[Angie D]

Hello, I am new to this forum and fairly new to raw feeding …. based on what I have seen so far in my dog I will always feed this way 🙂

I have a 14 1/2 year old shep X this is what he is currently eating

morning he gets taste of the wild kibble before I go to work approx 1.5 cups ( he weighs 50 pound)

his evening meal consists of raw muscle meat chicken and either heart , liver , or gizzards depends on what I have on hand , I mix this with spirulina, coconut oil, and sometimes plain yogurt , I try to buy hormone free meat , sometimes it is just too expensive .. he gets aprox 8 oz…I try to give him a can of water packed sardines once or twice a week as well. I was useing brewers yeast , but I did not like his stool consistency after I started this so I discontinued , I had heard it was good for flea’s , I may give it another shot…..

My question is about Calcium Phos ratio, I do not give him RMB due to his age… I would be concerned that he would not be able to chew them… I maybe am just being paranoid as he chews his treats just fine :)…. but none the less, this is the route I am going… if he were younger I would just give him bones to balance all out….. should I be adding calcium to his eve meal? or does the kibble meal straighten things out enough? If I should be adding it , how much based on the amount I stated I feed…. his energy is VERY good for his age, weight fine as well… I have been feeding this way for approx six months and am still amazed at the increase in his energy and overall attitude towards life since I started, not to mention his breath does not smell at all…. the only thing I don’t care for is his coat… it looks a little dry sometimes…. I am concerned that this could be due to the calc phos issue , or possible un related… we have had a HORRIBLE flea prob this year… and since I refuse to use chemicals on him it is harder to control them…. I am thinking that he coat issue could be that…. if not would a calcium phos imbalance cause coat and skin issues?

Appreciate any feed back 🙂

Angie

[Susan]

HI Jan,
since being on the TOTW are his poos the best they have been since they were good when eating the raw?? I would keep him on the TOTW for a bit longer 2-3months, if you don’t want to try a vet diet, let his bowel heal & adjust to eating a kibble, remember his stomach & bowel was use to eating a raw diet & they do less poos & nice small poos…..he’s only been on the TOTW kibble 1 week also have you tried stopping the enzyme just for 2 days & see are the poos smaller & better, does it make a difference?…..
My Patch was put on a vet diet for 9-12 months, I didn’t want him on a vet diet, also Patches vet is into feeding more natural diets not kibbles, she explained we need the stomach & bowel to rest & heal & not work hard digesting his food, I said OK how long do I feed this vet diet look it has corn grits, she said just for 1 yr to let the stomach & bowel heal….I nillly had a heart attack, 1 yr but she was right in the end, 9 months later I started looking at other kibbles but I still knew I had the vet diet to fall back on just in case the new kibble wasn’t working out….
We tried Royal Canin Gastrointestinal but Patch started to itch, scratch & smell real yeasty, he has food sensitivities & in the end the vet Diet “Eukanuba Intestinal” a low residue kibble worked & there’s also “Intestinal Plus” it has more fiber, he was doing just 2 small poos a day at the same time everyday but sometimes his poos were very soft to pick up & yellow but vet said as long as when the poo is coming out it’s formed, its OK, I look back & I think the Eukanuba Intestinal may have been too low in fiber for Patch, it was 1.7% crude fiber…

Iams also has their Intestinal Plus Low Residue Puppy, Iams KO Oats & Kangaroo & beet pulp, its for Skin & Coat has better ingredients, there’s no corn, no gluten corn meal in the Iams KO & it does have the Beet pulp, Beet pulp makes poos smaller & firmer, a lot of cheap kibbles & vet diets use beet pulp cause people judge a dog food by the way a dog poos & when poos are small & firm they think the food is good but its just the added beet pulp…

Also look at the Hills Vet Diet, Hills I/d Digestive Care, remember all the vet diets are guaranteed money back so until you find one that works you don’t pay for all this kibble that doesn’t work for the dog…
http://www.hillspet.com/en/us/products/pd-canine-id-dry,
the Hills I/d kibble has the digestive enzymes, electrolytes, vitamin B what is needed to gain weight, omega 3-6 fatty acids, prebiotic fiber (Beet Pulp) everything needed to heal the stomach & bowel, I know vet diets have awful ingredients for dogs with intestinal problems like corn, maize, gluten corn meal but they seem to help their stomach & gut heal, I don’t know why but when you find the right vet diet they do work…
Just remember in the back of your head this is temporary it’s just for 6-9 months …

In Australia we have better ingredients in our vet diets or they are not allowed in Australia, I don’t know why Hills & Royal Canin don’t make the ingredient list the same for the American pets as well….probably where they make more money….

Here’s the Iams site to compare ingredients with the Hills & Royal Canin vet diets, Iams KO has just Oat Flour & Kangaroo & has the Beet pulp…. the “Eukanuba Intestinal” also has a puppy formula made for puppies, puppies need more fat in their diet….
http://www.iams.com/dog-food/veterinary-formula
It’s just a thought if nothing is working after a couple of months..
I really hope he starts to improve then when he’s older & better he can go back to a raw diet & a nice raw meaty bone..

[Susan]

Hi Cheryl,
are you seeing a Dermatologist that deals in these skin/ear problems also has she had her ears scrap & tested for ear mites, yeast etc
There are better drugs on the market these days, ask vet about Apoquel you will know within a week if it’s working, it doesn’t work for dogs with yeast problems….
What food was she eating? the UK as a few limited ingredient foods have you tried the Amala or Fish4Dogs also look at the wet tin food now instead of the kibbles, stop all kibbles… I know when my Staffy gets his itchy ears it’s the food, he cant eat carrot & chicken, he starts his ear scratching & shaking his head…
also look for a Omega 3 supplement for her skin/coat, joints, brain etc
My kitten I rescued had bad ear mites then was still scratching & going mad so the vet did another ear scrap & she had ear infection from the bad mites, she was given Apex Ear Drops then had another ear scrap & her infection was gone, then once a week for 1 month I had to clean her ears with Virbac Epi-Optic ear cleaner by the 3rd week she stopped scratching her ears, when my Staffy had his ear problem he was sensitive to ingredient in his vet diet for his IBD vet gave him DERMOTIC era drops it fixed his ears straight away & his vet diet was changed…. http://www.amalapetfoods.co.uk/purchaseamala

[Susan]

