Issy

Yes I was going to give VAN a go once the testing was over but it seems I may have to try it earlier if he keeps this up. The map is not working for me so I can't see the retailers, can I get it a Petbarn? if not I can order it online as well. Unfortunately it isn't just his skin. Eyes get swollen red and ooze really badly. I have to clean them with saline several times a day when it gets really bad. He also gets rashes under the belly and has bald patches from biting/itching all over. He is 3 yrs old sorry missed that question earlier.

I was told not to give him anything, no treats/snacks while on the diet. He loves yogurt but I am unsure whether this will ruin the testing.

Yes he did so once, but it didn't happen again. I haven't tried fresh fish, I could but I just wanted to do as the vet says. Will he get all the nutrients he needs by just eating sardines and some vege's though? I'm willing to do anything at this point to be honest.

We've has allergy problems for the past 6 months or so, every couple of months we got to the vet, he gets antibiotics and meds to help with the itching. The first vet I went to was sort of hopeless - after 3-4 months she didn't do anything besides giving him meds and told me just to give him a claritin every day. She also told me to try a few diet changes but nothing specific, so I had him on a plain beef, lamb and rice for awhile and it didn't clear. I also did raw chicken necks (he loves those) but the allergies were the most severe at this point and I'm quite sure he can't do chicken. I went to a new vet a couple of weeks ago and he seems much better, we started on antibiotics again and meds to help with itching. He told me to start him on a single source protein diet of fish(he stated that dogs are rarely allergic to fish) and come back after 6 weeks. He recommended Royal Canine FP formula but unfortunately it is discontinued so I did research and found Taste of the Wild to be the same and that one has no grains. I don't think he does well with rice so I thought that'd be a better alternative. Yes I've tried to mush it and add tuna, that is the only time he has eaten it, problem is he still wont eat it until he gets to a point of starvation. Tonight I added sardines, he sniffed and licked it a little and left it as it is.

I am desperate for some advice in regards to my Cavalier who is a very fussy eater. Recently he's been put on single protein source diet of fish(dry kibble) and I can' get him to eat it! I put in tuna and he'll lick off a few pieces and leave it as it is - only twice he finished a bowl, I had to soak the kibble and then add a fair amount of tuna to it and he ate it then. So we go for 4-5 days without eating until he is starving and have a bowl, then wont eat again for another 4-5 days..... He is on Taste of the Wild at the moment and it isn't just the brand, he wont eat any dry food at all, yes I've tried many Two weeks have gone by and he's had a total of maybe 3 small bowls of food. Looking at him today he seems to have lost a little weight but nothing major. He needs to be on this diet for another 4 weeks but at this rate it is hard to know if he is allergic to the product since he eats such a small amount I can't tell. Thought I would try and get some advice here before taking him back to the vet (especially when it comes to food).

I use Advantix as well and I have exactly the same symptoms on my Cavalier. Edit: not sure if that is what is causing it, he is on a diet at the moment to rule out food allergies first.

Interesting I will look it up when I get a chance. Thing is I know my dog is allergic to rice - to the point that eyes swell/water and body gets inflamed/itchy. There is so little choice out there...

My vet also ordered the same formula for my little guy but I wasn't able to find it. After doing some research I found Canidae (Puresea) and Taste of the Wild to be similiar. He is on Taste of the Wild for about a week now and doing great so far (single protien source fish - no grains).

Thanks for the feedback, I will definately give it a go. I'm having trouble with the dry even with tuna mixed in...he didn't touch it again tonight. Licked a little of the tuna last night and left it as is /sigh

I tried Kangaroo meat a few times and he simply wont eat it. He needs to get to starving mode for a few days and then he'll eat whatever I put in front of him but I just don't like doing that. I know I'm mostly to blame for the pickiness but I can't help it When I was in the US I tried raw, they were handing out samples at my local petstore and he absolutely loved it. He ate that for a few months until one day he just refused to eat it. After some research I found out that they had changed the formula and I'm guessing that was why. Anyways, I've since tried many other brands, including Barf (in all different meats even) and he wont touch it Mason_Gibbs, did you mean Vets all natural mix? that is a raw mix isn't it? I haven't tried that yet, might give it a go in future once the allergies are confirmed. I'm curious, is it possible to do a raw mix with fish of any kind?

Awww, so cute :) The biggest girl has the softest expression ever!

