned local pet stores will order the product for you or carry it in store. They will likely not have storage issues.

[Julia T]

Our 1 yr old lab has a super sensitive stomach plus skin allergies. He is allergic to corn, peas, alfalfa and poultry. We’ve had him on prescription sensitive stomach/HA dog food in the past which gave him terrible diarrhea. Right now, he’s eating Honest Kitchen Zeal (Fish Grain-Free) Formula along with probiotic and digest enzymes. His poops are formed but not solid + a lot gas + a lot of poops (at least 5-6 times per day). Any recommendations on food that will help his sensitive stomach + allergies?

[Susan]

Hi Fanette,

I would be trying the “Natural Balance” LID Bison or the Duck formula’s the TOTW Smoked Salmon has more fat-15.1%max then the N/B formula’s-10%min & the TOTW has more ingredients & when TOTW was tested for toxins & contaminates back in August 2017 a few TOTW formula’s were very high in toxins, the Pacific stream salmon was one of them so I’d stay away from American fish pet foods unless you know it’s caught in clean waters, you’d have better fish in your country wouldn’t you??, Patch started on the TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon first but he kept vomiting then I put him on the Sierra Mountain Lamb & the vomiting stopped so I wonder if he was vomiting from the toxins in the TOTW Smoked Salmon?? the smoked salmon has the same fat & protein% as the TOTW Lamb formula…

Patch is the same with wet cooked foods especially wet canned foods, he starts whinging after he eats certain wet foods & wet tin foods, he can only eat small amounts or he lifts his right front paw up & wants me to rub stomach & pancreas area, so Furby is smart not eating the wet food it could be causing him some discomfort, pain or acid reflux?? Like Patch specialist vet said to me yesterday alot of vets dont know what’s wrong & dont have the equipment needed(Endoscope machine) to do further testing on dog stomach when teh dog has stomach & bowel problems, Endoscope & Biopsies is the best thing to do when it comes to stomach, small bowel & esophagus problems…the vet will get answers to what is wrong with the dog, an Ultra Scan can’t really see the stomach so it’s a waste of money Ultra Scan & Xrays they show blockages, stones etc but not what’s wrong with the stomach & bowel..
Patch stopped eating about 1 month ago he would not eat his TOTW Lamb kibble, so I listened to him & stopped feeding him the TOTW Lamb, I quickly ordered a new LID Rice & Lamb kibble, I cant get the American Natural Balance in Australia, we have an Australian Natural Balance made by a vet but it’s too high in omega oils, I wish I could get teh American Natural Balance kibble but after trying another kibble Patch continued to go down hill with his esophagus, he does this suckling & swollowing thing so yesterday Tuesday he had Endoscope & Biopsies done & now I have to wait about 4-5 days for Biopsies results the specialist vet rung me & he said Patches flap to his air pipe & food pipe in his esophagus was very inflammed, he had 2 legions in his mouth they were both benign & burnt off, his back molars teeth needed cleaning & he has gingivitis left back teeth, this would be from eating kibble & the kibble would be getting stuck inbetweeen his back teeth & mouth, the vet also found something wrong with his soft palate his trachea, he said the new designer dogs with the turned up nose get this problem pugs etc, the list went on & on I couldnt take it all in, then I heard Hernia, there was too much to take all in, I’ll wait now for Patches Bisopsies results & his regular vet Sue will tell me what’s going on, we’ll try & work out what we are going to do & why the stomach acid is washing back up into mouth & why is he getting such bad acid reflux when he’s on an ant acid reducer “Losec” but only one Losec a day, this is when the specialist vet said, stomach problems are the hardest for a vet to work out what is wrong … I asked the specialist vet can Patch be taken off the Lossec & put on the same ant acid medication I’m on Somac (Pantoprazole) it’s better for treating GORDs, acid reflux disease my Gastro Dr told me so I told Patches specialist Vet this info also Somac is used to treat a rare condition called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, where the stomach produces very large amounts of acid, so I’ve asked can we try Somac 20mg twice a day but first we have to wait for those biopsies result to come back & see if it’s his Helicobacter embedded in the walls of his stomach & this is cause the really bad acid reflux…