Pitluv
Yes maybe now from 2014 or 2015 vet diets can be feed long term now,
but before 2014 & back in 2009-2010 when my boxer was on a vet diet Hills Z/d I remember telling the vet I was seeing at the time, this Z/D can’t be feed long term but I think he knew Angie was dying & didn’t say anything….then 2012 when I rescued Patch we tried most of the Intestinal & skin allergy vet diets from 2012 to 2015 & I remember showing my new vet a small bag of the Eukanuba Intestinal that Patch was eating I got off the shelf & I showed her “Not for long term use” & she said, yes we’ll only be feeding Patch
the Eukanuba for 9 to 12 months enough time for his stomach & bowel to heal then we’ll start introducing other foods into his diet…. I wanted to change his vet diet kibble that day it was Summer & poor Patch was so itchy & stunk real bad with yeasty skin after being on the Eukanuba vet diet for 2 months…….now I’ve learnt he’s sensitive to Beet Pulp, Corn/maize, chicken, barley, vet just said his poos are going good I don’t want to rock the boat yet just start bathing him daily if you have too instead of weekly & applying the cream I prescribed (Hydrocortisone 1%) & sold me Paws Nutriderm replenishing conditioner to leave on after I bath him in the Malaseb shampoo… then I started doing my research & it took 2 yrs to find a kibble that made Patches poos firm never gave him any stomach/pancreas pain & kept his coat looking beautiful & shiny he still gets a bit itchy from environment allergies that can’t be helped, it’s only thru the Summer/Autumn months, we can cope with that he’s not like he was when on the vet diet…”Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb is what works for Patch & I remember coming on this site DFA & people knocking all Diamond made foods, saying its real bad etc so I never tried the Taste Of The Wild & wasted 1 yr trying other kibbles… The TOTW has better quality control now then most kibbles on the market…

Food Safety

When a new batch is made 1 bag of kibble is taken off every pallet the bag is cut open & the kibble is tested…also they use purified water & TOTW is the only kibble I have never had any problems with & Patch has a very sensitive stomach when it comes to off rotten
potatoes & veggies or off meats, he gets diarrhea very easy, the ingredients have been
changed for the Australian market we don’t have the fish oil which I prefer less change the kibbles oxidizing & going rancid as soon as the bag is opened from the oxygen, we have Canola oil instead & 1 formula the Pacific Stream has no peas for all the dogs with EPI & IBD, we contacted Diamond & begged them to not change the Australian & Europeon made Pacific Stream & add the Garbanzo beans cause these sick dogs probably wont cope & could get real bad diarrhea again like what is happening in the UK where the Pacific Stream just had been changed & garbanzo beans where add….& a few dogs are having bad diarrhea… & TOTW listened & didn’t add the Garbanzo Beans, it made a lot of people happy…Patches vet rung me & asked is Patch OK I haven’t seen you both in 6months, I said yes Patch is finally off the vet diet & eating TOTW & doing really well…

Since 2013 Hills & Royal Canin vet diets have changed their packaging & ingredients 2-3
times now & in August 2016 Hills improved their Z/D & I/D Digestive Care formulas
& wrote in small writing “New Formula” but never notified vets, I’d say Hills did this cause Purina Pro Plan had just released their new Pro Plan Vet Diets in Australia their Hydrolyzed HA & EN Gastroenteric & another 2 vet formulas so Hills had some competition these Vet Diets are lower in fat I only know all this is cause I had contacted Purina in America the year before when I couldn’t find Patch a food for his stomach & skin low enough in fat & told Purina we do not have any Vet Diets for the skin & stomach that are lower then 15% in fat… but I was very disappointed with the ingredients some of Purina vet formulas are worse then Hills formulas, the Purina HA uses Corn Oil Patch cant have corn I told Purina lady she said this might get changed if dogs are reacting to the corn oil then the Purina lady said don’t forget its money back guaranteed you just try it & see so if Patch has another bad stomach & pancreas episode again I’m going to either try the Pro Plan OptiDigest-Sensitive Digestion or the OptiRestore-Sensitive Skin & Stomach or i’ll try Purina HA Vet Diet but when I spoke with the Purina lady she said the Vet Diets might be better for Patches IBD they have better quality control then the Pro Plan normal formulas….
The people in America that are feeding the Pro Plan formulas not the Pro Plan Vet Diets, should email Purina & ask can the American Pro Plan Formulas be improved like the Australian Pro Plan Formulas have been improved, Purina might listen if they get enough people asking..These are our Pro Plan Opti formulas the ingredients are a bit better…. https://proplannutrition.com.au/dog/products/optirestore

[Susan]

Hi, stop feeding the Pedigree, it sounds like its up setting his stomach & he’s reacting badly to ingredients, having bad skin & his stomach problems, he cant eat it.. He probably has food sensitivities they have stomach/bowel problems & their skin itches, smells yeasty, red paws, itchy ears, some will rub bum on carpet, floor & grass… My boy has IBD (stomach) & food sensitivities & skin Allergies, look at foods that have limited ingredients & NO LENTILS OR CHICKPEAS these are harder to digest… Can you cook a lean meal boiled potatoes & a lean white meat or afford wet tin food or a raw diet?? When I rescued my boy I think he wasn’t feed kibble & was feed either a cooked diet, wet tin food or a raw diet, cause he would just look at the bowl of kibble & wouldn’t eat it, he preferred the wet & cooked food, then my nightmare began with his IBD (food sensitivities), vomiting, acid reflux, sloppy poos, up early hours of the morning with his bowel making loud noises, itchy skin, rubbing bum on my carpet, red paws that he licked & licked…all this just cause he was sensitive to something he was eating, I couldn’t believe it, I have never owned a dog like this all my pets could eat anything & were feed Pedigree & Purina until I learnt they’re are awful foods with bad ingredients….The Vet put him on Royal Canine Hypoallergenic HP till I worked out what I was going to do, the Royal Canine helped his skin stop itching but not his sloppy poo & vet gave me “Malaseb” medicated shampoo said to bath daily if needed or do the weekly baths…..you might need something stronger then the oatmeal shampoo your using & do weekly baths. Look for shampoos that are Anti Fungal shampoos like the Malaseb medicated shampoo, I’m pretty sure I read that Walmart sells a Anti-Fungal shampoo that’s like Malaseb…. Can you afford to feed a lean raw balanced diet or feed raw for breakfast & a kibble with limited ingredients for dinner? A Balanced Raw Diet is the best to feed a dog with food & skin sensitivities..
Finally I found *”Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, 30lb bag for $49 thru Chewy, it worked the best for my boy, it’s Lamb, sweet potatoes & peas & it has limited ingredients..
* “Sportmix Wholesome” Grain free or grain a 40lb bag $$29-$34
*”California Natural” Lamb Meal & Rice it has just 3 ingredients.
*”Pro Pac Ultimates” there’s their grain free or grain a 28lb bag is around $29-$35
*”Holistic Select” Adult/Puppy Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines Grain Free it’s Fish & Potato $54 & its for Digestive health & their skin as well, Holistic Select is high in Omega 3 fatty acids what’s needed for the skin..
Look for kibbles with Lamb & Rice or Fish & rice, or Lamb & Sweet Potatoes or Fish & Sweet Potato NO chicken for now till you work out what he can eat, theres also
*”Canidae” Pure Formulas that’s are limited ingredient the Pure Sea or Pure Wild or look at the Canidae Life Stages formulas the All Life Stages has their 44lb bag for $54….
make sure you read ingredient list, most kibbles are money back guaranteed that’s why I like going to Pet Shops so I can take back the kibble & I say he wont eat it, when I say he scratches or vomits it becomes too complicated. Holistic Select covers every health problem & refunds money but it depends on the Pet Shop, so I always send the kibble company an email telling them what’s happening with my boy & is your kibble refundable then when I go to the Pet Shop or online Pet Shop & I show them the email or say they said it’s money back, I’ve tried nilly every kibble in Australia & taken back so many kibbles…
Look at the Fat% look for around 10-15% max in fat & 24% to 29% Protein he probably wont do well on a high fat over 15% & a high protein diets over 30%….. then later after he’s doing good look for another kibble & rotate between them..

