# Allergies



## chewice (Jan 1, 2012)

Hello!

I am having issues with my jack x and his allergies! At first I thought it was a grass allergy... but since it has snowed it ruled that out.

I cannot figure out for the life of me what food allergy he has. Ive gone through all the ingredients...highlighting... ugh Let me know what you think.

1. Acana Ranchlands was his first - HORRIBLE - pulled out his fur by his paws, constant licking... so I ruled out beef
2. Evo 6 Fish - good for allergies, but I believe it was too much for protein... constant HUGE solid poop... just too much.
3. Science Diet d/d - dont judge... used it to flush his system - was awesome on it, but i hate the food... but now know its not potato or venison.
4 Currently on Go! Now Duck and Potato - some licking... had the first bum rub on carpet hwell:, face rubbing on carpet... so what is doing it!!!!

Thinking the next bag is going to go to a fish or kangaroo. This is so frustrating!!

<3


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Have you considered raw feeding? It is an odd fact but apparently true and proven out in my own dog that allergies to food that is cooked and put into dry ingredients doesn't translate over to the same protein fed raw.


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## chewice (Jan 1, 2012)

I have considered it... frankly... Im a little scared of it. Im researching it and finding out my options with local stores. I can't seem to find a site that just gives me the basics about it (why im on this site). Until I discuss it with my better half I want to find a dry that is nice to him


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Here is a site that is done by folks here and will explain everything in a way that's very easy to understand and follow. I think it's always kind of scary to make a switch like that, but most people who take that step never look back.

How to Get Started | Prey Model Raw


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

one of my dogs had allergies that came out in constant ear infections - my vet said she had never seen worse. And it just wouldn't go away. It turns out the food I was giving him had chicken in it and I didn't read down the label far enough - I knew he was allergic to chicken. So that was my fault for sure.

He hasn't had any ear problems since we switched and i feed him raw chicken all the time.

It's amazing to me how often it seems that food is the culprit for these chronic allergies that so many dogs have.


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## lily (May 16, 2011)

my dog has been itching for the last 9 months ,i too thought it was grass then wool,but as her itching has gone down by 90% im thinking its something else,now she has had another ear infection and smells sweaty and at times like cheese,and another ear infection,and a strange yellow patch on her head!!,so after properly researching yeast overgrowth im now thinking this may be her problem,i did not know that yeast can mimic allergy symptoms,runny nose,runny eyes,itchy body the list is endless,she has been raw fed 9 months so i know its not her diet,ive ordered some bovine colostrum to give to her for 14 days as this is whats best to strengthen the imune system well thats what ive read on many sites,even the vet said its possible but to be honest i think hes clueless on this subject,also she has to have weekly baths in malaseb which im not comfortable with but given that her coat is very greasy now, this is also a sign of yeast even though her skin is also flaky at the same time !!,so it may be worth you reading up on yeast overgrowth and also def switch to raw ,even though i still have problems with annie i still agree that raw is best,karen


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

I did enzymes for three months for yeast overgrowth and changed to raw. My dog was allergic to mites.....6 different kinds...found everywhere. All the potato, sweet potato, pea, and other stuff used in kibble seems to feed yeast. My vet didn't have any idea either. She suggested a test for yeast overgrowth? Never did it. She is good now.

Before she lost her hair she got an inner ear infection, very weird, she lost her balance while training that was my first clue...Changed her food multiply times before treating her for yeast overgrowth and changed her to raw...She has been fine for several years now.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

chewice said:


> Hello!
> 
> I am having issues with my jack x and his allergies! At first I thought it was a grass allergy... but since it has snowed it ruled that out.
> 
> ...


At least 12 weeks are needed to determine whether a food switch is working for allergies. Did you give each of those foods 12 weeks? How long was he on the SD?

It'd be helpful to post out the ingredients of each food so people can compare.


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## chewice (Jan 1, 2012)

I just learnt about the 12 week thing. The rescue organization I got him from referred me to the vet they use and he just said "you just switch the food to a new protein everytime you see an issue" 

He was only on the d/d for about 2-3 weeks... and it was within a couple days we notice no sneezing and minimal face rubbing, as soon as we took him to Go! he was scooting across the floor and rubbing his face on the carpet.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

chewice said:


> I just learnt about the 12 week thing. The rescue organization I got him from referred me to the vet they use and he just said "you just switch the food to a new protein everytime you see an issue"
> 
> He was only on the d/d for about 2-3 weeks... and it was within a couple days we notice no sneezing and minimal face rubbing, as soon as we took him to Go! he was scooting across the floor and rubbing his face on the carpet.


