Allergies - Page 2

YEP:  I am thinking do one change at a time and that would be to add coconut oil, any brand, organic preferred but pure.  Really that is all you will find out there, usually any store will carry some brand;  also can order on line.  Good topically also.  Good luck  Nan

PS:  I do feel that the large yard to small yard had a significant impact on all my guys;  but I also dropped the grains when I went to raw.  Same time.  grains are not good for dogs with allergies.  Some breeds have even allergies to peas and potatoes, not sure about sweet potatoes but there is too much sugar in those.   Another good think about coconut oil is you will see less shedding.  Yeah..........

Don't know how well this works, but saw this:  http://www.doggygoo.com/

Mindhunt if your in Florida find the nearest latino grocery store. National is one and they will usually carry top grade cold pressed coconut oils. Good quality pure coconut oil is white and solid at room temp unless your home is hot. If the oil is liquid at room temp it is not pure.
(Also if you yourself wish to cook with coconut oil, do not mix it with other oils. This is very true for frying because the oils will repel each other and the coconut oil will boil out of the frying pan and start a fire.)
This allergic problem thing really seems to be a GSD problem. Because i have mostly white American bulldogs and they rarely have any skin problems down here. But all the shepherds seem to be affected to some degree.
Good luck!
Fry

Not all, my last 2 haven't had any allergy problems and I don't think Helen has ever had allergy problems with her dogs and they spend a lot of time outside when she's in FL. My first GSD had allergies when I lived in PA, had him skin tested and desensitized him. It worked til he developed lymphosarcoma. My second expressed allergies both in PA and FL. GSD breeders just don't take allergies seriously enough to withdraw from breeding dogs that suffer from them or that have produced them in the past. They need to do their homework - allergies are not  just minor "skin problems". 9 times out of 10 allergic GSD's have sibs with allergies and/or parents  that have produced them in other litters. I think some of the allergy issues in FL are the results of flea bites.

I don't know if the doggy goo stuff would help of not. Allergic dogs already have overactive immune systems.

Blitzen the only time i saw Helen's dog were when she would bring one out to do something with it. Because if people were at her place her dogs were sequestered. Like we were all plague bearers or something.
Sort of glad she and Chris didn't get along because now i don't have someone telling me what to do every 5 minutes. She was a nice lady but very demanding.

And i agree, most of the shepherds i see with allergic problems seem to have been bred. My best friend has a dog from California that Rich Rosen bred and she was fine out there, and has all sorts of problems here. And her puppies have the same problems.

Hey Mindhunt. Have you tried washing the dog in Malasab shampoo?
http://www.vetinternetco.com/malaseb-shampoo
I will say that malasab has no detergent action, so if the dog is truly dirty, like playing in the mud outside dirty. Wash with regular shampoo first. But for a lot of dogs this stuff is a big relief. I used it a lot when i was grooming on itchie dogs and my vet prescribed it for all sorts of stuff with great results.
Worth a try.
Fry

Just talking about GSD's I've seen without allergies, Fry. 

MH, not a holistic approach to allergies, but interesting. I've not tried Atopica, but I know some who have and its worked well for them.  Maybe you know about it and have discussed it with your vet.

http://www.us.atopica.com/

 

I like Nans approach. Do one thing at a time and see if it works. Find the problem without throwing so much at it that if you fix it, you don't know what fixed it. Do the coconut oil. You will see a difference. Will it be all you need? Who knows but start there for a few dollars and see what the results are and go from there.

If an atopic dog responds to steroids, the allergen is not food mediated. Food "allergies" are nightmares to manage; I'd rather deal with almost any other condition/disease in my dog.  

I rarely make comments on here...but I really feel for you. I have multiple chemical sensitivity...and have really had to learn how toxic our environment is.

Florida is known to spray for many insects, etc. by plane. That means there are many toxins on the grass, soil, plants.

If it was me...I'd keep my dogs indoors, give only fresh distilled water out of stainless steel distiller such as a Durastil in a stainless steel bowl, feed organic raw, avoid vets and meds, and have a concrete path to a safe place for them to do their business...maybe put down organic straw to teach them where to go. Gradually try adding things back into the picture to try and see what exactly is causing the problem.

Also...homes are the most toxic places for humans and dogs due to chemicals used inside the home such as cleaners, air freshness, dryer sheets, fabric softener, candles,toxins used by exterminators, etc. Many homes also have very toxic chemicals used in the building materials...these cause disease and illness for humans and animals.

Another major issue is wireless devices such as smart meters on a home, cell phones, wireless computer equipment, etc. All very toxic...causes cancer and many other health issues.

One other thing...maybe the people that lived in your home really created a toxic mess with the house and yard....you may not have a safe home...most are not.

Forgot to mention...vitamin C given at frequent intervals is wonderful for fighting allergies or toxic overload. If they aren't getting loose stool...then they aren't getting enough. You want to keep them right below the loose stool threshold by giving them as much as they can tolerate hourly till you get things under control. I like to use the NOW Ascorbic acid 3lb sizes. Since it is powder it is easy to get into the dog (or human) quickly if they are in serious trouble. Supposed to also be good for snake bites. I've used it for anopoletic shock, bee stings, skin problems, and many other issues successfully. I believe this is a wonder vitamin...and it has helped myself and my dogs immensely. I rarely use drugs(meds) on my dogs.

I've taken as much as 25.000 mg in an hour when under severe toxic poisoning. No loose stool. That means that my body used it all.

I'm a huge believer in vitamin C, and have given up to 1,000 mg twice a day to my GSD's daily and they did not get loose stool. That means they are not getting enough through their diets.

Calcium supplements make the C easy to digest without upsetting the stomach.

Anyway...good luck to you.