[Laura B]

I’m sorry, I had put this in the wrong place, previously!

Hello, I just joined.
My lab/pit has just turned 7. I have ALWAYS made his wet food (turkey, eggs/shells, fish oil, oatmeal) mixed with a grain-free dry (call of the wild).
He battles with seasonal allergies, which in turn gives him trouble with yeast, due to compromised immune system. I have since stopped the oatmeal, his daily bone replaced with dehydrated chicken.
I’m now looking to reformulate his food. I would also like to start phasing out the dry (even though it’s considered a decent brand, I don’t fully trust it).
My dog has never liked a vegetable!! I need to start sneaking some in if I’m going to phase out the dry (which actually includes a fair amount of fruits and veggies).
I’m looking for some suggestions, I had read that legumes might be ok, but also read that they may also feed yeast. Puréed kale might be undetectable!!
Thank you,
Laura

[EDITH S]

CAN YOU ADD THE KEFIR TO YOUR DOGS FOOD. I MAKE MY RAW DIET DOG FOOD FOR MY FRENCHIE AND WANT TO GIVE HER KEFIR TO FIX HER YEASTY PROBLEM.SHES NOT TO HAPPY WITH IT PLAIN AND JUST WANT TO KNOW IF I CAN PUT IN HER FOOD.

[Crystal]

Hi, new here!!

I’m looking to see opinions on the best premade raw.

FYI…I breed labrador retrievers, so I need to ensure a healthy pregnancy, healthy dogs, and healthy puppies with no defects.

I’ve been reading so many controversial things. I was also told something about the meat being, I think it was flash steamed.? Making it less nutritional.

Allergies are grain
Also, no peas, no flax, no soy, and no potatoes or any other starch to cause yeast.

Thanks for your time,
Crystal ❤

[anonymous]

Take her to the vet. If the symptoms go on for 4seasons/1year without significant response to treatment from the veterinarian, see a veterinary dermatologist.
In fact, if it was my dog I would go directly to the dermatologist for testing and diagnosis.
Did you check the search engine here? This subject comes up at least once or twice a week.
BTW: I would not bother with hair and saliva tests, they are not diagnostic tools.
For science based veterinary medicine go here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

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

[zcRiley]

Stop the food, meds and oatmeal baths asap. Oatmeal feeds yeast and itchy issues. Feed Zignature kibble which is the best for food intolerances. And shampoo with Aroma Paws honeysuckle & jasmine formula. Your pup will stop suffering immediately, trust me.

[Susan]

