Dog Food For Allergies ?
I need a little help. My 4 yr old yellow lab eats Canidae all stages. I have noticed that she seems to have major itchy eyes and that it appears she has allergies (I have not had her tested, but would like to see if it is the food possiblY). I know that Canidae has changed their formula and I believe that this might be contributing to her issues. I have had to switch her food in the past.. This is what I have tried. I am looking for new suggestion and feedback on different foods that may have worked on your pet with allergies..
I have tried the following:
Nature’s Variety – Lamb & Oatmeal (This made my pooch itch worse)
Solid Gold TimberWolf – Buffalo & Salmon formula (Not to much of an improvement)
California Natural – Lamb & Rice (She absouletly will not eat this)
Any other suggestions would be most helpful!
Filed under: Food Allergies In Dogs
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Talk to your vet about a food trial. You feed them something they’ve never had before and see if the allergy symptoms clear up.
I have a yellow lab with severe allergies. We changed her food to venison and potato and they almost completely went away. She was on that diet for almost 3 years. We noticed she was getting itchy again and now we are feeding her kangaroo and oats. It’s working brilliantly.
No wheat, no corn, no beef… nothing she used to eat… just her kibble. Your vet will know what I’m talking about with the food trial.
If she does have food allergies, you will not help her by giving her baths or adding stuff to her food. You have to restrict the diet to something that she hasn’t had before and see how she does. If she improves, you know this food works, if she stays itchy etc, you try another food.
Some dogs have inhalent allergies too – just like people. My Sophie does as well. During certain times of the year, she has issues… but 90% of the time, the food controls her allergies.
Good luck!
I would bet it is not the food so much as the environment in this case (You are feeding one of the BEST foods on the market! Good for you!!!) Especially since the itchy eyes are involved. Many dogs can suffer from the same allergies as people. (grasses, pollen, molds etc.) Is there a new addition to the house? New pet, person, laundry soap, air freshener, perfume? I would look at these things first, then talk to your vet.
Canidae is GREAT food. Have you tried their new grain-free formula?
Her allergies could also be environmental. If she is a house dog ..have you recently switched laundry soap/fabric softener? Do you use products like febreeze? Cleaned your carpets lately? Some dogs also have spring and fall outdoor allergies also. Has she been recently affected?
Good luck.
It could also be environmental allergens. Pollen and ragweed can affect the eyes of a dog just like a person. Might want to check with your vet before switching her food again.
If you do switch foods, you may want to consider Eagle Pack. They have several holistic formulas: http://www.eaglepack.com
I have a Great Dane that has had the same thing happen to him in the past.He would also get spots on his body that would itch. All i did was change to Pedigree skin and coat and he seems happy and itch free. Give it a try and see. Good Luck!!!
Knowing the scientific experimentation that goes on in the development of animal foods, I would look for another allergen than the food. More likely is the soap you use to wash his bowl.
Go to the link below and see if it is what is in the food(s) that are bothering your lab. Try purchasing foods without grains. Look at the ones that are rated 5 or 6.http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_…
I feed EVO small bites and it’s terrific. My dog’s skin isn’t as red as it was. I LOVE it. Don’t feed too much though. a cup and a half a day is plenty.
Also Solid Gold Timberwolf is pretty good too.
I would look into some food for allergies like maybe in science diet or natures balance. She also might be allergic to corn. A lot of dog foods use this as a filler so the animal gets fuller quicker. Just double check your labels.
Here’s my Itchy Dog Answer –
Also note that Wellness now has a line of grain-free kibble that could help a lot in your search for the offending allergen. I do know dogs that are allergic to oatmeal, so keep that in mind. You may want to give their Atlantic Whitefish and Sweetpotato kibble a try – many dogs are on that successfully.
Also keep in mind that you must have her switched over completely to the new food for a while to see an improvement, and it’s important to switch over gradually to avoid bloat – better to have an itch than a lethal situation! Keep some Gas-x on hand, just in case.
If none of the following works, email me, and I’ll help walk you through it – and keep in mind that you’re not really missing much not doing the skin tests. They’re not really that accurate, or instructive, and you can do better work just by trial and error – but it must be a pure test, with no other additions such as treats or chewabe pills.
*ITCHY DOG ANSWER*
First. rinse him every day with tepid, not warm water.