Sorting these kinds of issues out can be very very frustrating. 
Since you have seen relief with diet change, it's worth assuming for now it's the major factor. You want to go simple. As simple as possible. If you are dead set on commercial kibble, I recommend giving California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato for no reason other than its the limited ingredient food I've seen work for more people than any other. There are better options out there, such as raw, that would be much easier to pinpoint problem ingredients and allergies, allowing you much more control over what your dog eats that I would recommend long before any processed food.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

chewice said:


> Hello!
> 
> I am having issues with my jack x and his allergies! At first I thought it was a grass allergy... but since it has snowed it ruled that out.
> 
> ...


It sounds like he did ok on the EVO, but you switched because of "too much output". I know this is going to sound condescending, but did you try reducing the amount of food you were giving him? Feeding amounts on the bags are RECOMMENDATIONS only. And when it comes to better quality feeds, you will need to feed LESS of it than a lesser brand.

As for the "12 week program" for switching foods, I'd like to know the source of this time frame. Every web reference I came across said 7-10 days was sufficient time to switch them over. If your dog is on a particular food exclusively for a month, that should be sufficient time to see if there are any problems. Either the ingredients do or do not agree with your dog. 

JMHO,


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Man, I know your pain with allergies   Murph has had pretty bad skin and itchiness for over a year now. 


He's *finally* starting to see some relief after being put on some supplements that several friends recommended to me. I put it off for a long time, but they have beautiful healthy dogs, and I was at my wits end, so I figured at this point, it wouldn't hurt to try.

I'm afraid to jinx it, but I think I finally see some signs of a healthy dog emerging.


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## lily (May 16, 2011)

Chocx2 said:


> I did enzymes for three months for yeast overgrowth and changed to raw. My dog was allergic to mites.....6 different kinds...found everywhere. All the potato, sweet potato, pea, and other stuff used in kibble seems to feed yeast. My vet didn't have any idea either. She suggested a test for yeast overgrowth? Never did it. She is good now.
> 
> Before she lost her hair she got an inner ear infection, very weird, she lost her balance while training that was my first clue...Changed her food multiply times before treating her for yeast overgrowth and changed her to raw...She has been fine for several years now.


can i ask what enzymes you used,karen


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

SubMariner said:


> It sounds like he did ok on the EVO, but you switched because of "too much output". I know this is going to sound condescending, but did you try reducing the amount of food you were giving him? Feeding amounts on the bags are RECOMMENDATIONS only. And when it comes to better quality feeds, you will need to feed LESS of it than a lesser brand.
> 
> As for the "12 week program" for switching foods, I'd like to know the source of this time frame. Every web reference I came across said 7-10 days was sufficient time to switch them over. If your dog is on a particular food exclusively for a month, that should be sufficient time to see if there are any problems. Either the ingredients do or do not agree with your dog.
> 
> JMHO,


My vet specializes in allergies and she told me 12 weeks. Intolerances can manifest and be rectified immediately (i.e., whether the ingredients "agree with" your dog) but apparently the effects of the food allergy can linger on for weeks.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

chewice said:


> I just learnt about the 12 week thing. The rescue organization I got him from referred me to the vet they use and he just said "you just switch the food to a new protein everytime you see an issue"
> 
> He was only on the d/d for about 2-3 weeks... and it was within a couple days we notice no sneezing and minimal face rubbing, as soon as we took him to Go! he was scooting across the floor and rubbing his face on the carpet.


So he was on the SD for only 3 weeks max, and his symptoms markedly improved? Why exactly did you take him off this food? I'm reasonably certain your dog would ask you the same question if he could, between his current bouts of licking, scratching, and face-rubbing.

I'm not a fan of SD either but if it was alleviating the effects of allergies, that is more than any of the other "better" foods can say.


