zayda_asher

A lot of dogs will also get the itchies from alfalfa if you are using that. It could also be that the diet is not balanced right... some vit / mineral deficiencies can cause such problems. You may want to try analysing the diet and see how it stands up. Monica Segal's book: Optimal Nutrition will give you the tools to do this. Its quite possible that an intolerance or deficiency is the culprit. Intolerances are different to allergies (you can do a google for the difference). Its possible he has allergies, but if those are his only symptoms I wouldn't think so...

Too much bone will bind them up. Also rice is used for binding them up when they have the runs, so that will contribute too... You want to look at what level of bone you are feeding. You may also find that he gets blocked anal glands too as too hard a poop is the same as too soft and the anal glands wont express properly.

It would only help if the dog was deficient in one of those trace elements... Normally mixed products like this don't actually have enough of any one element to make a difference... You need to know what is causing the problems before knowing if a product like this will help... Zinc will only help skin if it is a zinc deficiency causing the skin complaint for example...

I've had a lot of success with my guys with Olive leaf extract... If there is an internal imbalance this may help. Its the one thing that has helped keep Zayda's hives in check. Its strong stuff though, can interfere with antibiotics so if he's on them you should wait til he's finished the course... Good luck with him... I know how frustrating skin things are! PS: No sneaking him in with the "normal" dogs when I fly over to do the bathing!!

Sounds like this house... we must have a sign on our heads that says 'suckers' or something Lucky the little devils are cute lol As for "hypoallergenic" there really is no such thing... it will totally depend on what the dog has been fed as to what they are likely to be allergic to... Hypoallergenic is just gimmicky marketing. Yes that's the problem with commercial stuff: they mix and match and change at will depending on what they can get cheapest etc. And labling laws are very slack for pet foods...

If you've established full symptom pattern, the dog is an adult and has true allergies its not that likely for them to keep develping new ones. It does occassionally happen, but is pretty uncommon. However, if you dog has something like IBD it is quite common for them to develop new intolerances (different from a true allergy). True food allergies are actually the most uncommon of the allergies.

Not everyone can do an elimination diet with a novel protein and veg... Some have fed too much variety, or just don't understand (its very challenging when you've been taught to think that kibble is good and that you cannot feed your dog yourself)... When we did Zayda's elimination diet (years ago) we used the z/d to supplement her novel protein and veg. These days I'd just go with a novel protein and veg... Some dogs are sensitive enough that they will still react to the z/d ETA: Hills Science Diet aren't the greatest products on the planet...

Because they have to hydrolize everything out of it... basically that means breaking the proteins down as far as possible. A true food allergy is caused by an immune response being mounted against the proteins in food. They can't put anything whole in it or it will potentially make the dog respond (protiens in the amino acids in all parts of food)... so you can't up the calories as that would add proteins to cause a response. The amount you would need to feed would cause most dogs to refuse to eat any more... you could try though, but I doubt it would help much as they would need to eat a lot!

Hills Z/D does cause weight loss due to its low protein and fat content. I missed that the first time I read... yes, that is absolutely correct: Z/D is known for causing dogs not to gain weight or to loose a lot of weight. That's why they try not to use it on very young dogs... Its not meant to be a long term food...

Hi... If you do a search of the health forum for allergies with my user name (zayda_asher) you will get a lot of info on allergies... I have two allergy dogs. Do a search and have a read... you should find lots of useful info! Good luck!

Its a steroidal cream so if people are tying to avoid steriods then you don't want to use this one If you look at this thread you can see a lot of the things I use to treat my dogs' skin (and other people's too!).

That's why you give the Capstar before you bring the animal home, so you don't bring the fleas home with you... That's what we were meant to do... But if the fleas are in the house you are going to have to go through a process of killing them all and breaking the cycle.

Right. Extra strong stuff!! :D You could try planting lavender, peny royal, marigolds and other plants known to keep insects away around the house too.. That's something I've been meaning to investigate! Yes, less chemicals the better is how I feel too! Asher is funny... he does ok with the heartworm meds, but it does give him the runs and stuff... Anything with proplyene glycol will make him hit the roof, worst contact allergy, BURNS... they use it in SO MUCH stuff. They say its safe, but I've nonticed a few human products for sensitive skin advertise PG free so there are more people that have problems with it than they give credit for I'd say (again people need to report those adverse reactions!). Other chemicals (some preservatives too) seem to be a build up for him on the amount he gets and we get the ADD stuff (prolly depends on what is in his system and how yuck he feels from it is my guess)... So I prefer to keep as many as possible away. You should see Asher if you hold up a bottle or something that smells really chemically: he's a sticky beak so he wants to see what everything is... we keep him away from most things, but sometimes he'll get a wiff of something like say nail polish remover. Head flies up, eyes go wide, ears go back, tail goes out and he backs away like you really offended him, snorting as he goes!! Then he looks at you and goes "OMG! What are you doing with that??!!" Cleaning products do that too... he runs and hides if we are cleaning with stuff like that. Funny how they have the different reactions isn't it? Asher's not really a spewer... comes out the other end more! Cool ;) Dan

