I just became a member today--yeah---and I am interested in anyone's recommendations for allergies. I have a 2 1/2 year old female boxer. She has been eating her feet daily for over a year now--she never makes them bleed or have sores but it is constant--every couple weeks her ears flare up--she scratches them till they bleed--along with the underside of her chin---she gets pimple like bumps on her neck----she is a happy dog and is not miserable--but I would like this to end sometime--she has ate BARF since she was a puppy---we have taken the holistic approach to this and we have gone through several homeopathic remedies--the one that worked the best was graphites--she has taken it 3 times--it gets better for a few days or so but then it goes right back. I put almond oil on her paws and her ears at night to sooth--temporarily works---I am at a complete loss now--any suggestions are greatly appreciated---Daisy's mom
My itchy Daisy
- Thread starter joyurbina
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Well, itching like that certainly does sound like allergies. It also sounds a little as though you've been trying to treat the symptoms - but what you actually need to do is identify and eliminate the cause(s).
It is actually possible that the problem is something environmental, of course. Dogs have been known to be allergic to household cleaners, air fresheners as well as plants or grass. LOL - I even recall a member here whose dog turned out (through allergy testing) to be allergic to dog hair, though fortunately only mildly
Had you thought of having allergy testing done? It is relatively expensive, but at least should tell you exactly what the culprits are.
Since she's been chewing her feet constantly for a year (ie. this isn't a seasonal problem) it is quite likely that the problem is something to do with her food. I presume she is eating a full barf diet - a wide range of RMBs as well as fruits and vegetables... Do you have a "main" RMB, such as chicken? If so, that actually could be the cause, or more likely, the fat/skin. I realise she's been on a natural diet since she was a pup and hasn't had the allergy problem that long, but allergies are something that can develop over time.
Sooo. The options are really to either take her for allergy testing, or, if you think food is the most likely problem, then you could narrow down the problem foods by putting her on an elimination diet. Fortunately, elimination diets are easy when you feed raw, since there is no problem with feeding individual things
The way an elimination diet works is as follows:
First you choose a food to feed exclusively for a three or four weeks. An RMB source, I mean. But it should be something that the dog has not eaten before, so won't have any pre-existing antibodies against. So this might be something like venison, or goat. Doesn't really matter what (though if she's eaten a lot of chicken or turkey in the past, I wouldn't personally choose any form of poultry). You feed this exclusively for a few weeks and see if her allergy problems clear up.
If it has no effect on her allergies, then food may not be the problem. You can try another "exotic" RMB just to be sure, but if that has no effect either, then it is fairly reasonable to conclude that it is not food allergies that are the problem, and she either has environmental allergies or a different problem altogether.
If the allergies *do* clear up, then that's great. You now know that it is food that is the problem. The next step is determining *which* foods are problematic. That is achieved by adding *one* new food item to her diet - something that she has eaten before, or that you want her to be able to eat. Feed her that for a week. If there are no reactions, note that one down as "safe". If there is a reaction, that's a food item she can't have and you should return to a "safe" food for a few days until any sign of allergy symptoms are gone. Then you add another new food item, feed it for a week, and see again about any reactions.
You continue this until you've got a pretty extensive list of OK foods and not-OK foods for her. That would include a range of RMBs, fruits, vegetables, eggs, oils - basically anything you want to be feeding her.
Good luck!
It is actually possible that the problem is something environmental, of course. Dogs have been known to be allergic to household cleaners, air fresheners as well as plants or grass. LOL - I even recall a member here whose dog turned out (through allergy testing) to be allergic to dog hair, though fortunately only mildly
Had you thought of having allergy testing done? It is relatively expensive, but at least should tell you exactly what the culprits are.
Since she's been chewing her feet constantly for a year (ie. this isn't a seasonal problem) it is quite likely that the problem is something to do with her food. I presume she is eating a full barf diet - a wide range of RMBs as well as fruits and vegetables... Do you have a "main" RMB, such as chicken? If so, that actually could be the cause, or more likely, the fat/skin. I realise she's been on a natural diet since she was a pup and hasn't had the allergy problem that long, but allergies are something that can develop over time.
