[Susan]

Hi Kathleen, you sure its not the Potatoes in the Wellness thats making him scratch… Potatoes are high in starch that causes yeasty itchy skin, try something without potates or sweet potatoes….My boy scratches like mad on potatoes & scratches his ears & shakes his head when he eats sweet potatoes.. I think the Natures Variety uses Tapioca instead of potatos..

[Douglas E]

I have read this entire thread as well as similar ones. Look, other than broad brush strokes, animal nutrition has been much ignored for the majority of pet-human history. Heck, the same can be said for HUMAN nutrition. Only within the past 40 years has our nutrition become the topic of serious scientific inquiry. This has been a natural development in thought from deeper insights into cellular biology, biochemistry and immunology. The science of human nutrition is quite new.

How then can we expect to understand other species’ specific nutritional needs? We hardly understand the human organism yet in that regard. If human nutritional science is in its’ infancy, canine nutrition is only embryonic. That research it further complicated by gross breed differences, historically poor food quality diets, congenital and/our genetic weaknesses from severely poor breeding, medical thought that simply treats symptoms and a new problem- canine geriatrics.

A dog in the wild would typically have a life expectancy less than half of our pets’. Nutritional deficiency plays a major part in that mortality. And no, an all raw and only carnivorous diet is not what a dog would get in the wild. While dogs are highly adapted to having a majority of the diet be animal proteins, they have a much greater variety. Even from only consuming prey animals, they will eat the contents of those animals’ intestines and stomach(s) which would include “probiotics,” yeasts (naturally occurring intestinal fauna,) and various vagetation such as primitive grains. Those grains would be partially digested, yes, so raw gains would likely be less digestible. Canines would also eat the high fat organ meats, hair, skin and bone. It is important to note that the high need of calcium, as well as other bone minerals, for dogs is well noted these days. It is necessary nutritionally for Canines to occaisionally consume vegetable, or even mineral, matter. Not only must they do so to enable gut function, they must do so for biological need. Not all needs are met by prey. This is why in the absence of adequate herbivorous prey, dogs will suplement by what pet owners would consider pica.

All that being said (now that I have presented myself in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral the Very Model of a Modern Major General, ) the answers are not simple. But the guidelines are.

1. Use common sense, canine nutrition is imperfect at best
2. Do not presume to be an expert, or that human remedy necessarily applies
3. Do not rely on diet to cure medical conditions that may really be microbial or parastic infections, disease or biological defecit aside from nutrition
4. Realize that isolating an immunological response, whether from allergic reaction or not, is a difficult and time consuming process
5. Use keen observation when using any new food source or additive, including veterinarian recommended treatments. Don’t simply go with the flow thinking that treatment course is the fix-it for sure (OK, preaching to the choir I think there…)
6. Each dog is as different biologically as we are. If it does improve health in some, it may not in others or it may actually be detrimental
7. A business, or product, that is intentionally or negligently harmful will not survive. Caveat Emptor
8. etc. etc. etc…

Here’s hoping great health to all you and all your furry families

D

[Naturella]

Thank you, Dog_Obsessed! Yes, if he seems worse, I will scoop him up to the vet, but he doesn’t seem distressed or anything. I haven’t even caught him in the act of itching between yesterday and today, but hubs said he’s seen him chew at that leg before. So maybe he’s done chewing it. I also checked his ears and paws, nothing smells weird or yeasty, everything looks good on him so far. It might just be a stray flea or just some skin dryness or something… We will see how the oil treatment goes! 🙂

[Amy C]

Hi Everyone,
This is my first time here and I’m hoping someone can help. I got Sadie, a Treeing Walker Coonhound last year at 3 months old. She kept getting yeast infections in her ears and no medication would clear it up, so we changed her diet to grain free. A few weeks ago I decided to try Rachel Ray’s grain free wet to add to her dry, Canidae land and sea. She was just on Avangers wet buffalo, beef and some chicken, mostly buffalo for wet food. She is such a picky eater though, so that’s why I tried the RR wet, in comes gookie ears!!
I immediately pull her off of the RR and home make food for her. I made chicken thighs, string bean, sweet potato, peas and carrots. This way I know what is in her wet food. Well now she is pooping more and they are soft and squishy, and more often… She went this am at 5:30 and again at 10:00…. So could this be due to the change, maybe the chicken thighs are too rich for her, or the veggies?
She’s been having the mixture for almost two weeks now. This past time, I did save the broth, which is like a jelly, to add also, to much fat?
Also, her ears aren’t completely cleared… Could the ears be seasonal, it is about the same time of year. She is 1 year and 5 months.
Sorry this is so long! thank you

[tecknik]

What some don’t realize is that your dog’s allergies may not be food related. That turned out to be the case for my dog. Here I was trying all different food concoctions, then the useless Dinovite and it turns out my dog has many environmental allergies including Wool, willow, dust mites, mold mites and about 20 other things.
I’ve always had her on a raw diet (Abady) which is helpful and keeps her coat nice and shiny. (less poop as well due to minimal carbs, too) I also add unrefined coconut oil for more nutrients as well as a good dog vitamin.
As for dog treats, I buy $3.99lb london broils or stew beef then grill it medium rare, then cut into bite size pieces. I will buy in bulk and freeze the remaining. It’s a little work but not that much and if you look at the ounces of a bag of good dog treats, you will find that you are paying over $10 a pound! (usually $4 to $5 for a 6oz bag of treats) It’s the best type of treat to give your dog and you know exactly what is in it.
For my dog’s treatment, we first had the allergy testing done. Yes, it is expensive and thank God I have insurance so I get reimbursed. ($500 because dog has to have anesthesia)
Second step was to remove as many of her allergens as possible from the environment. That meant giving up my two brand new wool carpets. :/ Now I clean an extra day a week as well to ensure there is no dust.
Third step was medication to cure her symptoms. She had ear infections, yeast infections and sores from all the scratching. The doctor prescribed a slew of medicines including prednisone which really stopped her scratching. Unfortunately, this can not be used long term because it can be harmful to the liver and other organs.
Fourth step (and this is where we are now) Allergy shots. It started every other day and now we are at once a week. The scratching is down to a minimal and hopefully over time her immune system will work against her allergies and she will be a happy dog for good.

