Aloha....my lab/shar pei is 3 years old and started up with allergy symptoms quite early...as an older pup. Mostly she rubs her face, has a little runny nose, gets itchy and licks/chews on her hind quarters, leaving little polka dot patches of short fur with her white skin showing through. Very noticeable on a black dog!. I've tried Atopica, various 1 protein/1 carb diets and a few homeopathic remedies. None worked. I don't think this is a food allergy. I have her on Northwest Natural raw food, for dry, Solid Gold, use a fish oil supplement, and Solid Gold Sea Meal...all of which keep her in top form, good health. Her coat is beautiful and her skin is not irritated or dry. I've given her Benadryl but it doesn't seem all that effective. What am I missing? 

Hello, and welcome to the discussions!  My 5 year old Corgi has allergies, and has been known to be quite itchy. A probiotic blend may help, as well as brewer's yeast and garlic suppliments. All of the other items you mention seem pretty good. Have you tried a home cooked allergy diet? It's not as hard as it seems. Also, I give my dogs 1/2-1 tab of a Claritin tab daily if they seem super itchy. It really helps, and was suggested by the vet. Good Luck!

 

Susan

 You could try changing the cleaning products you use, particularly on floors and carpets.  And/Or the laundry detergent you use on her bedding, try one that has no perfumes or additives. And of course, any dog shampoos or other products that go on the skin.  My dog had bad skin allergies, but it was a late allergy to beef.  Now he's on lamb and his fur is growing back.  He's also allergic to chicken.  You have to give each new diet a couple of weeks, so it took awhile to isolate what he was allergic to.

I would have a blood allergy test taken to be sent to a lab to determine the allergen source or sources and explore your options from the results returned. It is a course of action I have had to take myself in the past to great success. I wish you the best

Diet is the best place to start.  Raw food is excellent and is probably not causing the problem.  The dry food, however, could be contributing, even tho it's a good one.  Some dogs simply cannot digest dry dog food of any kind.  I would replace the dry food with either brown rice or a rice/lentil mixture for a while and watch for improvement.

I also recommend the addition of greens, such as Dr. Harvey's MultiVitamin, Mineral and Herbal supplement (ONP) (check out the amazing ingredients!)  Greens are extremely detoxifying, and can be very helpful for almost all imbalances, and the Dr. Harvey product has herbs for liver support along with all the other amazing ingredients.  For your dog, I would rotate in vitamin C (ONP Rosehip C is yum), add digestive enzymes (Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics or Prozyme) every day with every meal, even though you are feeding some raw.

The allergy remedies that I recommend are:  Only Natural Pet Immune Balance and/or Doc Ackerman's Herbal Allergy Relief Formula.  These can be used separately or together, and are very effective.  Just say no to human allergy medicine!  Doc Ackerman's stuff is affordable as well as very effective.  

Hmmm....I am not sure about atopica. Northwest Naturals is a good food, but I try to stay away from completely raw diets. I tried raw once with my dogs and they had terrible allergies and itching. Solid Gold is another good food, but I don't recomend bison as a staple. I highly suggest trying Honest Kitchen Embark. I put my dogs on this and their allergies virtually disappeared. I've found turkey to be a nearly hypoallergenic source of protein for dogs. Find a food that offers turkey as the main ingredient. Chicken is probably the second best. I've only heard of one dog being allergic to chicken, but I've never found one dog that was allergic to turkey. You might also want to try adding some rye to her food. It is high in manganese, which can really help allergy problems. The thing I like about turkey is that it is high in tryptophan. Chicken is also high in tryptophan and vitamin b3, commonly known as niacin. I do know that some dogs are meat intolerant, believe it or not. You may want to try a diet based on rye or possibly alfalfa. I've found alfalfa to be a wonderful food staple for dogs that are intolerant of meat or have special needs. I've also never found a dog that didn't love alfalfa. hahaha As a food additive I suggest adding fennel. It is very high in vitamin c. As a treat, find something with chicken, or just give cooked or raw chicken. Chicken is high in protein and makes an excellent treat. Another very good food supplement is kelp. Kelp is very high in iodine, which promotes optimal health in dogs. Burdock is an excellent supplement to give with every meal. It is wonderful for skin and coat. Stay away from wheat or corn. Barley, rye, and oats are the best grains. I really like barely because it is so high in dietary fiber, selenium, and tryptophan. For dogs, stay away from diets that are anymore than 40-50% meat. Dogs are omnivores and need fruits and vegetables. For grain tolerant dogs, certain grains are good. Flaxseed is wonderful, some dairy can be good. Eggs shouldn't be a staple, nor should dairy. Poultry is the best staple.

I also suggest Only Natural Pet GI Support. Occasional digestive upsets usually are not a major cause for concern – it’s a rare dog or cat that has never had an episode of vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or indigestion. GI Support delivers advanced gastrointestinal support to dogs and cats, aiding digestion with a unique combination of probiotics, vitamins, herbs, health-building co-factors and enzymes.

