# Limited Ingredient Dog Food



## veeb (Nov 26, 2011)

Hello -

My 42lb black lab mix is experiencing some sort of skin infection/allergy. We are having a hard time getting a handle on it, and our vet has requested we switch to a limited ingredient food. She recommended a Science Diet food, but I am not interested in doing that.

We had been feeding her Blue Buffalo Lamb and Rice, and recently switched to a homemade chicken/rice/veggie food. Her condition got a little bit better with the switch, but it could be coincidence.

Our vet suggests venison, salmon, or duck, no turkey, chicken, lamb or, beef.

With these new restrictions it will be very costly to continue making her food. I was looking at the salmon blends from Blue Buffalo, Simply Nourish, and Natural Balance. Am I headed in the right direction?

Thank you so much in advance, I really appreciate any advice.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

my guy has bad allergies and im putting hi on acana pacifica to try to sort the out.....im buying the bag ina week. it is herring and salmon formula with salmon oil. ust remember it takes a few months of feeding the food for the allergies to go away.


veeb said:


> Hello -
> 
> My 42lb black lab mix is experiencing some sort of skin infection/allergy. We are having a hard time getting a handle on it, and our vet has requested we switch to a limited ingredient food. She recommended a Science Diet food, but I am not interested in doing that.
> 
> ...


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

Is your vet treating the infection?


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## veeb (Nov 26, 2011)

Jack Monzon said:


> Is your vet treating the infection?


Yes. Steroids and antibiotics. This is the 4th round. It just keeps coming back.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

what about pinnacle salmon/potato?
Pinnacle® - Grain Free Salmon & Potato Dry Dog Food


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

veeb said:


> Yes. Steroids and antibiotics. This is the 4th round. It just keeps coming back.


My vet, who specializes in allergies, told me antibiotics have to be given 14 days after you see no signs of any infection on the skin, because the skin is still infected underneath (like an iceberg). I'm no fan of giving antibiotics, but if it keeps me from doing "4 rounds," it's worth it. 

As far as I know, steroids battle the symptoms (itching); they don't treat the infection.

Has your vet mentioned allergy testing? Four rounds of antibiotics and steroids are expensive. The dog's allergies are likely environmental -- did your vet give you a list of antihistamines to try? Did she suggest supplementing with salmon oil or flaxseed oil, which are antihistamines? I'm guessing she also wants to sell you the Science Diet food she is recommending...

How old is your dog, and how long have you had him/her?

Unless BB has a limited-ingredient food, I'd stay away from it. I like California Natural -- there's a venison formula. Keep in mind that if the allergies are food-related, it can take up to 12 weeks to see results.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

veeb said:


> Hello -
> 
> My 42lb black lab mix is experiencing some sort of skin infection/allergy. We are having a hard time getting a handle on it, and our vet has requested we switch to a limited ingredient food. She recommended a Science Diet food, but I am not interested in doing that.
> 
> ...


How serious is it?

For any *serious* signs of allergies I am becoming a fan of simple - simpler - simplest in *food evaluation* (might be atopy?) So, why not give K9 Natural Venison Feast a try? It's frozen pellets and a very uncomplicated food.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

A client of ours also has allergy issues with their puppy, we ended up placing them on a Kangaroo formula by Addiction Wild Kangaroo & Apples It seems to have significantly helped. They were also placed on Vanectyl-P (prednisone) and antibiotics for 21 days.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

As far as Limited Ingredient foods go, I still like California Natural the best, and they have a grain free line too, including a Kangaroo formula. 
I know for a lot of our allergy ridden customers who refuse to go homecooked or raw, California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato has been an absolute godsend. I probably sell three ties as much of that formula as others, and it has an awesome track record here. Plus, it's not too expensive.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

im about to pull the trigger on acana pacifica..but ever since you mentioned cal herring a month ago ive been on the fence. The two have similar ingridients in termrs of protein source plus acana is grain free and higher meat.....would cal herring really be better for his allergies? Im getting acana shipped for 59!


PuppyPaws said:


> As far as Limited Ingredient foods go, I still like California Natural the best, and they have a grain free line too, including a Kangaroo formula.
> I know for a lot of our allergy ridden customers who refuse to go homecooked or raw, California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato has been an absolute godsend. I probably sell three ties as much of that formula as others, and it has an awesome track record here. Plus, it's not too expensive.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

I like Wellness' new line of limited ingredient foods. 

Excellent company. Nice line of foods. Thats where I would go.



RC, apples and oranges. You know we all love Acana. Stellar food. But it is also a robust, ingredient rich food. Part of the strategy with LIF's is to help identify the culprit...and to quiet things down. Acana has lots of stuff in it so it presents a real challenge.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> im about to pull the trigger on acana pacifica..but ever since you mentioned cal herring a month ago ive been on the fence. The two have similar ingridients in termrs of protein source plus acana is grain free and higher meat.....would cal herring really be better for his allergies? Im getting acana shipped for 59!


I can't say if it would or wouldn't, and I don't even know what you're feeding today. In general I think grain free formulas are better but I also know of plenty of dogs who simply can't stomach the richness of them. I am not entirely on the grain free bandwagon, as I would rather recommend a grain-inclusive food with several meat ingredients first, than a gain free food with only one meat in the first five, if that makes sense.
What I DO know, is we get a lot of people coming to my daycare wanting to talk about food, and Cal Nat Herring is without a doubt the food with the best track record for alleviating food allergies and general digestive upset. 

That said, Acana is a great food, one that we don't carry so I'm no good on how it might stack up for the same issues. I don't feed either, as I feed raw, but I have to stay informed so I can help my customers, and what i recommend and advise always comes from the success or lack thereof I have seen with my clients, and based on that I will rave about this food.


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