Food Allergies and bumps not hives

[KoaKai]

Hi Guys,

So we've been on what seems like forever quest to figure out what Koa is allergic to. Basically, he gets these small hive looking things (see photos) that last anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. He is almost 2 and has been struggling off and on with this since he was maybe around 6 months old...it just has gotten much worse the past 3-4 months. Before they would go away and we really didn't pay much attention b/c they would go away on their own or benadryl would take care of it...not so much now.

Here is the history and what we've tried...
- He gets the bumps seemingly random...
-foods we've tried in chronological order: Origen red regional; origen adult, wellness core ocean, taste of the wild ocean, prescription diet ultra allergen free, taste of the wild bison, california natural limited ingredient chicken, currently: california natural limited ingredient venison.
-The vet has tried: antibotics....kinda helped but didn't make bumps go completely away; steroids with benadryl at the same time with prescription diet ultra allergen free food...made bumps go away completely after about 2 weeks; just steriods w/ benadryl , made bumps go almost completely away.

-We give him benadryl 1-3 times a day for the past month or two (before it was just when the bumps were bad)...this doesn't seem to do anything.
-Also, if he's a doggy day care all day or gets really really wound up hives (on top of the bumps already there) will show up, they usually go away after an hour or two but the bumps remain.

Im pretty sure we can assume its his food, since after the bumps completely went away with the steroids and prescription diet, we put him back on TOTW and the bumps came back almost immediately in full force. Also, I would say the best they have been (most minimal) is when he was on Wellness core ocean, but they weren't gone completely.

We are on the 2nd week trial on California natural venison...we usually give food trials about 3 weeks. I have my doubts since its definitely not getting better or even staying the same...new bumps seem to be popping up.

The bumps are always the worst on the back of his neck and then usually spread towards the front of his neck. Just recently he also started getting them more and more on his back and the sides of his ribcage area.

I really don't want to keep him on steriods nor the prescription diet...that food is total garbage. It was a nightmare when he was on that food, just constantly whining near his food bowl because he was always hungry.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else has this problem and what they have tried. Im starting to think it may be the kibble itself and they way it gets processes or whatever. My idea was just to buy chicken from the store and throw in some pumpkin and potatoes and see if the bumps went away on people food...that was we could at least know if it was the kibble or not. Any other ideas?

Pics:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ssc351/Koa bumps/img_0364.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ssc351/Koa bumps/img_0363.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ssc351/Koa bumps/img_0362.jpg

 

[KoaKai]

A couple other things I should note about his stools:

-on Orijen red regional, really soft stools and farts that would clear the room for 20 mins (literally you couldn't breathe they were so bad)..sometimes would poo 7-10 times per day
-with all the fish based kibble, his stools were better, still kinda soft, and somewhat "normal" farts from what I've read on here about other boxers. Went 5-6 times per day
-with TOTW bison, again, pretty soft stools and pretty bad farts. Went 5-6 times per day
-with Prescription diet, farts weren't terrible, but really inconsistent stool and most of the time really soft and mucousy...and he never seemed to want to go...usually in the morning and at night, it takes him less than 1 block before he goes, with the Prescription diet, I would sometimes walk him for 45 mins and he still wouldn't go. Went 1-3 times per day
-Since going to california natural, his stools are the best they have been and so are his farts. The only thing is they are much smaller and don't come out in a nice log, maybe more like 4-5 acorn sized droppings and they are somewhat dry...not sandy, but definitely dry and sometimes fall apart when I go to pick them up. Goes 2-4 times per day

Sorry all the poo talk, but from what I've read, it seems like looking at the stool may help point in a direction.

 

[Caney Creek]

That is tough... I do agree that it sounds like he's got some sort of food allergy since he gets worse on certain foods, but I think that's not the only allergy he's dealing with since they never completely go away.

Have you made any changes around your home? (Think laundry detergents, fabric softeners, floor cleaners, carpet powders, dust sprays, air fresheners, etc. etc.) Also I would try leaving his collar off for at least a week if possible, if not possible get him another collar made out of a different material. What made me think "collar" was that the bumps are always the worst around his neck. He could be allergic to the material the collar is made of, or the detergent it's washed in (if you wash it).

Another thought would be topical flea preventatives. If you have him on Frontline or anything else that you apply topically to the back of his neck then that would also explain the location of the bumps, if that's what he happens to be reacting to. I remember Caney being very sensitive to Frontline the last time we put it on her (though it's been 2 years since then).

Good luck, I know allergies are NO FUN and it can be a real quest trying to figure them out.

 

[KoaKai]

Sorry should've mentioned some of that...

Yes, tried leaving the collar off that didn't help...I would say it helps heal them faster but thats about it.

Oh ya, so they start off as little bumps, then usually develop some sort of white head and/or ingrown hair, after a week or so most of them can be popped with a little puss or hair coming out. Then they usually take another week or so to heal up, they scab/dry skin over pretty much no matter what as they heal whether or not they are popped.

As far as flea stuff goes, we originally had him on comfortis and inteceptor, then switched to advantage, now we have him on nothing. We haven't changed any environment stuff, at least as far as I know or can think of.

