[anonymous]

I am so glad you are working closely with your vet.

If her problems continue even through the winter, I would ask for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. Unless your vet feels confident he can treat the condtion.
A positive response to Apoquel is indicative of environmental allergies.

/forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

/forums/topic/doodle-with-allergies/#post-119649

[anonymous]

I am not aware of any such thing. In fact, one of my dogs does best on fish based kibble as a base
She is a senior with environmental allergies and has never had a uti.
For best results discuss with a veterinarian that has examined your dog and knows the dogs history, not the internet.

Per the search engine.
/forums/topic/bladder-stones-in-6-year-old-female-pug/#post-113166

[anonymous]

Call the vet and have her call you back, explain what is happening. I would try to work closely with your vet, prescription food and all.
However, since the symptoms have been going on for several months and the dog has not responded to treatment I might ask her for a referral to a specialist, either a veterinary dermatologist or an internal medicine specialist.
You can use the search engine here to look up “environmental allergies”
Example:
/forums/topic/doodle-with-allergies/#post-119649

PS: I am assuming routine labs/tests have been done and medical issues (other than allergies) have been ruled out.

[Claire B]

We have been under treatment for yeast from a veterinary dermatologist for four months now and all I can tell you is it is a process of elimination of cause as well as treatment. Since my boy was under a year the first time we went she was sensitive to this and we started with a vinegar solution, then moved to topical foams and shampoos before trying an anti-fungal 3 x week in month four. They can be persistent if you can’t find the cause. He has zero environmental allergies at this moment, but a high storage mite allergy which we discovered in testing. We have adjusted for that and all his itchiness, runny nose and breathing issues are gone, but he still has the yeast feet although they have gone from a 3-4 to a 1-2 on the scale. If he has not improved to 0-1 by next month we will put him on a two ingredient prescription diet made with either rabbit or kangaroo since he has had no exposure to those unless I can find venison in abundance to do homecooked. We are still hoping this is all caused by a weakened gut from 3 rounds of antibiotics before he was 7 months old for an upper respiratory infection, persistent staph, then bronchitis which we now know the bronchitis issues was caused by his storage mite allergy.

[anonymous]

Quote “he vet gave me antibiotics and Apoquel. I don’t like either one since antibiotics kills the good and the bad bacteria and Apoquel suppresses the immune system and it just seems both aren’t the answer and would just make the situation worse. The groomer didn’t use anything new on her and she’d been going there since January. She does get incredibly stressed when she goes. any suggestions?” Unquote

@Lori T
The antibiotics are important and necessary to stop infection, this indicates that her skin condition is serious. There are other treatments available for environmental allergies besides Apoquel, did she have a positive response to it? Make a list of questions to discuss with your vet.
Once the skin condition is diagnosed and under control less medications should be needed. However, there is no cure for environmental allergies, they tend to wax and wane usually requiring lifelong treatment.
Discuss your dog’s anxiety issues with your vet, he may recommend giving her a sedative 1 hour prior to the appointment.

[anonymous]

I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist if the skin condition you described does not clear up within a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise the regular vet has no choice but to offer you bandaid solutions to stop the pain and discomfort.

It could be anything from razor burn to environmental allergies or some other skin condition or a combination of all….…only a veterinarian that has examined your dog can diagnose and prescribe treatment.
Apoquel is prescribed for environmental allergies and many dogs are doing well on it and are symptom free. Any effective medication has the potential for side effects.
The question is does the risk outweigh the benefits? In most cases it does.

I would go back to your vet and discuss your options first. Consider a new groomer? Maybe the groomer lets the blades get too hot? I groom my own dogs so I know of such things. I give the dog to be groomed a medicated bath before and after being groomed. See who your vet recommends for a groomer.

Also, you can use the search engine here to look up environmental allergies.

We recently transitioned to Fromm Classic Adult from a grain-free, no issues, just reacting to the grain-free scare.