Sooo. The options are really to either take her for allergy testing, or, if you think food is the most likely problem, then you could narrow down the problem foods by putting her on an elimination diet. Fortunately, elimination diets are easy when you feed raw, since there is no problem with feeding individual things
The way an elimination diet works is as follows:
First you choose a food to feed exclusively for a three or four weeks. An RMB source, I mean. But it should be something that the dog has not eaten before, so won't have any pre-existing antibodies against. So this might be something like venison, or goat. Doesn't really matter what (though if she's eaten a lot of chicken or turkey in the past, I wouldn't personally choose any form of poultry). You feed this exclusively for a few weeks and see if her allergy problems clear up.
If it has no effect on her allergies, then food may not be the problem. You can try another "exotic" RMB just to be sure, but if that has no effect either, then it is fairly reasonable to conclude that it is not food allergies that are the problem, and she either has environmental allergies or a different problem altogether.
If the allergies *do* clear up, then that's great. You now know that it is food that is the problem. The next step is determining *which* foods are problematic. That is achieved by adding *one* new food item to her diet - something that she has eaten before, or that you want her to be able to eat. Feed her that for a week. If there are no reactions, note that one down as "safe". If there is a reaction, that's a food item she can't have and you should return to a "safe" food for a few days until any sign of allergy symptoms are gone. Then you add another new food item, feed it for a week, and see again about any reactions.
You continue this until you've got a pretty extensive list of OK foods and not-OK foods for her. That would include a range of RMBs, fruits, vegetables, eggs, oils - basically anything you want to be feeding her.
Good luck!
Tally's mum
Boxer Pal
Same problem!!!!!!!!!!!
My 8 month old has been itching her ears which got red and hot since March, got really bad infection from it then small pimples appared under her chin and down her neck - she has not stopped scratching and it is now bleeding and sore - she has been going back and forward to the vets and we are going to do allergy testing in 2 weeks (once steriods are out of her system). As you stated her's also clears up for a week or so with medication but then deteriorates again. Sounds almost exactly the same problem. She was prescribed antihistamines and an antiseptic gel today. I'll post again after her tests come back or if anything improves with the latest medication.
My 8 month old has been itching her ears which got red and hot since March, got really bad infection from it then small pimples appared under her chin and down her neck - she has not stopped scratching and it is now bleeding and sore - she has been going back and forward to the vets and we are going to do allergy testing in 2 weeks (once steriods are out of her system). As you stated her's also clears up for a week or so with medication but then deteriorates again. Sounds almost exactly the same problem. She was prescribed antihistamines and an antiseptic gel today. I'll post again after her tests come back or if anything improves with the latest medication.
Tally's mum: What do you feed your pup? Medications are all very well (if they work) but they're only ever treating the symptoms. And if the allergy problem is food, then it is often a pretty simple matter just to eliminate the cause.
It is the same for a dog as for a person who happened to be allergic to, say, tomatoes: you treat the problem by removing tomatoes from the diet, not by continuing to eat tomatoes and taking meds to alleviate the symptoms. Well, if you can identify the cause for the dog (and there are some things in many dog foods that very commonly cause allergy problems), then the best thing to do is eliminate that thing if possible.
It is the same for a dog as for a person who happened to be allergic to, say, tomatoes: you treat the problem by removing tomatoes from the diet, not by continuing to eat tomatoes and taking meds to alleviate the symptoms. Well, if you can identify the cause for the dog (and there are some things in many dog foods that very commonly cause allergy problems), then the best thing to do is eliminate that thing if possible.
Tally's mum
Boxer Pal
Food Allergies
The more I read on the site the more I think you're right it is food allergies, so far I have been feeding her a mix of Pedigree tin and dry food. I am going to change it over, I have seen the list of recommended complete foods, however had some difficulty sourcing many of them in the UK. I have ordered over the net a food called Pero Organic which says its hypo allergenic and suitable for dogs with food allergies, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope this solves our problems.
Thanks for all your help, here's hoping this solves the problems for Tally.
