[kwass610]

My boyfriend and I have a 4 y/o rescue yorkie-poo that is most likely from a puppy mill, and is allergic to everything. We currently have him on Natural Balance Lamb and Brown Rice food, which the vet suggested, and cyclosporine. He is doing better over the past few months that he has been on these, but not perfect – his eyes still emit a sticky, chunky discharge and he has trouble growing hair around them, and he is constantly chewing his feet and legs, often until he bleeds. Sometimes he gets a black, rough pattern on his stomach skin, which I think was ID’d by a previous vet as yeast. What more can we do? The vet he used to go to just kept giving him steroids for years, which is why we found a new vet – I want to help him, not slowly kill him. He is allergic to bluegrass, fescue grass, ragweed, lambs quarters weed, marsh elder weed, sage, russian thistle, cottonwood/aspen trees, box elder/maple trees, walnut trees, birch trees, aspergillius, penicillum, candida albicans, nigrospora, phoma (all of these are fungi), mouse epidermal, dust mites, salmon, poultry mix, eggs, milk, wheat, white potato, cotton, staph, and malassezia. This is all from an official allergy test.
We also have two larger dogs (both around 70lbs) so its tricky to feed the little guy alone. Getting food that they can all eat is important, but we can give the little one meds and topical things separate from the two bigger boys.
Any advice is welcome, I am lost and frustrated, I just want him to be comfortable. It is so hard getting him sweaters, blankets, treats, food, bedding, shampoos, medications, etc. that do not have something in them that he is allergic to! We might have to replant the yard in spring if it turns out we have a type of grass he cannot tolerate.

[Cyndi]

Sounds like you have your hands full. Thank you for giving this little guy a chance at having a normal life.

I don’t have any advice, just wanted to bump up your post so hopefully someone knowledgeable can help you out. Good luck! 🙂

[Samoan81]

only help on food I could suggest is that A lot times its suggested to switch from land to sea then to air. SO if you pet is allergic to lamb or chicken which many are, switch to a food blend that contains fish formulas . If that doesn’t work go to air like turkey duck etc

That’s a big list of allergies. Poor baby needs a portable doggie bubble

I would wash all his new bedding clothes with dreft baby detergent

Im sure you can find plenty of items that are hypoallergenic

[DogFoodie]

I know Cyndi already bumped up your post, but I am too.

Bless your heart, you’ve really got your hands full! Just curious, has your vet checked his thyroid? Also, do you see a vet who practices traditional veterinary medicine or do you use an integrative / holistic vet? I’d visit a holistic vet; here’s a link to help you find one (it’s not all inclusive, but a good start): http://www.ahvma.org/Widgets/FindVet.html

It sounds as though, in addition to the environmental and food allergies, your little guy might have a systemic yeast infection which has evolved into a leaky gut. Someone has probably been feeding your poor little guy garbage for his entire life. I would start right away supplementing his diet with coconut oil and probiotics (you need to begin repopulating the healthy bacteria in his gut). It looks like your food allergies are: salmon, poultry mix, eggs, milk, wheat, and white potato. I’d look for something minimally processed ~ raw if possible; but if you’re choosing to feed kibble, I’d go for a grain and white potato (probably sweet potato, too) free food to switch him to as soon as possible. The first food that comes to mind is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets.

[DogFoodie]

Oh, and I was too late to edit…, but what I also wanted to say is that if it’s a leaky gut, it’ll take quite a long time, but it can be healed. Find something that he does well on and be prepared to stick with it for quite a while before beginning to transition to other foods.

It’s good he’s doing better on the Natural Balance, but it sounds like something still isn’t working for him if he’s continuing to have symptoms like you described after months on the food.

[kwass610]

Thank you all for your insight! I don’t think he has had his thyroid checked, but we are due back to the vet in the new year, so I will ask. We take him to just a regular vet, so I will also look into the Holistic vets, thank you for the list! And I have never heard of leaky gut, so I guess that is something I will be looking into as well. Any ideas on good products to keep him from having to chew his feet? Even something topical – he just wont stop gnawing on them.

[InkedMarie]

I posted on your other thread.

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