allergies need new dog food!

Hi, I am new to this site. We have had our guy for 8 years now and about 2 months ago he just started itching and scratching A LOT.
I brought him to the vet and he gave us some shampoo and a spray to try. It did not work so we went back, and the vet gave us a steroid to use. this worked but now he is off the medication and he is right back to scratching again. He has been eating the brand chicken Soup for dogs. I have read some post and see that some of you have had the same problem with scratching and recommend some different food.
SO I am going to our local pet shop to see if they caring some of these brands. I want to thank you for the information and will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks again.
 
Welcome. I would think something new has been introduced into your pet's environment or diet since you had him for 8 years now and no problems until the past 2 months.
 
Yeah steroids are just a bandaid it doesn't solve the problem it just helps with symptoms.

So since he's been eating chicken it could or could not be the protein causing the problem. It can even be rice or some of the oils in there. I would probably go with a new protein and a brand with minimal ingredients list.

One would be California Natural. Comes in several different varities.

Try to keep the grains low. Same with the treats. Milk bones and other grocery store treats have some nasty stuff In there
 
Thanks for the advice. We looked at the ingredients of the chicken soup then We went to the the pet store yesterday afternoon and picked up a bag of Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Sweet potato and Venison formula. (this formula has less ingredients and different things in it.) So we are mixing it a little at a time into his old food.
I was also wondering if there is some kind of shampoo that will help him? He is just scratching so much I am concerned with him tearing his skin. The shampoo the vet gave called Douxo Just does not work for more then a day.
This is a great site and I will post a picture soon of Ranger.
Thanks Guys.
 
Welcome Rangers parent!
Would you please let us know what your name is also! Makes it easier to post to you. You can add it to your personal info and it will appear with each post. I'm Polly and I live in SO CA with hubby Mike and our 4 cockers. I hope the Van Patten food does the trick for you.

We do love seeing pictures!^_^
 
A shampoo with some Neem oil in it will help the skin...

but perhaps keeping a little jacket on him will keep him from scratching himself bloody.

Did the vet do a skin scraping?

Does he have a secondary infection now, perhaps Staph?

Zymox ? makes a shampoo for the skin -- and I truely believe in a homemade shampoo we have that uses vinegar. Vinegar helps the body inside and out and can help the skin too.

Here's the recipe

http://www.bichonfriseusa.com/ref/bichonbubbles.htm
 
Gawsh, if he's scratching that bad, it makes me wonder if allergies are really the culprit. It should only take 3-4 days to introduce him to the new allergy food. While he's eating that, make sure that's the ONLY thing he's eating (treats, whether canine or human, can sometimes skew what outcome you want). Try this food for 6 weeks to see if the itching decreases. It takes about this long to clear up the skin (if food allergies is what he has).

If he's still itching, it may not be the food he's eating. As Linny asked, did the vet perform a skin scrape? The steriods are definitely just going to mask the underlying problem. If he contracted some sort of skin parasite, or if he's allergic to something in his environment, that's sure not going to help.

Clovie gets a li'l fish oil during the winter because she itches like crazy from dry skin. In combination with the fish oil, I bathe her every 2 weeks with an oatmeal recipe shampoo. It keeps her from itching all the time and me sleeping through the night.

Hope some of this helps. :]
 
clover_mae said:
I'm currently in school to be a Licensed Veterinary Technician, and I was educated in the Hill's Science Diet foods. There's a prescription food that's been clinically proven to help with allergy problems that they list as "z/d" (low-allergin and ultra) and "d/d". d/d comes in rice and egg, potato and duck, potato and venison, or potato and salmon formulas. Both z/d and d/d are indicated for canines that have adverse reactions to food, but d/d is also used if your dog has inflammatory skin conditions. I'd recommend just simply asking your vet what they'd see fit. Hill's Science Diet can't be found at grocery stores; you'd have to travel to Petco, PetSmart, and a lot of veterinary clinics sell Hill's, too (probably for a good reason ^_^). Hope this is of some value to somebody. :)
Click to expand...

I had Wolfie on ZD venison and potato and it worked well. That was the first choice recommended by the vet. The second was the ZD which he said was a synthetic food and was more filling with less intake. The food helped as well as allergy injections. Wolfie was taken off of his heartworm meds because of the beef flavoring. Everything and anything triggered the ear infections.
 
