Alana_Bax Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 My 1yo boxer has suffered allergies for most of his life, he gets itchy feet, ears, chin, etc and they are getting worse. I have posted on here a few times about it but I thought I would try again as I really don't know what to do! We have been to numerous vets but no one has been of much help. We are assuming it is a food allergy (not a contact allergy - assuming this because of the spots he gets itchy in and we have nothing in the backyard that could cause it) but feeding hypo-allergenic food has not really helped. We've tried all sorts of creams with no success and I feel so sorry for him because he is so itchy all of the time. Can anyone suggest a good vet with experience in allergies? Is there somewhere I could take him were they could do swabs to determine the exact cause? We are located in Eltham, Victoria but I'm willing to travel. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks xox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavandra Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 My 1yo boxer has suffered allergies for most of his life, he gets itchy feet, ears, chin, etc and they are getting worse. I have posted on here a few times about it but I thought I would try again as I really don't know what to do! We have been to numerous vets but no one has been of much help. We are assuming it is a food allergy (not a contact allergy - assuming this because of the spots he gets itchy in and we have nothing in the backyard that could cause it) but feeding hypo-allergenic food has not really helped. We've tried all sorts of creams with no success and I feel so sorry for him because he is so itchy all of the time. Can anyone suggest a good vet with experience in allergies? Is there somewhere I could take him were they could do swabs to determine the exact cause? We are located in Eltham, Victoria but I'm willing to travel. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks xox Hello Have you had him treated for YEAST infection??? Ears, feet , and face are common in this. Caused by humidity, and GRAIN in the diet, mainly rice! Grain is in every dog food, and Dogs do not eat grain in the wild, and their digestive systems dont cope with it. Itchy skin is the first sign of a proble, & yeasty ears , licking feet , rubbing face....... Just my guess......... Cheers Cassy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana_Bax Posted March 11, 2007 Author Share Posted March 11, 2007 How would I go about treating him for a yeast infection? I have wondered if the grain in his diet has casued this... he gets fed beef and royal canin but I am now reading that beef can cause allergies. I think I will have to get a grain free kibble for him (innova or something like that - gonna hurt the hip pocket!) and maybe switch to roo meat. I am also going to bathe him in a medicated wash... I have a few different ones that I use on my horse that say for cats, dogs, horses so I will try that too and see how I go. I'm pretty sure it is diet related so I guess I should try altering that first and see if that helps. It seems to get worse in the heat and humidity which makes sense. It is worse at night because he gets hot in bed (he sleeps with us). Any more suggestiongs would be great. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 I would consider getting a referral for intradermal skin testing at Melbourne Vet Referral Centre in Mt Waverly. That is going to give you the answers you want. Food allergy however is hard to test for- what food brands have you tried so far? Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavandra Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Why not feed him BARF, and NO dry foods.........Chciken Frames, Turkey necks , offal etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Beef is the worse for allergies & surprised the vet didnt tell you try an alternative meat. Roo is good for dogs with allergies but like anything some dogs can react . What did your breeder suggest when you got the pup?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana_Bax Posted March 11, 2007 Author Share Posted March 11, 2007 I didn't realise that beef was so bad for dogs with allergies, I have actually taken him to three vets and none have said that! I will try roo. As far as going BARF I have been interested in that for awhile but worried it would be too difficult. My bf's dad (who we live with) actually feeds him because often I am not home at feed times and I think he likes the convenience of a dry food. I have tried brands like Advance, Royal Canin Veterinary (including the hypoallergenic one), Purina (now know that contains a lot of nasties), etc. I am going to try and get some innova tomorrow, I also know of somewhere I can get California Natural from, which I believe is a good food. I know that other dogs in his litter have similar problems and I know that boxers can be susceptible to allergies so I'm figuring his problems are genetic. I know of people that have put their dogs on meds but I'd like to avoid this if possible. Thanks for the suggestions. I will see how we go altering his diet and if I don't see an improvement I will get a referral to the vet suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Hills Z/d Ultra is worth trying for 6-8wks as the *only* food. It has proteins that are very low in molecular weight- therefore the body doesn't recognise the protein as an allergen, and create a histamine response. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gomez the Norfolk Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Eagle Pack Holistic has no grains, you could try that - maybe the fish vesrion or the duck, both low on the "allergy" scale... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 I would treat his feet for Tinea or wash in white vinegar.Often the yeast problem can be in the feet & the dog scratches its ears & rubs its face & spreads the problem or vice versa. You could rub natural yoghurt on the ear area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana_Bax Posted March 11, 2007 Author Share Posted March 11, 2007 I would treat his feet for Tinea or wash in white vinegar.Often the yeast problem can be in the feet & the dog scratches its ears & rubs its face & spreads the problem or vice versa.You could rub natural yoghurt on the ear area. That sounds easy enough, I will try that. Should I dilute the vinegar (I'm guessing its gonna sting). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloss344 Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 (edited) You could also try washing the affected areas with something like Malaseb or other medicated anitbacterial/antifungal washes. Even if it's an allergy with the yeast as a secondary complication it should give some relief. I usually wipe out Bob's ears when I bath him with a face washer wrung out in diluted medicated wash. His allergies seem to be environmental rather than dietary, but I keep him on a very simple diet nevertheless. Staffntoller's suggestion of Z/D is a good one. If you go that route or an elimination diet remember that it may take up to 8 weeks to see a result and that during this time your pooch cannot have anything else, not even a little bit, otherwise you won't know if the diet is working or not. A home prepared elimination diet doesn't need to be balanced, adult dogs have plenty of mineral reserves to keep them going. ETA: a link with some info http://www.labbies.com/atopy.htm Edited March 11, 2007 by bloss344 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Eagle Pack Holistic has no grains, you could try that - maybe the fish vesrion or the duck, both low on the "allergy" scale... The holistic range has oatmeal and brown or white rice. The grains are not *usually* the issue though- allergy dogs are more commonly allergic to large proteins, beef, colours or preservatives. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Evo has no grain at all. When I had a look around it was the only one I could find with none in it. I use Proplan Sensitive (Salmon based) for my itchy dog, it seems to help a bit but my pup's problem is more a contact allergy thing. The price of the Proplan is better than the Evo, so maybe give that a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana_Bax Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 Evo has no grain at all. When I had a look around it was the only one I could find with none in it. I use Proplan Sensitive (Salmon based) for my itchy dog, it seems to help a bit but my pup's problem is more a contact allergy thing. The price of the Proplan is better than the Evo, so maybe give that a go. Hey Jules (this is Alana who I have met you through horses, Amanda, etc..), I think I'll try the EVO and see how we go. I know it is expensive but he is driving me crazy. Figure I'll go grainless and stop giving him meat for awhile and see if this helps, then I can gradually add things and see how it affects him. I'm also gonna try washing him in quit-itch or something and see if that helps relieve it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyTansy Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Hi there If you are going to go grainless i would keep him on a meat for now, otherwise, if the itching continues, you will not know whether it is the meat or the grain that is causing it. I think the idea of elimination is to eliminate one thing at a time, but start by giving the dog a completely different diet. Interestingly enough, my vet said to try fish and potato initially and go from there. Intradermal testing will not test food allergies, and tests can be done but they do not bring back a very accurate result. Elimination, even though it is annoying, is the best way to find out which foods your dog is allergic to, as it could be more than one. There are vets out there that can give you a good guide on how to start your elimination diet... sometimes it is just hard to find a vet that is willing to tackle allergy and skin problems, because of the complexity and difficulty to treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazz Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Sorry to hear about your young boxer, the only way to know for sure what's ailing your dog (said this in a similar thread) is to ask your vet to take blood to be allergy tested. It's the only way for certain to know what the problem is, this way you are able to check against food, contact and air borne allergens, and be able to know how to combat your dog's allergy problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Hi Alana! I used to buy Evo from that pet supply place near Bunnings & Saddle-Up. You could often get it on special. The Evo is a complete food so you don't need to add anything else anyway. Think I met your pup once at Glenbrae? Hope you get it sorted out soon. My itchy pup drives me nuts, he doesn't seem too bothered and loves having his cream rubbed on his tummy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 (edited) Also try Apple Cider Vinegar in his water - about 1 tablespoon to a couple of litres of water. Also try wiping him over daily with apple cider vinegar. Not hard to do, wont hurt him, and may help. May I ask how many vaccinations he has had, and what with (ie, C3, C4 etc) ? And when was the last one? And just feed him 1 thing at a time - dry food with no grains for example. Cut out all other foods. Otherwise, you will never find out what the problem is. Give it at least 4 weeks t o make a difference. I would also seriously consider seeing a GOOD homeopath who deals with dogs. Sorry I don't know one where you are, but perhaps someone else will. Edited March 12, 2007 by Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana_Bax Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Hi Alana! I used to buy Evo from that pet supply place near Bunnings & Saddle-Up. You could often get it on special. The Evo is a complete food so you don't need to add anything else anyway. Think I met your pup once at Glenbrae? Hope you get it sorted out soon. My itchy pup drives me nuts, he doesn't seem too bothered and loves having his cream rubbed on his tummy. Yep that would be him! I got the food from there yesterday (two for one! - great deal)... we are slowly introducing him to it but have cut out the beef completely and will wean of the RC. Now he will just get the innova with some natural yoghurt and sardines occasionaly thrown in. If the allergies subside I will start gradually adding some chicken or turkey and then see what effects him. If the food doesn't make a difference will do what others have suggested and find a vet to do some tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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