[Sue W]

Hi Everyone and thank you so much for your help. I have 7 dogs (4 rescues) each need a different food – 1. Chico(Rescue) (kidney disease) 2.Riley(Rescue) (allergic to Rice, Oats, Yeast, Peas, Fish and all fish oils) 3 & 4 Moosha and Rumer (Prone to putting weight on and need low calorie but quality food) currently on Metabolic, ugh. 5. Murphy has a GI disorder can only high quality wet food – was on I/D but now on Natural Balance Chicken Formula. 6. Bugsy(Rescue) is a senior who after 1 dental and 10 teeth pulled will have another 18 pulled next month – so needless to say a soft diet is in order – he is currently eating Natural Balance Lamb Formula. 7. Little Bixbi (Rescue) newly adopted – this little dude is messed up – about 80% blind, has the ‘wobbles’ falls down a lot and has a few ruptured discs in his neck so he can’t move his head up and down – has(had) a UTI was on C/D. So there it is – I would LOVE to feed all my dogs 1 food – not sure raw is the way to go however I do like the ‘benefits’ of it and I do, when I have it, give them raw goats milk as well. I want to be able to feed my dogs a high quality organic non-gmo food – but with all the dogs having different needs I am spending – 100.00 a month on K/D roughly 33.70 for 12 cans 1 can daily. 44.00 a month on Chicken canned food and 40.00 a month on Lamb formula canned and of course 65.00 for a 17 1/2 pound bag for the 2 who need a low calorie food and 53.00 on Riley’s Nutro Essentials small Bites non gmo – has NO peas- most foods are being supplemented with peas/pea fiber Riley cant eat peas or the fish that’s also in almost all foods now and of course he can’t any brown rice, white rice oats or brewers yeast – thats basically everything good in dog foods, right? It’s a nightmare!!! All I want to do is feed my dogs an organic diet without spending more than I already am (or less would be ideal – with all the medical bills headed this way). The ‘just for dogs’ food is great – but a 72 oz bag is 33.00 and I would need at least 3 bags a month just for Chico. I am at a lost as to what is best for them( the priority of course) but what also doesn’t cost us 300.00 monthly just in dog food. I have found all the people ‘Susan’ suggested – Rodney and Dr. Judy, joined the canine kidney support group but couldn’t find the ‘K-9 Kitchen’ on facebook too many weird sites popped up and nobody named Monica. Thank you ALL for your help. And before the haters – start hating- I love my rescue dogs – and I am not crying about money and no I didn’t know how ill some of them were when I rescued/adopted them (except for Chico) so I am trying to help all them the healthiest way I can.

[Susan]

Hi Leslie,
are you 100% sure your dog can’t have these ingredients? have you done an elimination food diet to make sure…cause your ellimation alot of brands as most grain free foods have peas & most grain foods have barley….
My boy has IBD, environment allergies & food intolerances/sensitivities, he can not eat chicken, oats, wheat, barley, chickpeas & carrots & I’m pretty sure corn, corn gluten meal & tapioca as well but I never had any tapioca or corn meal to try in the food elimination trial cause when tapioca or corn/maize has been in the vet diets he has tried for his IBD his skin became very smelly of yeast & itchy, for 1-2 yrs I thought he couldn’t eat potatoes, turkey & peas, then finally vet said do an elimination diet & worked out the foods he can’t eat, we were going around & around in circle, I couldn’t feed any grain free formula’s cause they either have potatoes, peas & chickpeas, he does sloppy poos, diarrhea from barley & chickpeas are the worst for gas/farts, wind pain, carrot causes itchy ears & he shakes his head & ears after he eats any foods with carrots, when he eatas chicken he gets red hot paws 15-20mins after eating raw or cooked chicken, with barley, oats & wheat he gets his yeasty itchy smelly skin, sometimes if the ingredient is further down the ingredient list he’s OK….
Food allergies are very rare to have, they normaly have food intolerances/sensitivities they are more common….

“California Natural” has their Lamb Meal & Rice adult large bites only has 3 ingredients & Chicken Meal & Rice has 4 ingredinets http://www.californianaturalpets.com/

or there’s vet diets “Hills” D/D Potato & Venison grain free, gluten free, soy free, there’s no cross contamination, it’s a bit expensive but Patch loves it, he can’t eat that many kibbles so I rotate with his “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, & keep looking so we can find another new food to try… but if your dog can eat raw, raw diet is the best or home cooked meals, or raw or cooked for 1 meal & kible for the other meal or those Rolls in teh fridge section, we have really good limited ingredient rolls in Australia called “Prime SKD”rolls cooked Crocodile, Kangaroo, Lamb, you must have the same in America some type of cooked roll meat for dogs…. Good – Luck I’ll keep my eye out

[anonymous]

Hope this helps:
By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service
Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.
Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.
Top pet dermatological issues
Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:
•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.
All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.
Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.
Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).
IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.
The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.
ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.
This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.
When it’s time to see the vet
Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:
•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin
Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Tabitha F]

Thank you for your response! Now I’m not sure what to do! I’m sorry I didn’t include any symptoms. She is very itchy so she scratches, bites, and licks herself all the time. She even has bare spots on her paws from biting and irritated patches from scratching. They are getting a little better, but now we have started Benadryl, because she is still scratching a lot. She also had a yeast overgrowth in her ears, and the vet states that may be related to allergies.

[Susan]

Hi Alisha,
all the advice I have given has been Patches treatment thru Patches vet who specializes in Skin, Stomach & Bowel health….
Keep a diary & as the months & years pass you will start to see a pattern when his skin allergies are worse, it probably be in the Spring & Summer months or after eating certain ingredients the scratching, itching, gas will be worse … Best to do an elimination food trial in the colder months Winter when plants aren’t flowering & pollens arent as bad as they are in the Spring months, plants, trees, grasses all can make the dog itchy & you’ll think it might be the food he’s trialing/eating….Allergies are VERY confusing, my vet & I thought my boy couldn’t eat turkey & potatoes for 2 yrs, later I realised he can eat potatoes & turkey it was something else causing sloppy poos & itchy smelly skin barley, chicken & oats.. also after he haas had a bath keep your boy off all grass areas for a few days no walking, lying on any grass & see how he goes, does his stomach improve??? We thought grass was making Patches paws red, every morning I feed him breakfast then we go for a walk thru the park when we’d come home Patch would start licking his paws, I’d have a look & his paws would be RED & sometimes hot, 1 back paw would be swollen red & hot, so I made sure he just walked on the pathway cerment etc it turned out to be the chicken & corn in the vet diet he was eating at the time for his IBD, I did a raw elimination diet, while he was eating raw Kangaroo with blended green veggies he was fine, his itchy yeasty skin & paws all went away within 2-5 days, then I tried raw chicken breast for dinner within 15 mins after eating raw chicken breast he reacted with red hot paws, rubbing his bum on carpet, I soak paws in cold water with the Malaseb medicated shampoo, then before bed applied some Hydrocortisone cream on bum & paws cream had fixed his paws all back to normal…

You’ll get there, Winter will be coming soon in America & hopefully he’ll get a break & you can start working out the food side, what foods he’s sensitive too… vet diets are the easiest way to do elimination diets & the diet is balanced, then after eating teh vet diet you might have to trial a few but once dog is itch & smell free you start adding 1 new ingredient to his diet for 6 weeks, it can take from 1 day for a dog to react to an ingredient up to 6 weeks, with Patch I know with that day or night with sloppy poo or diarrhea skin can take up to 4 days to start to smell yeasy, carrots make his ears itchy within 20mins of eating them, then they start to smellyeasty in 3-5 days, he starts shaking his head/ear after eating something with carrot in it, the only way I knew this was elimination diet adding the carrot to home made rissoles, you start with a lean mince, I started with Pork mince made small rissole 1/2 size balls & baked in oven & added boiled sweet potato, he was fine then next batch of rissoles I added 1 whisked egg made 1/2 cup size rissole balles baked in oven, boiled more sweet potatoes that I freeze in freezer & take out as I need same as teh rissole they freeze well, he was fine with egg, just keep adding 1 new food to your rissoles & you will see what ingredients are causing any skin, stomach/bowel problems…. Good Luck..

[Susan]

Hi Alisha,
sounds like he has Environment Allergies with his stomach sore & he probably has food sensitivities/intolerances as well, they normally come together my vet said, my boy has IBD seasonal environment allergies & food intolerances…..
A Dermatologist specialises in the skin & will work out what’s wrong but they are very expensive & depending on the Dermatologist they will just put your young pup on drugs so best to see a Holistic Vet that specialises in the skin as well, I see a vet thats specialises in the skin & bowel…
Are you bathing twice a week?? baths are excellent, washes off any allergens that are on the skin that’s causing these skin irritations, I use “Malaseb” Medicated Shampoo, it kills any bacteria & yeast on the skin, keeps the skin nice & moist & is excellent for evironment allergies, leaves the dog feeling so soft & relieves any itchy skin, you have to leave on for 5-10mins but I just wash Patch normally & masage him a little to pass a few minutes then fully rinse off, you can buy Malaseb on Amazon if you live America, I also use creams, Hydrocortisone 1% cream applied at night before bed then thru the day I use “Sudocream” on Paws, stomach, head, around mouth & bum anywhere Patch starts to itch I apply the Sudocrem stops his itch straight away, Sudocrem is a thick white cream that acts as a barrier & protects the skin, it’s for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, Presssure Sores, Sudocrem is normally sold in the baby section at supermarket or chemist but if you live America it’s sold on Amazon…..
My boy didn’t do well on the Eagle Pack Lamb meal & Rice, it was OK for his stomach/bowel but cause Patch has foods sensitivities the oats & barley caused itchy smelly yeasty skin & paws, he stunk after eating the Eagle Pack for 1-2 weeks, once you work out what foods your dog is sensitive too & you stop feeding those ingredients your dog will stop reacting with smelly itchy skin problems & stomach/bowel problems but if he also has environment allergies the only thing you can do is relieve his itch & make him comfortable unless you want to put him on drugs but he is too young to be put on all the drugs for allergies..