Ranger1 said:
Hi, I am new to this site. We have had our guy for 8 years now and about 2 months ago he just started itching and scratching A LOT.
I brought him to the vet and he gave us some shampoo and a spray to try. It did not work so we went back, and the vet gave us a steroid to use. this worked but now he is off the medication and he is right back to scratching again. He has been eating the brand chicken Soup for dogs. I have read some post and see that some of you have had the same problem with scratching and recommend some different food.
SO I am going to our local pet shop to see if they caring some of these brands. I want to thank you for the information and will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Chicken is a high trigger for allergies. The shampoo and steroids didn't cure the problem, what did the vet recommend? You will not find the cure if you don't find the CAUSE. If I may suggest, put the dog on food that he/she has never eaten before. You can purchase food for allergy sensitive dogs through your vet or online. It can take up to a couple of months for whatever food that is causing the allergy to come out of the dogs system. So you have to be patient and most importantly, do not give any treats or table scraps. One morsal of something the dog has ingested COULD trigger the allergy and set you back to day one. You need to be cruel to be kind and stick to only the food the vet recommends. If in time the itching doesn't subside, have the dog allergy tested. It could be environmental and/or food allergies. This takes time with trial and error, but the reward will come in time. I've learned to question vets and not just do as they say. I want to know for myself the course of treatment and be able to dispute or discuss the recommendations. You are the only advocate your dog has!

Best wishes.

Patti, Ruffian & AsiaBehr....Honory Cocker Members
 
Dylan was on a food trial. His food was a fish and potato food. The only treats he was allowed were Salmon Chummies and I would bake sweet potatoes, cool them, and cut them into chunks. Did your vet not suggest a special food and talk to you about how you should do a food trial?
 
My Luna Bean scratches her ears, has caused hot spots on her cheeks, and bites and licks her paws constantly. I am going to Pet Supermarket this morning to try either Wellness or Dick Van Patten's....I totally believe diet makes a difference. I will let you know if it helps! Thank you everyone for your advice!
 
Welcome Luna. What does Luna's vet say about her condition?
 
I also hope little Luna's ears get better! I know that food makes all the difference. We homecook for our crew.
 
Hi! I'm new here, I found this forum after a search about dog,specifically cocker spaniel yeast and itching problems.We adopted Sassy from the local shelter in October. I knew she was blind,but soon learned she has chronic ear troubles in the left ear, and itchy skin. After poking around the web,I recently realized her diet, and issues with yeast specifically, could be causing most of her troubles.

I switched her food to Mighty Dog canned formulas that do not contain any corn or wheat products,mixed with rice, and broccoli,green beans, or collard greens. I also began adding one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and the contents of one acidophilus capsule to her food twice a day. After 7 days, the results have been AMAZING.Her skin is no longer pink all the time,with scaly spots,and her mouth ( the inside) is less red and puffy. She is not licking and scratching nearly as often. As for the ear, it's less smelly,and not as wet or oozy.It seems that corn and wheat were really feeding the yeast.

I also have been bathing her with hypoallergenic baby wash, rinsing thoroughly,and following with a baking soda rinse ( a few spoonfuls dissolved in warm water).

We have a surgical consult in the morning about removing a polyp that is in the affected ear. I am very hopeful with this and her new diet,she will be a healthier and happier dog. I was really beginning that we would have to live with this problem forever. I wanted to share this with others that may be having the same issues. :)
 
mollyoliver said:
Hi! I'm new here, I found this forum after a search about dog,specifically cocker spaniel yeast and itching problems.We adopted Sassy from the local shelter in October. I knew she was blind,but soon learned she has chronic ear troubles in the left ear, and itchy skin. After poking around the web,I recently realized her diet, and issues with yeast specifically, could be causing most of her troubles.

I switched her food to Mighty Dog canned formulas that do not contain any corn or wheat products,mixed with rice, and broccoli,green beans, or collard greens. I also began adding one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and the contents of one acidophilus capsule to her food twice a day. After 7 days, the results have been AMAZING.Her skin is no longer pink all the time,with scaly spots,and her mouth ( the inside) is less red and puffy. She is not licking and scratching nearly as often. As for the ear, it's less smelly,and not as wet or oozy.It seems that corn and wheat were really feeding the yeast.

I also have been bathing her with hypoallergenic baby wash, rinsing thoroughly,and following with a baking soda rinse ( a few spoonfuls dissolved in warm water).

We have a surgical consult in the morning about removing a polyp that is in the affected ear. I am very hopeful with this and her new diet,she will be a healthier and happier dog. I was really beginning that we would have to live with this problem forever. I wanted to share this with others that may be having the same issues. :)
Click to expand...

Wonderful! Congrats on your great results!
 
Mollyoliver, I'm glad you were able to control Sassy's skin condition through diet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top