Persistent skin allergies despite food switches - Page 1

Hi guys

Pepsi, my 2 and a half year old golden retriever, started to get allergies late last year. He bit the base of his tail, he'd paw his face, scratch his ears, had red spots on his chest, and hotspots in his groin and ear. He even used walls to scrub his cheeks. He was then on Go Natural Chicken, Fruit and Vegetable.

We then started to switch him to 1 sack of Go Natural grain-free endurance in case it was a grain allergy. This food had turkey, chicken, duck, and salmon with potatos. The groin hotspot disspiated but all the other symptoms continued and so, after about 2 months, we switched again. I guess it wasn't a grain allergy.

We got him to a sack of Go Natural Salmon and Oatmeal formula, an exclusive protein and carb recipe for sensitivities. He absolutely hated this flavor and it was a struggle to get him to finish the bag. Symptoms didn't go away. He would scratch his face all the time, rubbing it raw until it bled with pus.

The vet then started to give him an antibiotic and a steroid to faciliate healing, and it did work. But after treatment stopped, his symptoms ensued.

We then switched him to a sack of Acana Lamb and Okanagan apple, which he loves. Symptoms didn't change. At this point he was constantly wearing an E-Collar to prevent skin damage. After finishing the sack, I'm at a a loss on what he could be allergic to.

Right now I'm thinking if it really is a food allergy since he can't be allergic to everything. Then it hit me 2 days ago that he could be allergic to his chews? I give my 2 dogs rawhide for chewing, for teeth health and general leisure. It's been 2 days since I have taken away the chews and awaiting his response.

Kindly asking if anyone has had this experience before, especially with this breed. And is rawhide an allergen to your dogs at all? If it is, then I guess it's a beef allergy since most rawhide is of cow origin.

For feedback. Many thanks.

We have an almost 9 year old GSD with severe allergies. I'll share some of what I've learned over the years.

Dogs with food allergies often have bright pink skin between the pads of their feet, will lick their feet, have frequent ear infections. You didn't mention those particular behaviours or observations.

Hotspots on the chest and belly, hair loss on throat, armpits, chin, itchy face, crusty ears (especially tips of ears), tail biting and hair loss may point to a mange infection. Demodectic mange doesn't respond to Pred, sarcoptic mange does. The scabies mites can be difficult to demonstrate with scrapings and treatment is often based on symptoms rather than evidence.

Environmental allergies (contact and/or inhalant) wax and wane depending on the season, respond to Pred but will return when Pred is withdrawn. They generally do not involve feet licking or tail biting but will express in hotspots on rump, chest, belly. Areas of skin where the hair has been lost turn dark and thicken to protect the skin. There's a (relatively) in expensive blood test to tell what pollens/molds/plants the dog is allergic to.

The treatment for scabies is two, sometimes three applications of Revolution, a HW preventative which also kills the mites. Treatment for environmental allergies is symptomatic (Pred, Benadryl) and/or desensitizing shots which sometimes work.

There is also a blood test for food allergies, we haven't done that because ours are environmental.

That's all I've got except to give you my hearfelt sympathies because skin issues can be so difficult to figure out and treat and the dogs are miserable with the itchies and scabby patches.

Hi Aqua

He does have pink skin between the pads of their feet and keeps keeps keeps on licking it the first chance I take out his E-Collar for meals. I have to quickly snap hin out of it.
With ear infections, it's really more of redness on the tips of his ears.

With dermodectic mange, we have ivermectin shots every quarter just to be sure. And nope, no mange. My GSD sleeps next to Pepsi and both are mange-free.

Yes, they can be allergic to rawhide!!

Chicken and chicken fat (check on package - sometimes there is hidden chicken ingredients like chicken fat) can be a major allergy factor. Chicken or chicken fat are in most of the kibbles available.
Try out new food for at least 2 to 3 weeks to notice a change. Chicken protein needs some time to be flushed out of the system completely.
If you can, feed raw or cooked tripe only for about 4 weeks.
No treats, no extras within this time.
Tripe is very easily digestable and contains no allergenes (unless your dog is allergic to beef or mutton).
You could buy it raw fresh or frozen. Allow thawing in the fridge for about a day if frozen.
I find this the best way to exclude food allergies and it's worth trying for a month.