Pumkin is high in fiber it can make some dogs do real sloppy poos excellent if they are constipated or the opposite & firm up their poo’s, Patch can only eat 1-2 spoons of boiled pumkin then his poos go real sloppy….
Have you tried a single meat protein, limited ingredient kibble that’s grain free & not too high in protein? the only kibble Patch does real well on is the “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain” Roasted Lamb, the fat -15%, protein-25%, fiber is under 4%, TOTW uses purified water to make their TOTW, there’s also TOTW Pacific Stream, Smoked Salmon both these formula’s have the same fat protein % but the fiber is only 3% in the Pacific Stream formula alot of dogs with IBD, IBS stomach & bowel & skin problems do very well on these formula’s… join this Face Book group “Dog, Issues, Allergies, and other Information Support Group” heaps of really good info & what people do to help with their dogs skin problem also have you tried a probiotic? Purina Forti- Floria is suppose to be very good & has live bacteria when it was tested, always start off using 1/2 the recommended dose, I give Patch 1/4 of my “Yukult” probiotic drink, & buy K-9 Natural freeze Dried, Green Lipped Mussels, give about 2 mussels a day, but if you are going to start anything start 1 food, supplement at a time so if there’s any diarrhea ect you know what has caused it..
Baby Wipes, I buy the Huggie Coconut Oil Baby Wipes & wipe Patch down after he’s been outside if the pollen count is high, they normally tell you on the weather forecast when its high alsowhen its very windy or he starts scratching I wipe him down or bath him then apply cream….
“Canidae” make their Pure limited ingredient grain free kibbles or their All Life Stages formula’s that have grains, tCanidae All Life Stages Turkey Meal & Brown Rice Large breed is a limited ingredient formula it’s new low in fat & not too high in protein https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Susan]

Hi Dewper,
if you live America then there’s a cream similiar to the Sudocrem sold at supermarket but I can’t remember the name, a lady posted it on the “Dog, issues, allergies and other information support” f/b group, it has the same ingredients, (I think) as the Sudocrem has.
I live Australia & the Sudocrem is sold supermarkets & chemist in the baby section with the coconut oil & aloe & cucumber baby wipes are, I’ve read people who live America buy Sudocrem from Amazon or read ingredient list & look for a baby cream sold at supermarket with similiar ingredients…..
When your boy wasnt licking his paws real bad was he eating the same food he’s eating now or a different food? it’s so hard to work out allergies cause dogs normally will have both food & envrionment alergies, I was thinking is he may be a compulsive licker?? my Patch was when I first rescued him, paw licking sets off their endorphins, especially when they lick & lick themselves to sleep…my Patch all of a sudden dissappears & I find him in my room or the spare room licking his paw, then there’s the big wet patch on the bed aaaaaarrrrhhhhh it’s always just one of his paws he’s licking not both paws, he has white paws, I have a quick look at his paw & paw will be red up & sometimes in between his toes, so if he’s due for his weekly bath in a couple of days I bath him earlier & I bath him in the Malaseb shampoo also sold on Amazon & you leave the shampoo on his paws 5-10 mins if you can, the Malaseb is excellent for Allergies, itchy skin & yeasty skin….after his bath his paws look heaps better & aren’t itchy no more, so something in the Malaseb reduces the reddness & itch, then that night I apply the Hydrocortisone cream in between the tows & everywhere that’s red by morning all reddness is all gone, when I get a bit lazy I dont keep up with his daily routine applying creams his red paws happens….
It’s Winter in Australia & this is the worst Winter Patch has had so far, he normally does real well thru the colder Winter months as long as I’m not feeding him any ingredients he’s sensitive too, but this Winter has been heaps warmer & plants are flowering so I’d say the pollen count is higher…. another thing check what the Omega 3 % is in the kibble your feeding him some kibbles arent balanced properly & are higher in Omega 6 & real low in Omega 3, the omega 3% should be around 1/2 of what the omega 6% is…..as soon as you open your bag of kibble all the oils start to go rancid from the air/oxygen, so your omega 3% becomes less, they say a kibble only last about 2 weeks once you’ve opened it google ” How long does a kibble stay fresh once it’s opened”
The best thing to do is add a few small sardines to his diet a day, start buying the tin Sardines in spring water or olive oil, Aldi’s sell cheap good sardines & salmon in spring water, just add a few sardines or spoons of the salmon to 1 of his meals or give as a treat, I make salmon cakes just boil some potato or sweet potatoes & cool then mix with the drained tin of salmon or start giving him a fish capsule if he has sensitive stomach/bowel then get the Krill Oil capsules they’re suppose to be better for senstive stomach, my boy can’t have fish/salmon oil it gives him acid reflux, he does better when he eats foods high in Omega 3, almonds are excellent I give about 3 Almonds some days but make sure he chews them or they will come back out whole, I don’t know but a lady said her dog got into the bag of almonds & it wasnt nice, I bite 1/2 an almond & give the other 1/2 of the almond to patch & say chew, even have a look at the K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels freeze dried treats Chewy sell them & other brands as well, I give my cat & Patch a couple mussels a day as treats… You just need to keep in a daily routine, 1 lady from f/b group I mentioned above said she has a water tray near the front door & her dog walks thru it to wash off any allergens on his paws but I’d rather put him in a empty bath, wet his paws & wash & leave soaking in the Malaseb shampoo this works really well then rinse & dry. another thing in the beginning after I applied cream if you know he’s going to lay down to sleep & lick, then I put on a baby socks or a cut up elastic bandage with the bandage tape around the top, this stops the paw licking & gets him out of the compulsive licking.. this is what I had to do with Patch in the beginning..
When your boy is licking his paw do you look at the paw to see if it’s red, swollon etc ?

[Dewper]

Hi! Just discovered these forums, been reading all morning. I have a 2-year-old 68lb rescue dog (over half boxer, plus lab and rott according to his DNA profile–he looks like a tall, lean, shiny black lab:-). He licks his feet constantly when he’s not active. The vet has ruled out yeast, etc., and guessed allergies, but allergy meds did not seem to help. I’ve read so much conflicting info on this, but I don’t think it’s just merely a “bad habit.” I’m wondering if it could be related to his diet? I use non-toxic cleaning products, etc., so I don’t believe he is getting any irritants in our home. I don’t like that he may be uncomfortable or itchy all the time, plus the wet spots caused by his licking that he leaves all over my couch and house are really annoying!

He has been on Pure Balance’s grain free (usually the Salmon and Pea, occasionally Lamb if that one’s not available) the entire 2 years since I’ve had him. I switched my other rescue dog to it at that time as well (boxer/beagle), and the latter dog’s “sensitive” stomach issue was immediately resolved, so I’ve been happy with the food. But now I’m wondering if a change may help my licky feet doggy? I do give them regular treats/bones that are not grain-free (ok, they’re probably all crap products, to be honest. I’m working on changing that, but I do love to spoil my boys!)

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Susan]

Hi ac,
first I find a kibble that I hoped agreed with Patch, I slowly introduce & see how Patch does on the kibble for 1-2 months, but this wasn’t always the way 4 yrs ago I had to keep Patch on a vet diet for 9-12 months to fix his bowel & strengthen his immune system but the vet diet made his skin itch & smell yeasty cause he was sensitive to the chicken, corn, wheat & corn gluten meal….
Food sensitivities/intolerances can take anywhere from 1 day to react up to 6 weeks & react with sloppy poo’s, gas/wind pain, (bad smelly farts) yeasty itchy ears, paws & skin, rubbing bum on carpet, grass or ground, with Patch I know within 1-2 days if he’s sensitive to an ingredient…..
Now I can rotate daily or a couple days a week, some days I’ll give Patch his Taste Of The Wild, Sierra Mountain Roasted lamb for the bigger meals breakfast & dinner then for lunch I give a smaller wet cooked meal, I give him a different kibble or a wet tin food or his cooked rissoles mashed up with sweet potato for his smaller meals 12pm & 8pm…