[Sabrina H]

I saw yet another vet and she insisted it was environmental allergies. She wasn’t at all concerned with the ear problem since there’s nothing visibly wrong and he’s had it for so long, and she didn’t seem to care much about the itchiness simply because he didn’t scratch during the vet appointment. I strongly dislike this vet. I took my cat to her and disliked her so much that I went to another clinic in a completely different town, yet somehow she ended up being there too. She wouldn’t even entertain the idea of it being a food allergy and just told me to try Benedryl. The Benedryl did seem to help the ear issue and switching his food to Zignature Turkey (my local feed store has a great price!) helped the anal gland problem. Even though it’s 6% fiber, this food doesn’t cause him issues like the 5.5% fiber foods did. He’s still itchy though! I’m thinking maybe pork is a problem. It seems like he gets aggressively itchy any time he has pork, and meat from domestic pigs makes him itchier than wild boar.

[Sydney N]

My dog has awful allergies and it turned out she was allergic to all meat proteins, I then found the natural balance wet food and it solved all of our problems! Even the ones that involved her environmental allergies such as storage mites in dry dog food! I hope your baby gets to feeling better soon!

[Sydney N]

I have had the exact same problem with my pure bred lab. She is 3 and I have spent thousands at the vet on her. Chronic ear infections, yeast infections, stomach boils, and itchy as can be. I have finally came to realize after environmental allergy tests she is allergic to dust mites as well as storage mites. These both found in dry dog food. She also is allergic to ALL meat protein. This has been so difficult and no vet has helped me. I finally read online about the meat allergy and thank goodness I did. I have since switched her to natural balance wet vegetarian dog food. And it has made ALL the difference. Her ears are crystal clean, her belly is happy and her skin is happy. This has never happened for me before, to tell you how bad it was I had an appointment with a dog dermatologist booked before this food. We tried zignature, elimination diet, royal canin, ultamino, hydrologized food, limited ingredient and nothing worked but this wet vegetarian food is amazing. She loves it too! I would recommend it and I also give probiotics with her dinner to her. She literally runs to her bowl now as does my other dog without allergies. I really hope this helps, I truly know how frustrating dogs with allergies are! If you have any questions please let me know!!:)

[Sydney N]

Hi! My Labrador has had ongoing food and environmental allergies for 3 years as well. I got her allergy tested for environmental allergens and she is allergic to dust mites as well as storage mites (in dry food). She also is allergic to pretty much all meat or animal derived protein. Saying this I have always had her to the vet for ear infections, skin infections, blisters, puking, loose stool, etc. I started her on natural balance wet vegetarian dog food and She has never been better. I tried her on multiple foods before such as. Zignature, royal canin, ultamino, and hydrologized foods, all which none worked. She has hard stool now, her health back, and clean ears and skin (I’ve never been able to say this before) and the diet is a full diet for dogs even though it’s vegetarian. I hope this helps you!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Joanne-
I have fed a lot of grain free WEF, Victor and TOTW along with some Purina, Fromm, Eagle Pack, Iams and Authority with grains. I’ve never thought grain free was necessarily better, but my dogs seem to do better poop wise with a little higher fiber. They had a rough start with parasites when they were pups and tend to have loose stools ever since.

Fromm Gold weight control is not grain free, but is fairly high in fiber and now am wondering if that is an issue now too. I am planning on switching to their reduced activity recipe instead which is a little lower in fiber.

It’s hard to know if there truly is a grain free concern since there is such a small sample of dogs so far. But having two lab/golden mix dogs, I’m going to play it safe. Both breeds are mentioned often in the different reports I’ve read.

I feed my cats about half Royal Canin kibble and half various canned food. RC is a little too expensive for our pet budget for two large dogs, however.

It doesn’t sound like your dog is sensitive to chicken. It’s so hard to tell with kibble because there are so many ingredients. Also, if your dog is anything like mine, they get into things they shouldn’t. Also, environmental allergies can also be an issue. The only way to know for sure is to do a true elimination diet with a hypoallergenic Rx dog food.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[anonymous]

I never did the blood test suggested by the regular vet, (got tired of the back and forth bandaid remedies). Consulted a specialist instead, the dermatologist told me it was not necessary. Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment available, no meds involved. See my posts….
The dog’s allergies appeared to be environmental.
Environmental allergies wax and wane making it impossible to tell what food might or might not help.
The intradermal skin testing is the only accurate way to identify environmental allergens.
My allergy dog eats a variety of foods with a quality kibble as a base, lots of boiled chicken meat and boiled egg as toppers.