[Alexandria A]

I don’t know if it’s the dog yeast starvation diet? It calls for ground beef that’s organic. Egg shells blended and rice. Then cook it like a meat loaf. I just don’t understand how this receipe OR the dinovite is making my poor babies soooo sick. I might switch back to a high quality dog food like arcana or wilds.

[Alexandria A]

I did the yeast starvation diet. Got the dinovite supplements. BAD MISTAKE. I feel terrible about this choixe. My Maltese and frenxh bulldog went from pooping 3x a day to once. The maltese has kept me up two nights vomiting. I followed instructions on proper feeding measurements as well as suppleness. Day four was vomiting all over house. Day 5 was canned pumpkins to help stomach issues. And today is 3am doggie vomiting all over our bedroom.

[Akari_32]

Hey guys! I’m curious to see what you all think of this premix, and who has used it before?

http://www.completenaturalnutrition.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=73

I like how little meat and mix you use compared to SSLL, which is what I use now for Bentley, but I like how SSLL used spinach, kelp, and eggs. Bentley will very millingly lick up SSLL when mixed with water (have to give him large pieces of meat rather than cubed or ground as he likes to play the how-quickly-can-I-eat-this game). I also can’t help but wonder if the use of all those yeast products would aggravate Bentleys yeasty skin. Even all the rain we’ve had the last couple days has given him a yucky sharp smell.

Overall thoughts would be great, as well as any recommendations for any premix that may help with Bentley’s constant battle with yeast infections on his skin that is a reasonable price.

[Nancy M]

Thank you Susan, and theBCnut……I will take all of that into consideration. For right now, and following an allergy shot today at the Vet’s, the plan is to let the medication give relief and keep her on her current food. If the itching doesn’t stop or doesn’t last more than a couple weeks, then most likely it’s the food. Then I’ll need to start switching over to something else….another obstacle…..which one????? Not an easy task, as we all know about when we have a dog with food allergies. Vet says to try switching to a fish or duck based food; although if it’s got any of the other ingredients in it, we’ll be in the same boat. For the time being, I’m seeing a noticeable decrease in the “itchies”.

Susan, no I have not noticed a yeasty smell at all, but I’ll be checking that out more. I’ll definitely check into the shampoo you recommended and see where I can get some. Where do you purchase it? For now, I won’t add or detract anything for the next week or two, until I see how long the relief actually lasts, which might help identify the cause, food or something else. We’ll see…….

Thanks all!

[Susan]

Look for a low carb food, my boy was licking & licking his paws & his paws smelt like corn chips, real yeasty & when he’d walk on wet grass, his paws would get red & itchy…..His 2 front paws are the worst, he can’t eat potatoes, Sweet Potatoes Peas, no starchy foods….also bath him & his paws in Malaseb Medicated Shampoo its an anti-fungal shampoo kills the bacteria but doesnt dry out his skin & the Malaseb relieves his itch & red paws & stops his smelly paws, so no licking…
Your best to feed either cooked or raw diet so u can control the amount of carbs he’s eating have you looked at “K9 Natural” freeze dried food. This food was invented for itchy dogs, has no beet pulp either, here’s their link to have a read….
http://www.k9naturalusa.com/ the Chicken & Venison has the least fat%

[Susan]

Hi Nancy does she smell yeasty like a corn chip ?? My boy suffer from yeasty skin & he does the same thing shakes like he is shaking water off his back, rubs his head & body on my rug, as soon as he eats Potatoes & Sweet Potatos… I bath him in Malaseb Medicated shampoo anti fungal this is excellent I bath every 5-7 days when he’s real itcy, The Malaseb relieves his itch, but does not dry their skin out he feels so soft after his bath…. also has the new food Victor got potatoes any starchy ingredients ?? what ingredients were in her old food, try & find a new kibble with the same ingredients as her old kibble if you can…

[theBCnut]

Are you saying that her feet are red from licking them? Or do you think she has a food allergy to red and orange things? Beet pulp is not a red item at all and saliva stains are not related to what color is in the food. Those are myths. She may be licking her feet due to either contact allergy, like to grass or a cleaning product, or food hypersensitivity, which can be to any ingredient that has protein in it, including meats, grains, fruits, veggies. The stains can be a yeast infection due to being damp all the time or a bacteria in the saliva.

Definitely try switching foods, but take the ingredient list with you and try to find a food that is very different from what you are currently feeding. Also, start rinsing her feet when she comes in from outside. Some people keep a cat litter pan by the back door for this purpose. One cup of vinegar to one gallon of water is a good rinsing agent.

[USA]

Hi BC,

Please stick to the facts of what actually happened here! You said:

“For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

And I asked:

“Can you please explain how this formula will “help yeasty dogs.
Any references you could present to back up this claim would be greatly appreciated!”

You then flew off the handle and along the way made FALSE accusations about me:

“It’s very rude of you to ask a question for no reason other than to try to start an argument, as you are well aware. You already know the answer, this has been hashed over numerous time here with you smack in the middle of it.”

1) I dearly hoped that I could ask you a question about the comment you made that brothers “is formulated to help yeasty dogs” without you starting a fight.

2) I do NOT know the answer to the question I asked you, AND I have never been “smack in the middle” of any discussion on DFA about brothers and the claim that “It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

3) You and I and the other regulars are just a tiny percentage of the people who read these comments. Most people who visit DFA have NO IDEA what you are talking about when you refer to things that happened in the past!!

I ask you kindly to please refrain from making FALSE accusations about me, Thank You!

[Susan]

Hi Vicki, you have a beautiful girl, I have a English Staffordshire Terrier, he’s also short & real stocky, he too suffers from the stinky yeasty skin, paws, ears, mostly his paws now…

Everyone will tell you, put her on a grainfree diet. WRONG… Grainfree doesn’t work for yeasty itchy dogs… they have replaced grains with Starchy Potatos, Peas, Topioca, Sweet Potato, (a bit lower in starch) Legumes etc…
I had to do an elimination diet to find out which foods were causing Patches problems, I found Potatos, Sweet potatos, Peas, Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Banana all made Patch itch even causing diarrhea (pototes) anything that was high in STARCH & Gluten, so now I try to keep Patch on a Gluten & Starch free diet….

You seem to be doing everything right, Maybe try the Antiseptic rinses with Betadine (Iodine) this really helps Patches red itchy stinky paws, it kills the bacteria..I use Detol Antiseptic lotion instead in a shallow bath, it works out cheaper then the Betadine you need the water to look like ice tea with the Betadine, you end up needing a whole bottle, where with the Detol antiseptic lotion, I only need a couple of caps to a shallow bath..

