# Allergic Boxer



## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

I have my 7 years old Boxer that have Allergies. She always bitting her paws like itchy. I was given her between Iam and Pedigree Food until I found this forum.
Now, I am feeding her with Canidae Silver. She is overweight so I am trying her to loose some weight and also help her with her Allergies.
She is doing better, but still some itchy in her paws. 
Also, I give her it twice a day. For breakfast I mix 1 1/2 cup with one spoon of Organic Stony-field Lowfat Yogurt and at night 1 1/2 cup mixed with half can of Merrick soft food. She love it. 
I was reading that Natural Balance® L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets® Potato & Duck Dry Formula is been great for Allergic Boxers. 
My question is Should I change her to a complete diet of Natural Balance or keep trying with the way I am feeding her right now?
Any comments are greatly appreciated.


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

It isn't that NB P&D is magic, it is just a novel protein and starch compared to other kibbles. The Canidae Platinum is super low in fat and the ingredients include chicken meal, rice, peas, potatoes, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, millet, turkey meal and lamb meal. For starters the potato and duck might be good as it doesn't have any of those ingredients. It is higher in fat and fat is good for the skin so might help a little as well.

Feed less food, don't go low fat as it doesn't satisfy as well. Good luck, it is hard to take weight of dogs.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

I agree to find a regular food and just feed less. If you can afford it, I recommend rotating the acana formulas. You just recently changed from low quality food. It will take a little time before the allergy symptoms go away. It takes a few months to detoxify from low quality kibble. I think the yogurt is a waste of money. Dogs have strong stomach acids that destroy probiotics. It never makes it to the digestive trac. That goes for any probiotic supplement as well. I would put that money into buying acana instead;0) Also supplement either table scrap meats or canned meats to kibble;0)


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

Ok, I just bought NB with duck and potato and the same food in cans. I am going to try it for a month and see what happen. If she doesn't get better I will try Acana.
I am surprise what you said about the Yogurt. I have to tell my daughter. She has a Newfoundland and she always said that it is good for them.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

people swear by probiotics, and I think there good for people. I don't think they work on dogs, because of what I said in my previous post. Think about it this way, probiotics are living bacteria. A dogs stomach acid is much stronger than ours. It will kill off the probiotics. The only probiotics that supposedly survive the stomach acids, are stabilized probiotics. I'm not sure they work either.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

A healthy dog or human has no need for probiotics. Their body always has the proper amount in the gut. Antibiotics kill the "good" bacteria in the digestive system but they build back very quickly. I have never had a digestive problem when on antibiotics. I have never given antibioiics to my dogs so I'm not sure about them.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

I think your right that people that are healthy and eat right do not need extra probiotics. Unhealthy people that eat horribly can benefit from it. That's because they have a load of bad bacteria in there gutuke: 
It supposedly helps people with IBS. I think probiotic supplements are useless in healthy or sick dogs.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I don't think the quality of the food you eat would effect the probiotic population too much but I agree some people with IBS can be helped by taking probiotics.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

The quality of the food you eat is directly linked to bad bacteria. When bad bacteria overpopulates in your gut, you have a big problemuke: Sorry I like the puke smiley alot ahahahahaahaha I can tell a big difference since I started eating healthier. I actually went through a detox for a few months, just from changing my diet. Now everything is so much better than before:becky: I think the worst things are refined sugar and grains. Raw Grains are poisonous and I believe they still carry small amounts of toxins when cooked. I know I feed a potato based food, but potatoes are bad. I wish they had more potatoeless kibbles;0( Got a little off subject, but my point is bad foods increase bad bacteria. Now I'm off to scrape the ice off my driveway:mad2:


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

Catz, I know it soon to talk, but so far Cassie is not bitting her paws today. I know it is too soon, but amazing me that she looks so much better after I change her from crap foood to Canidae first and now NB.


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