With your pup just feed him 1 kibble that agrees with him & he does the best on for 6-9 months while he’s growing, don’t try any new kibbles yet unless he starts doing sloppy poo’s, then later on you keep this kibble as his main kibble & his go to kibble if he starts doing sloppy poos/diarrhea, only give new foods as a treat to start with.
Patch does real well on his TOTW Roasted Lamb, so he gets his TOTW feed as main meals at 7am & 5pm then for the smaller meals lunch-12pm & second dinner-8pm he gets 1/3 cup of another kibble that I know agrees with him or wet tin or cooked meal or I change it around & feed his TOTW for the smaller meals it all depends how he’s doing that day if he’s well or has his pancreas/stomach pain then he just eats his TOTW kibble….
After 4-5 yrs I have a pretty good idea what agrees with Patch, I introduced the new Hills D/D Venison & Potato vet diet 3 months ago, we just got the Hills D/D Venison in Australia, it’s the only vet diet that agrees with Patch & he doesn’t itch & get yeasty smelly paws & skin & helps his IBD, it’s high in omega 3, helps with digestion & stool quality when they start doing bigger poo’s helps with his skin, it’s gluten & grain free & I know 100% that the only intact meat protein is venison from new Zealand.. so if he has a IBD flare I now have a vet diet that I can fall back onto but he gets a bit of acid reflux some times I think cause the fat is 16.3% & the higher omega 3 oils, so the TOTW is still his go to kibble that helps his IBD, I just wanted another kibble as well just in case something ever happens, I now have 2 kibbles, I also have his Canidae Pure Wild boar but it’s higher in Kcals per cup over 400 Kcals per cup & Patch seems to get his pancreas or stomach pain when a kibble is over 370 Kcals per cup & if the protein is over 28%, so I only feed the Canidae Pure Wild now for one of his smaller meals some days, his smaller meals lunch & 2nd dinner…..Patch eats 4 meals a day..
I cook fresh pumkin & sweet potato for Patch & freeze 20-30 gram size pieces & I take 1 piece pumkin or sweet potato out & 1 x 1/2 cup size pork rissole & leave in fridge the night before to thaw over night & feed as a small meal, if your pup does well on boiled pumkin then I’d cook some chicken breast cut into small pieces or buy some lean turkey mince make into small 1/2 cup size rissoles balls just add 1 whisked egg, mix & then bake rissoles in oven, cool then freeze & take out when needed & take out some pumkin or sweet potato pieces & make a small snack meal, this is how I started introducing foods to Patch after we found out he has IBD, I’d still feed the kibble that agreed with Patch for breakfast & dinner & the small meal was the new food meal, I was trying to see what agreed with him without upsetting his stomach/bowel, take little baby steps, also try giving new foods as a treat, make sure it’s the same food for the month if he seems to do well then you’ll know he can eat that food, keep a diary….. if your pup does well on pumkin then look for kibbles with sweet potato & potato..
What kibble is he doing well on? read the fat% protein% & fiber% & Kcals per cup & what are the ingredients…try & work out why is he doing really good on this kibble??

[Tammie B]

I just did this test and the my dog is allergic or sensitivities to
beef
Lamb
Rabbit
Venison
Chicken/egg
Turkey
COd
Mackerel
Salmon
sweet & reg potato
peas
rice
All Grains
yeast

I’m having a hard time finding a food. They say I need to starve her of carbs cuz of the yeast. Every kibble I find has some sort of something that is on her bad list. He can have pork, bison, buffalo, llama, duck, emi, goose, ostrich, qual, anchovy, haddock, herring, Pollock, sardine, shark, tuna, trout and shellfish. I was going to home cook pork and veggies, but was reading you have to be careful and it has to be balanced. ANy suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[anonymous]

Please do not apply anything to the skin or give over the counter meds intended for humans or give supplements unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.
You could make things much worse and increase the risk of infection.
Hope this helps:
By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service
Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.
Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.
Top pet dermatological issues
Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:
•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.
All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.
Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.
Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).
IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.
The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.
ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.
This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.
When it’s time to see the vet
Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:
•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin
Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Jocelyn L]

Nort Paws
North PawTM Adult is designed to be delicious and easily digestible, which makes mealtime a happy time for your companion. This nutrient-dense formula means your dog gets great nutrition from smaller portions. A very high ratio of quality protein, along with fibre, pre-biotics, omega 3s and anti-oxidants help promote a healthy, active life for your dog. Grain-free and full of goodness, for all the love they have to give.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

Crude Protein (min.) 38.00%
Crude Fat (min.) 21.00%
Crude Fibre (max.) 4.50%
Moisture (max.) 10.00%

CALORIE CONTENT:

Metabolizable Energy (ME*)
= 3805kcal/kg
= 476kcal/cup

INGREDIENTS: Chicken Meal, Fishmeal (Herring), Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Form of Vitamin E), Green Peas, Chickpeas, Sweet Potato, Egg Powder, Apples, Fishoil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Form of Vitamin E), Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Limestone, Chicken Liver, Kelp Meal, DL-Methionine, Kale, Chicory Root, Calcium Propionate, Flaxseed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Choline Chloride, l-Lysine Hydrochloride, Inactivated Yeast, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, l-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Taurine, Vitamin E Supplements, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Zinc Methionine, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Selenite, Manganese Methionine, Copper Lysine, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Sulfate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Spinach, Ginger, Peppermint, Chamomile, Turmeric, Celery Seed, Dried Rosemary.

[Jude N]

Hi all,

Thank you for the replies. As an update, we did take him into the vet. We brought x-rays from his original appointment; the vet didn’t think he needed new images, and was comfortable dx’ing him based on the originals. He said that the old back injury has likely become re-inflamed, and that there’s some thickening around his knee joint. We went home with a 7-day script of Vetprofen, and then a decent amount 1/4 tablets of a painkiller.

I bought a supplement from Chewy. Here are the ingredients:

Active Ingredients Per Chewable Tablet: Glucosamine HCl (Shrimp and Crab) 750 mg Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) 400 mg Chondroitin Sulfate (Porcine) 400 mg Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 100 mg Manganese (Mn Proteinate) 5 mg

Inactive Ingredients: allspice, brewers yeast, chicken liver flavor, nutmeg, silicon dioxide, stearic acid.

He eats 1/2 a tab at a time. I smash it into a powder and mix it into his breakfast, which is usually just raw tripe.

He seems to be doing a little better. He’s definitely stiff in the mornings.

We’ve had some back and forth with him not seeming very hungry, which is very unlike him, but I’m curious if it’s just because I switched from beef to pork…and he prefers beef above everything else.

I’m going to make another thread in one of the health boards with a couple of additional q’s…not sure how stringent you guys are here about keeping topics in the correct board.

I’m definitely going to look into the green-lipped mussels!!

[aimee]

Hi A,
The yeast on dogs skin is Malassezia which is a fat loving yeast, not a carbohydrate loving yeast. In fact you can supply certain strains of Malassezia with all the carbohydrate they want and they won’t grow because they need fat. It is odd that people recommend not to feed carbohydrates as it “feeds the yeast” but they don’t also recommend not to feed fat because it “feeds the yeast.” Both recommendations are equally silly. Yeast resides outside the body so what you put into the intestinal tract isn’t going to influence its growth unless the dog has a cutaneous food reaction ( allergy) to the ingredient.

Ehrstrom 2006 actually investigated the idea that high carb contributes to Candida in woman and found glucose levels in secretions didn’t change after ingesting high glucose loads.

[pitlove]

Ah yeah I had a feeling a Karen Becker post was coming. What a shame that she knowingly perpetuates this myth that carbs feed yeast knowing very well how false that is from her training as a vet.

[A]

Sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, etc convert to sugar and sugar feeds yeast. Brown rice is a complex carb and converts slower.
Grains aren’t always the problem, everyone at my work feeds a grain food and we all have a variety of dogs from little pups to mastiffs,pits, labs, and retrievers. We have more customers on a grain food that have left the grain free world due to the extreme high fat and carb protein sources.

This is out of one of Dr Beckers articles :

Yeast needs sugar as a source of energy. Carbohydrates break down into sugar. Both MDs and veterinarians advise patients with yeast to get the sugars out of their diets.

Dietary sugar isn’t just the white kind added to many pet treats and some pet foods. There are ‘secret,’ hidden forms of sugar that can also feed yeast overgrowth, for instance, honey. Although honey can be beneficial for pets in some cases, it does provide a food source for yeast. So if your dog is yeasty, you’ll need to carefully read his pet food and treat labels and avoid any product containing honey, high fructose corn syrup, and even white potatoes and sweet potatoes.

[Susan]

Hi Ginger,
Sorry its a long post but it’s hard to explain everything in 1-2 paragraphs hopefully some of this information will help your girls itchy skin…
Your girl sounds like my boy who will be 9 yrs old in November, he suffers with IBD, Pancreatitis, environment skin allergies & food sensitivities causing itchy smelly skin,paws, ears, gas & diarrhea, we thought he had diabetes a few months ago cause he was drinking & drinking water but blood test were all fine thank-god, I couldn’t handle another health problem, I feel so sorry for sick animals. 🙁
I wouldn’t try the Cytopoint injections with your dog yet, has your vet explained how Cytopoint works? My vet looked into the Cytopoint injections, she explained once you’ve given the injection it stays in the dogs system up to 6-8 weeks, so if it makes them ill there’s nothing that can be done to reverse any side effects cause Patch reacts to certain medications & it’s a newer drug we don’t have any real research results yet, after a couple of years vets will know more how dogs react that have certain health problems like our dogs have, when the dog is younger & heathier yes I think CADI is the best thing for itchy dogs better the Apoquel, now Apoquel has been out over a few years vets see all the side effects so in a few years when vets have used Cytopoint, they’ll know & can report any bad side effects if there are any?…

My vet said Apopuel doesn’t help when a dog has itchy skin from secondary Malassezia (Yeast) Dermatitis, Apoquel cannot resolve inflammation or treat yeast, she said Apoquel
has helped a few of her dog patients that have IBD but I was to scared to try Apoquel with Patch cause one of the side effects with Apoquel is nausea & vomiting, my vet did have a few dogs that become very sick while taking the Apoquel, so I changed his diet, bathed him weekly to wash off any allergens on his paws & body to relieve his itchy skin paws & I use creams. As they get older the allergies get worse..