Actually he only developed this in the past 6-8 months. He is currently 3 yrs old. I'm not entirely sure if he is allergic to the all three meats - all the trials I did were the ones with low allergy (but still had some grains/cereals in them) eg. Nutro (lamb/chicken and rice). So he could just be allergic to the grains and not the meat. I DO know that he is allergic to chicken necks though, because I gave him that entirely for a week (he loves chicken necks) and the allergies went through the roof. I still have to test lamb/beef but those I can't say because they were mixed with grains. Vet has told me it could also be environmental but we need to rule out food first. My breeder is great, she actually went to a lot of trouble to get lines out of Europe to breed her dogs, so I highly doubt that has anything to do with it.

He seems to be doing good on the food so far. I don't know how but he manages to lick the tuna off and leave most the dry kibble, so I'm adding more tuna and he finishes it eventually :)

Erny, that is super impressive, I will look into it and see if I can find the place you are refering to. If it worked for you then I'm hoping there is a chance it'll work for him, so thank you for the advice. SparkyTansy, we actually have been considering desensitisation. Just wasn't sure if it worked or not, I've heard some people have done it for years and for some it didn't work as well. Good to know that it worked for your friend, it gives me hope! Update on Kingston - he hasn't vomited again after that incident so I'm guessing it was just a one off thing? Problem is he wont eat the dry food (he's always been picky...), this is the second night he turned his nose up at it I didn't want him to go hungry so added like a spoon or two of tuna in the dry food and he ate it all. The main single source of protein is fish(salmon) in the dry food so would it be ok to add tuna to it? Or should I buy salmon and use that instead? I don't want him going hungry for that long in order to eat food, he can last 3-4 days without eating at a time...

Don't see a pink table yet either, goodluck though!!

I googled and couldn't find such clinic, there appears to be one in Vic? If you could link the site that'd be great please. Now, my little guy doesn't seem to be doing good on the new food. He keeps dry retching and vomited a little water earlier. Only been happening since yesterday and he's been on the food for 3 days now (and yes I've been mixing it with the previous food). He isn't doing it now at late night but he also didn't eat his meal tonight, he sniffed it and left it as it is. Should I keep trying to feed him or is it the food that is causing this? He is on a single protien diet, I'm giving him Taste of the Wild - Puresea. I should mention he is currently on antibiotics and something called Cortef (I'm assuming it is for the itchiness).

Aww, she looks so happy and comfortable :) So happy to hear she found her forever home :D

Is that supposed to be chicken?? If so I wont be feeding it to my kids, gross :/

Indeed it is a challenge! been about 5 months now and we are trying to get him used to it over time, he has contact with him about once a week and it seems to be working although very slow. He has tried like 5-6 different antihistamines over the past few months sadly they don't work as well. He is now just working on building up his immune system. I think you are right with the Allerpet, I will definately wait for the period to be over because he does itch a great deal and there is a chance it could be environmental as well. The vet will be checking for that once the food testing is done. Yes, that is Kingston in my avatar when he was a puppy :D

I was wondering if anyone has used or is using Allerpet "D" and if they have had luck with it - http://allergystore.com/petallergen.htm I have a dilemma at the moment with both my guys being allergic to different things. My boyfriend is allergic to cats and dogs and suffers for days after contact (and no he can't even touch him) just by being in the same room sets him off. When he comes over we go sit on the balcony, even though I've vacuumed/cleaned etc and it sets him off for like 4-5 days and on occasion he's taken time off work due to it. Now, I wouldn't mind trying the product but my Cavalier also has allergy problems right now, he can't do chicken/beef/lamb and he is on a strict diet of single fish protein. I don't want to compromise the result by using this product on him - I don't know if it will or not and few petstores I've asked haven't even heard of the product or anything similiar to it. We just started on the diet and he still has 5.5 weeks to go....I'm thinking it is best to wait it out then give it a go but I'd love to get some feedback on anyone that has used it. I would be grateful for any advice.

The water in the seagull shot looks frozen! so cool :)

Knowing my little guy is allergic to chicken (and still trying to figure out what else he cannot eat, on a diet right now) I'd say it is definately very irresponsible. I would've just told her that and kept the dogs away from her.

Just one here (CKCS). I wish I could get another but I barely have time looking after this one!

Sad to hear about the little guy Hopefully the others will live long healthy lives. Aww, Angus is such a cutie.

Too bad they don't come in different sizes, I'm thinking it'd be too big for my Cavalier.