That will remove anything that is causing a contact allergy – pollen, dust, grass …
Make sure he has Frontline on, to ward off fleas.
Next, switch him carefully over to a 2 ingredient diet.
The top food allergens are corn, chicken,beef,soy, wheat, and dairy, but dogs can be allergic to just about anything.
Sometimes you can get away with just putting them on something like Nutro lamb & rice – you mighttry that first, just to see if it’ll be that easy. Wellness has a very good line of hypoallergenic foods, and a bunch dogs have found relief with Atlantic Whitefish & Sweet potato (of course my dog is the only one in the world that is allergic to sweet potato!)…
You may have to resort to feeding a two ingredient diet – if the kibble doesn’t work, pick two ingredients and feed them exclusinvely in their original form – like fish and oatmeal, say – so you actually know what the dog is eating. Jack Mackeral comes in a nice big can at the supermarket.
A couple weeks on that kind of diet won’t hurt him, and if you find that is necessary too continue, you can look on http://www.BalanceIt.com for a recipe tool that will help you balance it for him, and Rx vitamins with no additives that will round out the diet so it’s a good long term one.
Remember that any other treats – like beef bones, rawhide, or pig’s ears – are the wrong food, and will cause a reaction if that’s what he’s allergic to, so cut those all out, and no table scraps, either. Chewable heartworm tablets are usually beef based, so you would also need the ones that aren’t – there are some, I don’t remember the name…
Speak to your vet about giving his some fish oil – omega 3 is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and only a food – but you must take into consideration whether your dog is susceptible to pancreatitis. Most healthy dogs are fine, but little dogs can get into trouble with smaller amounts of stuff – but it is a really good thing or dogs with any kind of skin problem, and a very easy fix.
Good luck, this is a tough problem to solve – but not impossible. But this is the way the top veterinary dermatologist in the US does it – and I have used it sucessfully on many dogs.
she might be alergic to dust mites. if you keep a large amount of dog food in a container,lid or not, all the food can get dust mtes or something. thats the same thing that happened to my aunts purebred lab (one of my dogs puppies). my aunt found out that princess(her puppie) is alergic to EVERYTHING evcept her dog bones (i think). princess is even alergic to her own dog food. take her to the vets to see whats up. she might be alergic to everything
_)
try cooked chicken (bonless and cooled after cooked), rice and alittle bit of dog food. if she is alergic to everything she will wind up eatting this anyway (cooked rice
Food is a definite possibility, but I can’t give you any names of other foods. Many dogs have wheat and corn allergies, both of which are in many brands of dog food. I don’t know what all the ingredients are on the foods that you mentioned, but check all the ingredients, and try to narrow it down. If they all contain wheat, no matter how much, that may be what she has a problem with. Same with corn or any other ingredient. You may have to switch her to something from your vet. If you can’t narrow it down to food, you may have to take her to the vet anyway.
You didn’t say how long this “allergy” has been a problem. Could it possibly be the season. Like humans, dogs also get seasonal allergies. My dog is allergic to oak trees. She only has a problem in the fall, when the leaves drop! And I have to watch where I walk her, because if she gets around oak leaves, or steps on oak leaves, she has a reaction. I guess it is a good thing I only have maple trees in my back yard!!
So, check the ingredients on the food you are feeding her, and see if there are some of the same ingredients, and try to narrow it down. And if all else fails, take her to a vet to see what it could be.
Good luck.
You are not the first person that has written in here about their dog having ‘reactions’ to this brand of food. I can only suggest what we use on our dog, and she loves it. It’s the Merrick brand dog food. Good wholesome, human grade foods, freeze dried veg. (and even fruits in some). Ours is eating the Merrick “Grandma’s Pot Pie” and loves it, picking out the freeze dried peas and potatoes bits first! We even use bits of her food for treats when teaching her tricks!
Merrick may be a little more expensive but so worth it, when we take our little fur baby to the vet and she raves at how well her weight remains, how alert and healthy she is and what great condition her coat is in.
Just type in Merrick Dog Food in your seach engine, and it will bring up their site, and it tells you in there what is in each type of food and chewies, etc they sell.
Just remember to slowly change your dogs food from one brand to another, so they don’t get diarrhea.
Good luck with your little fur baby, and I hope you both live a long and healthy life together!