Hi I don’t know why your vet only put your poor dog on the Metronidazole antibiotic for 7 days?? they need to be on the Metronidazole for a good 21-28 days especially for S.I.B.O Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth.
My boy Patch is also a rescue he just turned 8yrs old, he has IBD, Helicobacter pylori, nausea, vomiting sometimes, acid reflux, seasonal environment skin allergies, red itchy paws, itchy ears, food sensitivities, eating grass, yellow sloppy poos that smell bad, pain in stomach/pancreas area….. the best thing I did was have an Endoscope + biopsies done (camera down throat to stomach) sometimes they can go into the small bowel as well & do a biopsies but only if their pyloric sphincter is open, Patches wasn’t open but the 2 Biopsies told us what was wrong finally Helicobacter Pylori & IBD, when the vet looked into Patches stomach everything looked excellent, so you need to do the biopsies…
Patch starts reacting after eating the same kibble for 2-3 months, sloppy yellow poos, gets his pain, it can take from 1 day to 6 weeks to show food sensitivities, after trying so many kibbles, the only kibble that he hasn’t reacted too after being on it for 8 months is “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb. I don’t know if is cause TOTW uses Purified Water, or all the ingredients he isn’t sensitive to any of them & TOTW don’t change their suppliers?? some kibble companies buy their potatoes from whoever, that’s been a problem in the past for Patch, he was eating Earthborn Holistic, Ocean Fusion he was doing really well while on the small 2.5kg bags, so I bought the 13kg bag it’s cheaper, it was a new batch number & different use by date then Patch was farting doing sloppy smelly poos again, so I emailed earthborn told them what has happened & the lady said we use, rustic, white, red, brown potatoes whatever we can get & I think when the potatoes are green & rotten batches Patch gets his sloppy poos & bad gas problems …
Taste of the Wild has been the only kibble a few dogs with IBD, EPI, S.B.I.O & IBS don’t react too after eating it for a while…
Your best to feed a cooked balanced diet, instead of any processed kibbles, you know what they’re eating, join groups on Face Book like “Rodney Habib” “Canine Nutrition & Natural Health” run by Cat Lane, “K-9 Kitchen” run by Monica Segal, you can also book an appointment with Monica or Cat Lane or another dog nutritionist, they may be cheaper there’s also Judy Morgan DV, she also has the supplements to balance the meals & Judy has cooking videos on You Tube that are so easy to follow & she adds the Honest Kitchen Base meals & you just cooked & add the meat & veggies but I think the Honest Kitchen is dehydrated & Patch can’t seem to handle dehydrated kibbles foods…
I live Australia & I contacted Jacqueline Rudan to put Patch on a raw diet about 2 yrs ago, Jacqueline said I need to heal his stomach & bowel & balance his gut flora his pH is probably tooo high…so I give him some of my Yakult, it’s a pink probiotic drink sold in supermarkets, there’s also Kefir but start real slow when introducing any probiotics, some probiotics made Patch very nausea, Jacqueline wanted me to keep giving Patch the probiotic capsules but they made Patch ill so I stopped & now I give the Yakult drink & he does good I don’t give him much maybe 3 spoons in a bowl..
Cause they are rescue dogs we don’t know what has happen when they were pups & growing up, did they drink dirty contaminated water? were they starved & not feed proper diets, what 1 vet thinks has happened with Patch & when he came to me & I started to feed him a healthy cooked diet he couldn’t handle eating good healthy foods, I’ve had him 4 yrs now & finally in small amounts, I can give him anything to eat as long as I’ve introduced that food to him & it’s not high in fat, where before he’d wake up 2am 3am or 4am with his bowel making loud rumbling noises, it was gas/wind going thru his bowel, 1 vet said Colitis, Food Sensitivities, so I started an elimination cooked diet & worked out what he cant eat, also feed foods that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, the omega 3 helps their skin, coat, stomach, bowel, heart, joints & brain, Patch doesn’t do well eating a kibble with fish or salmon oils, he gets acid reflux, so I feed other foods high in Omega 3 like raw almonds, 3 raw almonds a day given as a treat & I have a few almonds myself, you should see his coat it’s so shinny, just feeding foods high in omega 3, tin sardines in spring water are excellent but you must start real slow, feed 1 spoon mashed sardines for 1-2 weeks watch poos if still firm then then increase to 2 spoons of sardines a day, I feed salmon or tuna instead it’s not as greasy…
My recipe I make for Patch, Rissoles + Sweet Potato, it’s so easy & you do not have to cook every day, I cook every 8 days but if I made more it would be every 16 days..
I buy Lean Pork mince or the Lean beef mince, it say 5% fat on the packet, I think in America you call it grounded meat, make sure the mince is lean, some minces have a lot of fat, Patch can’t eat turkey, he gets diarrhea also boiled rice irritates his bowel, something that took me 2 months to realise it’s the boiled rice…
I get 2 x 500gram packets lean pork that’s 1 kilo, I think just over 2 pounds, I whisk 1 egg in the bowl, I buy a small broccoli head, Patches Nutritionist said feed green veggies when it’s their skin, stomach & bowel, food sensitivities, I cut up say 1/3 cup chopped broccoli, then I grow parsley & kale & spinach, it grows forever in the veggies Patch, I finally cut up about 1 teaspoon parsley add too bowl, then I add some cut up spinach & cut up kale but only 1 small leaf, then I add the pork mince & mix all thru, I was adding 1 small grated carrot but Patch has food sensitivities & gets red paws, itchy skin & ears, then he starts to smell real yeasty, “Malaseb Medicated Shampoo” bathed weekly is the best when they have itchy paws & skin, so I’ve stopped adding the carrot to his rissoles…
I had too slowly add all these ingredients, at first it was just 1 kg pork mince with a little bit of cut up broccoli, then when I made a new batch of rissoles, I added 1 whisked egg saw how he went, if all was good I added 1 new green cut up veggie & the veggies seem to heal his stomach & bowel, you have to be careful, certain veggies ferment in the stomach so stay away from foods that ferment cause they sit in the stomach & cause gasses…. just Google “what veggies ferment in the stomach” & what veggies, grains don’t digest easy” lentils, chick peas don’t digest easy… you mix all the finally cut up greens with mince & make 1 cup size rissoles, I have scales & weight at 130-136 grams & I make the rissoles the length of my middle finger & flatten them a bit they look like a small sausage then I put on baking tray that has foil on the baking tray, I get around 8 rissoles from 1 kg mince, I bake in oven then about 15-20mins I take out baking tray drain any water/fat & turn over the rissoles & bake till cooked they don’t take long maybe 30mins don’t over cook or you’ll have a leathery rissole, I also boil sweet potatoes & I cool & freeze, same with the rissoles cool & wrap in cling wrap individually, I take out a cut piece of sweet potato & 1 rissole put on a small plate cover with cling wrap & thaw then put in fridge then for dinner I cut up the rissole & mash the sweet potato, for breakfast & lunch Patch has his “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb Kibble, I’m slowly introducing the “Holistic Select” Adult/Puppy Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines grain free kibble so I have another kibble just in case + I rotate his kibble now we just finished trying “Canidae” Life Stages Platinum kibble, too many ingredients & the carbs are too high at 50% in the Canidae Platinum & his poos started to go sloppy & smell again, so now introducing the “Holistic Select so far all is good poos are still firm they don’t smell but its mixed with his TOTW kibble but he’s not farting like he does when I’ve introduced a new kibble that doesn’t agree with him, so hopefully the Holistic Select will be fed in the Summer months, I like to fed a fish kibble in the Summer months for his skin allergies & in the Winter months I feed a lamb kibble “Taste Of The Wild” + his rissoles & raw almonds & I forgot I also feed peeled apple pieces as treat, K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels, tuna or salmon with boiled potato rissoles….
You need to make his gut strong again, if he has a set back give the Metronidazole, I have scripts the vet gives me & I just go & get from the chemist, Patch goes back on the Metronidazole for 10days 1 x tablet 200mg at night with a meal, but your dog may need a 21 day course Metro to start with to rest & heal his bowel & a diet that’s very easy to digest & the omega 3…
Good luck, I hope something in this small book, helps

[Kenneth N]

I agree with rotational diet as not every dog food has what is needed, plus how boring it would be to eat the same thing day after day. A new concern growing among many is the “sugar” contents in foods. I am finding out that many kibble foods contain close to if most more than 50% sugars. Starches are needed to keep the kibble together like glue. Many are aware that cancer needs sugar to survive, so does diabetes and yeast infections. It seem like there is no kibble on the market that has a greatly reduced sugar content.

[anonymous]

What do you mean by allergy shots?
My dog receives allergen-specific immunotherapy with good results. She never had any blood test for food sensitivities/allergies as her dermatologist did not think it was indicated.

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

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by anonymous.

[Susan]

Hi, are you 100% sure its not Environment allergies as well??
My boy has both, he has seasonal allergies worse in the summer months, fine in the winter months as long as he doesn’t eat any foods he’s sensitive too, then he starts to smell real yeasty & itches… When they’re sensitive to certain food they start to itch & smell real yeasty…
Summer is about to start in Australia & I always rotate Patches kibbles Winter he eats limited ingredient kibble, Lamb as the protein & Summer a Fish kibble you, need too increase the Omega 3 in his diet & always read the Omega 3 & 6 on kibble packet or look on their internet page or email the kibble company & ask what is the omega 3 & 6 % Please.
There’s a lot of kibbles that are tooo high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems, omega 3 should be around 1/2 of what the omega 6 says..
I’m starting to introduce “Holistic Select” Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Adult/Puppy grain free formula, it’s only 32% carbs or look at “Earthborn Holistic” Coastal Catch it’s 29% carbs & the omega 3 & 6 is balanced properly in both these kibbles.
Raw is the best as it has no carbs, I feed Patch 1 meal cooked, lean pork mince made into rissoles & add sweet potato, this way he’s not eating heaps of dry kibble.
Baths, make sure your bathing weekly too wash off any allergens & pollens & yeast on the skin Malaseb relieves their itch making them heaps more comfortable…

Have you seen a Dermatologist ? & tested to see if ur dog isn’t allergic to dust mites or other allergens around the house.??