They are finding Cytopoint works better then Apoquel for environment allergies & itchy skin, CADI blocks the receptors completely, where Apoquel blocks the reaction from the allergens receptors, there’s a good face book group to join “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” with really good information about CADI & Apoquel.. a lady called Petra that runs the group can explain things better…

I would be changing her diet first, when my Patch was eating the Hills I/d wet & dry formula’s & other foods that had the ingredients he was sensitive too he got his red paws, smelly yeasty itchy skin & that’s only cause he’s a sensitive to the chicken, oats, barley tapioca, corn gluten meal in the I/d vet diet & other foods he was eating, once I remove these allergens he is OK thru the cooler Winter months then when Summer comes he gets his environment allergies so I bath more, I use hydrocortisone 1% cream to relieve the itch & feed treats that are high in omega 3 fatty acid like K-9 Natural freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels, ask your vet can your try the Royal Canine HP wet tin food the fat is 2.5% you’ll have to email or ring Royal Canine & ask them what is the max fat % when converted to dry mater?? it’s probably around 7-8% fat when converted to dry matter (Kibble fat), Hills have already converted all their wet tin foods on their internet site, I wish other pet food companies did the same cause people don’t no this & read 5%-fat on a wet tin foods or raw foods & think the fat % is low when 5% fat is around 20% fat when converted to dry matter, the Australian R/C HP is 3.5% in the wet tin food, when converted it was 13% fat, it has the omega 3 oils & everything needed for skin problems, or I’d say look at the R/C selected proteins formula’s PR-Rabbit & Potato or PD-Duck & Potato or PV-Venison & Potato but the R/C in the wet tin wet tin foods the fat is too high for Pancreatitis 4-5% when converted to dry matter is around 15-20% fat but the dry R/C select proteins kibbles are lower in fat at 10%max but your feed wet tin..

Have you joined the “Canine Pancreatitis Support ” Face Book group,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
join & look in their “Files” there’s 2 links “Low Fat Food” click on the first link & scroll down, all the low fat wet tin foods come up, on your right there’s the converted fat %, it’s been converted to dry matter fat % also read the ingredients in the Hills Wet tin food she is eating at the moment, try & avoid those some of those ingredients if you can, she is probably sensitive to a few ingredients in the I/d wet tin formula’s, that’s why I recommended the Royal Canine vet diet HP wet tin it’s a Hypoallergenic formula, your dog shouldn’t react & itch to any of the ingredients but Patch got acid reflux from the fish oil & his poos were soft but he always does softer poos when he eats wet tin foods, that’s why I feed 5 small meals a day 2 meals are cooked meal or a wet tin food & the other 3 meals are a kibble & his poos stay firm…
“Canidae” makes a really good small easy to digest grain free kibble, that’s low in fat 10.80%max called Canidae,Pure Meadow Senior grain free page 3 & Canidae Life Stages Platinum less active has grains page 4, https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products….
It can take anywhere from 1 day up to 6 weeks for a dog to react to an ingredient & start scratching get yeasty smell paws. ears, skin gas & sloppy poos….Patch only reacts 15-20mins after he eats chicken he starts itching & scratching, gets red paws but with some ingredients in a kibble he takes about 5-14 days to start reacting with smelly yeasty skin paws & ears, carrots cause itchy smell ears.
Look for proteins like Rabbit, Venison, Pork, Duck & kangaroo in wet grain free tin foods, kangaroo is a lean novel protein & your dog probably hasn’t eaten much of the Kangaroo before. Can your girl eat a kibble even if you only feed 1 of her meals kibble then the rest of her meals wet tin food.

[Susan]

Hi Tammy, Sweetie is nilly the same age my boy, he’s turning 9 in November they both will be turning 63yrs old….I’m going thru something similar at the moment with my boy who has IBD, skin allergies & food intolerances…The Hills & Royal Canine vet diets for Kidney Care & dissolving crystals are too high in fat for my boy & have ingredients that Patch can’t eat, he gets yeasty smelly skin, paws & ears when he eats, chicken, corn starch, wheat, corn gluten meal, barley & carrots…
Are you feeding the wet tin c/d or the dry c/d kibble? I’ve noticed the Wet tin vet diets have better ingredients & may not have the ingredients Sweetie is sensitive too, go on face book there’s 2 groups “Canine Kidney Disease” & Canine Kidney Disease Support group” a few people are feeding “Dave’s” pet food, Restricted diet protein low Phosphorus farmland blend in sauce wet tin, Honest Kitchen Keen, some are feeding raw or cooked diets &
a few people have been recommending Dr Harvey, he’s a Nutritionist that must do special diets for dogs with a few health problems, I haven’t had time to check out his site yet, join the f/b groups & read thru the post, you’ll probably get more info from people going thru the same health problems with their dogs…a lot are feeding the Hills K/D or C/d Multicare wet tin food..
I’m still waiting on test results from sterile urine that was taken the other day, I feel so sorry for my boy, he never seems to get a break, he starts doing really well then we have another health problem…. Good-Luck working out the best diet….. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1422252261408967/

[Susan]

H Barbara, sounds like he has a food intolerance to an ingredient in the Hills Metabolic + Mobility dry vet formula your feeding, my boy is the same the vet diet fixes one health problem his IBD but then my boy gets his red paws & smelly itchy yeasty skin from a few ingredients in the vet formula…. with my boy it’s the chicken, barley, corn gluten meal, corn starch, carrots & whole corn that causes his yeasty smelly skin & ears, some dogs are fine & don’t have food sensitivities to these ingredients…
Just feed the Metabolic + Mobility Vegetable Tuna Stew, it doesn’t have the chicken meal, wheat, or whole corn, but it has the corn starch….The wet tin food vet diets always have better ingredients then the matching dry formula, there’s also a vegetable & beef stew, if you take back the bag of Hills kibble they will give your money back & just feed the Beef & Tuna wet tin foods….see how he goes, now you need a shampoo for his itchy yeasty skin, I use the “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, it can be used daily & relieves the itch & kills any yeast & bacteria on the skin….
A few people say the “Wellness” Core Reduced Fat is pretty good for losing weight, it has the matching wet food as well, Wellness make a few different formulas here’s their link..
There’s even weight management formula’s in their Simple & Complete Health range

For Dogs

[Tammy J]

Hi All,
I think this is a great forum. I’m hoping some folks can help me find the best food for my Sweetie. She is turning 9 in September. She is a shorkie (shih tzu/yorkie) She weighs about 15 pounds. She developed bladder stones about a year ago. The vet treated her with medicine and switched her food to urinary SO. The stones actually dissolved, no surgery needed. However, I was told she would need prescription food for the rest of her life. I was previously feeding her primal freeze dried nuggets. They said raw diets are the worst choice. Sweetie has always had allergies, and she did great on raw. She’s been super itchy and eating her feet since changing food. She’s developed a bladder infection and we are now on Hills urinary c/d. She’s licked her paws raw and developed a yeast infection (didn’t know that was possible on a paw) and is on medication for that. I understand that the prescription food has a reduced amount of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. I’ve read some not great things about Hills food. Sweetie has never been a big drinker, the other thing to prevent the crystals from coming back. She also benefits from glucosamine for her stiff joints. While researching senior foods, they seem so high in the minerals. Any ideas on the best food for keeping Sweetie healthy and happy? I wouldn’t mind making homemade, since we only have one dog. Thanks for your help!

[Susan]

Hi,
I bet your dog is feeling heaps healthier & probably is looking healthier from eating a raw diet…..Yes feed 2 meals a day even 3 meals a day if she seems real hungry, just take a bit from the morning meal & dinner & feed as another small meal, space the feed times out, say 7am 1pm 6pm, so her body gets into a routine & feed the same time everyday, the brain learns, hey she’s going to eat same time & the body does not store any fat when we eat the same time daily, this is why people gain weight so easily, they don’t eat the same time everyday & their body stores fat… also eating more smaller meals thru the day is better then eating 2 larger meals….

When I put my boy on a raw diet he was also very hungry & wanted more, after eating a dry kibble diet all his life that is full of fillers & carbs makes them feel fuller for longer, a raw diet digests easier & quicker & doesn’t sit in the stomach like a kibble does…….
It’s sounds like your girl loves her new diet & she wants more…lol her body will get use to eating a raw diet, you could add some blended pulped veggies to her meals to make her feel fuller ….
I made my own raw balanced diet & blended, peeled carrot, broccoli, celery & apple, I added 2 spoons of the blended veggie mix to 1 cup of grounded kangaroo mince, (my boy has food sensitivities) you can freeze the blended veggie mix in an ice cube tray cover with cling wrap & freeze, just take out of freezer 15mins before feeding time, it thaws very quickly also sweet potatoes you peel then thinly slice the sweet potatoes & bake in the oven…. google natural healthy dog treats, you might find another recipe to make natural healthy treats a lot of people buy a dehydrator & dehydrates their own meat, veggies & make fresh jerky treats for their dogs…. you can do in the oven but oven needs to on very low heat & takes a while….

When a dog is doing smelly farts this can be a food sensitivities/food intolerances, when a dog is sensitive to an ingredient it causes toxic gasses in the bowel, a dog should fart but it shouldn’t smell bad & clear a room. You’ll need to stop all the different proteins & start again, just feed 1 protein for 4-6weeks & see if she’s still doing smelly farts, it can take from 1 day up to 6 weeks to react to certain ingredients, my boy reacts pretty much straight away, he gets red paws, itchy ears, itchy smelly yeasty skin & farts real bad, when he eats something he’s sensitive too… once I worked out what he can’t eat (chicken, barley, wheat, corn & carrots, carrots made his ear smell & itch 20mins after eating a meal with carrots) & removed these ingredients he was good, no smelly farts no more, just watch your girl after she eats what she ate when the farts start, start feeding 1 novel protein if you can get kangaroo that’s a lean novel protein & just feed the Kangaroo & 2-4 blended fruit & veggies & add meaty raw kangaroo bone 3 times a week….
Are you feeding pre-made raw? look for a pre-made raw diet with limited ingredients that have novel proteins, like kangaroo, rabbit, venison, goat proteins she hasn’t really eaten before, also start reading the ingredient list & see is there a common ingredient when she doing bad smelly farts, her gut would of had time to a just to the raw diet she’s been eating a raw diet 3 months now, she’s probably eating ingredient she’s sensitive too….

[Susan]

Hi Brain,
buy some “Malaseb” Medicated shampoo & bath weekly to wash off any allergens that may be on paws & skin, Malaseb is excellent for itchy skin, red paws, yeasty smelly skin, environment allergies & is mild enough to use daily….