My dogs are thriving on Zignature, but due to the recent “grain-free scare” I am trying Fromm Classic Adult for one of my dogs….. Don’t want to make a change with my allergy dog, but we’ll see.

PS: The blood test, that’s the one you had, right? It is known to be unreliable.

[anonymous]

/forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364
Make an appointment with a board certified veterinary dermatologist. It’s not the food. Just my opinion, based on my experience and knowledge.

[Greg A]

First time poster here so I apologize if this is in the wrong category.

I have a goldendoodle that is a year and a half that has battled allergies his entire life. Through elimination diet (or attempting to with a 5 kid year old who cant seem to eat over his plate!) I felt confident my dog was allergic to peas and chicken… When brodie was neutered he ripped his staples out and during the surgery to clean out an infection the vet recommended we do blood work to find out for sure what his intolerances were. The results were not what I was hoping for to say the least.

Without showing his environmental allergies brodie is allergic to Pork, soybean, corn, rice (white and brown), white potato, sweet potato, and green peas. Beef and lamb are close to the positive however, the items above were way above normal range for intolerance.

One of my first questions is does anyone know of any foods that fit this profile? I believe I found only a handful. One being Earthborn Holistic Venture Pollock & Pumpkin:

Alaska Pollock Meal, Pumpkin, Tapioca, Sunflower Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Potassium Chloride, Salt ,Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Exrtract, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.

Along with the Nature’s Logic line excluding the Pork flavor. The only problem i have had with this brand is loose stool.

In most foods that i find that fits the bill they include pea starch at a minimum. Does anyone have experience with whether the starch would cause an issue or am i limited to the proteins to the allergy.

The vet is kind of stumped because of potatoes and rice along with the peas. Do i have any hope?

The only other brand / flavor was FARMINA CODFISH & ORANGE ADULT MEDIUM

Fresh wild caught Cod(source of glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate), dehydrated cod (source of glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate), herring (preserved with mixed tocopherols), whole spelt, whole oats, dried beet pulp, dried carrots, sun-cured alfalfa meal, inulin, fructooligosaccharide, yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides), dehydrated sweet orange, dehydrated apple, dehydrated pomegranate, dehydrated spinach, psyllium seed husk, dehydrated blueberry, salt, brewers dried yeast, turmeric, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, choline chloride, beta-carotene, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, ferrous glycine, copper proteinate, selenium yeast, DL-methionine, taurine, L-carnitine, aloe vera gel concentrate, green tea extract, rosemary extract, mixed tocopherols (a preservative).

This one contains “spelt” which isnt a tested ingredient but is close to wheat which is not an allergy.

I am looking for any suggestions or off name brands that may be out there that are not main stream. We currently pay around 120-140 a month for dog food (we have a rescue goldendoodle and do not want to have different foods per dog). I would prefer not to keep him limited to one brand his entire life as I like have a choice should one flavor get discontinued.

Thanks.

[crazy4cats]

Hi doginlaw-

Zignature is pretty high in fat and calories. I’d get him on a lower calorie food to lose weight. That will help immensely!

I have chubby labs and I try to keep their kibble on average at 350 calories per cup. Fromm has a senior/reduced activity recipe that you may want to look into. Also, more often than not, grain free food does not cure allergies. Especially, if they are environmental.

Swimming is an excellent idea! Good luck with your pup!

[anonymous]

Regarding the skin issues, I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist.

/forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

Regarding the “hip problems” have x-rays (hips/spine) been done to rule out hip dysplasia and other anomalies? Don’t assume it is age related arthritis until other causes have been ruled out.
Swimming is the best for dogs with arthritis, also good for weight management.
In fact, if you have pet health insurance hydrotherapy may be covered as a prescribed treatment.
/forums/topic/hip-dysplasia/#post-117881

The supplements mentioned are okay, but they are not medication.
If you want to get to the root of the problem often a specialist is indicated and/or more testing $, otherwise the vet has no choice but to recommend bandaid remedies.