[pitlove]

You’re welcome for the info. That is why I’m so pleased with the results from using the Malaseb shampoo. It’s 2% Chlorhexidine and 2% Miconazole. If you don’t know Chlorhexidine is one of the best antiseptics on the market and one of the most gentle and Miconazole is an excellent antifungal agent which kills the yeast on the skin. It’s been very helpful with controlling my pitbulls yeast during the summer. It’s also wonderful at keeping his skin and coat super soft and no dander.

[crazy4cats]

Susan W-
I’ve never heard of moldy food causing yeast. It could certainly cause a dog to get sick though.

[Susan W]

PitLuv –
That’s great info on the different types of yeast, and likely why the products from Dermagic work, since they are shampoos and lotions.
I’m convinced my golden ended up with her yeast because of moldy food when I was feeding 4Health.
I know the itchiness in my dogs was a series of factors, not just one thing, therefore, it took more than one thing to stop the scratching!

[pitlove]

When it comes to Malassezia yeast which is the yeast that lives on the skin of the dog, different from Candida yeast which lives in the gut, the scientific literature tells us that it is not a carb loving yeast. It is a fat loving yeast. However not dietary fats, oils on the skin kinds of fat.

Yeast is always secondary to immune suppression. Unfortunetly anecdotal evidence is not very reliable and not scientifically accurate. It also can not replace what the literature tells us is the physiology of yeast and how it truly is caused. Hence why my dog can still eat a moderately high carb food with no issue.

Also, the hydrolyzed diets are available through the vet only. You may also want to consider that these issues could have nothing to do with food.

[Kristen L]

Pitluve, I think both is true about the yeast. At least that is what I have read coming from Vet sources. Combine that with all the reviews I have read where dogs have improved greatly or completely on low-glycemic foods, such as Nutrisca or Zignature. But, I have definitely made a mental note to look into hydrolyzed proteins in the past and I think I did not endup going that route because I could not find much and/or price, but I will for sure be trying it in the near future. I know my dog will have that yeasty smell, but then there are times when he doesn’t but still has the ear issues, ie, scratching, inflammation, throw a rash in there and I don’t think it is JUST yeast. So I do need to determine what other ingredients for certain that he can’t handle. A journal would be helpful, I am just awful at keeping records. I did just order Nutrisca Salmon and chickpea. If it doesn’t work I can add salmon to the list…or chickpeas, or well, who knows! Next will be the hydrolyzed protein. Thank you for your advice!

[Susan W]

Hi Kristen,
VeRUS can be purchased on line. I order it from PetFlow & get the automatic delivery. I powder my girl’s ears when she gets itchy with the idea that it’ll attack ear mites. You can also put a little (a couple of drops) or olive oil in your dog’s ears to smother ear mites. I tried spraying a vinegar mixture on Emma’s paws, tail area, & ‘arm pits’ when she was seriously yeasty, but she would just lick it off & give me dirty looks. The DERMagic has helped a bunch.

[pitlove]

Hi Kristen-

I spent about a year and a half doing what you are doing right now, with my pitbull. I was switching foods constantly, looking for the lowest carb foods, no potatoes for a while, no grains, high protein. It did absolutely nothing to help him because I had been given very wrong information about why and how yeast forms.

Yeast naturally grows on the dogs skin and when their immune system is healthy, the body regulates the yeast and keeps it under control. The opposite happens when the immune system is weakened, often times because of allergies, but other reasons as well. Though many people will continue to perpetuate the myth that carbs “feed” yeast because they break down into glucose, this is untrue and therefore simply limiting carbs without having an understanding of what is causing the immune system to be suppressed is pointless.

If you believe food is an issue, you will need to conduct a proper elimination diet, which it sounds like you may have attempted at one point though I don’t know what food you used to attempt it. When doing one properly, you will either need to homecook one novel protein and one novel carb for 2 months straight or use the veterinary theraputic diets whos proteins have been hydrolyzed. Hydrolyzation of the proteins breaks them down into their component amino acids making the immune system unable to detect them, thus not causing an immune system response. During this time they of course can not have anything but that diet. No treats, no flavored meds, nothing. An elimination diet is the golden standard for diagnosing food allergies. Those who have told you allergy tests for food allergies are unreliable were correct, they are. Often times yielding false negatives and false positives.

I personally chose the veterinary theraputic diet to do my pitbulls elimination diet (Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein) and he greatly improved, thus telling me food was a component to his allergy issues. He is now eating a fish based, grain inclusive food with almost 50% carbs and is yeast free during the winter months. Unfortunetly when June hits in the south here he does get a little worse again leading me to suspect environmental allergies on top of the food issues. But for that I bathe twice a week in Malaseb shampoo to kill the yeast. I’ve been successful with this regime for 8 months now.

[Kristen L]

Susan, thank you for the info. Interesting. I have DE, but my boy doesn’t really itch his body, just his ears for the most part. There have been times that they both (my younger golden too) seemed to scratch more than normal, but not too much, and I would chalk it up to whatever food they were on at the time or maybe a flea? They both seem good now. The paw chewing and smell from the ears and ear infections seem to be yeast (at least the smell is very telling of yeast, anyway) related so I think I should go in that direction and I will give them a call. Is their food available at the online retailers? I will look it up 🙂

[InkedMarie]

I have a yeasty dog & after years of going back and forth, the only thing that worked was a raw diet, one with no produce.

[Susan W]

I’m poor so I didn’t ask the vet for a skin scrape. I did research and discovered that yes, my pretty girl dog was yeasty, and yes, there is help. If you go to the DERMagic website, they have a TON of great info on skin conditions. They also have a great product (we’ve used it on our Golden and it works so well!). Finally, get some FOOD GRADE DE powder & powder your dog with this. It’s cheap and lasts forever, but be sure to get FOOD GRADE. It also isn’t harmful.