Have a look at “Canidae” they also make “Under The Sun” a cheaper range of dog formula’s, there’s Under The Sun, Puppy formula with healthy ingredients, page 1, bottom right..
I think it’s Ok to feed a growing large breed pup a kibble that has healthy grains, like brown rice, oatmeal etc & also has potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, blueberries, beans, carrots etc grain free ingredients as well, I don’t know what these kibbles are called they have both, I’ve noticed a lot of large breed puppy formula’s don’t have the bad old ingredients like corn, wheat, gluten meal & soy but will have healthy grains now…
there’s Canidae Pure Foundations puppy grain free, page 3, top left
then there is Canidae’s new vet formulated All Life Stages, Large Breed, Turkey Meal & Brown Rice formula on page 4, bottom right…..
or there’s Canidae Life Stages large breed puppy, Duck Meal, Brown Rice & Lentils page 5
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

I would look for 2 large breed kibbles that both are different brands & have a different protein & rotate between the two…..A rotational diet allows a better chance of providing a more complete & balanced diet…..This is particularly important for young animals, the idea is that by allowing short exposure to a wider variety of protein types, the immune system is primed to a larger range of potential allergens which strengthen the immune system & may reduce the risk of allergies or symptoms developing….
I feed 1 brand kibble for breakfast & I feed a different brand & protein kibble for dinner..

[anonymous]

This topic comes up so frequently that I thought I would post this article from LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, it stresses the importance of an accurate diagnosis being the first step in treatment.
“This is the reason that we encourage diagnosis of the underlying cause of the allergy and more specific or less potentially harmful treatments”.

Introduction
Coping with an itchy pet can be an extremely frustrating experience for you, the pet owner and can truly test the limits of the human-animal bond.  Persistent scratching and chewing by the pet can also result in self-excoriation and open wounds.  The following information is intended to provide the pet owner with a basic understanding of the most common underlying causes of itching and allergies in the small animal.
 
The Most Common Causes of Chronic Itching
The common causes fall into two groups: external parasites and allergies.  External parasites that most commonly cause chronic itching dermatitis include fleas and sarcoptic mange.  We often recommend therapeutic trials for sarcoptic mange in chronically and severely itchy dogs.  We always recommend stepped-up flea control and monitoring for fleas, as flea infestation can really make allergy worse!
 
What are allergies?
Allergy is a state of hypersensitivity in which exposure to a harmless substance known as an allergen induces the body’s immune system to “overreact”.  The incidence of allergies is increasing in both humans and their pets.  People with allergies usually have “Hay Fever” ( watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing) or asthma. While dogs can rarely also have respiratory allergies, more commonly they experience the effects of allergic hypersensitivities as skin problems.  Though there are a variety of presentations, this can often be seen as redness and itching, recurring skin or ear infections, and hair loss.  This is sometimes called ‘eczema’ or atopic dermatitis.  

What are the Major Types of Allergies in Dogs?
Flea Allergy
Flea allergic dermatitis is the most common skin disease in dogs and cats.  For the flea allergic patient, 100% flea control is essential for the pet to remain symptom-free.  “But doctor, I never see fleas on my pet.”
 
You may not see them, but that does not mean they are not there.  The allergy is caused by the flea’s saliva, and it only takes a few bites to induce the problem.  Also, the itchy pet often scratches so much that adult fleas are removed, making them hard to find.  “If fleas are the problem, why is my pet still itchy in the winter.” – In warm climates like we have Louisiana, fleas may survive in low numbers year-round.  Because flea allergy is so common, we recommend that complete flea control be instituted before proceeding with diagnostics for other allergies and that year-round flea control be maintained for all allergy patients.

Food Allergy
Some pets develop specific hypersensitivities to components of their diets.  The allergen usually is a major protein or carbohydrate ingredient such as beef, chicken, pork, corn, wheat, or soy.  Minor ingredients such as preservatives or dyes are also potential allergens.  The diagnosis of food allergy requires that we test your pet by feeding special strict diets that contain only ingredients that he has never eaten before. This is often achieved by feeding a prescription diet for a period of 10 – 16 weeks.  If the signs resolve, a challenge is performed by feeding the former diet and watching for a return of the itching.  If this occurs, a diagnosis of food allergy is confirmed.  

Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inherited predisposition to develop skin problems from exposure to variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances including the pollens of weeds, grasses and trees, as well as house dust mites and mold spores.  Diagnosis of AD is made based on the results of intradermal skin testing or by in vitro blood testing.  Skin testing is the preferred method; small injections of many different allergens are made in the skin on the pet’s side, under light sedation.  Observation of the reactions helps us compile a list of allergens for a “vaccine” that is made to decrease the pet’s sensitivity.  Sometimes multiple skin and/or blood tests are necessary to accurately assess the patient’s allergies.

Secondary Infections
Allergies are often the underlying cause of recurring skin and/or ear.  Bacterial and yeast infections, though secondary to the allergy, can cause an increase in your pet’s level of itching. Long term treatment with antibiotics and anti-yeast medications is commonly required, along with medicated bathing programs.

Can allergies be cured?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for allergy and it is usually a life-long problem. We seek to control allergy and improve the quality of life for both you and your pet.  We will formulate the best program of management that suits all involved with your pet’s care.  

Can I have the itching treated without the expense of diagnostic testing?
Symptomatic drug therapy can help to reduce itching.  Steroids, such as prednisone tablets, in particular, are often employed to stop the itch.  However, without addressing the underlying cause, the itching will return.  Long term use of steroids can result in many health problems.  This is the reason that we encourage diagnosis of the underlying cause of the allergy and more specific or less potentially harmful treatments.
– See more at: http://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/veterinary_hospital/services/dermatology/patient_information/allergies_in_dogs.php#sthash.tAEI8WbV.dpuf

[noelle o]

I do not personally make my own vegan dog food…there are recipies out there. I buy my dog vet approved vegan kibble…benevo uk supplier in the current case…royal canin canada etc etc …details on the website links I provided I suggest looking to those links to get more details on the contents of different vegan petfoods. http://vegan-information.com/Vegan_Dogs_and_Cats.html my Benevo vegan dogfood details are on their website here…★ Wheat-free Recipe
★ No GM Ingredients
★ Certified Organic
★ Contains Prebiotic FOS
★ Foil Fresh Packaging

Composition: Organic soya bean, organic white rice, organic barley, organic oats, organic sunflower oil, brewers yeast, beet pulp, vitamins and minerals, fructooligosaccharides (prebiotic FOS; min. 0.1%), yucca schidigera extract (min. 0.05%)
Analytical Constituents: Protein 20%, Fat Content 12%, Crude Fibre 4.0%, Ash 3.5%, Moisture 8%.
Additives per Kg: Nutritional Additives: Vitamins; Vitamin A (as retinyl acetate) 17,224 IU, Vitamin D2 (as ergocalciferol) 2,392 IU, Vitamin E 120 IU. Trace Elements: Iron (as Ferrous Sulphate Monohydrate) 159 mg, Zinc (as Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate) 133 mg, Manganese (as Manganous Sulphate Monohydrate) 105 mg, Copper (as Cupric Sulphate Pentahydrate) 45 mg, Selenium (as Sodium Selenite) 0.6 mg, Iodine (as Calcium Iodate Anhydrous) 1.5 mg, Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) 6.54%, Linolenic Acid (Omega 3) 0.46%. http://www.benevo.com/vegan-dog-food/#benevo-dog-organic

[HoundMusic]

“Just an idea – Everything I read tells you that yeast is caused by sugar and starch turns into sugar. And what foods are high in starch? Potatoes! Try taking her off starchy foods. ”

Yeast is not caused by sugar; however, sugar is a food source for yeast. That being said, the myth that carbs will cause a yeast infection is a perfect example of how correlation does not mean causation. Yeast may require carbs to survive, but so does every other healthy cell in the body. When yeast or bacterial infections are chronic, it normally signals a deeper problem going on, namely, an autoimmune or hormonal issue. Speaking personally, as someone with severe hypothyroidism, “yeast starving diets” may kill off some of the nasty little buggers, but the dietary deficiency of complex carbohydrates will only further sicken the “host” and worsen the underlying condition.

Thyroid issues are a major cause of recurrent yeast infections in animals and humans. Even if thyroid is borderline low, it depresses the immune system and the will yeast multiply like rabbits.

Some of the worst bacterial/yeasty ears I have ever seen were on dogs fed prey model raw. Many, many years ago, I had a Shepherd mix who developed a recurrent infection several months after being placed on a zero carb raw diet. In that instance, he had one weepy, disgusting ear for the rest of his life, and was on every ear treatment imaginable. There were no deformities, etc. of the inner ear, either. I went back to raw for some unfathomable reason about 3 years ago, and several of my older dogs developed ear infections, amongst a plethora of other issues. from about 2014-2016, I was pumping their ears full of different meds, even the steroidal Zymox. One poor old hound couldn’t even properly aroooo without flapping his head to and fro 🙁 Two months on a moderate grain home-cooked diet, and voila! Ear/eye/rotted teeth conditions begin clearing up without the use of medications. Even my dog with hypothyroidism/cancer got well enough to be weaned off thyroid supplementation.

So I don’t buy that lowering the carbs is a solution for yeasty ears. Instead, get to the bottom of what is causing the dog to be unable to ward off the infections – is it a hormonal imbalance, an autoimmune disease, a systemic bacterial infection or food/environmental allergy running down the immune system?