OK. It's also called Atopy. I just wanted to add that my 5 year old Corgi, ELI, has had allergy issues most of his life. After much trial and error, I have found that I must meet certain dietary requirements. It is very important that I avoid beef, wheat, soy, and corn products. I feed an all natural, organic, home-cooked diet. It consists of chicken, turkey, or fish, with rice or quinoa for the grain. I give plenty of fruits and vegetables. Lentils or beans help make up some of the protien requirements. He can tolerate some diary products, but not eggs. He also recieves ONP Super Daily Vits + Skin and Coat. ONP GI Support, ONP Whole Foods Antioxidant Blend, ONP Icelandic Salmon Oil, bewers yeast and garlic, and In Clover K9 Connectin.

Eli and his sister, Dixie, seem to be doing very well. No more trips the the vet with rashes or hot spots, or diarrhea. I have not needed to give Clarirtin in I don't know how long. As for fleas, they are not itching, so I have not used any commercial flea control lately.

I still use commercial heartworm prevention. Dix was HW positive when I adopted her. She has been treated, and is doing fine. If anyone has a effective HW prevention program that doesn't require meds, please let me know.

Thanks.

 

My mini schnauzer has about the same symptoms and is also 3 yrs old. It started shortly after I adopted him, but has increased in severity in this, his 3rd year. We have been to the Vet a lot!!! At first, he determined it was a flea allergy. Then, it was the flea medicine, so I changed brands. And now, it's increasingly worse. He broke out in what appeared to be hives in August--so, he was put on prednisone to stop the itch cycle. My Vet diagnosed the "pimples" on his under belly as a type of "staff" infection, and is on antibiotics for 21 days to clear it up. I took Mason to a Pet "psycic" who said he was allergic to all meat except Vension--so, now I am canning his food every two weeks and have him on a diet of ground venison, white rice, carrots, green beans, and either pears or apples. The flea/flea medicine debate is still raging and he suffers on a monthly basis if I dose him with any flea solution. I have ordered an "tic clip" by Anibio. It supposedly sets up a bioenergetic field around the dog to "shoo" away the fleas and tics. Hopefully, it will be successful. I have two neighbors who swear by it.

I hope this assists you in your quest--if any of this sounds appropo, I can give you more info.

I'm glad you're getting the Tic Clip. According to all reports, they are very effective. They've been in use in Europe for years. I wish more people who were using them would write reviews on the Only Natural Pet website. That could help a lot of dogs. If you have one, please let us know how it's working for you. Thanks!! As one of the Customer Service Reps at Only Natural Pet, I hear a LOT of reports of negative reactions to flea control products. The standard flea products are so much more toxic than we are led to believe. Most are neurotoxins, and they have to travel through every cell in your dog's body in order to work. That makes your dog a walking insecticide. Can you imagine what kind of stress these chemicals put on your dog's liver and bladder? The Tic Clip is a wonderful alternative. Now that your dog is off those meds, and while your dog is an antibiotics, I recommend: Probiotics given 2 hours away from the antibiotics throughout the course, and continued as a supplement with every meal thereafter: Only Natural Pet Probiotic Blend is the one I use. To assist your dog's immune system in dealing with the flea control, antibiotics and steroids - I would give Only Natural Pet Liv-Herb or other liver-supporting remedy for at least the next two months to help your dog detox. I always do 5 days on, 2 days off with herbals. I recommend adding raw grated beets and carrots mixed with broth or eggs or whatever works for your dog as liver supporting nutritionals. My dogs love this. Give it once or twice a week. Add essential fatty acids and enzymes to create a very healing combination. That's what I would do. Flea meds, antibiotics AND steroids is a lot for your dog's liver to filter out. Give support whenever possible with whole food nutrients that won't overwhelm the system. Other healing foods and supplements that I use religiously and recommend: Sojos Europa Grain Free dog food, and Dr. Harvey's Multi Vitamin Mineral and Herbal. I also use Dr Harvey's Power Patties as a supplement - adding one to a meal really boosts the nutrition of the whole meal. To further support the healing process, I use, without fail, every day: enzymes, essential fatty acids and greens/herbals. I use either Prozyme or Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics; Ultra Oil, Sardine or Cod Liver oil; and Dr. Harvey's Multi. All healing that occurs in the body requires the presence of enzymes. Unless you are feeding a completely raw diet, your dog has to commit some of his own enzymes to the digestion process. It's only fair to replace those and provide a plentiful supply of these healing enzymes. Essential fatty acids carr;y toxins out of the body along with nourishing skin and coat. Greens supply minerals, vitamins and antioxidants in a form that is very bioavailable and digestible. Greens also attract and carry toxins from the body, such as heavy metals and chemicals. Herbals are an ingredient that canines in the wild would naturally include in their diet. Check out Dr. Harvey's ingredients. OK, I have strong opinins about all this. It's all based on experience and research. One of my dogs is immune-impaired. My first Corgi. She's become my nutritional barometer! I've learned a lot about what foods really work for dogs from my naughty little friend Lily.