[Susan W]

Kristen, I have a Golden who will be 12 in January. We went for about a year battling similar issues to yours – tho not as bad. She was itchy, itchy, ITCHY. The first thing I did that made a HUGE difference was that I made – the first TRUE step in the right direction – was that I switched to VeRUS dog food. When I contact them, I had a great conversation with their VP about the issues we were facing and how to tackle them. She (Krystle) recommended their Opticoat formula which uses a wild-caught fish, doesn’t have gluten, and has complex carbs so the blood sugar doesn’t go up & doesn’t feed the yeast. All of the VeRUS formulas use organic or free range meats. The Opticoat didn’t have a nasty smell – it smells like fresh-caught fish all the way to the bottom of the bag. They also have a nifty freeze-dried live probiotic. (Pretty sure I messed up the order there, but if you go to their website, you can read all about it.) VeRUS will send you free samples & Krystle will email you if you contact them.
Second thing I did was to dust my Golden with FOOD GRADE DE powder to kill the invisible little buggers that were part of her itching problem. I’m still on the first cupful of the DE powder & I’ve been using it for like 6 months. It’s cheap & works really fast.
Third was a product called DERMagic – shampoo, conditioner, lotion.
We now have a beautiful, perfect, non-itchy, non-stinky, non-yeasty Golden who acts HALF her age. She runs, she’s enthusiastic, and she smells really good. And she can’t wait to eat. She loves her food.
VeRUS easily falls into your price range. You can order it & get it delivered on schedule if you go to PetFLow.com. If you’re interested in the protein-to-fat-to-carb ratios, the VeRUS website has all the nutritional info you’ll need (but don’t forget about asking for the free samples).
BTW – VeRUS is only 4 Star here but they have never had a recall in almost 30 years. They are a small company out of the northeast (Maryland, I think). Small company, really nice & helpful people.

[anonymous]

My dog has environmental allergies and receives allergen specific immunotherapy with good results. She sees a veterinary dermatologist once a year.
Also, you can use the search engine here to look up “allergies”

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

[Kristen L]

Hello. I have been battling my Golden retrievers food allergies for 8 months now. He is 16 months. I am pretty certain it is food because his ears will smell very yeasty and he has reoccurring ear infections, they are almost always red and spotty, especially after he eats, and he is chewing his paws all the time. I have found sores in between his toes in addition to the redness. He also has had a hot spot three different times, and will present with the rash (pustules), but those are less frequent, so must be a specific food that causes those. He wakes me up often some nights whining and he is chewing his paws and rubbing his head on the floor.

He seems to be allergic to EVERYTHING. I have tried countless foods (always the best brands 4-5 stars), even tried raw veggie (black beans, green beans, and quinoa) to try to eliminate environmental. He was STARVING and knocked his sister’s bowl out of my hand eating her food and thus compromising the trial. I understand now that yeast is a big part of it, so should I do high protein/low carb? There is controversy on that subject. I know he is allergic to chicken and beef from early on, just judging by his reaction when I have given him those meats fresh. He became very lethargic, sleeping a lot, and he would get the pustules (you know, those big pimples). First on his stomach/groin, but they moved to below his ears. I do NOT keep him on a food for 8+ weeks if I see a reaction early, like a new outbreak or he is just acting more miserable than usual. I will take him off it rather than watch him suffer for 2-3 months. He has tried every protein except rabbit and perhaps a novelty fish or two. I have run out of foods to try and do not have the money for expensive testing that is unreliable. Unless, someone can give me advice on an exact test and a reasonable price they paid that worked well?? I am told it is just too unreliable, but tests may be my only option now. He seems to be getting worse every day. I do not want to put him on steroids or apoquel for the rest of his life. Goldens already have short life spans without adding possible liver failure to the list of cause of death. My local Pet Club has cut me off from returning food after I have returned 6 bags, so that has greatly added to my stress of not knowing what to do next. I struggle finding foods without certain ingredients (turkey meal, chicken meal, beef, egg/egg protein, potato, rice, etc.), low on carbs, 4/5 star, and a protein he MIGHT be okay to try (again) and under $65. I can’t seem to find LTI rabbit. I just bought Cal. Naturals Lentils and Venison only, and was hopeful, but I got home and checked and it is only 3 stars, AND like 70 bucks. No bueno. So, I will be returning that bag (I am going to Pet Food Depot now, until they too cut me off). Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I am considering the Honest Kitchen grain free base (no fruit or potatoes), but I have no idea what protein to add. Where does one buy the novelty proteins, like raw venison, and is not too pricey?

• This topic was modified 9 years ago by Kristen L.
• This topic was modified 9 years ago by Kristen L.

[anonymous]

I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist asap. My dog has environmental allergies and receives allergen specific immunotherapy with good results.

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

[Amy W]

I totally agree with finding a dermatologist. Our university has a vet school/teaching hospital- you may find a dermatologist that way. I spent a FORTUNE trying to cure yeast and allergies before finding out about dog dermatology. Food had nothing to do with it.
Finally my dog’s yeast and allergies are more or less under control, and so is my vet bill! We have also started immunotherapy- she turned out to be allergic to her own yeast! Honestly, it is less expensive than you might imagine. Your dog will be relieved more quickly and you will save valuable time and money.

[Susan]

Hi TS, go & see a Dermatologist, as they specialize in in dogs skin….
Yeast can be from Food Sensitivities & Environment Allergies, my boy has both 🙁
I would be feeding a raw diet, go back to a natural diet, what a dogs body is meant to be digesting, dogs have a short intestinal tract, made to digest a raw diet, not a dry kibble, you can buy the dearest kibble BUT it’s still a dry high carb/fiber kibble, most grain free diets are high in carbs & fiber, the grain kibbles that have wheat, corn, maize, rice, oats, barley etc, my boy starts to smell yeasty, itch, get red smelly paws, within 2 days when he eats a kibble with oats, barley, corn, wheat & tapioca which is most of Hills, Royal Canine, Iams & Eukanuba kibbles ingredients…. but your dog may not be sensitive to these ingredients & some dogs do really well & don’t itch & smell yeasty..

If you can afford to feed a home made raw diet then that’s the best or look at the premade raw diets or maybe feed just 1 meal raw with blended greens & the other meal a limited ingredient kibble like “Canidae” Pure Sea very high in omega 3 what is needed for the skin or look for those loaf style rolls in the fridge section, read ingredients first, there are some really good rolls around, I live Australia & we have Crocodile & Tapioca, Kangaroo & Pumkin, Lamb & Rosemary, Kangaroo & Potato specially made for dogs with IBS, IBD & Skin/food sensitivities…
Baths: you need a medicated shampoo like “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, the Malaseb kills the bacteria on their skin & it doesn’t dry out the skin, Malaseb can be used daily & helps put the moisture back into their skin & paws…It’s excellent for yeasty stinky dogs I bath weekly in the Summer months sometimes twice a week it relieves their itch as well..