Now you need to start on the inside with her Diet…..

Kibble is NO GOOD, to make kibble they need binders to bind the kibble together Peas, Potato, Sweet Potatos, Rice, Oats, legumes etc these all are high starchy carbs causing yeast problems in dogs, the best way is no kibble… feed either a cooked diet or a freeze dry diet or both… no kibble….. 1 for breakfast the other 1 for dinner, I boiled chicken breast & add little boiled Pumkin for breakfast…

Have you looked at freeze dried foods like “K-9 Natural” instead of kibble, it has NO GRAINS, NO POTATOS, GLUTEN FREE, NO HIGH STARCHY CARBS…alot of people swear by K9 Natural, once you get ur girl off kibble the nightmare will start to end for both of you….. K9 Natural also makes treats, they do freeze dried & raw ….click on the product you want to have a look at & all the ingredients will come up……the chicken or the venison has the least amount of fat %…..even find another freeze dried brand with the same ingredients that K9 Natural uses if you can not find K9 Natural in pet shops…
here’s their link its worth a try…
http://www.k9naturalusa.com/

Good Luck with Gracie Mae

[USA]

Hi BC

It is very very rude of you to make a statement like:

“For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

And then when asked:

“Can you please explain how this formula will “help yeasty dogs.”

You refuse to answer!

[USA]

Hi BC,

You wrote:
“For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

The ingredients and nutrient percentages for brothers venison formula are listed below (taken from DFA). Can you please explain how this formula will “help yeasty dogs.”

Any references you could present to back up this claim would be greatly appreciated!

Protein 36%
Fat 18%
Carbs 39%
Ingredients: Venison meal, dried whole eggs, turkey meal, pea starch, cassava/tapioca, pea flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), dried chicken liver, pumpkin, ground flaxseed, alfalfa, carrots, potassium chloride, sea salt, choline chloride, dried whole cell algae (pure source of omega 3 DHA), mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract, green tea extract, encapsulated probiotics (dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product), enzymes [amylase (Aspergillus oryzae), protease (Aspergillus oryzae), cellulase (Trichoderma reesei), lactase (Aspergillus oryzae), hemicellulase (Trichoderma reesei), lipase (Aspergillus oryzae), prebiotic (organic, long chain, highly branched inulin), vegetable pomace (celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach), cranberry pomace, lysine HCL, dl-methionine, lecithin, taurine, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D3, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, folic acid, biotin, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, l-ascorbyl 2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C activity), zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, cobalt carbonate, vitamin B12 supplement, l-carnitine

[Vicki R]

I was just assuming it was candida yeast. Boy there is a lot to learn about yeast infections. My head is spinning!!!

[theBCnut]

Hi Vicki

While I won’t argue with what aimee said, because it is true. Malassezia is often found in the ears and sometimes elsewhere on the body. But we have been giving advice based on the assumption that you were talking about candida yeast, which is not uncommon in dogs with food issues either, just not as common as malassezia. You may want your vet to determine which kind of yeast it is, but either way, you need to solve the food issue. You can google symtoms for candida yeast infections, but they both have some of the same symptoms. Candida is supposed to be in the gut, but when the intestines are irritated long term, it can overgrow and cause issues elsewhere.

[aimee]

Hi Vicki,

Yeast infections are nearly always caused by Malassezia, a fat loving yeast. Yeast infections are usually secondary to something that is altering the surface of the skin such as food allergy/adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, hormonal conditions, and parasites. If an underlying primary problem isn’t controlled the problem continues.

Food’s primary role in yeast infections is if the food is causing an adverse reaction. The proportions of fat/ carb or protein in the diet has never been linked to Malassezia dermatitis nor been found to help control it in any way. A food elimination trial could be done to identify if that is playing a role.

This article is a but technical but hopefully you can find it helpful http://www.pinnaclifeanimalhealth.com/sites/default/files/research/Malassezia%20Matousek.pdf

[theBCnut]

If you are interested in making his food, either raw or homecooked, then dogaware.com is a great place to get started. Also Dr Karen Becker has a book called “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” that has some great recipes in it. An easy way to do raw is to start with premixes and just add boneless meat. Some good premixes are See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix, Dr Harvey’s Veg to Bowl fine ground, and the Honest Kitchen Preference.

Don’t forget that food sensitivities and yeast infections go hand in hand, so don’t rule that out.

Mercole has a good multistrain probiotic, so does Garden of Life, and if you need an economy option Swanson’s has a couple good ones. It really doesn’t matter if the probiotics are human versus dog, but what does matter is that you use one with as many different strains as you can.

[Vicki R]

I have her on coconut oil and a antifungal shampoo and than I’ve been doing an AVC rinse. The rinse in one gallon water and one cup of AVC or you can use lemon juice or 20 drops of peppermint. The rinse seems to really help a lot and I am letting the shampoo sit on her for 10 minutes. She’s been only getting broccoli, frozen green beans and cucumbers for treats. Right now she is on Fromm Gold. I’ve had her on Nature’s Variety Instincts before too. I don’t think I could think I would feel comfortable putting her on a raw diet. I don’t know enough about it yet, but I would feed her raw you can purchase at a pet store or order online. Which probiotic do you guys use? Thank you for the advice you’ve already given me. Oh…..and I just figured out on my own it was yeast infection and not allergies just two weeks ago. I’ve been searching for a food since than and also joined some raw feed groups.

[DogFoodie]

Ditto what my friends, Marie and the Nut, have already said.

The Nut mentioned that yeast is a big part of food intolerance and I just wanted to say that once I fully embraced that, I finally found the answer for my dog. Start by keeping a list of everything you feed your dog and make notes about your dog’s reaction to the food. Keep the ingredient panel off of the packaging (because ingredients change) and soon, you’ll start seeing problem, common ingredients pop up.

Hang in there, it can be very frustrating; but once you figure out your problem ingredients and eliminate them, your dog will have so much relief. It’s worth the effort.

Now, that said, the very best food I found for my dog with food intolerance issues has been Nature’s Variety Instinct LID, but that’s because it contains none of his triggers. If it contains none of your pups triggers, it could be great for her too.

Good luck!