I would be very interested to know how the Tic clip works out for you. Please keep us informed!

I also wanted to add that there are some natural forms of flea control that you can practice at home. One is spreading nematodes throughout your yard, to keep fleas down. The nematodes eat the larvae. Keeping the grass cut short also helps to kill larvae. In the house, you can spread diatomacious(sp?)earth in cracks and under furnature. 20 Mule Team Borax can be worked into your carpets to dessicate existing fleas. I have done these things in the past, and they do work.

You may also want to assess your home environment. Do you smoke? Do you use chemical cleansers in the house? If you smoke, do so outside, not in the home. Try to use natural cleansers in the home, such as baking soda and vinegar solutions for everyday cleaning. Be sure your fruits and vegetables are organic, if not for you, then for your dog. Remember, their bodies are much smaller than ours, and therefore, they carry a higher "toxic load" than we do, based on weight and exposure. Adding some sort of detoxifying suppliment, as Sarah suggested, may help.

I wish you all the best!

How naughty is Miss Lily? I think it is a Corgi trait. Give 'em an inch, and they take a mile! Then you have to fight for every inch in order to get that mile back!

I was wondering, do you have much experience with kelp and seaweed? Not in a pill form, but as a food additive? I have seen some recipes for Kumbu(seaweed)candy for dogs, and other recipes that call for things like Nori. These things are available at my local organic market, and I was wondering if I should look into it. I know that both are quite nourishing, as Call of the Dog has extolled the virtues of kelp and seaweed. I would rather use it in it's natural form instead of a pill. Also, the Kumbu candy recipe calls for honey. I thought dogs couln't have honey? I am confused.

An update. I have not been able to procure plain quinoa at the market. They are offering a "red heirloom" variety in it's place. It takes longer to cook, and I have noticed that Dix IS itching a bit. Everything else is the same as far as supps and other parts of the diet. If the itching persists, I will go to all millet instead, or kashi as the grain.

Does anyone have experience with kashi? It is not a wheat product, is it? It is also known as toasted buckwheat, and that is where my confusion lies.

Thanks!

I wanted to weigh in on this topic. Another type of "allergy diet" is one that consists of fish and white rice. You can possibly add a few mixed vegetables to this. During a diet trial, it is also important to remember that you must not give treats, unless they are made of rice and fish as well. The diet I tried with Eli said that I should simply roll the rice into little balls,and give as a treat. He loves rice, so it was not a big deal. Lamb, venison, or duck may also be used. If using fish, be careful not to use too much tuna--it is high in mercury. Salmon, tilapia, whiting, scallops, shrimp, or cod can be used. Canned salmon or frozen whiting is probably the most economical.

I have found that chicken and turkey work best. The fish is for special meals. Eggs, unfortunately, cause GI upset. However, cottage cheese and yogurt do not, so, I use them to supplement the protein content of the diet. These items can be used in a "veggie" diet, although it is not necessarliy recommended.

It takes alot of work and devotion to figure out what works for your pet. In the end, it is worth it when you aren't making trips to the vet every other week, or watching your best buddy scratch himself to death.

Keep on, and you and your buddy will be rewarded.

She's actually quite cooperative, with moments of predictable naughtiness that we can usually channel into preferred behaviors. I think kelp is a great supplement, which is included in some of my dogs' favorite foods. Both Sojos Europa and Dr. Harvey's products contain kelp and alfalfa, along with other greens/herbs. I used to give my dogs kelp tablets as one of their favorite treats. Now it's in their food. I was just reading about kombu in The New Natural Cat - "Kombu is excellent for kidney disease. Helps remineralize the body, and is very alkalizing. Just break off a square inch and crumble it into tiny pieces. Soak in a cup of water for 30 minutes, then cover and simmer gently for another 30 minutes. Very perishable, so only keep for 2-3 days. Add to every meal." And a recipe for a healthy supplement listed by Dr. Pitcairn and Anitra Frazier (New Natural Cat) is: 1 1/2 c yeast powder (any food yeast: brewer's, tarula or nutritional); 1/4 c kelp powder; 1 c lecithin granules; 2 c wheat bran; 2 c bone meal, calcium lactate or calcium gluconate. Dosage for cats is 2 tsp per day (1 tsp w each meal), and Anitra also takes this every day herself. I've seen other recipes that substitute spirulina for kelp. Raw honey is something I first read about in The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. She uses raw honey frequently and considers it a nerve and heart tonic, a natural energizer and says it is "highly medicinal and will inhibit growth of harmful bacteria in the entire digestive tract and destroy those of a toxic nature." Periodically, I chop a few cloves of garlic, mix it with raw honey and keep it in a jar. I give 1/2 tsp to Lily 2 or 3x per week. She eats it off the spoon. Judging from Lily's behavior following a dose of this mixture, I would say it is definitely an energizer. Juliette says that it's important to find raw, organic honey that hasn't been heated or filtered since processsing of any kind destroys much of the healing qualities. What's the Kombu candy recipe? Where did you find that? I'm interested!