Food bowls can also cause allergies. If you have a steel bowl, switch to ceramic or plastic, if you have plastic or ceramic switch to steel.
Some cheap steel bowls contain lead. You should only buy quality steel bowls or steel bowls fit for preparation of human food.
On the other hand coloured ceramic and plastic bowls can contain lead or other poisons in stains/paint.

Don't use medicated ear solutions. Wipe your dogs outer ear canal with un-scented baby wipes. This resembles another dog's licking and is gentle on your dog's skin.

Get Weleda Calendula Essence
(http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/specialty-medicines-results.aspx?ind=&m=15015&ing= )

dilute with warm water as indicated and bathe feet in in (in a pail). You can also dip a washcloth in this solution and dap it on affected hot spots.

Don't treat your dog with de-worming, flea or mange medication while you are doing this, as these medications will lower your dog's natural immune system and will prevent the skin from naturally healing.

 I have had excellent results with the above treatment.
All the best!

this isn't a solution to the underlaying issue but will give the poor dog some relief - wipe his paws - deep inside on the webbing - with witch hazel...cooling.  Do daily if necessary.
If it is wet outside, wipe his feet dry when he comes in - helps to prevent/minimize growth of fungus.

Good luck!  I have a dog that gets some season allergies but cannot eat anything real...all well for first 6 months then bam!  Been on Royal CAnin hydrolyzed protein now for several years and if he eats NOTHING else looks good.  He's my working dog and a fabulous character but he is high maintenance for sure!
Alex

try witch hazel wipe for his feet - deep into the webbing. Keep feet dry.

I'm glad you're not dealing with mange!

Trying to find which specific food might be an allergen can be very difficult. You've probably done a lot of reading already. The Internet can be a terrific resource but one does have to separate the chaff.

Just today I came across a useful site on the many causes of hair loss in dogs. You may want to add it to your collection: http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/hairloss.htm

I do hope you find out what bothers Pepsi.

Hi Ladystark,

I do have a GSD with allergies similar of what you describe. It required a lot of trial and error to figure things out. He really started to break out after he got neutered at 2 years old. Before it was more hotspots mainly on his lower belly he got treated with antibiotics for staph infections.
After the neutering it was scratching, licking, biting, small red dot rash, hot spots, hairloss on his ears and scabbing of his lips. Steroids from the Vet made it better, but he was always on the hunt for food, and once the steroids stopped, it was back to the old drama.
I changed food many many times and found that Limited Ingredient Foods do differ between the brands even though it has the same ingredients listed. I found out that NB sprays their LID food with chicken fat to make it more flavorful, and its not listed on the bag; just per example.
I ended up feeding him Wellness Salmon and Rice LID, (now Salmon and Potato, and they have also now duck) What a turn around! Expensive, but compared to the money I spent at the Vet....very affordable. I also cut out ALL treats at the beginning, which was very difficult to do. I put Benadryl (the human kind bought at walmart) in his food, first 3 per meal twice a day, then weaning it down. The capsules are the better choice; guess they slip better down when he gobbled his food up. I always put water in the kibble.
He is reacting to Rawhides and can only have the white bleached unflavored ones, 2-3 times a week. Too many and he will get scabbed lips from rubbing them on the carpet. And thats the only treat he is getting, absolutely nothing else.
 I have been doing that for the last 3 years and the only time he went to the Vet was for his rabies shot.....no other shots. In spring, when the Oaks are blooming he will get a couple hotspots I am treating with sulfadine solution and Benadryl. He has now a nice lush full coat, nice pants, no hair loss or staph infections. BTW...where he had them on his belly the skin has darkened permanently.

Give Wellness a try, you could choose the Duck LID, it sounds that this is a protein your dog never eat before.

agree with most of the comments already...tried the best food, ORIJEN 6 FISH......this one will work, but best is raw/natural...good luck

jdiaz... even though many say that Raw helped their dogs with food allergies, it was not so in my case. I made home cooked for him for a while and I did not get good results with that (and that was when I almost gave up on the dog)