[Katie K]

I’ve heard about this twice within the past week and tried researching it. It sounds like the majority of people in this thread read the same article that I did. To me, it was very unclear. What makes them Think certain foods are causing this? Is it simply because the number of dogs with heart problems have gone up and more and more people are feeding their dogs grain-free? I would think that they would want something more conclusive before spreading this belief. What if a new vaccine is causing it? Or something environmental? Or it could be genetic, with the amounts of dogs in puppy mills. And the way it talks about taurine… A lot of dogs with a heart disease are deficient in taurine. But then again, a lot of them aren’t…?
My dog does have sensitive skin. He has allergies to some things. I feed him grain-free. He does great with the food I have him on. Is he allergic to grain? I don’t know. I do know that when his skin is irritated, he chews. When he chews, moisture gets into his skin and yeast starts to build up. Grain feeds the yeast and causes it to spread. A grain-free food won’t worsen the problem. If you feed a grain-free food with the right balance/amounts of probiotics, it actually fights the yeast. If, for some reason, his food were to cause a taurine deficiency, I would rather give him a supplement than switch him to a food that causes him to be itchy all the time.
This article isn’t just recommending to stay away from grain-free foods. It also says that “boutique” foods can cause heart problems. That term, “boutique foods” is kind of vague, no? So grain-free foods, “boutique” foods, and a raw diet.. According to this article, they’re all no good. Well, what does that leave us with? Hills Science Diet? This article talks about a vet who is researching this whole grain-free causing heart problems. Morris Animal Foundation is funding his research. Who started this foundation? The same person who started Hills Science Diet. What kind of food are vets recommending we switch our dogs to? Hills Science Diet.
Vets have been recommending and selling this food for decades. The more they sell, the more perks they get from the company. This food is so unhealthy but was very popular for a very long time because people trusted their vets. Now that we have the internet, more and more pet owners are educating themselves and making informed decisions on what to give their dog. I am sure Hill’s sales have dropped dramatically. It sounds to me that they are desperate to get back on top.
In my opinion, if your dog is doing well with the food s/he is eating, don’t change their diet. ESPECIALLY to Hill’s Science Diet. If they ever have proof to back this theory, of course I will take it seriously. But for now, it seems to me that they’re trying to take advantage of our love for our dogs to line their pockets.

[pitlove]

Hi Sandy-

Grain free and potatoe free have nothing to do with yeast in dogs unless your dog has an allergy to grain (fairly rare) or potatoe (also fairly rare). This is a popular internet myth. Dogs with yeast are not necessarily allergic to the food they are eating either. Yeast overgrowth on the skin is secondary to a larger problem like allergies, but environmental allergies can also cause yeast.

The best thing you can do if you want to rule in or rule out food allergy is a elimination trial. This is the only realiable why to diagnois a food allergy. Using a food from the vet like Royal Canin Ultamino or a homecooked diet of a novel protein and carb for 3 months are your best options. But the dog can not eat anything else, but that diet for the full length of the trial. Then the idea is to challenge the dog by putting him back on the old food and see if he has a reaction. If the symptoms went away during the food trial and came back with the old dry food, then you will know its a food allergy. If the symptoms show no improvement on the elimination diet, then food is not the issue. If food is not the issue the next step is a veterinary dermatologist for environmental allergy testing (if you can afford it).

I couldn’t afford the dermatologist, so I’ve been managing my dogs seasonal allergies with frequent bathing in Malaseb shampoo or Miconahex+Triz by Dechra. Both available on chewy.com.

[anonymous]

How long have you had the dog? No, idiopathic seizure disorder is not caused by food.

Environmental allergies are not caused by food.

The dog may need an anticonvulsant for the rest of her life. Sure there are triggers, in fact I would avoid vaccines with this dog and ask your vet to sign a waiver (rabies vaccine).

Regarding allergies, see a veterinary dermatologist. Food allergies are rare.

Use the search engine here at this site to look up “environmental allergies” and “seizures” and see my posts.

Unfortunately, these issues may be why the dog was given up. There are good vets out there that will help you.

Bottom line, it will cost about $1000 to $2000 a year to keep this dog comfortable.

I could be way off, as only a veterinarian that has examined the dog and reviewed it’s history can advise you accordingly.

PS: Be careful, don’t fall down the homeopathic rabbit hole.