The more I read on the site the more I think you're right it is food allergies, so far I have been feeding her a mix of Pedigree tin and dry food. I am going to change it over, I have seen the list of recommended complete foods, however had some difficulty sourcing many of them in the UK. I have ordered over the net a food called Pero Organic which says its hypo allergenic and suitable for dogs with food allergies, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope this solves our problems.
Thanks for all your help, here's hoping this solves the problems for Tally.
Tally's Mum: A very good quality food for allergic dogs that is available in the UK is Fromms Four Star range. Unfortunately, I understand that it is to be discontinued here :( but you might like to check anyway.
I took a look at the Pero. It is a much better food than the Pedigree and far less likely to cause any allergy problems. But I don't think it really contains an adequate amount of meat. The best one they make appears to be their Chicken & Rice formula - but even that one only has 20% meat in it, it is mostly grains which aren't really suitable nutrition for a dog. I'd say it is fine to feed it, but if you happen to feel like supplementing your dog's diet with some raw meat (chicken parts would be ideal), then you won't be doing any harm at all
Here's the ingredient lists for Pero Organic and Pero Chicken & Rice formulas:
Pero Chicken & Rice formula
Rice, Chicken Meat Meal (20% min), Chicken Fat, Fish Meal, Beet Pulp, Vitamins and Minerals, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Folic Acid, Nicotinic Acid (Niacin), Pantothenic Acid from Calcium Pantothenate, Deoderase – a natural extract from the yucca plant to aid in neutralising offensive odours.
Pero Organic formula
Organic Oats, Organic Barley, Chicken Meat Meal (Naturally preserved), Organic Rice, Organic Full Oil Soya, Organic Peas, Chicken Oil (Naturally preserved), Organic Fish Meal, Brewer’s Yeast, Organic Skimmed Milk, Organic Herbs, Vitamins and Minerals.
I took a look at the Pero. It is a much better food than the Pedigree and far less likely to cause any allergy problems. But I don't think it really contains an adequate amount of meat. The best one they make appears to be their Chicken & Rice formula - but even that one only has 20% meat in it, it is mostly grains which aren't really suitable nutrition for a dog. I'd say it is fine to feed it, but if you happen to feel like supplementing your dog's diet with some raw meat (chicken parts would be ideal), then you won't be doing any harm at all
Here's the ingredient lists for Pero Organic and Pero Chicken & Rice formulas:
Pero Chicken & Rice formula
Rice, Chicken Meat Meal (20% min), Chicken Fat, Fish Meal, Beet Pulp, Vitamins and Minerals, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Folic Acid, Nicotinic Acid (Niacin), Pantothenic Acid from Calcium Pantothenate, Deoderase – a natural extract from the yucca plant to aid in neutralising offensive odours.
Pero Organic formula
Organic Oats, Organic Barley, Chicken Meat Meal (Naturally preserved), Organic Rice, Organic Full Oil Soya, Organic Peas, Chicken Oil (Naturally preserved), Organic Fish Meal, Brewer’s Yeast, Organic Skimmed Milk, Organic Herbs, Vitamins and Minerals.
my 3 year old bitch sadie has had the same problem for about 2 years now, she also now has flaky lumps on her back. we have seen a skin specialist that tested for allergies and she was borderline on a couple of things including pollen & dust mites. so we then went on a course of injections over a year period to desensitize sadie against the allergies that were borderline. the cost was £130 uk pounds for the 12-13 months treatment and although it got better at times it was still occuring on a regular basis. we have started to replace carpets throughout the house with wood floor and tiles to reduce dust, but at my parents she crawls along the carpet on her stomach which obviously itches her. my question is would it be worth trying anti-histamines? by the way her food is a good quality uk food called james wellbeloved.
Tally's mum
Boxer Pal
Getting there - Hopefully
I've had Tally on the James Wellbeloved for just over a week and her skin and ears seem to be improving every day. Heres hoping it continues.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GUIDANCE - IT IS MUCH APPRECICATED.
I've had Tally on the James Wellbeloved for just over a week and her skin and ears seem to be improving every day. Heres hoping it continues.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GUIDANCE - IT IS MUCH APPRECICATED.
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