Possible Food Allergy

[Crysti_Lei]

my girl has been itchy all over for a few weeks (she is a 5 month old Saint).

She was treated with steriods and antihistamines three weeks ago for a bad reaction to a bee sting, and for the two weeks after the itching stopped. but has since returned and she's very uncomfortable again.

i took her to the vet today and he said she had an ear infection, (yes they were dirty as today was ear cleaning day as we have a show tomorrow, so i disagree about the infection, but will treat it with dermotic anyway.)

Vet said she was really too young for an allergy, but if it is something it would be a food allergy (she's on barf) if not then it could be grass (this is what i beleive as when we didn't have grass, she wasn't itchy) but thought that she would be far too young for this.

So he suggested i try an elimination diet, and stop feeding all the meet i have been and try new stuff... so chicken, lamb, beef and pork are all out! and places that sell alturnatives only do them in diced meat packs, no Raw Meaty Bones. What can i do here? do i suppliment with calcium powder? if so, how much?

i am also going to put her on a antihistermine and keep her away from the grass for a while, see how that goes.

But i am mainly interested in what i can do about calcium if i have to start feeding this diced meat stuff *not happy Jan* (especially coz i doubt it is an food allergy)

Help!!

Thanks.

[Clyde]

i am also going to put her on a antihistermine and keep her away from the grass for a while, see how that goes.

I'm sorry I'm no help when it comes to supplements etc, however if you do the above plus the elimination diet at the same time how will you know what it was that worked? Perhaps try keeping her away from grass first, then the diet.

Good luck with it

[peigirl]

CL atopic & contact allergies/food intolerances normally develop around the age of 12 months but several Dolers have had their dogs present problems well before that age.

Pollen season has gone into overdrive at the moment. If she's itchy it could be a contact or atopic allergy. Start with a mild antihistamine every and see if helps. Antihistamines work differently for every dog. You might have to try a few different ones before you find one that works best.

In regards to the elimination diet you could try roo. People grade cuts available at most supermarkets these days, and not just mince. You can also get roo tails for calcium.

You have to try one thing at a time tho otherwise you'll never know what is effecting what - dont introduce antihistamines or change protein source at the same time.

[Poodle wrangler]

My dogs have been more itchy than usual and our clothes are covered in pollen off the clothesline. I'm itchy, too, and don't normally have allergies.

Mozzies are also about. My dogs slepp outside so I use Advantix which repels mozzies as well as covers fleas and ticks.

There are certain times of day when the pollen count is higher. Anyone know when?

Are you able to have her indoors during those times?

[Ptolomy]

Not sure how much the vet explained the elimination diet to you. The dog needs to be put on two foods it has never had before, if the problem is a food allergy - then the itching will stop. Then you can add a new food every ten days - if the dog starts itching then it is allergic to that food, if it doesn't itch then you can give the food a big tick.

We are under the dermatology clinic at Murdoch and were given the choice of 5 meats, emu, camel, horse, goat and kangaroo. I chose goat and I chose sweet potato as her vege. We were on this diet for 3 months before I found another food she could eat. No the dog can't stay on just goat and sweet potato long term but it was the only way we could find out what she could and couldn't eat.

Not sure where you live, but the South Street Pet Supplies (on South St between Stock and Carrington Streets) stocks a great range of raw meats including goat, horse, camel and roo and has all of these in a dried form as well. They also stock bones in these meats as well, so yes you can still give your dog raw meaty bones. I was given a list of other shops that stock the different meats but can't put my finger on it at the moment.

[Crysti_Lei]

Not sure how much the vet explained the elimination diet to you. The dog needs to be put on two foods it has never had before, if the problem is a food allergy - then the itching will stop. Then you can add a new food every ten days - if the dog starts itching then it is allergic to that food, if it doesn't itch then you can give the food a big tick.

We are under the dermatology clinic at Murdoch and were given the choice of 5 meats, emu, camel, horse, goat and kangaroo. I chose goat and I chose sweet potato as her vege. We were on this diet for 3 months before I found another food she could eat. No the dog can't stay on just goat and sweet potato long term but it was the only way we could find out what she could and couldn't eat.

Not sure where you live, but the South Street Pet Supplies (on South St between Stock and Carrington Streets) stocks a great range of raw meats including goat, horse, camel and roo and has all of these in a dried form as well. They also stock bones in these meats as well, so yes you can still give your dog raw meaty bones. I was given a list of other shops that stock the different meats but can't put my finger on it at the moment.

Thanks you that.

the vet gave me a list of places, but most of them only did the diced meat, and i wanted bones, i didn't call south street pet supplied, but i will on monday.

i think i will do the antihistermine thing first, and if there is no change then i'll adjust her diet. coz BARF is hard enought to get right without screwing around with protien sources.

Thanks for the info every one.