[anonymous]

For best results see a board certified veterinary dermatologist.

I hope you don’t fall down the homeopathic rabbit hole. A lot of scams out there.

See my posts per the search engine /forums/search/environmental+allergies/

[anonymous]

For best results go to a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities fluctuate.
More often than not environmental allergies are the culprit.
The only accurate test for that is intradermal skin testing. The most natural treatment for environmental allergies is allergen specific immunotherapy otherwise known as allergy shots or desensitization.
See my posts, example /forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

[Jenny L]

My 5.5yr old yorkie has had food and environmental allergies for a few years now. Per the vet she has been on Hill’s Prescription Z/D food with the corresponding treats. She had an allergy test almost two years ago (after trying to fix the problem with prescription food with no luck) and came back with quite a bit of food allergies. The vet suggested she continue with the Z/D food, however I recently read the ingredients. First on the list is corn starch, and my dog is allergic to corn.

The vet hasn’t seemed terribly open about my interest in either home cooking meals or going raw. However I’ve done some searching and have seen instances where cooking/raw has helped dogs with all types of ailments tremendously.

She is allergic to the following food: pork, milk, corn, barley, peas. She’s also right on the edge of the scale being allergic to: beef, salmon, chicken/turkey, lamb, fish, duck.

Any guidance, suggestions, help is VERY appreciated.

[BaileysMom86]

Hi Susan, yes I am seeing a dermatologist. The Cytopoint didn’t help Bailey at all unfortunately 🙁 Apoquel, Atopica, and several different steroid pills didn’t help either. A steroid shot helped but only for a few weeks. I’m going to stay on the prescription food while I introduce him to different proteins, carbs, etc one by one to see if anything makes him flare up. I’m just surprised he is so itchy on the prescription food. Even if he has environmental allergies, the itching has increased since being on this food and I think it’s the high carb content since there’s alot of cornstarch. I’m going to try a lower carb food after the trial is over and I’m hoping that will help.

[anonymous]

For best results go to a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities fluctuate.
More often than not environmental allergies are the culprit.
The only accurate test for that is intradermal skin testing. The most natural treatment for environmental allergies is allergen specific immunotherapy otherwise known as allergy shots or desensitization.
See my posts, example /forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

/forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

[crazy4cats]

Dear BaileysMom-
Please keep your pup on the prescription food. That poor thing. How stressful for all of you! There should not be anything in that food that would cause a reaction. It’s typically used for an elimination diet. Was that mentioned to you at all? Make sure he does not get anything else. No treats of any type. I know that can’t be easy. I’m not sure how long you have to wait before adding any other food.

If your dog keeps up with all the itching, it probably is environmental allergies. Luckily, I haven’t had to deal with allergies. But, I have read and heard a lot about them on this site. Please stick to the hydrolyzed diet to finally help figure out what his intolerances are. Good luck!

[anonymous]

What type of “allergy testing” was done?

Per the search engine here:
/forums/topic/help-me-my-dog-vomited-everytime-he-eat/#post-115615

/forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

[Charles B]

anon101, Im aware of the environmental allergies – the linked topic above is our other dog 🙂

Tex has the environmental allergies, Jake definitely has a food based allergy. I could move him back today to Acana Duck and all his itching would go away. That’s why we use it as our control. We will switch up his foods, and then use the Acana to level him out again and he’ll go back to having no allergy symptoms.

Last night we gave him the Annamaet Adult which we use for our other dog, and within 30 minutes he was violently chewing his front paws. So we will be switching him back to the Acana for the rest of the week to level him out again.

I remember that Fromm had a Duck, but I cant remember why we dont use it. We use to use only Fromm with him as a puppy but we ended up switching things up for some reason.

[anonymous]

For best results go to a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities fluctuate.
More often than not environmental allergies are the culprit.
The only accurate test for that is intradermal skin testing. The most natural treatment for environmental allergies is allergen specific immunotherapy otherwise known as allergy shots or desensitization.
See my posts, example /forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

[Charles B]

Ok – Our one boy we have figured out his environmental allergies and are on route to controlling them.

