# My dog is constantly scratching herself



## Tigidoo (Jan 3, 2012)

Hi. 

First time member and poster. We have two dogs in our family. One we adopted from the humane society (hound mix Sheppard) and the other we rescued from a hound rescue (Rhodesian hound mix). We were recommended by a rep at PetSmart to feed our dogs Science Diet because most other brands make their foods with too much filler and in most cases that is corn. Most of which ends up on your lawn instead of staying in your dog as healthy food. We have been using this for the last six years and I always was a little unsure if this was the right food even though our vet said it was ok. Our hound mix sheppard Zoe always has this habit of scratching herself and noticed recently that she has gnawed her front paw to the point were it has created a small wound. We also noticed that in her pelvic area that her skin is a little on the dark pink side and a little dry. We mentioned this habit to our vet the last few annual visits and he seems to think that it is possibly a seasonal allergy. I have done some research online and tried a few suggestions like giving her reactin (we consulted with our vet and he said that it would be ok) and tried feeding her one sardine a day with her food so that she could get the proper oils in her coat. Needless to say we are still not having any luck. I stumbled across this site when I was researching recommended dog foods and was hoping to get an unbiased opinion or advice.


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Welcome!! Most folks here, myself included, would likely tell you that Science Diet is really not a good quality kibble and for the price you pay I would think you can find a much higher quality food for your furkids. I would wander onto the kibble and canned section of this forum for recommendations with respect to good quality kibbles. If I were to go back to feeding kibble full time I would definitely consider the grain free options out there. There are numerous companies now puttng out grain free foods so you would have much variety to pick from. We cook for our dogs, however I do use kibble for training treats, and my guys go nuts for the Acana formulas, and Natures Variety. They also get Natures Variety biscuits as well. Some options to consider in this regard and by no means all inclusive would be Orijen, Acana, Earthborn Holistics, EVO, Natures Variety and TOTW. But you will find many more options in the kibble and canned section from which to pick. Also you may find with these types of foods you will be feeding less, and have a lot less "yard clean up". Just my two cents and some ideas to ponder.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Welcome! Like stajbs said, Science Diet is one of the lower quality foods. Reps are going to tell you whatever to sell the food. SD has its share of fillers. Look for Orijen/Acana if you can find them. Otherwise, Taste of the Wild, Wellness or Blue Buffalo would be your better bets. And do go to the dry food forum for lots more kibble brand info.


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

Welcome! With so many better foods to choose from, I'm sure your head will be spinning after poking around the kibble section!! 
If your dog has been scratching, you may also want to wander thru the raw feeding section. Many of us "stumbled" upon this site just as you did; and after reading a TON of info came to the conclusion that maybe giving the raw diet was the way to go. No matter what you decide I'm sure by the time you are done reading you will have more information than you bargained for!!


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Gina's right, raw may be the way for you. Lots of itching gets cleared up on it for sure, because you don't have all the extra unneeded ingredients.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

Oh the irony, Science diet contains a lot of corn and fillers. Its an overpriced, vet endorsed bag of squirrel food and sales reps are the least reliable source of unbiased information. You may want to read this:
Hill's Science Diet Adult Dry Dog Food | Review and Rating

and I would pick a 5 start grain free kibble for your dog since grains are often the culprits when it comes to aggravating allergies. Since its also winter season, a lot of dogs have dry coats, so you may want to consider adding some fish oil to the food or you can use canned fish in water and mix in with food every couple days. 

Heres a list of 5 star foods
Five Star Dry Dog Foods | Dog Food Advisor


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I don't understand why that rep would recommend you feed Science Diet because they other brands use fillers that are corn, and here is corn listed as the first ingredient in the Science Diet link Unosmom posted. Well, actually, I probably do know. I bet Science Diet is or was the most expensive food they sell.
Nevermind, its never too late to try something else, especially if it can help your dogs health and you can save money to boot.
Do have a look at the brands mentioned by the others above, they are all far, far better than SD. Adding a bit of salmon oil or canned fish to the food always helps too.
Remember, we've all, well, most of us, have been down the same road, started on less than great foods and as we've learnt more about the ingredients, moved on to foods far more appropriate for our dog's health.
Would love to see some pictures, your pups sound awfully cute!


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## Tigidoo (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm hoping we can find the suggested foods here in Ontario. 

I have attached a picture from 5 years ago. Zoe (Sheppard hound mix) is on the left and Rim (short for Rimshot - Rhodesian hound mix) is on the right. This is the only picture of Rim where his ears are nice. Typically they look batty.


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but aren't Orijen and Acana manufactured by Champion, and based out of Canada. Also, perhaps the "Go" and "Now" formulas from Petcurean may be from Canada. (I do forget which one of these is grain free though) Been a while since I looked into it, and I just tossed the small bag of Acana away after I put the kibble into an airtight container. However, check their websites. Just google Champion, and Petcurean and you should be able to check where manufactured as well as dealer locators.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Unfortunately, Science Diet is one of the highest priced and lowest quality foods on the market. Vets get a portion of the profit for selling it to customers. It's why they insist it's such great food. The PetSmart rep was either brainwashed or getting a kickback on the profits. Petsmart employees are nice folks but they tell you what their management tells them to say. They often don't have a clue.

My dogs had alot of chronic problems (mostly allergies) that went away almost immediately when we moved to raw food. It's amazing how that dry food often causes allergies we don't realize are coming from the food itself.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

Yes, champion as well as petcurean are canadian based. Couple other brands to look into is horizon legacy and holistic blend

Welcome to Holistic Blend - Holistic Blend

Horizon Pet Nutrition

Champion Petfoods | Home

Quality Food for Your Dog and Cat | Go!, Now, Summit | Petcurean (looks like their new go grain free fit+free looks like a good formula)


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