[joycoz]

Hi, I have a 9 month old puppy (8lb mix) that I found in the our neighborhood. She has sever allergies, causing red, scabby skin down her back, hot spots in her armpits, and of course itching. As well as yeast on her skin.
Per her vet, I had switched her to Blue Buffalo basic's salmon and potato diet, with her vet thinking she may be allergic to poultry. She has done two rounds of antibiotics and steroids, with the allergies coming back each time, even after switching her food.
I can't do an allergy test on her until she is a year old. In the meantime, I'm trying more food options.

For the past two days I've taken her off kibble and switched to giving her sweet potato, kale and fish (frozen whiting fillets) all lightly steamed. I'm also giving her a few teaspoons of goat kefir at night to help with any leaky gut issues.
I'm not a pro on dog food by any means, was curious if this diet is safe? I figured it can't be any worse than dried kibble. However I'm considering switching to prey model raw diet.
Any advice on food and allergies would be greatly appreciated.

 

[InkedMarie]

Most of what I've read says no to white potato. If you go to the dog food advisors forum, then the dog food ingredients page, you'll find a stickie with grain/potato free foods.

I don't think what you're currently feeding her is balanced.

 

[Georgiapeach]

I also have an allergy dog (Maddie), allergic to all grains, poultry/eggs, potatoes (white and sweet), and alfalfa. In addition, she has an environmental grass allergy. The only kibbles that she's been able to tolerate are:
*California Natural Salmon and Peas Healthy Pet Product Search ? Organic Dog Food, Dog Treats and More ? Natura Pet Products
*Back to Basics Grain Free High Protein Pork Healthy Dry Food Products - High Protein Dog Food - Back to Basics

 

[porchpotty]

Avoiding allergic situations is the best method, but there are times when things get bad, such as seasonal blooming. One of the best practices is to give your dog regular baths to keep dirt and debris out of their fur and off their skin. Most allergic reactions are natural to dust irritation, and bathing helps keep the dirt off your dog and down the drain.

Consult with a veterinarian to discuss anti-histamine solutions. As a warning, human anti-histamines such as Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can work in an emergency situation, but the dosages are very different for dogs. Do not use human drugs on a dog without consulting with your vet first.

Omega 3 supplements help maintain your dog’s skin and coat. For situations such as itchy or dry skin, this can be a real blessing for any dog. Brewer’s yeast also has skin moisturizing benefits and helps to naturally repel fleas. Additionally, it helps keep their coat luscious and fashionably stylish.

Keep your dog’s environment flea-free. Fleas are one of the most notorious causes for allergies, especially since they are host to many different substances (breeding grounds such as the yard or in dusty areas).

Dogs can get just as itchy and sneezy as you can, so be sure that you keep your dog happy by keeping them out of anything that their body doesn’t approve of. Keep your environment allergy-free so that your dog can stay happy year-round.

 

[Shamrockmommy]

Good information from everyone so far. If you are going to home cook, I recommend reading some books about it. Dogwise has many dog related books. I first started out with Donald Strombeck's book Home prepared dog and cat diets. dogcathomeprepareddiet.com is the link that has the entire text in it.

What I do is generally a 50/50 meat to veg ratio plus 1 teaspoon Animal Essentials Sea Calcium per pound of food fed. I just have a little kitchen scale, weigh it all before it goes into the crock pot and then once it's cooked through, add the right number of teaspoons of calcium and stir.

You can also check out dogdishdiet.com and learn about crock potting for your dog.

Monica Segal has a great yahoo group, website and several books and booklets about feeding dogs (and balancing diets).

Hope this helps! I have a dog who has been a yeasty mess since age 7 months, and she's 12 now. Have her under control with crock pot home cooking and only 2 types of kibble that she tolerates: PetGuard Lifespan and Tuscan Natural Lamb/Rice (hard to find!). While it works well for us, it may not work for your girl.

Good luck