[theBCnut]

For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs. And low carb kibbles are better than high carb kibbles for yeast though. Kibble is never the best food for yeast, because all kibble has to have a pretty hefty amount of carbs to hold together. If you can swing it, canned is better, low carb homemade or raw is best. Add coconut oil and probiotics to the diet to help fight the yeast. And bathe weekly with an essential oil shampoo, do not use oatmeal shampoos.

Yeast is often caused by a food reaction, so if you don’t figure out what your dog is reacting to, it will come back.

[InkedMarie]

Yeast can be a tough issue. Any chance you can do raw? One of my dogs had yeast ear infections & when I put him on raw (no fruits or veggies, the sugar in them “feeds” yeast), they went away.

If you must feed kibble, look for one without white potato. In our forums here, look for my stickie on potato free foods. I think it’s in the dog food ingredients forum. I haven’t updated the list but it’s a good start.

[Vicki R]

Hi, I’m new to the group. I have a three year old English bulldog. She is battling yeast infections. Is there a dog food that would help control her yeast? Any other tips on yeast infection would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance….Vicki & Gracie Mae

[Kristin C]

Michael – one more thing. Have you looked into coconut oil? It could help with your 8 yr old’s yeastiness and your younger one’s hunger issues, if you’re providing enough calories. I’ve added oatmeal to my younger dogs’ food to bulk her up, but I have to do it regularly to make a difference.

[Dori]

Hi Michael H. I’ve never fed any Orijen food because all of their foods contain way too many different proteins and one of my dogs has a ton of food issues. All three of my girls used to have yeast issues until I switched them to raw and mostly commercial raw foods. I feed a rotational diet and do include freeze dried and dehydrated in rotation. BDN air dried is also in rotation and none of my girls have ever had an issue with it. I rotate with their beef, tripe and fish, no poultry in our house ever because of high allergy with Katie. As for freeze dried foods that I like and my dogs do very very well on are Primal Freeze Dried, Vital Essentials Freeze Dried and Nature’s Variety Instinct Freeze Dried. I know that Stella and Chewy’s is popular but I’m less than thrilled with it so I no longer have it in rotation.

The only kibble I use at times in rotation is Nature’s Logic Sardine Formula. It is grain free with the exception of millet which is a pseudo grain. My one dog with all the allergies, sensitivities and intolerances to food, environment and pretty much life in general and was always the one with the most amount of yeast problems does really really well on this food. It is an expensive kibble but I note that you are feeding Orijen which is pretty high up there also.

I would suggest that you find a few foods (as many as you can find anyway) and rotate through the proteins that do not bother your dogs and also rotate same way with different brands and their acceptable proteins. I’ve been feeding this way for almost three years now so my dogs are at the point that I rotate with each and every meal. I have found that allergy girl Katie can tolerate a lot more ingredients if only exposed to it sporadically than she could before. No more yeast, gas, bad breath, scratching, doggy smell, loose stools, diarrhea, constipation, etc. etc. No more of all the things that comes along with a dog that has food issues. It took me years to get to a point that I could feed multiple foods. Trial and error. To this day I’m always adding and detracting foods in rotation.

Best of luck to you and hope your dog is on the mend. Sorry about the high fever. That is really scary.

Is it possible that she got into something in the yard or on a walk that you don’t remember? Some treat or food that some “kind hearted” person thought he’d like? Some “kind hearted” people used to cause many issues with Katie. I now watch everyone like a hawk. Everywhere we would go, even the vet, wanted to give her a treat. No Way!!!

[DogFoodie]

I know how upsetting it can be. I’ve been there myself with one of my dogs. It’s extremely frustrating. I didn’t start having any luck until I started keeping a written record of advertising he ate. After a while, I started figuring out what his food intolerance issues and once I stopped exposing him to any of those ingredients, the yeast was gone and has stayed away ever since.

That said, you could be dealing with both or either food or environmental issues. Have you ever tried wiping his belly, or those areas affected by yeast with a diluted solution of white vinegar?

As far as good is concerned, I wondered if you had ever tried a limited ingredient diet. I had great luck with Nature’s Variety LID. But, there are certainly other brands to try. I picked that one because Ilike the brand, and its fish free. My dog can’t have any fish or fish oil. Maybe that could help you figure some things out. I would pick something fish free, that your guy has not regularly eaten and a single starch. One thing that frustrated me about Orijen is that it contains so many potential problem ingredients. All of those fruits, veggies and botanicals could also be contributing to your guys yeast issues.

I know now of this addresses the fever he’s having and I certainly hope he’s feeling better. 105 is scary.

[Michael H]

To DogFoodie:

For kibble he’s on Orijen 6-Fish, as that is the main one he can have without the presence of an allergenic ingredient, and does fine, so unless it’s some very strange fish BDN uses, he tolerates it fine. Bassets are prone to yeast as it is-for him, it’s always on the undercarriage, where he lies on it all day with no air circulation. I wanted to move onto freeze dried foods as I haven’t come across a canned food that I like, and all kibbles have too high of carbs, and I want to keep his down as much as possible. I can’t afford raw for all meals for both dogs, so trying to do 1 meal of raw, 1 of another food a day. Ordered BDN and reel raw on the same day, BDN came in 2 days, still waiting until 12/5 for my raw stuff, so I tried the 2/day of BDN to see how they do on it. They love it and my other dog is doing great, I just don’t know why this happened, pretty upset.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Michael,

I have a dog that has a fish intolerance. When he’s exposed, he ends up with a yeast infection in one ear. Yeast is often the result of food intolerance. Is your pup possibly intolerant of fish? It wouldn’t explain the fever, but could explain the yeast.

[Michael H]

My 2 dogs like BDN too, however we just got back from a $400 emergency vet visit from our 8yo Basset having a “fever of unknown origin”. The only change he has had has been with this food over the last week (tripe and fish). His fever is getting better, but it got up to 105, which is scary. I’m really hoping it’s coincidental, as it’s been very hard to find food he’s not allergic to. I put in an order to reel raw but it won’t arrive until 12/5. He does OK on Orijen kibble, but still has yeast issues with it. Our other dog is doing fine on BDN, the only thing being she seems to still be hungry after even giving a little more of the recommended feeding amount, but she is younger and more active-our hound sleeps at least 14 hours a day, so we keep him as trim as possible.

I for some reason thought BDN was freeze dried too, not this 24 hour 100d air dried process…that screams unsafe to me. I know for people you have to follow the “Danger Zone” rules of 40-140d F.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Danger_Zone.pdf

Considering trying the freeze dried Orijen instead if this caused the issue-anyone like their freeze dried foods?