Omega 3: Omega 3 is needed, some kibbles are not balanced properly & are too high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems, read kibble packet or on their internet site or email & ask the kibble companies what is the omega 3% & 6% in what ever kibble your looking at feeding, the omega 3 should be 1/2 of what the omega 6% is, so if it says 3.96%-omega 6, the omega 3 should be around 1.80% these percentages were taken from the new Hills prescription diet called Hills “Derm Defense” for dogs with Environment Allergies, Hills is money back guaranteed you could give it a go if your not going to feed a balanced raw diet, the Hills Derm Defense wet tin has Ok ingredients or start with an Elimination diet, but sounds like your boy has environment allergies as well

You need to work out does your dog have food sensitivities to certain foods or does he have environment allergies, it has taken me 2-3 yrs to work out what foods my boy can’t eat & he has seasonal allergies, his vet made me keep a diary & she said you will start to see a pattern with Seasonal Environment Allergies & we did every spring right thru to Autumn then Patch & I get a break thru Winter, Patch is fine thru the winter months as long as he’s not eating foods he’s sensitive too then when spring comes he starts to itch, smell, get hive like lumps all over the white fur sections head stomach red paws, I use Hydrocortisone 1% cream on his paws but first I wash them in the Malseb medicated shampoo then a night when he goes to bed I check out his paws, head & see where’s red & put the Hydrocortisone 1% cream in between his toes with a cotton tip, around his bottom lip mouth gets red above his eye where fur is white the fur starts to thinning out & is real pink, I apply the cream I also use “Sudocrem” sometimes, it’s also excellent as well Sudocrem is sold supermarket & chemist excellent for eczema, dermatitis, rashes, pressure sore.
You both have a big journey ahead, there’s no magic drug Oh there’s Apoquel but its fairly new so please try baths shampoos, raw diet & natural things, also Apoquel doesn’t help if you have a yeast….

Canidae Pure Sea excellent for dogs with skin problems look for a fish kibble when it comes to skin problems but rotate when the season change so your dog isn’t just eating 1 protein, Pork, Lamb, Kangaroo, Salmon/fish – http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

Hills Derm Defense or Skin/Food Sensitivities d/d only cause the omega 3 is high in these foods http://www.hillspet.com/en/us/products/pd-canine-dd-salmon-canned

[pitlove]

Hi T S-

Bringing him to the vet for a skin scrape to determine that the issue is in fact yeast is a good place to start.

His yeast also may have nothing to do with food allergies at all, which is why the change in food has not helped.

You may also want to talk with his breeder to see if the parents had any of these issues or any of his littermates.

My pitbull has both food allergies (diganosed by elimination trial) and suspected environmental allergies. During the summer months I bathe him twice a week in Malaseb shampoo, which contains 2% chlorhexidine and 2% miconazole. Chlorhexidine is a gentle, but effective antiseptic and miconazole is the active ingredient that will kill excess yeast on the skin. I would highly recommend that shampoo over your current bathing regime. It makes him very soft and no dander at all.

[T S]

I have a 7 month old Irish Soft coat Wheaten. Brought him home July 22 – stunk to high heaven, but oh well – he’s cute. I’ve always thought he has a worse than normal dog odor. I don’t normally mind dog smell, I get that they’re not humans. But Oscar Stinks! I noticed his first yeast infection in Sept (ear). It dawned on me then, that his front paws are all pink/rusty from yeast as well. Vet doesn’t seem too concerned, but I am. He said try to change food – so I did.
IAMS puppy was what we were sent home with. Slowly changed him to Simply Nourish – chicken. Then, I changed him to Acana Grasslands mixed with Simply Nourish LID lamb because so many people told me to stay away from chicken. He has been on this only a short while (Nov 2nd). In the meantime – once a week baths with TeaTree oil shampoo and vinegar rinses. I dry his feet when he comes in the house. Seems to help.
Still has yeasty paws and another yeast infection in his ear. (noticed yesterday) Also, the groomer said his coat isn’t as full as it should be. She does think that he is going through “greasy teen” change right now, but that his coat should be more thick and healthy.
He licks his paws and groin area often. Doesn’t really bite much, just licking.
I feel comfortable with the food he is on now. What is my next step? My husband thinks I have an over-reactive nose and that he smells fine…..
At what point is seeking a diagnosis necessary – I don’t want to wait until it’s “too late”. I am not sure what to consider as far as why he gets these yeasty flare ups, so I am not sure what to ask the vet.
Thanks from a first-time-dog-owner.

Oh…also – can the yeast live long on his brushes? I groom him often – how do I clean his brush/comb?

[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

[Susan W]

VeRUS has a cold water fish formula with Menhaden fish as the base.
Here is the ingredient list: Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal, Lentils, Chickpeas, Green Peas, Barley, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Tapioca, Herring, Herring Meal, Yams, Natural Flavors, Menhaden Fish Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Flaxseed, Chicory Extract, Dried Cranberry, Tomato Pomace, Dried Carrots, Kelp, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Pediococcus acidilactici Fermentation Product, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, L-Carnitine, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Betaine Anhydrous, Iron Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate

As an aside…I thought my dogs were allergic to chicken & beef & all things gluten. Turns out they had mites. You can try dusting your dog with food grade DE powder. If they stop scratching, food isn’t the problem.

VeRUS sends fantastic samples f you want to give them a try.

[Jennifer C]

Pioneer Naturals is grain and potato free, that is what I went to in order to eliminate as much as possible what could cause a yeast problem in addition to allergies.

[anonymous]

Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities usually result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies usually result in pruritus (itching).

I would go by the recommendations of the veterinarian that examined the dog. Prednisone and such are necessary for short periods to stop the suffering and prevent skin infections. Make an appointment with a board certified veterinary dermatologist asap.
Avoidance doesn’t work, many allergens are air-borne and present all year round indoors and outdoors.
Don’t be fooled by mail-in saliva and hair tests to identify food sensitivities. They tend to be scams and are not diagnostic tools.
You can try frequent bathing with a shampoo such as Malaseb it may help a little but it works best in conjunction with other treatments prescribed by the dermatologist.
Air purifiers and dehumidifiers didn’t do anything to help my dog, gave that stuff to the Goodwill. Homeopathic remedies were a waste of money in my experience.
Have you tried the search engine here for “allergies”, this subject comes up at least once a week.

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

[Susan W]

My Golden has done the same thing this summer. Food Grade DE Powder will help with the ears & paws. If your dog has rust colored spots between her/his toes, it might be yeast. There are some good remedies for yeast, tho it’s hard to cure. Also helpful for us has been VeRUS dog food. If you contact them and tell them your dog is itchy, they’ll email you back with some suggestions. It has helped us a BUNCH!!

[zcRiley]

Zignature Limited Ingredient Formula Dry Dog Food (Turkey, lamb, or duck)

Key Benefits:
Grain-free and limited ingredient formula
Gluten-free diet
No potato, chicken or eggs
Complete and balanced diet for all life stages
Made in the USA

Stay away from all grains, brewer’s yeast and oatmeal anything. Same for treats. Yeast also feeds on oatmeal based shampoo. Bath in Aroma Paws honeysuckle and jasmine formula, all natural. Order food from Chewy.com, ingredients and reviews listed on everything.