[Susan]

Hi Randy just read post about the bad gas farts, yes bad farts will be from food intolerances/sensitivities, you need to work out what foods are causing the bad gas, Patch did the same when I got him, in the end we did food elimination diet, he cant eat, Barley, Oats, Corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, Wheat, Beet Pulp causes bad gas & wind pain, Chicken makes his paws red, itch & skin smells real yeasty, carrots make his ears smell & itch, look for brands I have mentioned in post above, these brands have limited ingredients, read the ingredient list & pick a formula that has the least ingredients like the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb or Canidae Pure Wild Boar…. both brands are money back guaranteed..
Less is best when they have sensitive stomach & then slowly introduce another brand that’s a different protein, around the fat, protein & fiber %……the immune system strengthens get stronger tolerating different foods, people feed 1 brand & same formula for years, then you have a dog that starts reacting to these ingredients, best to rotate between a few different brands & proteins, even if you feed Lamb for Winter months & fish for the Spring/Summer months…fish formula’s are normally higher in Omega 3 fatty acids but I wouldn’t fed a fish kibble all year round here’s why…
http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/pet-food/

Socializing takes time, take her on daily walks, same time, same route everyday & she will get to meet the same dogs everyday, Patch is good with other dogs except when the other dog shows any signs of aggression & a ball is involved, not a good mix, I’ve had a few mini heart attacks, how quick a fight can happen, so best to carry a water bottle on walks, buy the water bottles you twist the top open & close & can squeeze the water out & it squirts, the kids school bottle are good, if one dog locks onto another dog, spray the water into the dogs eyes & up their nose, the dog will let go to take a breath, then re bite, so pull dogs apart straight away…. learn to read a dogs “body language”, this way you’ll know if the approaching dog is a happy go lucky dog & will say hello, sniff bums & walk off or if he’s a nasty dog?? the ear’s go pinned back, mouth top lip start to go up, fur along spine starts rising, the tail stands straight up & back or tail goes down means dog is scared & stress, there’s always a sign just before a dog attacks, a dog can read another dog in 3 seconds, so you have to be quick reading both dogs, I use a harness when walking Patch, you have more control as the harness goes across their chest & back, easier to pull them back, harnesses are also good for walking dogs that pull, like Patch did when I first got him, when a dog isn’t walked much they normally pull & get over excited….. Good-Luck

[aimee]

Hi Kristen,

This myth that carbohydrate in the diet feeds yeast has proven to be a hard one to crack. While I have found certain people state that it is true I’ve never found a reference in the published scientific literature to support that idea. If you have a link to such a publication I’d love to see it.

As PitLove said, Mallassezia is a fat loving yeast. With some strains, you can offer it all the sugar it could possible want but if you don’t give it fat it simply won’t grow well or dies off, offer it fat and the growth takes off.

Besides the fact that Mallassezia prefers fat to grow there is simply no mechanism through which higher dietary levels of carbohydrate would lead to higher levels of carbohydrate on the surface of the skin to “feed” the yeast as they live outside the body. If you have an explanation I’d love to hear it.

Read through Masuda et al 2000 Study of Lipid in the ear canal in Canine Otitis Externa with Mallassezia pachydermatis. Some interesting findings are the difference in the amount of fatty acids in the ear wax between breed and the correlation with yeast.

[InkedMarie]

I have a dog who had recurrent yeast ear infections. For him, the only thing that worked was a raw diet, one with no produce. I used Zymox when he had an infection. I would not breed this dog nor would I have bred her mom (unless she had the issue after she had a litter).

Good luck!

[pitlove]

Hi Kristen-

I do understand how some people, even veterinary professionals might have come to that conclusion since what you’re saying can be true for Candida yeast (gut), however Malassezia yeast that lives on the surface of the skin is not effected by starch. Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, not starch loving. And not dietary fat, think oils on the skin. You simply can’t make yeast work differently than it does despite even the most well meaning opinion.

Also regarding the sugar arguement. Don’t forget, glucose is needed by the body to survive. It will convert other nutrients into glucose whether fed carbs/starch or not.

The dog in my avatar has food sensitivities and we were able to keep his yeast under control with a kibble that was almost 50% carbs/starch. He is doing excellent on it. Far better than when I was fooled by Karen Beckers advice of simply avoiding carbs and not actually finding out what was causing the yeast. His immune system was suppressed by his allergies and caused the yeast bloom. Once we figured out a food he could eat, the yeast stopped. Only time he gets it now is when his seasonal allergies hit around this time of year.

[Kristen L]

We’ll have to agree to disagree 🙂 Although, the part about the immune system I know is true enough. It takes the perfect storm I believe. But once the yeast becomes out of control, the sugar in foods definitely feeds it making it worse.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Kristen L.

[pitlove]

Hi Kristen-

It really stinks that this myth about starch causing yeast is still floating around the internet! It does nothing to help owners with yeast issues since that is not what causes it. Food only causes yeast when the dog is allergic/sensitive to an ingredient and their immune system is compromised. The amount or kinds of starches in a food have nothing to do with it.

[Kristen L]

Just an idea – Everything I read tells you that yeast is caused by sugar and starch turns into sugar. And what foods are high in starch? Potatoes! Try taking her off starchy foods. They have to put some starch/carbs in dry food to keep it together, but potatoes are high starch. Sweet potatoes are better than white, but still high. Take her off potatoes for starters, and Google the glycemic index for dogs foods. The chart will list from high to low. Peas are low as is tapioca. Raw, of course, is best. You can eliminate all sugar that way. Also, if you haven’t tried it already (I’ve read that vets prescribe it), order some T8 keto solution on Amazon. It worked amazing for my boy and his chronic yeast infections. It dries it all up and goes all the way down inside. His ears have been good for months. NO POTATOES.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Kristen L.

[Susan]

Hi Tiffany, yeasty ears can be from an ingredient your dog is sensitive too & you haven’t eliminated it from her diet yet even thought you have changed kibbles there may be any ingredient she is very sensitive too, here’s a link “Facts & Myths Yeast Dermatitis” written by 2 Dermatologist Karen Helton Rhodes, have you seen a Dermatologist yet??
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs scroll down & read the section about “CARF” Cutaneous Adverse Reaction Food

I would start a raw elimination diet this way she isn’t eating a dry kibble & isn’t eating the same ingredients that’s in most dry kibbles, my boy can NOT eat carrots he starts shaking his head, scratching his ears, ripping at his ears 20mins after eating a meal that had carrots also chicken is another ingredient my boy reacts too badly…..

I rescued a 5mth old kitten that had a real bad mite infestation the RSPCA treated her ears killed the mites but then when I adopted her she was still shacking & scratching her ears, I took her back to RSPCA vet & they did ear scrap & she had bad infection from the mites, so they gave me drops to put in her ears twice a day & I had to come back in 1 week, another ear scrap & she still had ear infection so I had to continue with the antibiotic ear drops twice a day for another week, she was eating Hills Kitten dry food at the time, the Hills Kitten kibble was given to me when I adopted her, after 6 vet visits & antibiotic ear drops & ear cleaners the infection cleared up but she still had itchy skin & would scratch whole body, so I stopped the Hills dry kibble & tried a grain free Wellness Kitten kibble she was still scratching then I started her on a pre made raw cat diet & Ziwi Peak air dried raw Mackerel & Lamb 2 weeks later NO MORE scratching & ripping at her ears & skin…. Stop feeding dry kibble, either feed a raw diet with 1 single novel protein source or try a Freeze dry raw with just 1 novel protein a protein she hasn’t eaten before Rabbit, Kangaroo, Lamb, Pork, Ziwi Peak has their air dried raw or wet tin food raw
If this doesn’t help after 2months no treats no other foods except her raw or freeze dried diet, then book to see a Dermatologist & tell the Dermatologist what you have tried….
It might be environment allergies but I doubt it, ears are normally food related…..
Good-Luck it would be very uncomfortable for her…

[tiffany e]

Hi there,

I have been breeding English labs for over 20 years and this is a first to this degree. I have a beautiful 2 year old girl that has ongoing yeast in her ears, more so in one ear. 3 vets, 1 surgery and over $1000 later she is still miserable. She has been prescribed everything including a homemade cocktail of ear drops, all antibiotics, etc. Her mom had similar problems but it went away after first treatment. This just wont go away. I have changed her diet to limited ingredients, like sweet potato’s and salmon grain free kibble. Still nothing. I don’t want to keep her on steroids as I know the damage it can cause. I just want her to be my happy lab girl again. Please help me help her?????
Thank you!!!!!

[zcRiley]

The only brand I found close to that perfect formula in kibble is the Zignature line of dog food. It’s void of the most common potential canine allergens which are corn, wheat, soy, dairy, and chicken, plus is gluten free. They do use legumes (sorry!). My boys are gastrointestinally sensitive to every ingredient in other brands, we’ve went thru the entire 5 star list. Ingredients like eggs, potatoes or brewers yeast is in everything. If there’s a kibble better than this, I’d love to know about it!

For breeding females, Primal’s freeze dried nuggets are beneficial but very expensive.

[Rachel K]

Hello I was wondering on people’s opinion of this RC variety of food.

I’m from Australia and I’ve noticed that the “Endurance 4800” sold here appears to be different to the ones I’ve seen sold overseas. I don’t feed RC (the dry food I feed is a grain free brand called Ivory Coat; lamb/kangaroo 36% min protein 18% min fat; highest protein kibble I’ve seen in Australia) but this variety intrigues me because its one of the higher protein kibbles’ available in aus and definitely the highest fat.