[theBCnut]

Actually, I got that from someone I know who used to run sled dogs, but have seen and heard it from several sources since. I also have a dog that can’t handle much in the way of carbs without breaking out into a yeast infection.

[Akari_32]

The thing with Blue Buffalo (Diamond manufactured aside) is that it tends to cause vitamin overdoses in most dogs. Some dogs are fine with it, but a lot have problems. That and crystals, which are painful, especially in males.

As far as potatoes goes, it’s hard to find a grain free food that doesn’t use potatoes. It’s either white or sweet potatoes, peas, or legumes. Legumes are said to be harder for dogs to digest (how true that is, I can’t say). Most dogs are ok with potatoes, and most are ok with peas and legumes. Just likes with everything else, there will be dogs that have issues with certain things. The problem with the amount of carbs in kibble is that kibble needs a binder, and that’s pretty much what carbs are for. Some are better than others (corn vs sweet potatoes, for example) and not all carb sources are appropriate for every dog. And if you think about it, there’s really not very many grain-free carb sources out there. Potatoes are the cheapest, and neither potaoes or peas (or legumes) are bad options unless your dog can’t have them. I actually had to take one of my dogs completely off carbs because the yeast that naturally lives on dogs bodies would get so out of control that the poor guy would turn bright red and be so, so itchy. He’s still bothered by the grass, but he’s considerablely better since switching to all raw.

I would suggest switching through all different brands, and protein and carb sources regularly. Keeps life interesting for the dog, and keeps them from building up intollerances to certain ingredients in dog food, while also giving them a variety of vitamin and mineral levels, which helps prevent overdoses and deficiencies. Also lets you take advantage of sales 😉

[Talia B]

Hello,

I have a golden with a bunch of allergies and to keep them in check she gets a pill. She is allergic to peanut butter and shouldn’t have cheese bc of chronic yeast ears (We are x plowing different food options also). The treats that we have used are not that nutritious and dry out over time even if sealed correctly or they crumble when your pushing in a treat. So has anyone found the perfect dog treat or does anyone have a recipe. We use to use cream cheese (before we knew it was contributing and would love w similar consistency 🙂

[Michael H]

Hi everyone!

We have 2 dogs:

Bernie, 9y M allergic-to-life Basset Hound
Zuli, 3y F Lab Mix

and our cat:
Sophie, 8y F Mackeral Tabby, borderline diabetic

Due to both Bernie and Sophie’s above issues, it seems like my best option at this point would be to try raw feeding. The dogs both enjoy the occasional chicken wing or turkey neck, but I have not yet tried feeding it as a whole diet. The cat, who was originally an outdoor stray who did hunt for her sustenance, does accept things like turkey and pepperoni, but for most of her life has been on dry food…which is probably why she had the October diagnosis for diabetes. She is near impossible to catch (the yearly vet visit can take us anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to capture her-we’ve blocked off hiding spaces as we find them over the years, though once she actually broke INTO the wall to hide) and has a lack of scruff, and at this point I’m really fearing the ability to be able to administer insulin consistently. So, it seems that a diet change may be my only help with this. For Bernie, I can control what goes into the food, and avoid his allergens altogether.

I work from home, so cooking and preparing isn’t a big deal. I handle raw meat for my own consumption so that doesn’t bother me, and I’m very versed in the realm of preventing cross contamination.

My access to pastured/organic items is limited to either very far drives or possible home delivery (have to order a LOT at a time to make the shipping be affordable). For the delivery [ReelRaw] they do have a lot of variety, which is nice, but seems the most expensive option that I’ve come across ($300/mo for all pets, around 50lb of items, still cheaper than whole foods). I do have a butcher shop somewhat nearby, but the only organs they carry or process is beef heart, and the variety of RMB’s I can get aren’t much, as well as they do not carry any pastured/organic meats.

Upon my research, I’m finding a lot of conflicting information. It seems that on one side everyone is pro supplements to add to the meals, which I’m hesitant to do so, as I’m of the perspective to not take any synthetic or multivitamins myself since I feel I’m literally peeing the money away, and rather get what I need from whole foods. I know dogs cant digest fruit/veg well, as anytime I’ve given a piece I find it the next day pretty much intact in their waste. We do own a masticating juicer, so that is an option. I’ve come across some freeze dried foods (Big Dog Natural) that say they ferment the veg to make them bioavailable, which is interesting, though I’m unsure if it’s still too high-carb for Bernie. It could all be a bunch of hogwash as well. I do agree with adding omega 3/sardines at meal time, as I feel that the fats are too delicate for any processing procedure.

Then there’s all the premixes available with vitamins, minerals, kale, sweet potatoes, etc. (Urban Wolf, THK, SSLL Dinner Mix). It’s hard to find a premix without one of Bernie’s proposed allergens in it, and to be honest I’d rather keep the carb count for him down as much as possible, as Bassets are already yeast factories, and Sophie needs as little carb as possible-I don’t think I’ve come across mixes for cats anyways. What dog eats kale in the wild anyways? I have a hard time getting it down myself…lol.

On the other side, I’ve come across a few companies that don’t use added vitamins/minerals (Answers, ReelRaw), stating it’s complete/balanced as is, or with Answers, their own products they (conveniently) suggest to add, which is goat’s milk yogurt, or buy their combination product with veg, clay, cultured things, etc. Bernie is borderline allergic to cow dairy, so I’m unsure if he can even have that anyways. I’ve tried kefir with him before, but the yeast didn’t get any better, and would occasionally have putrid gas as well.

Bernie is currently on Orijen, which he does seem more energetic and less itchy, however the gas has been atrocious, and even though he’s not been really red and itchy on it, still is having a yeast issue (underarms, ears, back of legs). This is a dog that sleeps 14 hours a day on those areas, so not much air is circulating. The gas has gotten better by feeding him less of it, but it can still clear a room. I think it’s due to the lentils/chickpeas-while he’s not allergic to them, doesn’t mean he can digest them well.

So to end my novella for how, I’ll boil it down to some questions:

-Do you feel that the supplements are needed if I use the cheaper conventional meat from the butcher? Or would possibly they be getting enough if I splurge for the pastured meats/organs/rmb? It’s doubtful I can afford both the pastured and supplements.

