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by Mindhunt on 23 August 2013 - 17:08
Florida does not seem to agree with my two GSDs (Ronin 11 and Isis 8). We are constantly fighting allergies and foot chewing (ordered the Musher's Secret, will give that a try). We have narrowed down Ronin's pad avulsions to severe allergies, the black part of the pad just seems to slough off, negative for fungus, bacteria, yeast, etc. Isis' foot hair is stained that wonderful saliva rust color. They live on Benadryl and can not really use steroids much as they have digestive issues and remain pretty still, don't get up except to potty and drink water, lots of water, eat very little so steroids are off the table except for extreme cases. I can not afford the $450-$600 per dog for allergy testing and have narrowed it down to palm tree pollen, cedar tree pollen, and various grasses and weeds. Unfortunately, I am stuck in Florida for another 2 years minimum. I had to retire them from the local SAR team as they have such issues after running through weeds, swamps and such when searching. I rinse their feet with mild non-detergent soap after walking outside, I have tried white vinegar, but with little luck. Currently they don't seem to mind the epsom salt soaking I do for their feet when they are just miserable, but only will sit still for a few minutes (unless their feet are bad then they will tolerate it for 5-10 minutes). They are on Trifexis for heartworm and fleas. I am open to suggestions for holistic approaches. Thank you in advance 
by Dog1 on 23 August 2013 - 18:08
What are you feeding?
by Mindhunt on 23 August 2013 - 18:08
Same food they have been on without problems for 8 years, Flint River Ranch trout and sweet potato. Never had allergies in Michigan, only since moving to Florida
by Nans gsd on 23 August 2013 - 18:08
Yep what feed? My guys will scratch like crazy if they get any type Flax, seed or oil. Have you tried giving coconut oil, a small amount say l/2 tsp. 2 times per day in food, personally I would change foods unless their gut upsets are too severe to do so. The natural coconut oil helps internally and may also help if put on their pads a couple times per day. I am so not in favor of drugs, I like to find the culprit and make a change. The constant itching, etc is why I went to raw feeding from kibble about 3 l/2 years ago and have not looked back since. Sure sometimes I wished I could just open a bag of kibble and dish out a couple of cups and call it done, BUT raw is soooooo much better and I know exactly what these guys are getting.
I guess my next question would be WHAT HAVE YOU TRIED THAT DID NOT WORK AS FAR AS FOOD? Let's start there. Nan
It was interesting, I used to feed Natural Planet organics; just a simple chicken based food, organic prior to my move to So. Ca. Soon as we moved here the problems started; all I could contribute it to was that in my previous house these guys used to run all day, come in for short nap and run some more. Well now living in So. CA. their yard is small, really not room to really get out and run so we exercise around the neighborhood with walks 2/3 miles per day; sometimes skip a day to rest. Coats went south, itching, diaherea (sp)?? all kinds of crap started coats stained. I am guessing they could not run enough to get this stuff out of their systems, not sure but changed to raw and everyone did much better. The benedryl will make your guys sleep more also. That is not necessarily a good thing. And I looked it up the Flint River has flax meal/seed. I would still go on coconut oil twice daily until you see improvements, then once per day. 1 tsp would be OK. Nan
I guess my next question would be WHAT HAVE YOU TRIED THAT DID NOT WORK AS FAR AS FOOD? Let's start there. Nan
It was interesting, I used to feed Natural Planet organics; just a simple chicken based food, organic prior to my move to So. Ca. Soon as we moved here the problems started; all I could contribute it to was that in my previous house these guys used to run all day, come in for short nap and run some more. Well now living in So. CA. their yard is small, really not room to really get out and run so we exercise around the neighborhood with walks 2/3 miles per day; sometimes skip a day to rest. Coats went south, itching, diaherea (sp)?? all kinds of crap started coats stained. I am guessing they could not run enough to get this stuff out of their systems, not sure but changed to raw and everyone did much better. The benedryl will make your guys sleep more also. That is not necessarily a good thing. And I looked it up the Flint River has flax meal/seed. I would still go on coconut oil twice daily until you see improvements, then once per day. 1 tsp would be OK. Nan
by Nans gsd on 23 August 2013 - 19:08
Also, I would guess it's the grains in Flint River; several different grains. I would probably drop the grains if possible. Food for thought. Nan
by Blitzen on 23 August 2013 - 22:08
I've never had any success treating allergies without skin testing and desensitizing and/or steroids. Food is rarely the culprit, but you could try making a homemade diet using as few ingredients as possible. Pitcarin has some good recipes in his book. FL is a hotbed for pollens, but dogs with healthy immune systems should not react negatively to inhaling them. It's an autoimmune issue that is treated either by avoiding the allergen/s or desensitizing the dog so he doesn't misidentify them as the enemy.
by melba on 23 August 2013 - 22:08
I've heard of people eating local honey to help with allergies from that area? Do you know if it might work for dogs too??
FL is terrible all the way around if you're a dog. Mine have done so much better since moving to NC, though we never had allergy problems down there.... the dogs anyways.
Melissa
FL is terrible all the way around if you're a dog. Mine have done so much better since moving to NC, though we never had allergy problems down there.... the dogs anyways.