[Ptolomy]

I use Zyrtec as a antihistamine - but Zyrtec did nothing for my dogs brother so he is on Polaramine. You may need to try a couple of antihistamines to find the one that works best

Good luck

[Crysti_Lei]

I use Zyrtec as a antihistamine - but Zyrtec did nothing for my dogs brother so he is on Polaramine. You may need to try a couple of antihistamines to find the one that works best

Good luck

Thanks for that.

i was hoping on advoiding drowsy ones, but it looks like i will have give up on that idea to try one that really works.

as a reference, how long should it take before i see a difference? y'know, so i don't give up to quickly

[Ptolomy]

You should see a difference pretty quickly if they are going to work!

and there is no drousiness whatsoever!!!!

[Crysti_Lei]

and there is no drousiness whatsoever!!!!

LOL well thats reassuring...

[ashka1]

I have a 12 month old Newf going through the same thing, we have put it down to a dietary allergy, he was on pro plan puppy and large breed dry food, with minced beef or chicken and bones when the itching first started. I then changed him to straight BARF diet and it got worse.

I now feed EaglePack Holistic anchovy and salmon based dry with a little duck and vege mince and in days he stopped scratching and his coat looks much healthier...........and he loves it!!!!

The vet suggested that the beef and/or chicken are the problem, wheat can be a common allergen too. The Eagle pack has no beef or wheat and is fine.

[cassie]

I think a few people on this forum (as Ashka also just said) have had success with the EP Holistic Anchovy with their allergy-suffering dogs, so maybe give that a shot? That would be what I'd try.

[Flaves]

I would try the antihistamine thing forst.

Mitchi my jrt had an allergic reaction, bvet did injection nad cortisone na dsaid it was a food allergy.

No, actually it is hayfever.

Try antihistamine, sinc tab and omega 3 tbs forst for a month.

Of no improve,ment them moive to the elimination diet.

ziwipeak is great as it has no chicken products, apparently chicken can be the cause of the allergy frequently.

[arby]

is the allergy on the skin and belly??? I say more then likely hayfever, the season has started for it. Taz gets huge rashes on stomach and the like. Unfortunately you cant do much about it. Pollens are always in the air. Antihistamine and quit itch (used as a shampoo) help him heaps.

Does teh dog have any other symptoms. Food allergies would cause more of a internal reaction. Main 2 food allergies I know off are wheat and chicken.

[Golden Rules]

....... and quit itch (used as a shampoo) help him heaps.

What is Quit Itch? And where do you get it? :rolleyes:

[arby]

Quit itch...most pet shops/supplier have it

Its like iodine based shampoo type stuff. You can use it as a shampoo or straight on really itchy patches/hot spots/wounds etc. Helps kill of bacteria and soothes skin. Betadine is basically the same. The quit itch is thicker though.

Its really good where the dogs have actually scratched the skin open and infection/irritation has started to set it.

[Crysti_Lei]

the antihistermines had made a noticeable difference. she still is itching, but not nearly as much as before.

so thankfully, i wound have to try the diet change.

as for Eagle Pack, its is rarer than diamonds here in Perth. as i have been wanting to try me Pug on it. Hopefully when i start working in a pet supplies shop i can see if they will get it in, for my Pug.

As for Nauts ears.... Grrrr, stoopid vet! before they were fine, dirty (like i said it was the eve of a show and that meansd ear cleaning day.) but he tells me, there is an infection there and made be buy the ear cleaner, but i already had Dermotic at home. i have used it twice so far, cleaned and medicated, and her ears are all sore and inflamed now, and she was yawning all night which tells me there is something more aswell, perhaps they are swollen too.

So i am not treating her ears anymore.

[Ptolomy]

You can get Eagle Pack through Colin Chinnery in Canning Vale 9455 1249 or 0410564326

[snarferama]

You can also get EP from Pookinuk. They have really good prices and they do home delivery for $5. I've gotta stop plugging them, I'm starting to seem like a Pookinuk rep.

[Loraine]

my girl has been itchy all over for a few weeks (she is a 5 month old Saint).

She was treated with steriods and antihistamines three weeks ago for a bad reaction to a bee sting, and for the two weeks after the itching stopped. but has since returned and she's very uncomfortable again.

i took her to the vet today and he said she had an ear infection, (yes they were dirty as today was ear cleaning day as we have a show tomorrow, so i disagree about the infection, but will treat it with dermotic anyway.)

Vet said she was really too young for an allergy, but if it is something it would be a food allergy (she's on barf) if not then it could be grass (this is what i beleive as when we didn't have grass, she wasn't itchy) but thought that she would be far too young for this.

So he suggested i try an elimination diet, and stop feeding all the meet i have been and try new stuff... so chicken, lamb, beef and pork are all out! and places that sell alturnatives only do them in diced meat packs, no Raw Meaty Bones. What can i do here? do i suppliment with calcium powder? if so, how much?

i am also going to put her on a antihistermine and keep her away from the grass for a while, see how that goes.

But i am mainly interested in what i can do about calcium if i have to start feeding this diced meat stuff *not happy Jan* (especially coz i doubt it is an food allergy)

Help!!

Thanks.

My dog is on an elimination diet - there is a dog butcher in South Street who sells all kinds of meat and bones (at the moment my dog is on goat and I get goat shanks for him.