-Do you feel premixes are worth it, and would make the conventional meat balanced? (again, may not be able to do both pastured + mixes)

-How important do you feel variety in meats is? If I shop locally, I only really have access to beef, chicken, and pork, which I myself am even tired of, haha. Most any recreational or RMB’s I can find in the area are meant for soups and have very little meat left on them. With delivery I can get many more options, but I pay out the wazoo for it.

-Would maybe just doing the freeze dried route be the best idea? Between the issues above and our cat, I’m also leaning towards this route. I’ve also heard that cats don’t dig cool meat very much, and as its the winter now I don’t want Sophie to lose any weight form refusing food. The 2 dogs will eat anything so I’m not worried there. I know I have to avoid giving Sophie all ground meat due to taurine loss. My wife also would rather rip off her eyebrows than touch raw meat, so if it comes a time when I cannot feed them, I’d have to have an alternative on hand anyways.

Thanks for any input!

[Bobby dog]

Victoria:
Sign up for e-mails from Swanson’s website so you are notified of sales; they often have B1G1 free sales.

Cottage cheese and yogurt are great toppers. I don’t think there is any mention of feeding dairy products in the PDF. My dog loves kefir and apparently the strains of probiotics in it are enough to benefit him. I will switch to something else if I ever find it no longer works for him. Here’s some info on kefir and yogurt:
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html

One other use for coconut oil is to apply it topically to dry and irritated skin. If the dog is anything like Bobby you’ll have to supervise her to keep her from licking it off. I always applied it right before we went outside so he would forget about it. It was really helpful in healing his skin.

Since Bobby had a yeasty skin relapse, I refreshed my memory about yeast issues in dogs to make sure I had all bases covered. I came across a recommendation for an anti-yeast shampoo in the Whole Dog Journal for Selsun Blue (dandruff shampoo for people). The active ingredient in it is 1% selenium sulfide. I bought the store brand version and it worked well for Bobby. The reason I asked the condition of her skin was because I wouldn’t use it on my dog if he had open sores. My preference would be to use a shampoo that contained an anti-microbial ingredient if that were the case.

Good article to read, look under the Malassezia heading, 6th paragraph for shampoo:
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_5/features/Dog_Skin_Problem_15932-1.html

Look under the shampoo heading:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=466&S=0&EVetID=3001644

[Bobby dog]

BC,
Would you be able to help Victoria with dosing info on human probiotics? She ordered Dr. Langer’s. I can’t locate the info I had about what amounts to feed or how often. At least one dog has yeasty skin issues, the 50+ dog. I don’t know if the other two have issues.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Bobby dog.

[Bobby dog]

You are very welcome!

Not sure if the fish you bought is cooked or not, but do not feed raw salmon or trout to the dogs because they may contain bacteria that causes death in dogs. Good idea to puree it if you are uncertain about the bones, better safe than sorry.

You will really find that PDF useful. On top of it being packed with great info, it’s an easy read and written so that you can reference info easily. Your questions about food and portions should be answered in there. I don’t feed the ABC diet in one day, I feed all the extras throughout the week as toppers. Please ask if you can’t find what you are looking for; someone here should be able to help.

It does sound like a yeasty skin issue. Dandruff is much better than open sores so the Malesab must have helped. How do you stand budget wise with purchasing more shampoo? I found another budget friendly option for shampoo if you are interested.

My dog had a bad yeast infection last year. It took 8 months of consistent care and tweaking his diet to rid him of it. Changing his diet was integral in the healing process. If at all possible getting them off Ol’ Roy will be the most help. I know it’s not up to you, but if your uncle could at least switch to a food without chemicals, dyes, and meat & bone meal it would be a step in the right direction. With the added fresh foods you are improving their diets regardless, however by eliminating the chemicals etc. I believe you would see their health continue to improve. You might have a fighting chance to prove your point because more than likely some of the issues the dog had a few months ago will show up again after a few weeks back on Ol’ Roy.

I was feeding Bobby a canned food along the lines of Ol’ Roy that contained chemical preservatives and dyes, the kibble I fed was not bad. He had a skin infection so I took him to the Vet. During the visit my Vet discussed the importance of a healthy diet and suggested I stop feeding that canned food and choose another. When I eliminated it from his diet I saw an improvement in his skin within two weeks. That gave me the incentive to find out what else I could do for him.

I can’t answer your questions about enzymes, I don’t use them. Having no teeth would not necessarily be a reason to add enzymes. There was a very interesting conversation on the review side about using enzymes and whether or not they even survive the stomach. This did not pertain to enzymes used for pancreatic issues. Maybe someone else will be able to answer your questions.

I love the results I get from probiotics; wish I started using them long ago. I feed my cat kefir 3x/wk and my dog daily. I upped Bobby’s dose of probiotics when he had a yeasty skin relapse a month ago. When I feel he’s back on track I probably will feed it every other day. I think your choice of probiotics is a good one. Even though I am feeding kefir, it is more out of convenience for me since Bobby and the cats are doing well and like it. Kefir is very affordable, but I think your choice is more economical in the long run and you get more strains of probiotics. Write back with the weights of the dogs who will be getting them, I have info on dosage for human probiotics.

Canned food is much easier for dogs to digest since it is not as processed as dry food. There are several budget friendly canned foods out there. Depending on if they have teeth pulled mixing kibble with canned is an option too. At this point I am guessing it depends on what your Uncle decides to feed them. At the very least, you can add enough water to kibble prior to feeding them to make it a canned consistency if necessary.

I am not sure about specific exercises for arthritis & hip dysplasia. Keeping arthritic animals slim and fit is extremely important. The fish you are adding to their food is really good for arthritic pets! Try searching the forum for this topic and hopefully someone with experience on this subject will stop by.

[theBCnut]

They shouldn’t need enzymes for anything unless you see a problem digesting the food. The flakes and the smell sound like yeast, which is often a sign that there is something in the food that they react to, so a food change may be in order.

Walking is the best exercise for arthritis and teaching the dog to go from a stand to a down and from a down to a stand are good exercises for keeping hips strong.

[Bobby dog]

Dogs can do ok with no teeth. Their diet should be adjusted since digestion of food begins in the mouth. Soft diets are fine.

The variety of fish should be fine I am just thinking about the proper portions…you know what they say about too much of a good thing. The eggs were another extra that might need to be tweaked.