Yep, that's right... I don't use anything... excepting the neem & lavender if I'm worried about where we'll be going (like Gnagarra pine plantation)... We never have an issue, and I would know because one of Asher's worst allergies is the flea one! Asher is the same with chemicals, excepting they tend to irritate his skin and it comes out in him as 1) pain (burning / irritating) and 2) behavioural problems because of the pain and also ADD type behaviour. So I go there as little as possible. They get heart worm every 6 weeks (clinical trials show it is effective up to 8 weeks, but monthly is easier for people to remember, 6 weekly gives some room for stuff up if you do forget then...)... that's it. Does the Permoxin keep the flies and stuff away? I've not found any of them do that... but the neem keeps a lot of the nasties away. Owen's Homeopathics sell it (that's the store I go to that you asked about): http://www.h-e-c.com.au/ I'm sure other health food stores would too, or get it in for you. I'm getting together the other info for you, I'm heading to my mum and dad's for dinner soon so I will send it all to you in the next day or so... Dan

Peigirl do you find you have a problem with fleas here? Asher is extremely allergic to fleas too and the only thing we could use on him were tablets like capstar where the flea had to bite the dog any way... so we knew he wasn't getting bitten... we use nothing now because we figured if he had to get bitten for it to work any way and he wasn't then we would save it for if he ever did, less chemicals the better with Asher... Well we NEVER EVER see fleas and you know we hang around dog parks etc for obedience etc. We just don't seem to have a problem here... I know over East some poor people have terrible problems. Of course health, diet etc. all play a role too... If I am worried, like when we do go to tracking and are in the bush I use neem oil and lavender oil mixed in water... Put it in a spray bottle, shake and spray on. Be warned that the neem stinks, but it works. Good for ticks too.

Oh. No. Poor babies... Big hugs from Aunty Dan... Vet should give you the script no worries I reckon... Good luck with them.

Yes, its very difficult and as Peigirl says often the companies stuff up the foods that are meant to be for dogs like ours too! Its nuts and there's A LOT to learn when you have dogs like this... I'd love for the companies to have to be more responsible about their ingredients, labling etc... until that happens, I wont be using them! Thank you!

Good luck... I hope Loki doesn't get it!

Actually that's not correct...the proteins are in all parts of the animal and are what the amino acids that etc. that cause allergic reaction are broken down from. These are in all parts of a food source. If a dog is allergic to beef for example it will be allergic to every part of a cow and not just say the meat. We have to avoid 99.9% of comercial products because of the beef tallow. One piece of kibble with beef tallow will have my girl ripping her self to shreds.

Oh yeah, the manuka is meant to be good.. I forget about it because we can't use it (Asher's allergic)

All of it in a health food store... or a lot of chemists. healthfood stores I find are often a bit cheaper than chemists.. Most of the common brands of herbal supplements will have Pau D'arco now. The pills I use are Nature's own and the Tea I get is Nature's Sunshine. Its a big container and a bit expensive... but you use it for all their skin scrapes, lesions etc. etc. The homeopathics you would need to look for a homeopathic practitioner.

oh also I forgot... I use Pau D'arco for most most infections. I normally give it in a pill, but to soothe her chest you could buy the tea, infuse and mix with honey...

Not fair what some of the poor little darlings go through is it!

Ok Natural Helath Bible for Dog and Cats, Dr Shawn Messonnier: He recommends Echinacea, olive leaf extract, ginger, Licorice and garlic - all for fighting infection and building immune system Marshmallow is specifically for respitory difficulties. There's quite a few other things he mentions for infection / immune boost too... so ask if you want the rest... He also mentions that there is a homeopathic nosode that some people has success with. And you could also get homeopathic remedies to help ease the throat / chest. Just honey is good for soothing the throat too. Hope something in that helps

Nope... its not going to pass through you, only if you take the poor girl with you... I asked the same thing years ago when one of my guys had it! I'll look in my herbal book for you and see if I find anything good for a cough! Give her a hug