[Liz S]

I have a 2 year old chihuahua, 5 year old italian greyhound and a 1 year old pug/boston terrier mix. All 3 have itchy skin and continue to have ear issues. Yeast infections etc. I guess we were going about the wrong way and focusing on how high the quality of the food is. Vet explained it could be the food and/or environmental. They’ve always had chicken based kibble as it’s always seemed to be their favorite. And it’s hard finding a food all 3 really like. I realize each dog is different and may need different foods but that can be dealt with later… vet suggested switching to something like lamb…venison..rabbit…she said it would most likely take at least 8 weeks to notice a difference. Especially with their ears.

I don’t know what food I am going to try first. :/ Very frustrated and confused.

I was wondering how much allergy testing is? It was a hectic visit last week with my chihuahua so that was the only question I didn’t get to ask that I was planning on…

Also… say it’s environmental… if they’re allergic to a chemical that is being used wherever in your household…does it tell you which chemical it is? Is it possible for them to be allergic to my ferrets? I almost feel like, if I can afford it, I should get all 3 allergy tested???

Any advice/thoughts/shared experiences welcome.
Thank you!

[Susan]

Hi, do you have the time to cook, I have Patch on Turkey Breast mince 1 kilo mix in 1 raw egg then I get a baking tray & make about 4 turkey loaf put in the oven & its ready in 20mins, then I cool & freeze, I also boil sweet potatoes & pumkin & freeze, I put in a blender & blend… to 1 cup I add 1 spoon no fat greek yogurt, Patch has stopped his scratching & red paws & red chin have all gone & he’s only been on the turkey breast mix for 1 week.. vet said to feed this diet 4- 6 weeks until I can find something that will agree with him, she said it wont hurt that its not balanced, its only for 1 month……now I’m looking at a brand called “Sunday Pets” its a New Zealand brand biscuits they look like a weet bix, but are smaller bits that u break in half, they are for dogs with skin problems & for dogs that don’t chew their kibble & gulp… I got a sample & Patch went nuts when he smelt the biscuits.. I’m trying the Deliganics cause they have only 5% fat, Patch needs a low fat diet cause of his stomach problems…
http://www.sundaypets.com/tasty-holistic-grain-free

[Susan]

Hi again, here’s a link for a grainfree gluten free diets
http://www.holvet.net/raw_pet_diet.html

[InkedMarie]

Hi Liz,
Go to the dog food ingredients forum here. On top, in a yellow stickie, is a list of grain & potato free foods. That may be a good place to start.

[Liz S]

Okay thanks everyone.

Susan,
I don’t really have the time to cook for all of them. If it ended up being, like life or death, I could pull things together. All of the ferrets and the cats are on HQ grain free foods. I am a stay-at-home-mom to the furbabies and my 2 1/2 yr old who is weaning off of gtube feedings. So there are lots of dr appts , therapists that come to the house etc. Me and my mom have been talking about making our dogs food for years. She has 2 chihuahuas. Maybe someday. 🙂

I’ll check out the links ^ … still not sure what to look for besides grain free/potato free… Since it could be a number of things? :/ Confusing…. frustrating. Took a while to find the perfect food for the other furbabies. Well worth it but still took a long time. We have about 8lbs of the chicken dry food for the dogs left over but we want to get them off of it asap. I’ll use to ease transition of course but want to switch them now. 2pm here. Heading out at 5:30 to 3 different pet stores… trying to find at least 1 or 2 maybe 3 different brands/formulas to be able to pick up tonight. ( not to buy all, just one. ) Otherwise I end up with the worst anxiety looking through all the bags etc.

We shall see.

[Gordon R]

Hi Liz,

We have a Golden six month old puppy with ear yeast and bacteria infections. Allergy testing showed he was allergic to chicken, turkey, tuna, peanuts, corn, rice, and wheat. Chicken was mentioned to us as a common cause of ear problems among dogs with that allergy.

The recommendation was to try Nutri Source Large Breed Lamb Meal Grain Free Formula, which I supplement with lamb based grain free canned food of various brands. That formula is rated at 4.5 stars, but it is an adult formulation, so I am still not sure it is the most perfect solution for our pup. We’re only into this one week, still in the transition period, so I can’t give you any results yet.

[Anonymous]

I have a dog with allergies, nothing worked until I went to a dermatologist and had my dog skin tested and she started immunotherapy, wasted time and money going back and forth to the regular vet for a year and received some incorrect information. There are times when it is best to just go to a specialist.
I found this site helpful. http://www.allergydogcentral.com/

Also, consider a homeopathic approach http://www.vitalanimal.com

PS: Environmental allergies are more common than food allergies, actually people tend to refer to food sensitivities as allergies
The dust mite, microscopic and on the skin of all living things (dander) is a common one…impossible to avoid.

