Allergic Dog Advice

[KerrieK]

Well I haven't been on this site for a long time, but I have run into a bit of a problem with my boxer cross girl, I got her from a shelter as a pup she is now 2 yrs.
She has pretty bad allergies at the moment I am presently saving for allergy testing but until that time I am trying to settle her as much as I can. I am currently looking for a new food for her been in Australia I do not have access to many of the foods in other countries, regardless any type of food will be better then the corn and wheat loaded tripe I have been feeding her. The vet described her as having moderate to severe allergies and he saw her on a good day. She is regularly covered in a red angry rash down her chest, onto her abdomen and insides of back legs and around her what I guess you would call the perianal area also her underarms are affected too. And her paws are always ranging from pink to red ( she has pretty white sox). She will sometimes get wheals and hives too. She does scratch till she bleeds but I have at least got that down to rare occurence now.
The vet agrees with me when I said I suspect she has both food and environmental allergies as it flares up with change of season. Thus his advice to get allergy testing and desensitization needles where needed if I can't eliminate it.
Currently I have her on fish oil, diphenhydramine (benadryl) 50 mg twice daily, neocort cream (contains neomycin, hydrocortisone and lignocaine)which is a lifesaver itself however this cream cannot be used without breaks in use of course. Now I know I need to change her food however I have read about giving vitamin E when giving fish oil is 400 iu Vit E correct my girl is 26kg? Would human grade fish oil be okay I am thinking I can get a bigger range to choose from then the limited ones available for dogs here.
Any advice welcome I am desperate to help make her more comfortable however I do not have enough money yet to start with the allergy testing and desensitization it is quite expensive $1000's of dollars which I don't have just yet. I am avoiding steroids for as long as possible they have as many bad side effects for dogs as they do for people I am a children's nurse and I am all to aware of the bad side of steroids. She does have times when she isn't scratching but this is becoming rarer my poor girl, I have eczema so it breaks my heart to see her so itchy.

 

[brodieboxer]

Do you have grain free kibbles there? If so, I'd change to that, for sure, or try a raw diet (see threads on this site for advice on that). You can also ask your vet for an anti itch shampoo to bathe her in weekly. I use tea tree oil shampoo on my allergy westie mix, which you can get in regular stores, but vets have stronger stuff. Here's a link from an American holistic vet that may have some helpful advice: Eating These Foods Can Cause Dog Yeast Infection.

 

[whiskers]

I feel for you!! I am having the same problem with Juno.

I think a change of diet can do wonders. Definitely try to AT LEAST find something with NO potatoes. Grain free would be good too but unfortunately, most grain-free diets use potatoes to replace grains. I think a high quality grain like brown rice or barley would be better than potatoes and certainly better than wheat or corn.
I don't know what brands you have available in Australia. I know that with Juno, next on my list of foods to try is either Nutrisca or Canine Caviar - both of which are grain free and potato free.

A raw or even homecooked diet would probably be best but I know that's something not everyone wants to or is able to take on.

My girl is on fish oil and diphenhydramine as well. Yes, you can use human grade fish oil. I get mine right from the drug store.... much cheaper than buying the stuff marketed for dogs.

I bathe Juno in a tea tree oil & aloe shampoo once a week - there is really no reason why I chose this specific shampoo, other than I just wanted something gentle and with no added fragrances. Vets will sell shampoos like this if you can't find anything gentle enough at a pet store.

 

[KerrieK]

Yeah I forgot to add I am using a couple of different medicated shampoos, these do seem to help a little calming her skin I also have a collodial oatmeal leave in conditioner this seems to do some good. I have a oatmeal calming gel also that I use for her skin when having a break from the neocort, think she likes the taste of that one so is not ideal.
Yes thankyou for the suggestions, I am thinking I may just try homecooked and raw I give her a few raw meals a week. I think it is Monica Segals K9 kitchen I am looking at at the moment seems fairly easy to follow. She isn't too keen on organ meat so I haven't pushed her with full raw, that and a lack of freezer space. Also purchased some bee pollen we have the best here in Western Australia, did me wonders as a kid, I was an allergy kid. And studies have shown it to have positive effects on animals too.
At the moment she seems otherwise healthy certainly no lack of energy, so if I can stay away from steroids I am happy.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[bobt]

I moved with my Boxer from Michigan to Pennsylvania and she developed some alergies and started to loose hair on her sides. I change her diet and issue solved. I'd try the diet change like the others mention.

 

[Gatorblu]

My first girl had food and enviromental allergies. For her autumn was very bad. I had to rush her to vet after she passed out from respiratory distress. I believe it was a mold in the damp fallen leaves that caused it and since we lived in the mountains there was no way to totaaly avoid it. I did minimize it to where there were no more emergency visits.

She and the other dogs were wiped down before coming back in the house, top to bottom (feet too). In the fall I vacuumed 2x week and would steam my carpets once a week. The rest of the year weekly vaccuming and once a month steaming surficed. Windows stayed closed and the air filter on heating and air was changed once a month unless things got bad then ever 2 weeks, but that was rare. I would shampoo every two weeks but sometimes just a cool shower or towel would help her. Plus she was on antihistamines everyday. We used diphenhydramine, but some have had better luck with other types. Having an allergic dog can be stressful and time consuming, but every hug, kiss and wiggle is worth it!

 

[buddhasmum]

Allergies

A squirt of flax oil in the food
a digestive enzyme like prozyme
and an excellent food such as innova...
good places to start...

good luck!
please tell us how it goes