Our other food, has a food allergy. He is 100% on Acana Duck and Pear, however our vet doesnt like how much legumes are in it with the Golden Retriever Taurine issues.

So lets say the Acana is our control. This was the food we settled on after a lot of trying and paw licking.

We have also tried Acana Freshwater Fish, Acestry Duck and Potato, Wellness Duck and Oat, Canine Caviar Open Plains, Farmina Cod and Orange, and Farmina Lamb and Blueberry.

Ive created a spreadsheet, which can be seen here: https://tinyurl.com/yd9yxmuo

After a lot of comparison, I determined the following are all shared between the foods, except the control. If their names slightly differed I included them.

Biotin 5/7
Choline Chloride 5/7
Copper Proteinate 4/7
Copper Sulfate 2/7
Manganese Proteinate 4/7
Manganese Sulfate 2/7
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride 5/7
Riboflavin 6/7
Thiamine Mononitrate 5/7
Zinc Proteinate 5/7
Zinc Sulfate 2/7

[anonymous]

Per the search engine here:

/forums/search/environmental+allergies/

[anonymous]

For best results go to a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities fluctuate.
More often than not environmental allergies are the culprit.
The only accurate test for that is intradermal skin testing. The most natural treatment for environmental allergies is allergen specific immunotherapy otherwise known as allergy shots or desensitization.

See my posts, example /forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

[anonymous]

“We were considering going back and pursuing a request for a dermatologist, or at least restarting the Cytopoint injections”.

Sounds good. Best of luck

PS: The grass eating may be related to his environmental allergies. Environmental allergies can also play havoc with the gastrointestinal system. He is probably eating the grass in an attempt to alleviate an upset stomach, nausea and such.
Also, most supplements are a waste of money.
Regarding that solid gold supplement, did you read the ingredients?
A fish oil capsule would do the same thing (check with your vet first)

[anonymous]

Please visit a board certified veterinarian asap for testing/diagnosis/treatment.

It’s been a year/4 seasons without significant results by the regular vet.

Do not give over the counter meds/supplements or apply ointments, creams that are not intended for veterinary use unless advised to do so by a veterinarian that has examined your dog.
See my posts:
/forums/search/atopic+dermatitis/

Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist.
/forums/search/environmental+allergies/
Good luck
PS: The initial testing can run about $800. the solution for allergen specific immunotherapy can run about $200 or more maybe 3 times a year. We just see the dermatologist once a year for a checkup. Otherwise he is available by phone and will talk to the regular vet if need be.
The treatment is lifelong, but it is natural, similar to the allergy shots people get to desensitize. No prednisone. Don’t get me wrong, it can take up to a year to kick in, but we saw results right away. They can still have flare-ups but they tend to be mild.

[Charles B]

Over the past year we have fostered and adopted a Golden that’s got some pretty nasty allergies.

We have him eating Zignature Kahatoo and Venison. I see that a Goat and Quail just came out. Hoping to try theses as well.

Anyway he does have some food sensitivities, and when he came to use on Kirkland Grain Free Chicken he was a walking Yeast infection. We got that sorted and after lots of trial and error got him on his current food. It’s still not perfect, and if we give him the wrong treat he’ll start kicking st his face and lick between his toes till they bleed.

He loves being outside sun bathing in the grass. He also loves to eat grass. He’s part cow. He will bathe, grab a mouthful of grass, then roll on his bag chewing till he’s ready for some more.

He’s been on Apoquel for 7-9 months now off and on. On a good day we can give 8mg and be fine. On a bad day we are on 32mg a day. Now that spring is here we are on 16 morning to deal with the allergies.

Is there another route we should be perusing? We can’t force him to stop eating grass so we would like to figure another way around it.

Apoquel is $2.39 a day for us, do $71 a month in pills.

[anonymous]

For best results go to a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities fluctuate.
More often than not environmental allergies are the culprit.
The only accurate test for that is intradermal skin testing. The most natural treatment for environmental allergies is allergen specific immunotherapy otherwise known as allergy shots or desensitization.
For a grain free limited ingredient food consider Zignature whitefish or Nutrisca salmon.

[anonymous]

Okay, so the blood test.

Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist is the most accurate way to test for environmental allergies.