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

Khan has a TON of food allergies. At about 4 months we ran the gauntlet down the kibble isle. We focused on the different proteins and then grains only to find that we were still having problems. We then started drilling down the ingredients even further. What we found was that he was allergic to Flax oil/Flaxseed. This is in almost every food and treat since it's "Good for you" When it comes to allergies, you really do need to look at ALL the ingredients in BOTH food and treats. He did better after we determined the FLax; but not many kibble is made without it. By the time he turned 6 months, we were making the switch to raw. Yes it was scary at first; but after about 2 weeks the results were already evident. He FINALLY had "normal poop" and the yeasty black gunk that was in his ears was clearing up! No more ear wash was needed, no more licking at his paws/inside of his thighs, and the biggest thing was that he was FINALLY starting to gain weight. As a puppy who was pooping out most of his nutrients instead of absorbing them, I was worried about him growing strong healthy bones. Within the first month he gained over 10lbs, and for several months after that he steadily gained 10+ every month. By the time he reached 8-9 months he was at a healthy weight for a Bullmastiff his age.
I would have NEVER thought switching to raw would have been so life changing for him; but seeing truly is believing!! 
Khan has a lot of foods that I would also categorize as sensitive vs. allergies. Some of those are Cheese and Peanuts/Peanut Butter. Again, these are ingredients that are common in food and treats. 
I would just suggest that you look at all of the foods you have tried and look at all of the ingredients instead of just the "Main" or "Common" ingredients. You may be surprised and just find the culprit.


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## chewice (Jan 1, 2012)

SubMariner said:


> It sounds like he did ok on the EVO, but you switched because of "too much output". I know this is going to sound condescending, but did you try reducing the amount of food you were giving him? Feeding amounts on the bags are RECOMMENDATIONS only. And when it comes to better quality feeds, you will need to feed LESS of it than a lesser brand.
> 
> As for the "12 week program" for switching foods, I'd like to know the source of this time frame. Every web reference I came across said 7-10 days was sufficient time to switch them over. If your dog is on a particular food exclusively for a month, that should be sufficient time to see if there are any problems. Either the ingredients do or do not agree with your dog.
> 
> JMHO,


Yea, I know the stuff on the back is a recommendation but we figured out the "calroie" input we needed since he is a supermodel skinny dog and needs to gain some weight. We are going on raw after we finish our bag of Go! 

The time frame might be right...I was just taking advise from a vet that didn't have time for us. We have noticed quite a bit less dry skin and face rubbing from him. Much of an improvement from the tuffs of hair he was pulling from his pads.


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## chewice (Jan 1, 2012)

Jack Monzon said:


> So he was on the SD for only 3 weeks max, and his symptoms markedly improved? Why exactly did you take him off this food? I'm reasonably certain your dog would ask you the same question if he could, between his current bouts of licking, scratching, and face-rubbing.
> 
> I'm not a fan of SD either but if it was alleviating the effects of allergies, that is more than any of the other "better" foods can say.


It wasn't trying to just find a food that agreed with him, it was more of... what the heck is causing it experiment. We figured out it wasn't the duck or potato from any of the previous foods, so we scratched that off the list. I would rather know what it is then be constantly guessing.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

Jack Monzon said:


> My vet specializes in allergies and she told me 12 weeks. Intolerances can manifest and be rectified immediately (i.e., whether the ingredients "agree with" your dog) but apparently the effects of the food allergy can linger on for weeks.


Unfortunately, that still doesn't tell me WHY it would take 12 weeks to determine whether or not a dog is sensitive to ingredients in the food. What is that time frame based upon? Actual evidence or just anecdotal information?

How long the effects "linger" really doesn't factor into the question.


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## chewice (Jan 1, 2012)

As soon as I saw a different reaction, or another stop and something else started, I switched. Something wasn't right.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

SubMariner said:


> Unfortunately, that still doesn't tell me WHY it would take 12 weeks to determine whether or not a dog is sensitive to ingredients in the food. What is that time frame based upon? Actual evidence or just anecdotal information?
> 
> How long the effects "linger" really doesn't factor into the question.


I don't think it takes that long to determine a sensitivity/allergy to a food -- if a dog is allergic to, say, corn, and you started feeding Purina Puppy, the allergic reaction or intolerance could show right away. If you eventually switched to EVO, you might have to feed the EVO for 12 weeks in order for your dog to show relief from the PP.


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