[Liz S]

LM-

Thank you for the website and advice on the allergies. I don’t know what I’d do if it were allergens such as.. ferret or cat dander…or…well cleaning products are easy to ditch! ( like vinegar and h20 ) …

Haven’t taken anyone to be tested yet but I will soon.

[Anonymous]

My dog with allergies is doing very well, she only needs the injection every 3 weeks now.
We see the specialist once a year and pick up the solution every 6 months, he is available for questions by phone.
Haven’t been to the regular vet in 3 years, no need, this dog will not be receiving any more vaccinations.
Initially the testing is expensive but the maintenance isn’t bad at all. It is what it is.

Not all dogs need immunotherapy, the allergies may only be seasonal, or related to food sensitivities.
But seeing a specialist and trying simple foods should help, for some reason my allergy girl does well on Nutrisca (fish), or Wysong. I tried eliminating this and that, no chicken, no potato……. she has a delicate stomach, but now I give her a little chicken or lean meat (cooked) with her dry, a fish oil capsule every day, it’s supposed to help pruritis.
Good luck.

[Susan]

Hi LM, what test did you have the Blood Test or the Salvia test Jean Dobbs?? I’ve read that the Blood Test, tests for foods that the dog is Allergic too & Environment allergies where Jean Dobbs Saliva Test, tests for food intolerances & food sensitivities…. there’s a difference with food allergies the dog will react that day to the food, like when people eat peanuts they react with 1mins, like Patch when he eats Potatoes he gets a rash all over chest within 5mins of eating the potatoes, paws go real red & itch, then if I keep feeding the potatoes, he gets real bad diarrhea ….Then there’s food Intolerances & Sensitivities, it can take from 1 day to weeks for the dog to have a build up of an certain ingredient, like with Patch he does well straight away on a new kibble, like 2 weeks ago, I introduced a new food he was doing OK, poos were a bit soft but then this week hive like lumps all over his head, sore throat can’t swallow, burping up food into his mouth, swollen back paws after eating this new food but he was right the first 5 days…so now I cant decide what test to have done the Blood test or the Salvia test…. I’m thinking the Saliva test cause Id say Patch would have more Food Sensitivities to foods then Food Allergies…

[Susan]

Gee, poor Clayton the Pit bull terrier allergic to cat dander, I have a cat, gee he has what Patch has the receding hair above the eye only where he has his white fur the other side is fine, maybe I’m better off getting the Blood Test as it does the environment as well as food Allergies, I’ll email the company & ask if Patch is sensitive to a food will it show…
Gee in the end Clayton could eat the Nutro Lamb & brown rice that’s one of the kibble I haven’t tried yet, I had it in my hands but I picked the organic one with higher protein & are a biscuits as the dog chew the biscuit type kibble, its new from New Zealand “Sunday Pets” smelt beautiful for a dog food & Patch loved them, I’d soak in water just 1 min & the baked biscuit would come to life & smell real meaty smell…..I just realised Clayton has his ears chopped who cuts dogs ears, I suppose only in America, poor dog….

[Anonymous]

“Jean Dobbs Saliva Test, tests for food intolerances & food sensitivities”…

I have no interest in this test because it does not test for allergies. I want my pet physically examined by a veterinarian as part of the diagnostic process.

I can figure out food sensitivities myself just by trying and eliminating different things.
Also, if the animal is reacting to environmental allergies, you can change the diet all you want and it won’t make a difference.

Once my dog had the skin testing (I never got the food testing) and started treatment, she now tolerates a variety of foods.

BTW: Food sensitivities change, that test you mentioned recommends getting them retested every year or so. If people find this helpful great. Different things work for different dogs.

[Susan]

LM when a dog has IBD you cant just start introducing this food & that food.. I have done Elimination diets from advice from the ladies in this group & learnt the hard way, while Patch suffered, I need to find out what foods Patch is sensitive too now, I know what foods he’s allergic to, I had to stop my 2 month elimination diet as he became very ill after the potatoes…. its too hard testing foods on a dog with IBD something I hope you never have to go thru..My vet frecked when I told her I was doing an elimination diet with Patch, & recommended I do skin testing for environment allergies not blood testing as it can come back with false positives but its very expensive to have done….

[Anonymous]

I’m glad you are finding things that work, all we can do is share what has been helpful for our pets and hope someone benefits.
This is the first dog I have ever had to take to a specialist….but I’m glad I did, so far so good.
I got frustrated with the elimination diets. I have found that frequent bathing with Malaseb or a gentle oatmeal shampoo helps too.

[marco]

Hi Liz, I had the same problem with my two boys, and i was told by my vet in Italy, who teaches in the Perugia’s University, that he knows about a research that suggest not to feed dogs with any food containing meat coming from intensive farming, as they contain residues that can seriously harm pet’s health (almost any). I fed Wolf for 4 days preparing myself his food and he was a lot better. Than my vet suggested me a special line of products that does’t contain meat at all, but uses fish as protein source. The name is forza10, but i can’t tell you if you can find it outside Italy… Good Luck!

[Author]

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