I suspect the test you had done detects sensitivities and not true allergies.
Check with your vet.

Per the search engine: http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/
/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[anonymous]

Please consult a veterinary dermatologist. Your dog is young, environmental allergies get worse with age, not better.

See my posts on the topic. /forums/search/environmental+allergies/

[patty S]

She has dry skin and scratches all the time. I have tried a homeopathic treatment for itching cuased by environmental allergies but so far there is only a slight improvement. The vet did give her a shot last year that worked great for the itching but I hate to keep using that as my research showed it wasn’t a great choice. I do give her coconut oil. I am at my wits end. I tried the raw diet and she likes it and is healthy except overweight still. Anyway, thank you.
Patty

[anonymous]

My dog with a sensitive stomach and environmental allergies (treated by a dermatologist) did well on Nutrisca salmon as a base, for years.
We are now using Zignature whitefish.
Both are available at Chewy dot com.
PS: Some dogs can switch foods with just minor reactions, such as loose or softer stools for two or three days, others may have diarrhea.
Only one way to find out.
Good luck

[bexster]

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, unless our poor guy is knocked out beforehand, going to the vet for all sorts of tests is not in the cards.

He doesn’t have environmental allergies, it’s clearly things in his food. If I give him something like a piece of apple, he throws up the next day. Environmental he’d be itchy and scratchy which he is not; food he throws up and gets sores so it’s quite different.

Our last girl took probiotics and digestive enzymes; didn’t do a stitch to help her food allergies but I appreciate the thought. The digestive enzymes I take personally don’t do a thing for my food or airborne allergies.

Thanks for those two food suggestions. Unfortunately those both contain chickpeas and peas, both insufficient fillers, items I’m wanting to avoid. Nicely though, their poultry free foods are truly poultry free, a true rarity.

Is there no food comparable or similar to Pioneer Naturals?

Thanks

[anonymous]

Nutrisca and Zignature have grain free, no chicken formulas.

I have found they work best in conjunction with treatment prescribed for environmental allergies by a
veterinary dermatologist.
I also found that as my dog responded to treatment she can now eat a variety of foods including chicken.

[anonymous]

It’s not the food (IMO). Unfortunately many dogs are given up due to environmental allergies.
There is no cure, but there is effective treatment.
For best results go to a veterinary dermatologist.
The intradermal skin testing takes about 45 minutes and the dog is sedated so he will be comfortable.

See former posts. /forums/topic/inflammatory-bowel-disease-what-dog-food/#post-111755

If going to a veterinary dermatologist is not an option, continue to work closely with your veterinarian, there are newer treatments available.
There is no cheap way out of this……
/forums/search/environmental+allergies/

[anonymous]

Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist.
See my posts /forums/search/environmental+allergies/
Good luck
PS: The initial testing can run about $800. the solution for allergen specific immunotherapy can run about $200 or more maybe 3 times a year. We just see the dermatologist once a year for a checkup. Otherwise he is available by phone and will talk to the regular vet if need be.
The treatment is lifelong, but it is natural, similar to the allergy shots people get to desensitize. No prednisone. Don’t get me wrong, it can take up to a year to kick in, but we saw results right away. They can still have flare-ups but they tend to be mild.

[anonymous]

I would make an appointment with a specialist (asap) either veterinary internal medicine or a veterinary dermatologist for testing/diagnosis/treatment. Sounds like environmental allergies could be the culprit and not the food.
Ask your vet to refer you. Prednisone is not good long term and can lead to other health issues, he has not responded to diet changes.
Enough is enough.
PS: There is no miracle food that will fix this.
Go here for science based veterinary medicine http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
You can use the search engine to look up specific topics. The comments are informative too.
The site is run by a veterinarian. There are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA.