This is what the composition is listed as on the Australian website:

COMPOSITION: dehydrated poultry protein, animal fats, rice, vegetable protein isolate*, hydrolysed animal proteins, beet pulp, vegetable fibres, fish oil, minerals, soya oil, psyllium husks and seeds (1%), marigold extract (source of lutein), hydrolysed yeast (source of manno-oligo-saccharides (0.2%)), hydrolysed crustaceans (source of glucosamine), hydrolysed cartilage (source of chondroitin). ADDITIVES (per kg): Nutritional additives: Vitamin A: 22300 IU, Vitamin D3: 1000 IU, Vitamin E: 700mg, E1 (Iron): 48 mg, E2 (Iodine): 4.8 mg, E4 (Copper): 15 mg, E5 (Manganese): 62 mg, E6 (Zinc): 187 mg, E8 (Selenium): 0.09 mg – Technological additives: Clinoptilolite of sedimentary origin: 10g – Preservatives – Antioxidants. ANALYTICAL CONSTITUENTS: Protein: 32%, Fat content: 30%, Crude ash: 8.1% *L.I.P.: Protein selected for its very high assimilation.

Thoughts are appreciated 🙂

I hope this post is allowed

[Dana F]

I had my adult Collie on the Orijen Red and Six Fish (Canadian version) and he thrived on that food. I was so impressed and so was my dog. I did try the U.S. version of Orijen and I hate to say it but initially my Collie refused to eat it and when he finally did he suffered from stomach cramps and diarrhea.

Fortunately, I had ordered Horizon Legacy in anticipation of problems with Orijen since I had read so many reviews where owners reported both vomiting and diarrhea. As soon as I switched him to the Horizon Legacy, with no transition, his digestive issues stopped and stools were firm. Plus he loves the food!

He’s been on Horizon Legacy for several months now and his coat is still shiny, soft, no yeast smell in the ears and his allergies have not re-emerged.

I’m very disappointed with Orijen but I am happy to have discovered a replacement that is working well for my Collie.

[Susan]

Hi Matt,
Sounds like your dog has Seasonal Environment Allergies & Food Intolerances. My boy has both, his vet said if they have food sensitivities they normally will have some type of environment allergies as well… as soon as I read your post about his hives on his legs, tail & abdomen I knew environment allergies probably from grass, tree or plants pollens, that’s what Patch gets as soon as Spring starts, my vet said, keep a dairy & as the years pass you’ll start to see a pattern & I did every spring Patch has itchy hives all over his body & face/head, red paws when he walks on wet morning grass, a yeasty smelly mess, but thru the cooler Winter months he’s pretty good, no itchy skin or red paws as long as he doesn’t walk on wet grass or eat any foods he’s sensitive too, Winter we get a break,…
Baths are the best thing you can do, bath as soon as he’s real bad with his hives & itchy skin, give him a bath, I do weekly baths now but I was bathing every 2nd 3rd day at one stage, I use a medicated shampoo “Malaseb” medicated shampoo it’s mild & can be used daily & kills any bacteria, yeast on the skin & keeps their skin nice, moist & soft, when you bath your washing off any allergens, pollens & dirt that’s on their skin, I also use creams on his paws, head around chin & around tail & bum area when he’s bum surfing on my rug, “Sudocrem” is excellent it stops his itchy bum within mins of applying it, Sudocrem is a healing cream for Nappy Rash, Eczema, Dermatitis, Pressure Sore etc, sold in the baby section at any Supermarket or Chemist, the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects their skin especially their paws & where their skin is red/pink on stomach area & back of legs, I’d love to show a before & after photo’s after a lady applied the Sudocrem to her dogs red stomach, it’s posted on the Dog issues allergies F/B group link below. I also use Hydrocortisone 1% cream at night I check Patches whole body before bed & if something is still red like in between his toes, I get a cotton tip & thinly apply some Hydrocortisone 1% cream, when he wakes up in the morning all his paws are nice & pink all clear again, you can put on socks & bandage around the paws to stop any licking as licking makes things worse, best to bath the paws in Malaseb & dry them off then apply the Sudocrem,

The only way to know what foods your boy is sensitive too & can eat, is to do a “Food Elimination Diet”… you can use a vet diet like “Royal Canine” Hypoallergenic wet tin food, then once your dog is doing well & not reacting start adding 1 new ingredient to the R/C HP wet food, every 6 weeks add 1 new ingredient, no treats or any extra things are to be feed while your doing an elimination food diet, it can take a dog 1 day up to 6 weeks to react to an ingredient & show symptoms, that’s why sometimes you’ll start a new food & think your dog is doing really well then 3-4 weeks later he’ll start reacting to an ingredient in the new kibble…
Probably half the foods you think he’s sensitive too he isn’t..
I tested & added ingredients that are in the kibbles I wanted to feed… I worked out my boy reacts to chicken, he gets red paws, itchy yeasty smelly skin & itchy bum after I added raw & cooked chicken to his diet, carrots made his ears real itchy & he’d shake his head 20mins after eating the chicken & carrots he reacted, oats & barley made Patches poos very sloppy, I always thought potatoes & peas were causing Patches yeast problems cause potatoes are a high sugar starch but later I learnt a dog will only get yeasty smelly skin, paws & ears if they’re sensitive to a certain ingredient (CARF) or have environment allergies.. Read this link “Myths & Fact about yeast Dermatitis” scroll down to “Carbohydrates & Sugar in your dogs diet. http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs, Dr Karen Helton Rhodes DVM DACVD often pops into this Face Book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” join you’ll learn a lot..
Once you have done the Elimination diet, you’ll know what foods are causing what but its best to do a elimination diet in the cooler months Winter when pollens aren’t as bad as the Spring/Summer months..
Can you cook or feed a raw diet? you’ll have better control with your dogs diet, even if you do what I’m doing, I feed a few meals “Canidae” Pure Wild Boar kibble & the other meals are wet tin food Royal Canine HP wet tin or cooked pork rissoles with sweet potatoes. Patch eats 4-5 meals a day, he has IBD as well, if you join the Face Book group I recommended above https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/
you’ll read some people post their dogs are allergic to mites & the mites are in the dog kibble, or your dog may be allergies to dust mites in your house…. dog allergies starts to get very confusing & as they get older they get worse, but once you get into a routine with weekly or twice a week baths, apply creams, using Huggie baby wipes Coconut oil wipes or Cucumber & Aloe wipes when the dog comes back inside wipe him down days you don’t feel like bathing him & work out his food intolerances.. it gets better..
Here’s a link for Canidae Pure formula’s, the omega 3 is balanced in Canidae kibbles, some brands of kibble are too high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems in dogs.. http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Zignature is another food people say has helped their allergic dog….Make sure your dogs diet is high in Omega 3 it will help with their allergies, ad few sardines to 1 of your dogs meal a day.. buy tin sardines or salmon in spring water also green lipped mussels are good to give as a treat.

[anonymous]

A little high in the calorie department, so you may want to keep an eye on his/her weight
Nutritional Info (per Chewy’s site) Also, add a splash of water, maybe presoak? See what your vet advises.
Ingredients
Salmon, Canola Meal, Brewers Rice, Barley, Oat Meal, Fish Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Salmon Meal, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Inulin, Fish Oil, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Sodium Selenite.
Caloric Content
3,905 kcal/kg, 447 kcal/cup

[Susan]

Hi sb020,
My boy is a Staffy same as your girl got the white fur & pink skin he’s 8 & 1/2 years old now & has IBD, Pancreatitis & Skin Allergies & it has taken me 2-3 years to work out his diet for all his illnesses, I found “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb limited ingredient, single protein kibble helped with his IBD & firmed up his poo’s, he seems to do real good on the TOTW kibble, it only has 338Kcals per cup & TOTW uses Purified water & Patch doesn’t get his Pancreas pain, no acid reflux, no vomiting & no nausea, but the fat is 15%max…. then I tried other kibbles I thought he can handle the TOTW 15% fat kibble but I didn’t realise the Kcals were over 400 Kcals per cup, so that means the kibble is more dense & is harder to digest, he gets his bad Pancreas pain & whinges for me to rub the area where his Pancreas is when he eats kibbles over 380Kcals per cup… also when a kibble was higher in carbohydrates & fiber, over 4%-fiber he gets his acid reflux & Pancreas pain & seems unwell, then I read higher fiber diets aren’t good for dogs with Pancreatitis…..
Now I rotate between a few different foods, I feed 4-5 smaller meals a day, Patch can’t digest 1 cup of kibble all at once, it must start to expand & sit in his stomach & something happens & he start having his pain, so I give about 1/2 cup kibble at 7am, 9am 5pm & then his wet tin vet diets at 12pm & 8pm…. I was cooking for Patch lean pork mince rissoles with a whisked egg, some chopped up broccoli, chopped parsley, a leaf of kale & 1 grated carrot all made into a small round rissole ball & baked in the oven then I boiled some sweet potatoes all cut into 1 spoon size & I’d freeze sections so I just took out the day before & put in the fridge to thaw, I added NAS Digestavite Plus powder to balance the meal but the beginning of this year I changed where I buy my lean pork mince from & the fat must have been higher & Patch started vomiting & vomiting up un digested rissole he got his bad pain right side & was put on the Hills I/D Chicken & Vegetable stew, I think they use chicken & pork liver it doesn’t have as many ingredient & there’s no Beet Pulp like all the other Hills I/D wet formula’s has, he starts his scratching & is a bit itchy but he gets better with his Pancreatitis & like my vet says just bath him twice a week & add his cream….
I do not use any of the Vet diet dry kibbles they are all too hard to digest, I do a simple test, get a glass of very warm water & put about 2 kibbles in the cup/glass, a good easy to digest kibble will float to the top of the water & only take about 15 to 30mins to go soft all the way thru, all the vet diet kibble & other some premium kibbles sink to the bottom & can take up to 3 hours to go soft all the way thru Purina, Sensitive Digestion, Hills vet diets & Royal Canin vet diet kibbles are the worst for digesting & these formula’s are for dogs with intestinal stress ….
When I was feeding kibbles that were hard to digest I didn’t know & poor Patch got his pain, nausea & would sometimes vomit back up all the in digested kibble 4 to 8 hours later, it would say easy to digest on the kibble bag…
“Canidae” is another excellent kibble look at their “All Stages Platinum” has both grains & potatoes but very easy to digest & is around 8-9% in fat, fiber is 4%max, Kcals are 342 per cup & Canidea “Pure Meadow” grain free, 10.80% max fat.. http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
You don’t mention are the foods you feeding wet or dry or both?? was the vet diet the wet tin food & which I/D formula is yoiur girl doing good on? I feed the Hills I/D Chicken & Vegetable stew 156g tin & the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic wet tin food cause Patch has food intolerances, I cant feed certain ingredients he starts getting real yeasty & itchy skin, paws & ears, chicken makes his paws red & skin itch but it doesn’t bother his stomach & bowel & cause any Intestinal stress, so I rotate when something has chicken in it & he only gets it a few days then I stop & feed the Royal Canin HP wet tin food, you may find it easier to go thru a Nutritionist to make a special diet & use “Balance it” to balance the meals.
https://secure.balanceit.com/ there’s recipes on this link for Balance it..
Maybe stick with the Hills vet diet for a few meals & feed another brand kibble for the other meals, feed 4 smaller meals a day, like what I’ve been doing with Patch & he’s doing well again…..