Yes it is very stressful having a dog with IBD & Pancreatitis you dont know what to feed, what to do, will the new food make everything worse, then when you’ve tried every food etc & still the dog is unwell, I have 1 vet diet left to try & that’s the Purina Pro Plan HA kibble the fat is low BUT its very high in Omega oils & high Omega oils give Patch Acid Reflux, so I still having tried the Purina HA, I’ll ask the vets when the Biopsies results come back Patches vets recommended feeding healthy cooked diet, they both feed cooked meals & Sue Patches regular vet feeds an grain free kibble but everytime I see her she is trying another new grainfree kibble for her dog with IBS, Sue is American but had to further her vet studies here whe she came to Australia in te 80’s & she always recommends I look for Australian made kibbles with Australian ingredients I’ll ask her 1 day why does she not like American dog foods she will not feed the TOTW kibble she knows its a Diamond product she has feed the Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch & wanted me to try it then I told her I have tried the Earthborn Holistic Ocean Fusion & Patch kept vomiting after eating Ocean Fusion kibble then I seen the Ocean Fusion had made the top ten worst kibbles with Toxins so I dont know what Patches vet is feeding her dog now??…
Patch has broken my heart, he’s my soul mate, he is so intune with me, I dont even have to talk & he knowswhat to do, its like being married but he’s a dog I often wonder wwas he a human in another life lol its going to kill me when I have to put him to sleep, I’ve only had him 5 yrs & most of the 5 yrs he’s been unwell on & off, if he didnt have environment allergies he’s be a bit better but it’s Summer now in Australia & his allegies do play a big part in his health problems aswell his vet said but 1 good thing his hive like lumps that would come up all over his body have all stop this Summer since moving the vet said thats GOOD normally dogs get worse with their allergies when they move…
You have to keep trying different foods & meat proteins & rotate between a few different kibbles & wet food never feed the same meat proteins 24/7, always have another meat protein that Furby can eat aswell just incase he doesnt want to eat & is ill, Patch starts to react when he was eating the same foods 24/7 so now he gets his new kibble is “Nutro Essentails” Lamb, Rice & vegetables kibble weight management, the fat is 9%min per 100g the protein is 19%min per 100g so per cup, I’m waiting for someone to get back to me from Nutro what is teh max fat protein & what is the fiber % it doesnt say but cause Nutro is made by Mars now the staff dont know much about the pet foods, his pos are very firm & he only poos 2 poos a day now before on the TOTW he was ddoing 3 poos a day for breakfast he gets 1/2 a cup kibble at 7am then he goes for a walk then he gets another 1/2 a cup around 9am, 12pm he gets 1 scrambled egg, 5pm he gets under 1 cup kibble but today cause he’s got his sore throat Im giving him boiled potato & some BBQ chicken breast all mashed & cut up then at 8pm he gets 1/3 a cup of the Nurto Lamb kibble, then he puts himself to bed & he’s been sleeping thru the night thank-god he was up & walking around the house 1-2 weeks ago, Id ask him does he want to go outside for a wee & he was just sniffing everything & when Id ask him come on come inside its 1am he’d just stand there staring at me, so now I take him outside with a lead on so I can bring him back inside…I dont know what was wrong with him 1-2 weeks ago he’s never done these weird things before…I think he was constiped & needed to poo or he had wind pain this Nutro essential kibble has beet pulp & is constipating him a litle bit I think…. look for a kibblewith Beet Pulp it firms up their poo & the poos are smaller & Patch is only doing 2 poos a day now…
Now I’m giving him his losec tablet when he eats his 7am feed, so the Losec tablet goes completely down his throat into his stomach with the kibble, I thought the Losec tablet sat in his throat & caused this problem but both of Patches vet don’t seem to think so, lately when I go to give him the Losec tablet he’s been running away into another room when he sees me get his Losec tablet from the cupboard he’s a very smart dog & he’s telling me, I dont want no more tablets its making me ill but you cannot just stop giving & taking Losec its a Protein Pump Inhibitor & Patch will get the worse acid reflux if I stop his Losec, it needs to be reduce very slowley Ive been thinking maybe the Losec tablet started this inflammed esophagus Patch stopped drinking his water after I put the Losec tablet down his throat so I just syringed in some water into his mouth who to say the Losec tablet just sits in his throat & disovoled & caused this irrattation??
Have you tried feeding another meat a lean white meat like Pork or Turkey & have you tried boiled potato also have you tried scrambled egg, no milk, no butter just whisk the egg & either cook in a microwave for a very short time or I cook in a non stick frying pain cool & Patch loves his Scrambled egg, I’ve been thinking about getting some chickens but Patch has a high prey drive when it comes to birds the only birds he doesnt mind is the white cockatoo & the small Stork birds.. with the new kibble just start the new kibble, feed 1 meal a wet meal what Furby normally eats & then his other meal feed the new kibble then another meal feed the wet cooked meal & this should be OK I never feed wet food & kibble together to Patch he gets his pain…does Furby eat 4-5 meals day?? if you’re feeding just 2 meals a day maybe start feeding Furby more smaller meals a day as smaller meals are easier to digest & less work on the stomach & Pancreas, its a pain but you have a happy dog…
Good-Luck

[Susan S]

Hi, I have a 2 1/2 year old Great Pyr/Golden Retriever/Beagle Mix (95 lb) and an 8 year old Black Lab/Great Dane mix (100 lb). They both have problems with chicken and some skin allergies so I trying to find a dry dog food for both of them. I am using Nutrish Just 6 Lamb and Rice, but they still seem to poop to much on that too. I am trying not to buy two different kinds of food, but I’m not sure what to do. Buy senior food for him and adult for her, but cannot have chicken or other poultry in it. Any suggestions. Thanks

[anonymous]

I’d go with the Pro Plan Focus, just my opinion.

Yes I have a dog that is sensitive, doesn’t do well with potato. My other one has environmental allergies, has nothing to do with the food. In fact, I am using Mighty Dog (grains and all) as a topper for this one with good results.

Every dog is different, buy a small bag first and see how it goes.