Stop all the medications, it weakens the immune system. Wipe out ears daily with a tissue, q-tip out the yeast. Get ear drops from vet and keep at it.

[Leslie W]

Sandra – Could this be a seasonal allergy brought in on your dogs paws? The ears may itch from pollen brought in on the paw, You may want to consider a foot bath each time they go outdoors. I use a tub like the ones used for apple bobbing at my back door every other time my dogs go out. Here’s a recipe for two different soaks:

1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1-4 cups of white vinegar to one gallon of water

Or if dog has a yeasty smell (smells like corn chips) use:

1 gallon of water and pur in Betadine until water is the color of tea.

Soak then wipe feet well.

[Susan]

Hi Lisa, with yeasty dogs the dog starts scratching & gets real smelly of yeast only when the dog is sensitive to a certain ingredient in his diet, or he can be allergic to something in the environment as well, so it makes it really hard to pin point what the dog is sensitive too & is making him smell awful & itch.. I always thought the same its the high starchy carbs making my Patch itch & smell then I later learnt its the starchy carbs my dog is sensitive/allergic too that makes him smell & get real itchy… High carb diets aren’t the best & yes try to find a kibble that’s around 40% & under in carbs, a dogs digestive tract is short & made to digest a raw diet…
I feed “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb it only has 38% carbs. My boy seems to do really well on the TOTW Lamb kibble..

When my dog eats oats, barley, chicken, corn meal, carrots & probably other grains I don’t no all of them yet, that’s when he starts to smell within 2-3 days of eating the kibble… When he eats a kibble with just rice & fish he does real well, I was surprised, I always try to buy a kibble from a pet shop, so if I need to return it to get my money back its easier then buying online & having to pay for the delivery back to the online store, then while I’m at the Pet Store I can try another kibble….
If you can cook or do a pre-made raw then that’s the healthiest diet to feed, have a look at “Balance It” there’s recipes on their site you fill out the questionnaire, what health problems your dog or cat has, then recipes will come up for your dogs health problem & you add the “Balance It” to balance the diet..
https://secure.balanceit.com/

[Lisa H]

Thank you all for responding. I have not tried California’s Natural but I will look into it. My only concern is the rice. With yeast issues I am supposed to steer clear of starchy foods. Suz H it is terrible to know he is not feeling well and I don’t know how to help him. Im sorry you are goijg through it too. I know they need the starches to hold the kibble together so maybe Susan was right in saying that I need to move him to a different type of prepared dog food or start making my own. There are some brands i wouId like to try but cannot afford $100+ bags of dog food. I have tried eliminating foods and everytime I think I have figured it out a few months pass and we are back to square one. I will keep trying to find things in my end and if I have any luck I will post to forum in the hopes it helps someone else.

[suz h]

Hi Lisa H,

I have to agree with you regarding the LID Fish. We had the same issue..yeast developed. I ALSO must EDIT my Previous Post regarding the LID Chicken. He has gotten bad now.. I now wonder if they have added some sort of ingredient I am unaware of, or that simply he was cleared up from Medication, and we presumed the food was fine. He just gets worse by the day. This is so heartbreaking, isn’t it? To watch our pups suffer is just awful…

I just ordered the above mentioned by Lynn R. It is the Sport Dog (chicken). Our boy had issues with Duck as well.. Chicken ironically not so bad….or is it….. Ugghhh Good Luck

[Lisa H]

I have a 16 month old lab mix who seems to have sensitivity to a lot of things…legumes seem to be a problem so does chicken duck and turkey I had him on natural balance LID fish and sweet potato but then we started with yeast issues and now constant grass eating and occasional vomit. I don’t know what to do for him. I give him probiotic every day as well as benedryl. I bathe him in antifungal/antibacterial to try to help the itching but I want to actually solve his issues not mask them. Can anyone help me find and affordable food that will ease my puppy’s issues.

[pitlove]

Hi Anja-

No, that is a myth. Not that carbs break down into sugar, because they do, but that the sugar feeds yeast. As I said earlier Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, specifically the oils on the skin.

Molly- You’re welcome! Best of luck with the new food.

Oh also, take a look at Malaseb shampoo to aid in killing the excess yeast. It has really helped my pitbull during the summer months when his environmental allergies start flaring up. I bathe him twice a week when it’s really bad.

[Molly F]

Thanks for the info on yeast, pitluv!
I just started the switch, so I’ll be sure to write them tonight.

[A]

Isn’t it sugar feeds yeast. And potatoes, sweet potatoes convert to sugar quickly which feeds yeast. If I miss worded earlier I apologize.

[pitlove]

Hi again Molly-

Sorry you’re still having some issues with your pup. Just to correct some inaccurate info, carbs do not feed yeast. Malassezia yeast is the yeast found on the skin and the most common yeast dogs get. Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, however not dietary fats. Oils on the skin sort of fats. Eliminating or decreasing grains will have no effect on the yeast unless she is indeed having an allergic reaction to the grains. Then and only then will removing them from her diet help. Reason being is that yeast is symptomatic of something else that is surpressing the immune system (such as allergies) and causing the once in control population of yeast to become out of control because the immune system is too weak to control it.

While searching for another food, you can not simply just switch randomly without making sure the food you’re feeding is safe for a LBP. Before feeding Coastal Catch, I would email EarthBorn and ask for an up to date nutrient analysis and run the Ca and Phos through the calcium calculator on here. Remember, Hound Dog Mom’s list is over 2 years old and companies can change their formulas in that time frame.

[Kristin S]

I’ve scrolled through a lot of the forum discussions looking for help picking out a new food but i didnt get far. Here is our situation –
7 year old, 125 lbs Germany Shepherd-mastiff mix. He has back and joint problems already. He needs to lose about 15lbs. He is very INACTIVE. He also has yeast problems so we can’t do potatoes.

Any suggestions?? Thanks a lot

[Molly F]

Her current food has brewer’s rice, whole grain corn, whole grain wheat, poultry by-product mral, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, so I’m wondering if any of those are feeding the yeast. Her itchies are paws, groin and elbows, and somewhat ears.
The food I was going to switch her to has peas and potatoes…..

[A]

@molly

Oatmeal shampoo can also click pores just so you are away.
Is she itching her ears paws etc? Could be carb overload that’s feeding yeast.
A great shampoo for itching is zymox it’s 8.99 on chewy, it’s a enzymatic shampoo. It will eat away the yeast that’s building up. They also have a conditioner you can dilute with water and spray onto your dog.

Does her food have pea protein or potato protein in it?