[Jen T]

Hi all, I have a Westie who is 9 years old and has issues with yeast infections due to environmental allergies. I’ve removed her kibble (turkey and potatoes) and all treats and I am trying out a Westie Diet recipe called Dan’s Highlander Hash which calls for: ½ pound ground turkey or salmon or tilapia, 1 raw carrot (substitute with celery stalk), 1 raw zucchini, 1 raw yellow squash, 1 medium apple – granny smith, and 2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley. I usually double the serving size to last for 2.5 days (she gets 4 small meals each day about 5 ounces).

Instead of turkey, I’m using salmon and baking it until it’s at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Is it safe to keep giving her this meal every day for two weeks? In addition to this meal, I add 1 capusle of Gentle Digest (prebiotic and probiotic) as well as 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric per day. I read salmon should be given periodically but since I’m leaving on vacation in a few days, I don’t want to dramatically change her diet with the pet sitter. Any advice?

[anonymously]

I have a dog with environmental allergies and she has been doing very well since starting allergen specific immunotherapy four years ago. Her diet is varied, a quality kibble with a bit of cooked meat, chicken, egg or turkey as a topper.
We just started Orijen 6 fish, but she also does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.

The dermatologist told me her diet has nothing to do with her allergies, she does have a sensitive stomach however. I add a little water to her meals also.

I would be careful about making dramatic changes to a senior dog’s diet, maybe check with your vet as there are prescription dog foods specially formulated for specific conditions.
I might be concerned about the possibility of diarrhea with all those veggies mentioned in your diet, I’ve never heard of DH Hash.

How about Malaseb shampoo? Weekly bathing might help. My dog gets bathed twice a week with Malaseb.

[Coonhound Mama]

Hi Jen T:

Good for you for taking the big step to homemade! I don’t think you will be disappointed 🙂 I would however recommend varying your recipe as much as your budget will allow with different proteins, meats, vegetables and fruits. I’m not seeing any bone meal in your recipes, either, which is crucial in providing calcium when feeding boneless meats. Off the top of my head I would definitely recommend adding bone meal, vitamin E, fish oil (or whole sardines) and a green superfood supplement such as spirulina or wheatgrass. You may want to add in a canine multivitamin just to cover any bases. A great resource for cooked homemade diets is Dr. Karen Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats. It breaks everything down for you into manageable, complete and balanced recipes.

[Jen T]

Thanks for the replies! Since my Westie has yeast issues, we cut out anything that can cause yeast to grow which is why I took out the kibble and all treats. I still don’t know if salmon is okay to give every day until I come back which is in a week? I wanted to do something sort of bland to get rid of the yeast issue.

I do bathe her but not with Malaseb shampoo bra use she likes to lick it off. I use a natural shampoo and then use an apple cider vinegar rinse afterward.

[anonymously]

If you are interested in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine, check out this site: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=homemade

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

And I would suggest reading the comments on various blogs, they offer a variety of opinions.
Hope this helps.

[anonymously]

“I do bathe her but not with Malaseb shampoo bra use she likes to lick it off. I use a natural shampoo and then use an apple cider vinegar rinse afterward”.

The natural stuff won’t kill the dust mite
“A common environmental allergen is the household dust mite, also known as Cockroach, American and Tyropagus putrecentiae. And, no, you don’t have to have cockroaches in your home. These microscopic particles are everywhere, airborne and on the skin of all living things…including you! Constantly being shed all year round”.

Malaseb will kill the dust mite, especially if you follow directions and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. It is very gentle, not drying.

I found Malaseb helpful in conjunction with other treatments recommended by my dog’s dermatologist, alone it would only help a little bit.
It is best to consult a specialist, use the search engine here “allergies”.

[Shawna]

It’s generally stated that a short elimination diet will not cause any long term problems if the dog was well nourished before beginning the elimination diet. Salmon is high in omega 3 and deficient in omega 6 and other fatty acids but again I wouldn’t get too concerned over a two week period.

For what it’s worth, some feel that environmental allergies don’t occur unless their is first digestive issues that ignite the immune system to the point of reacting to things it shouldn’t react to — like pollen. Why would a healthy immune system / body all the sudden react to things in the environment it shouldn’t.

Additionally it is believed that having the wrong bacteria, or inappropriate bacteria, in the gut can aggravate and even cause allergies. There’s a blurb about it on Penn State website “Inner Weapons Against Allergies: Gut Bacteria Control Allergic Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine Study Finds” http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2012/03/allergies/ If you can get control of the environmental trigger the yeast overgrowth may work itself out naturally.

[Jen T]

Thanks everyone for your responses! I am actually going to change the salmon to turkey for the week I’m on vacation mainly because it’ll be easier to make for the pet sitter and her ear with the yeast infection is getting better. I appreciate all the responses and advice!

[InkedMarie]

I see no bone in the diet; you need to either buy ground turkey with bone & organs, add bone meal or something.

[Author]

Posts