If you go on this face book join this group. “Canine Diabetes Support and Information” then look for the “Files” on the left side & click on the 2nd document “CDSI Diabetic food options chart” scroll down to the wet tin foods as some of the kibbles are low in fat BUT are too high in fiber for a dog with Pancreatitis just read the fiber % on any dry kibble you feed & stay around 4% fiber & avoid any weight management/weight loss dry kibbles some are lower in fat but they add more fiber to keep the dog feeling fuller longer….
also when you read the fat on a wet tin food, the fat hasn’t been converted to dry matter (Kibble) the wet tin foods on this chart have all been converted, eg: 11.11% fat DMD there’s a lot of really good wet tin food formula’s if you live in America on this chart….

When you look & read at a wet tin if you read say 4%min fat when you convert 4%min fat that’s around 16-20%max in fat its best to email the food company & ask what is the fat % in ????? when converted to dry matter..

I hope you’ve gotten some good information from my experience with Patch & your girl gets better….

[Donna B]

Thanks for the replies! Winston had allergy bloodwork done through the vet’s office, spectrum labs. Can I assume these are correct? If so, even if I ignore the skin and saliva test, Winston has a number of food allergies (and yes environmental as well) that makes finding food difficult. The Zignature and Canide brands both contain foods that the bloodtest says he is allergic to. His food allergies are:
Peas
Sweet Potatoes
Pork
Soy
Oats
Peanuts
Kelp
Brewer’s yeast

thoughts?

[Matt A]

Brief backstory: 4 year old beagle who was completely healthy for the first 2.5 years of his life besides a slight chicken intolerance. I found 3 types of non chicken grain free dog foods that he did well on and would rotate every bag without issue. Seemingly within a few months of him being neutered he started developing protein allergies to all of his dog foods and nearly every other dog food I tried.

His symptoms are: yeast infection in his ears, licking/itchy paws, a more vibrant pink belly than normal, intense itchiness around his body with about a dozen hives on his legs, tail, and abdomen, butt scooting, and a heavy metallic smell from his rear end.

So far the only food that he can tolerate without symptoms has been Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Fish which seems to have had a formula change since I last purchased it. The challenging thing has been finding food without Chicken, Duck, Beef, Pork, Grains, white potatoes, or Lentils (Primarily Peas/Chickpeas). It seems as though when you go grain free you get a bunch of peas and white potatoes. Since I last purchased this food they seemingly have added white potato protein which may trigger my dogs allergies in the near future. I cannot locate a bag of the old formula nor can I locate another salmon+sweet potato formula that isn’t augmented by white potatoes and/or peas. I am getting desperate. Any help or advice is appreciated.

[Donna B]

I NEED HELP! My sweet boy was identified with allergies a few years ago. We found a food and he was doing well. Now he is breaking out and has to be on Apoquel. He has been on it for several months. Wanting to get him off it, I did a fur and saliva test for sensitivities. Between the two lists, I cannot find food. I even tried to make food and it was a no-go. Perhaps someone here knows of a food. Here is his list:
ALLERGIES: Pork
Soy
Oats
Sweet Potatoes
Peas
Yeast
Peanut
Kelp
SENSITIVITIES:
Grains inc; rices(wht & br), corn, barley, quinoa,rye, wheat, millet,
buckwheat, spelt
Potato
Kangaroo
Lamb
Fish Oil, Fish Meal, Salmon and Trout
Green Beans
Dairy except Goat and Sheep milk
Apricots
Cucumber
Turnip
Honey
Mint
and a few other spices
Your help and suggestions are welcome!!!!!

[Donna B]

Thank you for trying to help us….

I NEED HELP! My sweet boy was identified with allergies a few years ago. We found a food and he was doing well. Now he is breaking out and has to be on Appoquel. He has been on it for several months. Wanting to get him off it, I did a fur and saliva test for sensitivities. Between the two lists, I cannot find food. I even tried to make food and it was a no-go. Perhaps someone here knows of a food. Here is his list:

ALLERGIES: Pork
Soy
Oats
Sweet Potatoes
Peas
Yeast
Peanut
Kelp
Sensitivities:
Grains inc; rices(wht & br), corn, barley, quinoa,rye, wheat, millet,
buckwheat, spelt
Potato
Kangaroo
Lamb
Fish Oil, Fish Meal, Salmon and Trout
Green Beans
Dairy except Goat and Sheep milk
Apricots
Cucumber
Turnip
Honey
Mint
and a few other spices

Your help and suggestions are welcome!!!!!

[Susan]

Hi
Food can cause yeasty smelly ears, skin & paws if the dog has food sensitivities/intolerances to certain ingredients, you need to work out what foods your dog is sensitive too, my boy can not eat chicken, barley, oats, corn, gluten corn & carrots, carrots are the worst, 20mins after eating the carrots he starts scratching his ears, shaking his head, when I didn’t know it was the carrot & kept feeding the carrots in his rissoles he’d started to get yeasty, smelly infected ears, & walked tilting his head, same as chicken he gets red smelly paws & real itchy skin & rubs bum on the floor/carpet others foods that have corn, corn gluten meal caused sloppy poo’s….
I did a food elimination diet, raw is the best to feed, or cooked or use one of the vet diets like Royal Canine, Hypoallergenic wet tin or the Royal Canine wet tin PR-Potato & Rabbit, PV-Potato & Venison, PK-Potato & Salmon, or there’s the dry kibble after eliminating all treats & just feeding raw, vet diet or your own cooked diet that has just 1 single novel protein + 1 carb when the dog ears & skin aren’t smelly & itchy anymore you start adding 1 new ingredient for 6 weeks to see if he reacts to the new ingredient, it can take food sensitivities/intolerances anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks for the dog to start reacting & showing any symptoms …..
Here’s some limited ingredient single protein kibbles & wet tin formula’s-
* “Zignature” – http://zignature.com/?page_id=333&lang=en
* “Canidae Pure” – http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
* “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb or TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon both have limited ingredients. http://www.tasteofthewild.com.au/

Join this group on face book, “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” a lot of really good info & a Dermatologist pops in every now & here’s one of her links about the “Facts & Myths about Yeast Dermatitis in dogs, scroll down to about the 7th paragraph read about food sensitivities/intolerances, http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs

[zcRiley]

Zignature Zssentials is proven for allergy prone and yeasty dogs. Reviewers can’t lie. Ear flushes and drops had made my pups’ ears worse and I’ll never put them through that again. I feed Zignature, avoid all grains and potatoes eggs etc, I gently wipe out their ears with a dry soft Kleenex every other day. Clean as a whistle.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Cindy,
I have a brittany, too! Her name is Ginger, she will be 7 in july. One of my other dogs used to get a lot of yeast ear infections. For him, switching to a raw diet with no produce worked. If you’re looking at kibble, look for foods with no potato. I’d say no white and no sweet but they aren’t easy to find. I have a list of grain & potato free here on te DFA forums, in the Dog Food Ingredients forum. It’s on top, highlighted in yellow. Might be a good place to start.

Marie

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by InkedMarie.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by InkedMarie.

[anonymous]

Sounds like environmental allergies. Food will not have an effect. For best results consult a veterinary dermatologist.

[Cindy S]

I am looking for a quality dog food with the lowest amount of carbs. I have read that high levels of carbs cause the yeast. Right now we are spending $100 a month on a one time treatment of ear drops from the Vet. Please help!

[LovelyBear]

anon101,
Me saying “young” is a touch of sarcasm. Of course I know 8 years for a dog is a senior 😐 Even when I say my age I say “young” because I dislike the word old when talking about someone who looks and acts young. I’m changing her diet because I have to tons of research and know it will be best for her. She went to the vet for a check up less than a month ago and she is perfectly healthy except for a few things that this diet will help with. Those being she needs to loose weight, clean her teeth, and prevent future yeast infections in her ears. And yes she has gotten Vet care/cleanings to help her ears. I do believe in veterinary medicine and I’ve actually considered becoming a vet. There is an emergency I have the number to where I live. They even have an emergency vehicle that will come to the house. Also I am in the process of switching vets because I no longer trust them and a lot of things happened, so I won’t take any recommendations for a veterinary nutritionist from them.

pitluv,
Hi! yes I am extremely sanitary. I clean everything more than once! Before I moved she use to go in her kennel everyday without me telling her just to sleep in it. I put it back together yesterday after 3 years and she is terrified of it. I do want to feed her in there because it will be easier to clean.