Melissa
by Dog1 on 23 August 2013 - 23:08
I'll bet the Flint formula or ingredients are different in FL so I wouldn't rule that out. The coconut oil works wonders, especially in older dogs. I would definitely give that a try. I get good results with flax seed oil. Try a raw diet for a week with coconut oil and see how they look.
by Blitzen on 24 August 2013 - 12:08
Moving a dog that has inhalation allergies out of the area of the allergen/s will improve the atopy, but the dog is still functioning with an overactive immune system. A small percentage of those dogs will go on to develop other allergies in the future or an autoimmune disease. They should probably not be used for breeding. This is getting to be a very, very big problem in the breed.
I agree, Melissa, FL is not the best place to have dogs. If it's not fleas, it's fire ants and pollen. I like it a lot during the winter, but summers are terrible. The upside is if a dog is prone to an inhalation allergy, they will express it in FL
. My second GSD scratched here 24/7, my current one doesn't and I take that as a good sign.
I agree, Melissa, FL is not the best place to have dogs. If it's not fleas, it's fire ants and pollen. I like it a lot during the winter, but summers are terrible. The upside is if a dog is prone to an inhalation allergy, they will express it in FL
. My second GSD scratched here 24/7, my current one doesn't and I take that as a good sign.by Mindhunt on 24 August 2013 - 14:08
Will try the coconut oil, any suggestions as to brands? Ronin only has issues once a year during tree pollen season, Isis is my sensitive mess, she has issues all year down here in Florida.
They do get supplements, joint, omega-3, and organic honey from the region which is hard to come by here in Florida and seemed to help when I can find it. We came from a rental home with a huge yard (1/2 acre) that was surrounded by huge jasmine trees on 3 sides to this rental home that has a miniscule yard and what you Nansgsd said about the area to run is interesting because they didn't seem to have as much difficulties with allergies when I rented the home with the 1/2 acre yard (the landlord became very creepy and nasty when he lost his job). Unfortunately I am stuck in the area due to school for the next 2 years minimum and finding a landlord that will take "dangerous breeds" (GSDs are on the dangerous breed list put out by the stupid Florida Insurance Commission and it is ridiculously difficult to find a rental that accepts dogs that are on the list), I got lucky with my landlord, he didn't charge anything extra for them and has kept my rental rate affordable despite the huge rise in rental rates in my area over the last couple years. I would love to do the allergy testing but it is out of my financial realm right now, it is $ 450 - 600 per dog. Florida vet care is ridiculously expensive compared to Michigan. My yard is not treated with anything which seems to be a rarity in Florida, at least in my area. My home is sprayed for bugs twice a year with an environmentally friendly spray, the same company that did my previous rental.
My dogs went through the holistic dog food dance in Michigan after there was a temporary 6 month discontinuation of California Natural in my area (even the grainfree brands caused problems). My dogs did better with flaxseed oil and all three of them were ok with FRR Trout formula. FRR is manufactured in one place to the best of my knowledge. They have both been tested for autoimmune disease and that does not seem to the be issue yet. They get Benadryl at night since I can't see having them on it all day except during the height of palm/cedar tree pollen season because they go out of their minds then, this is also the time of year they are on steroids but the steroids are so hard on them that the vet and I agreed they are a last resort. Both are fixed because of health issues. Isis did not pass her OFAs, she was born without a left hip socket and had dysplastic right hip, she was spayed that week. Ronin began to produce too much testosterone, (story for another time), he was neutered 4 years ago, the vet found a concerning amount of scar tissue in the scrotum and surrounding area that appeared to be from repetitive trauma, he came from a very abusive home.
Thank you all for your suggestions.
They do get supplements, joint, omega-3, and organic honey from the region which is hard to come by here in Florida and seemed to help when I can find it. We came from a rental home with a huge yard (1/2 acre) that was surrounded by huge jasmine trees on 3 sides to this rental home that has a miniscule yard and what you Nansgsd said about the area to run is interesting because they didn't seem to have as much difficulties with allergies when I rented the home with the 1/2 acre yard (the landlord became very creepy and nasty when he lost his job). Unfortunately I am stuck in the area due to school for the next 2 years minimum and finding a landlord that will take "dangerous breeds" (GSDs are on the dangerous breed list put out by the stupid Florida Insurance Commission and it is ridiculously difficult to find a rental that accepts dogs that are on the list), I got lucky with my landlord, he didn't charge anything extra for them and has kept my rental rate affordable despite the huge rise in rental rates in my area over the last couple years. I would love to do the allergy testing but it is out of my financial realm right now, it is $ 450 - 600 per dog. Florida vet care is ridiculously expensive compared to Michigan. My yard is not treated with anything which seems to be a rarity in Florida, at least in my area. My home is sprayed for bugs twice a year with an environmentally friendly spray, the same company that did my previous rental.
My dogs went through the holistic dog food dance in Michigan after there was a temporary 6 month discontinuation of California Natural in my area (even the grainfree brands caused problems). My dogs did better with flaxseed oil and all three of them were ok with FRR Trout formula. FRR is manufactured in one place to the best of my knowledge. They have both been tested for autoimmune disease and that does not seem to the be issue yet. They get Benadryl at night since I can't see having them on it all day except during the height of palm/cedar tree pollen season because they go out of their minds then, this is also the time of year they are on steroids but the steroids are so hard on them that the vet and I agreed they are a last resort. Both are fixed because of health issues. Isis did not pass her OFAs, she was born without a left hip socket and had dysplastic right hip, she was spayed that week. Ronin began to produce too much testosterone, (story for another time), he was neutered 4 years ago, the vet found a concerning amount of scar tissue in the scrotum and surrounding area that appeared to be from repetitive trauma, he came from a very abusive home.
Thank you all for your suggestions.
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