 

[Gatorblu]

Poor Koa! I've been where you are trying what seems like an endless amount of trials. My first boxer had food and enviromental allergies. Unfortunately 3 weeks isn't really long enough for a food trial. It takes awhile for all the "bad stuff" to work it's way out of your pups system, tho' it is long eonough to know when something really isn't working. Since you said he seemed his best on the Wellness Core Ocean (minimal bumps) and he's pooping good but still breaking out with California natural venison, I think you may need to go with a limited ingredient fish based food, like Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Sweet Potato & Fish Formula. It is quite possible, and not all that uncommon,that you are dealing with more that one type of food allergy or intolerance. Also watch what you are giving for treats! If you can't get treats with the same ingredients as the food you are trying, then skip the treats all together until you know what is causing the problem, then you can go from there. (I know that part stinks, but not as much as a dog that isn't feeling it's best.)

On the chance that there are enviromental allegies, make sure you mop/vacuum regularly, steam clean carpets often, and here's a biggie...change your air filter every month.

 

[maery]

Sounds a lot like what Elton's dealing with at 11 months. Has had this since he was perhaps 4 months old and we started asking, what are those bumps? They usually start as bumps where the hair looks raised, and then eventually we see a scabbed over part that falls off (and takes the hair with it - leaving him with hairless spots!). These spots pop up out of nowhere, right now he's got tons all over (usually not feet or belly, but those have their own rashes and redness). The body don't seem to bother him tons.

I'm sorry I don't have suggestions for you as we're in the same boat...we went to the vet yet again, and received a referral to the veterinary dermatologist. The unfortunate part is that there are none in Hawaii, and we have to wait for the twice yearly visits from a mainland vet specialist....there should be one coming out at the end of the year.

Also, the Benadryl never seems to do anything for us either, but I still give it to him in case it's making him feel better. I'm fairly certain we're dealing with atopic allergies and perhaps also a food, but not sure of that.

Do you plan on doing any blood or skin tests to determine allergens? I know they can be pretty unreliable but we're getting into the severe range and more importantly, we've almost met our insurance deductible this year so if the doc says it's a good option for us, no reason not to try it as far as I'm aware.

Just wanted to let you know we're sharing your allergy pain here in Hawaii.

Mary

 

[ROROSHELTON]

Brutus had one episode of those bumps. He's 7. Looked like a herd of mosquito's attacked him..! He has seasonal allergies. At the time I wasn't sure what caused them. He had a bath a few days before, he had a new treat, and I'm not sure if around that time I also applied his topical flea med....I don't remember. Benadryl only works for him when he gets bit/stung by an insect, for his allergic reaction. For his seasonal allergies, I give him Hydroxyzine tablets. about 2x/day. Helps him tremendously with itching and discomfort without making him very drousy. I have a friend who's lab was itching 24/7 to the point of losing tufts of hair and going thru boxes of Benadryl without any relief.....I gave her some Hydroxyzine to try and it worked wonderfully. Now she goes to her own vet for more.....at the time, money was a huge factor for her, so no, I normally wouldn't just hand out pills to anyone for their dog. I only have to give it to him for about 2 weeks every couple of months. Getting back to the bumps, his did the same thing, swelled up all over like little mosquito bites, then dried up and the skin came off the top. I did give him Benadryl that day he broke out, but that wasn't his usual allergic reaction so it didn't do anything for him. I did get him another bath in a hypoallergenic shampoo and rinsed very well, and also stopped the new treat. He hasn't had an outbreak since...knock on wood! I also suggest a food trial longer than 3 weeks. I also suggest one kind of treat or none at all, until you can figure out if it's food related. I'm beginning to think my dog is allergic to air! It's mostly seasonal for him....poor thing! But I highly recommend the Hydroxyzine for allergy dogs if Benadryl doesn't work for them!

 

[Jan]

Hi Guys,

We are on the 2nd week trial on California natural venison...we usually give food trials about 3 weeks. I have my doubts since its definitely not getting better or even staying the same...new bumps seem to be popping up.

3 weeks is not enough for a food trial. I would give a minimun of 6 weeks before you decided that something is not working.

Have you tried any grain free foods? Allergies are often caused by grains. You also might want to consider either home cooking or a raw natural diet.

I hope you figure it out. Good luck!

 

[Gatorblu]

(usually not feet or belly, but those have their own rashes and redness).

The feet are a notorious symptom spot for food allergies. With everything you else you described I would find and limited ingredient food and start from there. Start with one meat source and if that isn't working try another. I would start with one that is not in the food you are already feeding.

I went thru this with my first boxer. I think I went thru 7 foods in two years. I did not know about this site at that time. Had I had the knowledge and wisdom of this site I think my Star girl would have had a much more comfortable life.

 

[KoaKai]

Hey Guys,

Sorry been away from the computer...

So yes, I would agree that 3 weeks aren't enough..however, after about 2 weeks, we really start to see a difference, for example, now on the California Natural venison, he bumps got really bad yesterday...its been about 2 weeks. So while I agree I need to give it longer, Im not totally sure it would matter.

Yesterday, after all the bumps popped up. I decided to try home cooking. Im starting with chicken and sweet potatoes and carrots and seeing how that goes. If the bumps are still there I will probably switch to salmon since he seemed to do ok on the fish based kibble.

For treats, he has gotten no treats since we started all this. He loves food so much, we just use what ever food we are using at the time as his treats.

As I said before, Im pretty sure its a food based allergy, but who knows, the steroids could've suppressed some environmental factor also.

The bumps aren't super itchy, its not like he scratching at them constantly. Actually, he rarely itches himself. I would say they do itch a bit, because if we pet him/scratch him around his neck area where the bumps are, you can tell it feels oh so good

Im having a good feeling about the homecooking...keeping my fingers crossed. I figured I can spend the next year looking for the right kibble...it may be easier just to cook for him myself (and by the way, a bit cheaper compared to the high end food)