I never transition Bobby to a new food, he always does fine. The need for or length of time needed for a food transition depends on the dog. I was more interested in how they did and it sounds like they are like Bobby, ready and willing to eat anything and do fine!

If you feel it’s yeasty skin, what does her skin look like? Is there an odor to her?

I was wondering about there teeth and thought maybe they were chewing something that was inappropriate.

Good idea to monitor chewing activities. I give Bobby a beef tendon once/week.

I know I am a broken record, but the “ABC” download has all the info for feeding the extras. I think those extras are going to be great for those pups!!!!

[Victoria W]

They say the choco lab has healed up quicker from her allergies this year b/c of the malasab. I think she has some kind of yeast infection b/c the malasab helped a lot and its for gram + – infections. They all did good at eating pb without a long transition, I know thats not recommended but Ive switched my own dogs over in one feeding before also and Ive seen none have stomach problems. They have a vet apt with the other vet in town Fri maybe he will know what to do with their teeth problems. The sardines I feed are in the largest can I can find and I feed them pink salmon occasionally b/c I think you said to b4 also, I just dont rotate them out regularly. I went to the fish market yesterday and got some of their packaged mix and match catch, sardines, a little salmon, some whitefish and some other species that the market actually sells for pet food ( since I dont think all the bones are small enough Ive been pureeing it in the blender) The next door neighbor who also has hunting dogs gets that for his dogs and recommended it. Were lucky to have a local meat shop that sells hearts and other organ meat so I picked some of that up too. How much should i feed of the organ meat and how often should they get it? Would a rotation of every other day with the fish be okay or too much of a good thing? None of the dogs are allowed chews as my relatives think they will choke on them….I asked to give them some braided bully sticks and I was able to only to have the black lab seem to choke on peices b/c he doesnt know how to properly chew the treat. Im headed to Petco after this post and Im going to pick up some Prudence Absolute Immune Health Powder High Potency for Dogs or whatever they recommend b/c they dont have any of the ones you suggested I think and then Ill use that until the Dr. Langer’s probiotics come in. What will happen if the two dogs with bad teeth end up having to have them pulled or partially removed, can a dog make it without teeth I assume a soft diet would be their only option and is that healthy???

[Bobby dog]

I am glad you stopped by with an update! It sounds like you are doing everything within your means to help these dogs. Other than a change in diet and seeking medical attention for their teeth, I still recommend probiotics if it is feasible. I listed some suggestions for them in my previous post.

Were the dogs able to transition to Pure Balance without any digestive upsets?

Does she have yeasty skin or just itchy from allergies?

What is the can size of the sardines you are feeding? About how many cans/week are you feeding each dog?

Healthy teeth and gums are very important for all of us; when they are unhealthy it can lead to other diseases. I would certainly address the situation in my dog. The only suggestion I have are for the owners to seek medical care ASAP. Do they have trouble eating kibble? Are the dogs given anything to chew?

I really recommend Steve Brown’s download, “See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way.” It will help you with what you are trying to achieve for these dogs economically. More importantly, it is specific as to the quantities/types of fresh foods to feed and keeping the diet balanced; it would also benefit your dog regardless of the quality of kibble he currently eats!
http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

Here’s a DFA thread about adding toppers:
/forums/topic/toppersadded-nutrition/

Too many raw egg whites can interfere with the absorption of biotin; egg whites contain avidin which binds with biotin preventing dogs from absorbing it. Lightly cooking some of the eggs you feed or just the whites can remedy this. Dogs the size of Labs should probably be fed about 4 – 5 eggs per week depending on their body condition and weight. Check out this thread for some suggestions from theBCnut on feeding eggs:
/forums/topic/how-many-eggs-shell-or-no-shell/

Other canned fish you can feed is mackerel or wild pink Alaskan salmon; avoid tuna due to possible contaminates. Be sure to feed only fish packed in water with no salt added.

You can try foot baths & rinses. Below are links to several different baths & rinses that would help with skin and coat issues. If you decide to try the povidone iodine solution foot bath or rinse, since the dogs go outside, rinse with clean water afterwards because it makes the skin sensitive to the sun:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/10/25/dog-foot-bath.aspx
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/12/16/thirty-seconds-to-relieve-your-pets-itchy-paws.aspx
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=3

Ol’ Roy is definitely not my choice for a healthy food, but it sounds like it’s your uncle’s. Keep encouraging him to rotate and hopefully feed a better food. Other places to look for affordable dog food are whole sale clubs, hardware, large animal feed, and garden supply stores.

If your uncle will not invest in better food, maybe you can try to research some kibbles that are in the same price range that don’t contain as many undesirable ingredients, chemicals, and dyes. One brand that comes to mind is PMI Nutrition; they make three grades of dog food. I often read comments from people on hunting dog forums recommending their Red Flannel line, their lowest grade of food. I don’t recommend this food, but perhaps it (or another similar food) could be considered the lesser of two evils.

Here is PMI’s website with a store locator:
http://www.pminutrition.com/main.html

DFA review:
/dog-food-reviews/red-flannel-dog-food/

[Tammy C]

My little dog is allergic to so many things. I’m having a terrible time finding a food she can eat.
I’ve had her tested and this what has come up: beef, salmon, poultry mix (chicken and turkey), pork, venison, eggs, milk, soybean, corn, wheat, lamb, rice, peanut, flax, oat, barley, white potato, brewers yeast, kelp, alfalfa, fish mix (catfish, cod, herring, mackerel, white fish), sweet potato, green peas, duck. Some others things that tend to affect her are bananas and rabbit. I just tried her on a canned rabbit food and she reacted but I’m not sure if it was the rabbit or an ingredient in it. It listed liver but didn’t specify what type of liver.
At this point I’m open for suggestion. Her new name is Bald Butt Bella, poor little thing is just so busy scratching it almost brings me to tear.

[Jane E]

I am looking for a grain free dry food without lentils/peas or alfalfa. I have senior Boxers with a history of IBS/colitis and one with some reoccurring yeasty skin issues. I would like to have a food that I could feed all 3 if possible (to date I have not accomplished that). I currently raw feed one,another is on Honest Kitchen Zeal with occasional Thrive or Force and the other is on Orijen Senior (and I think that may just be too much of a good thing for her now) her stools are soft. She’s been on this for about a year and is in beautiful condition otherwise.
So I am interested in anyones input. It’ll be greatly appreciated
Jane

[Michael H]

Hi everyone! Not sure if this is the right forum section to post this, but I’m in dire need of some help.

