[Michelle F]

So, I’m new to this. We recently adopted a 3 year old pit bull/basset hound mix. He’s on a monthly flea preventative, and I’ve not seen one on him. Anal glands recently expressed. When we bathe him, we use an oatmeal/aloe based dog shampoo. I have NO clue where to begin with food, so we’ve just been feeding him Pedigree, which I see now is not ranked very highly. Anyway, he vomits a lot. Usually once-twice per day. Sometimes it’s only saliva. At first I thought maybe it was just stress of a change…but now he’s got an obvious skin irritation on his back, above his tail. The fur is raised in spots, and he’s even bleeding on one spot. He’s constantly biting and scratching. So, with all of this, I’m wondering if he has a food allergy….but as I said before, I have NO clue where to begin when it comes to choosing a food. Is there one I can try that won’t break the bank, but might help?
TIA!

[anonymous]

Okay, start by using the search button here: /forums/search/allergies/
It sounds like environmental allergies (at the least), may very well be why the dog was given up.
I will be straight with you, the dog needs to go to a veterinary dermatologist and it will probably cost about $1000 for a diagnosis and to start treatment. Maybe a few hundred a year to keep him stable.
If you do not have pet insurance, or, cannot take on this kind of an endeavor, talk to the shelter. Otherwise, if you want to keep him, I would make an appointment with an Internal Medicine Specialist and go from there.
Regarding the food, you could try a limited ingredient grain free kibble, such as Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (check chewy dot com) see if that helps. Add a little water to the kibble.

[anonymous]

Just wanted to add, I was presenting the worst case scenario and I could be wrong. I am just going by my experience regarding a dog with allergies.
First step is to get the dog diagnosed, find a vet. See what is recommended.
Best of luck

[Jeanne M]

I have been dealing with allergies of some sort with my Sheltie… didn’t know what was causing it. Her feet were raw (some some of her legs) – she was biting them all the time. I purchased an allergy test from a local privately owned pet store who focuses on holistic remedies and high end dog foods. The test is produced by Glacier Peak holistics – its called a Pet Wellness Life Scan. You purchase the “kit” and send them fur/hair and saliva from your dog and they test for absolutely everything. It took about 3 or 4 weeks to get the results back. You get a complete scan of everything that your dog is reactive to and you can build their diet from there. Whether you purchase your food or make it yourself, this scan provides your answers. I am so glad i did it! The cost was about $80. which is much much less than my vet wanted. http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com Hope this helps.

[anonymous]

Mail-in hair and saliva tests are not diagnostic tools (just read the fine print).
Please read the blog below, nothing is being sold at that site, no t-shirts, no supplements, no kits, no books….nothing.

Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Scan Stress Test or How Much BS Can Fit on One Web Page?

Excerpt from the link above:
Bottom Line
“The Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Stress Scan (formerly “Healthy Dog and Cat Alternative Sensitivity Assessment”) is a completely implausible test based on vague, mystical nonsense and pseudoscientific theories that contradict the legitimate scientific evidence regarding the cause and management of allergies. The general concept that hair and saliva testing can identify the causes of allergies is false. The marketing of this test is misleading and contains many of the hallmarks of quack advertising. Dog owners struggling with allergies would be far better spending their time and money consulting a veterinary dermatologist for a science-based approach to helping their canine”.

Also, per the search engine here: /forums/topic/desperate-food-recomendations-for-lab/

[anonymous]

“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.”

Dermatology – Common Issues

[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..

[anonymous]

Here is the disclaimer on that saliva/hair kit mentioned in previous posts in this thread:
“The information provided by this scan is intended for educational and nutritional purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. It is not intended as conventional veterinary medical advice or to replace the advice or attention of your existing veterinarian. You may wish to consult with a holistic veterinarian before making changes to your pets’ diet, nutritional supplements, or exercise program. The statements on or about this scan have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. To find a holistic veterinarian in your area, visit http://www.ahvma.org.”

[Fran C]

Hi Michelle, I have a Shepherd mix with skin problems, and 2 other dogs who are not affected with allergies. My dog started having her skin problems at 2-years old. Two weeks ago I didn’t make it on time to Petco before it closed to buy my dogs’ their dry kibble so I was forced to go to Target and pick out what I thought would suffice until the next day. I was not surprised to find that some of the lower rated dry dog foods were actually “catching up” with the highly rated dog food brands with their farm fresh natural ingredients, grain free (not for my dogs though), etc. and Made in the USA! It was a toss up between Purina’s Beyond and Rachel Ray’s Nutrish dog food… I chose Rachel. The ingredients were good and the majority of her dog food has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Target’s website alone. The best part is two of my “picky” dog eaters (Shih Tzu and Beagle) are now willing to eat without wet food mixed into their kibble. I have always fed my dog’s 5-star dog foods and have tried practically every brand throughout the years… hoping Rachel Ray Nutrish is a keeper. You may also want to consider taking your dog to your vet for an exam and if necessary, a skin scrape test and/or a blood test for fungal/bacterial infection. It could be as simple as the flea control you’re using or it could be environmental. There are low cost veterinary clinics that will not up sell you. My shepherd unfortunately suffers from serious skin allergies in the Spring and Fall so we have to pay a visit to the vet twice a year to try and stay on top of her allergies to control her skin from getting worse. The vet prescribed Simplicef (generic brand is Cephalexin) and she has to have frequent baths with medicated shampoo (about $11 from the vet). I hope your dog’s allergies are not as serious as my dog’s and wish you the best of luck.

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