[anonymous]

I skipped the blood test, the veterinary dermatologist told me after examination that her allergies appeared to be environmental. I had the intradermal skin test done and started asit (allergen specific immunotherapy). The test i’s not cheap but it’s the most accurate way to identify allergens.
Asit is the most natural way to treat environmental allergies, the treatment is lifelong.
My dog has been stable over 5 years. She eats a variety of different foods, but does best with Zignature
whitefish kibble as a base.
Frequent bathing with a vet recommended shampoo helps too.
There is no cure for environmental allergies but there is effective treatment.
Food allergies are rare, food sensitivities tend to fluctuate.
Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane.
Apoquel is prescribed for environmental allergies.
/forums/topic/poop-less-and-scratching/#post-111715
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/ There are even newer treatment options since this article was written.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[anonymous]

You could try a different food, however it sounds like it could be environmental allergies. Hopefully, if it is, they are mild and/or seasonal.
I would consult your vet, you don’t want him to scratch till he gets infections.
He may suggest a prescription/therapeutic diet to rule out food sensitivities, also, ask your vet about adding fish oil to combat skin dryness.
If it continues for 4 seasons/1 year without significant periods of relief despite treatment by the regular vet. Or the symptoms become worse and the dog is suffering, I would find a board certified veterinary dermatologist for accurate testing/diagnosis and treatment.
That would be your best bet.
Your vet should be able to refer you.
Hope these articles help
Keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/

/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[anonymous]

Zignature and Nutrisca have no potato, has your vet suggested a prescription/therapeutic diet? That would be the only accurate way to rule out food sensitivities.
Keep in mind your dog may have environmental allergies which tend to wax and wane, they may be mild, seasonal or uncomfortable enough that the expertise of a specialist may be needed.
See my prior posts per the search engine
examples:
How long has this been going on? Because I have a dog with environmental allergies, I had good results, but, only after going to a veterinary dermatologist.
I thought it was the food too, tried all kinds of things with poor results, my dog is doing well now on ASIT allergen specific immunotherapy times 5 years.
Turns out she can eat most foods but does best on Zignature whitefish (before that Nutrisca salmon) as a base.
So, I would consider going to a specialist if her symptoms go on for more than a year (4 seasons) without significant relief.
Food allergies are rare, environmental allergies are usually the culprit.

and
For the best results, make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist.
Here is a good article about what you might be looking at, keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/
/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[anonymous]

Excerpt below, in response to a comment about allergies (click on link for full articles and comments). Hope this helps
skeptvet says:
February 27, 2018 at 8:51 am
The problem with the concept of “boosting” the immune system is that allergies are actually an excessive and inappropriate immune system reaction. That’s why most of the medications that help actually reduce inflammation and other immune system activities. Recurrent secondary infections are typically overgrowth of normal skin flora caused by damage to the normal defenses on the skin caused by inflammation, scratching, and other symtpoms of the underlying allergy. One of the most effective treatments is often desensitizing the immune system with immunotherapy (aka “allergy shots”). But hopefully this has been explained by the dermatologists. Have you seen the guidelines from the international canine allergy group of treatments for environmental allergies in dogs?

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

Evidence-Based Canine Allergy Treatment

Evidence Update- Evidence-based Canine Allergy Treatment

[anonymous]

There is a very simple skin test/scraping your vet can do that will confirm or rule out yeast/parasites.
It only takes a minute.
My dog has had the same issues as you described and the test was negative. However she does have environmental allergies and has had positive results by seeing a veterinary dermatologist.
I would consider Purina Pro Plan Focus for sensitive skin and stomach as I have heard good things about it.
I would avoid potatoes of all kinds as that seems to work for one of my dogs. I have heard others say so too.
Good luck.

[gdijess]

I just said it is NOT environmental allergies. And the site you gave me said that the closest one is actually 4 and half hours away. My dog’s vet is a large animal vet because the only vet that treats dogs and cats teaches at a school and never has time to see new clients, not to mention is actively trying to push for BSL in my area. I live in a small town that’s main focus is agriculture, so most people here don’t care much about their dogs and dont want to spend anything more than like 30 bucks on the animal. Half of the people here in town have never even seen a rottweiler. I’m not going to let somebody who has zero experience anywhere near my dog, especially if they are terrified of him. (Which happens more often than not) Driving to another state to see a dermatologist is not something I can do. I work in a job where its nearly impossible to take time off. I work two different jobs, so I’m working 7 days a week. (He gets to come with me) Its also something that isn’t needed because MY DOG HAS A FOOD ALLERGY.

Thank you for commenting on my post but since you have nothing else useful to say I would request that you stop. Have a wonderful day!