We have an almost 9 year old rescued Basset Hound, who we have been struggling to manage yeast and chronic inflamed skin since we’ve had him this past year. The vet has him on persistent hydroxyzine and prednisone, of which I try to give the least effective dose, as especially prednisone I’m not that comfortable using due to the side effects.

Upon shelling out for an allergy test (environmental and diet [Spectrum Groups Spot Report]), we’ve found out he’s positive for 19 things and borderline for another 7 out of a total of 91 tested items.

His symptoms are always the worst in the spring/summer, as one of the main allergens is grass, which as far as I know I can’t do much about. I’ve replanted our yard to grass that he’s supposedly not allergic to, but anything that blows our way from a neighboring yard cancels that out.

There are a lot of dietary items as well, and finding a food for him has been a nightmare. I’ve considered cooking food for him, but unsure what’s considered “balanced”, and raw feeding makes me a bit nervous as I’ve heard that grocery-grade meats can possibly be tainted since they are meant to be cooked until a safe temperature, and I don’t want to hurt him. Any outlet in our area that sells organic/free range/etc. isn’t very accessible or is very expensive.

The list of foods he tested positive for are:

Venison
Eggs
Lamb
Wheat
Rice
Oats
Potato
Carrots

Borderline Foods:
Dairy (Milk)

Low-scoring/Negative:
Beef
Rabbit
Poultry Mix
Pork
Soy
Corn
Beet
Flax
Barley
Brewers Yeast
Kelp
Alfalfa
Fish Mix
Green Pea
Duck

So, I have to avoid conventional grains. Due to his yeast issues/dermatitus, I’m also assuming that the lowest starch/low glycemic food would be in his best interest. The main issue I’m running into is that most grain free foods use potatoes, eggs, or carrots, which he’s also allergic to.

On one had it seems that wet food may be the way to go, but as he’s older, his teeth aren’t the best. They are all still intact, but he doesn’t really gnaw on anything at all (can’t really with his droops, they are probably easy to chomp down on and would hurt) to clean them, and brushing hasn’t seemed to do a whole lot, so I’m fearing that wet food may make it worse. I’ve bought knuckle bones for him and our other dog, but he only eats the tasty stuff on the outside and his sister gets the hand-me-down since she will actually gnaw and grind it down. Her teeth are excellent in regards to tartar.

From the test it looks like he can have peas, lentils, or chickpeas as a binder, but again I’m unsure of how much starch content may be in the resulting food. I’m finding sweet potato in a lot of the foods as well, but it wasn’t tested for, and I’m unsure of how related they may be.

So far I’ve tried Taste of the Wild Wetlands & Pacific Stream (which we feed to our other dog), but they didn’t do a whole lot for him-both contain either sweet potatoes, potato, or egg. Our other dog doesn’t seem to have any issues thus far at 3 years, thank goodness, and hopefully it stays that way.

The best looking food I’ve come across is Orijen 6 fish, but it’s very expensive. It doesn’t start listing carb sources until the 12th ingredient, but I can’t really tell if that’s a good or bad thing-chickpeas, red lentils, green lentils, and green peas all have protein as well, and they seem to count that towards the protein % for the food, so their ingredient %’s could be just as high as if it were listed as the second ingredient, like I find in a lot of other, cheaper foods.

If we can get any help with this, it would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time!

Mike & Beth

[tecknik]

I posted here before that Dinovite did not help my dog whatsoever but just wanted to update.. my dog got so bad that she had yeast all over her body, bad ear infections, etc. ..even when it was dead of winter. Two months ago, I bit the financial bullet and paid for allergy testing as steroids and antibiotics were the only thing that made her better. (that’s only short term use)

Turns out she is allergic to almost everything including wool, certain trees (including willow which we have and are now chopping down), dust mites, mold mites, the list goes on..

I ended up getting rid of my 5×7 and 6×9 wool pier one import rugs, thoroughly dust daily and changed the filter in the hvac system to a super good one. I’m proud to say my efforts paid off. My dog is doing well. 🙂 I recommend the allergy test. The dog needs to be sedated which makes it expensive but it paid off for her and us. My dog is no longer miserable.

[theBCnut]

Are the yeast issues all over or just in the ears. If the yeast is just in the ears, then try limited ingredient diets that don’t have the protein and carb source that she usually gets. Once she is eating a food that does not have the ingredients she is reacting to in it, the ears should get better. Zymox is a great cleaning solution.

If the yeast is all over, then in addition to getting off the offending ingredients, you also need to go low carb, as low as you can go, to starve out the yeast.

Doing an elimination diet is the best way to figure out what your dog is reacting to. Pick one protein source and one carb source that your dog has not been exposed to and feed only that for at least 10 weeks. When your dog is not longer showing signs of allergy, start adding single foods back in, one every couple weeks, while watching closely for any reaction. If you see a reaction, then go back to foods you know are safe for a while, until there is no reaction again, and start trying new foods again.

When I had to do an elimination diet for my dog, I started with a particular food in mind, and the ingredients for that food were what I tried first, then I has a food I could move him onto to continue testing other ingredients.

If you want kibbles to try, my first choices would be Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets or Canine Caviar Holistic. Those brands each have a few flavors to choose from.

[Carol K]

What would be our best food choice for a dog with allergy and yeast issues?

[Ry K]

I’ll definitely start keeping track of his day to day – that’s a great tip.

I virtually bathe in coconut oil myself, so I’ll definitely start applying it to him topically or even adding a bit to his food.

Another person just mentioned to me that it may be fleas. I made a 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water mix and sprayed him today – hoping that will help. He’s really not that bad lately to be honest – it’s always so hard to tell why it gets worse and then goes away.

I don’t add any carbs like sweet potatoes to his diet – the raw food comes with the proper vegetable ratio already added into it. I never considered yeast – definitely another possibility.

Thanks again – great info!

[JAN E]

Hi, Kristen, have not explored yeast overgrowth, but would like more info on that. Looking at See Spot Live Longer dinner mixes, which seem to be fairly easy, along with following an ancestral guide to percentages of meat, veggies, etc. I’m concerned about achieving a balanced diet, and did find several brands of canned food that do not need the pea, potatoe and rice binding ingredients and provide vitamins and minerals. What do you think about adding cooked meats and veggies to a good canned base food?