[Boxer]

After going through 2 months of "Mystery Bumps" with Mia, antibiotics/steroids, I finally had her tested for allergies. These little bumps looked like hives and responded to the steroids and a little to the benedryl, but kept coming back. Being in the medical field I decided to try her on Claritin 1 pill a day and wa la, the bumps went away within 12hrs (I figured one allergy med doesn't work for everyone, so why not try one I knew was safe). Now that I got her test results, I'm struggling to find a food that she can have. She's been on Wellness CORE supplemented with Salmon oil, ProZyme, and Total-biotics.

Her results:

Low Positive: Eggs and Potato

High Positive: Beef, Mixed Fish (can pitch the salmon oil in the trash), and Yeast (no more elephant ears for her!) lol

She has some inhalant and pollen allergies to Dock, English Plantain (no clue), Sage, Cedar Mix (bye bye bed you just got for christmas), Mulberry (high), and Bayberry. She is low to house dust (my wife took this one personal-lol) and cat hair, and high to "Mite Mix", whatever that means.

I really want to keep her on a grain-free kibble but can't find one that doesn't contain potato or egg.

 

[clockcycle]

Do dogs metabolize human medications as humans do or are you self diagnosing and using what works on humans to alleviate/relive a symptom on a dog, hoping it works the same way?

What works, and is known to work, recommended or prescribed, at what doses, by vets for dogs?

Mite Mix, Dust? Dust Mites, is your dog reacting to bites?

 

[Boxer]

Do dogs metabolize human medications as humans do or are you self diagnosing and using what works on humans to alleviate/relive a symptom on a dog, hoping it works the same way?

What works, and is known to work, recommended or prescribed, at what doses, by vets for dogs?

Depends on the medication, but many of the same meds a human can take, a dog can take as well. I tried Claritin because I know it is safe and effective (Claritin, not the D with pseudoephedrine), once her bumps disappeared (within 12hrs) I contacted her vet and let him know. He said Claritin is perfectly acceptable for a dog to take and can even be given b.i.d (twice dailey) for worse symptoms. Once I figured out it was infact allergies, I brought her in for them to draw her blood for testing.

 

[whiteleo]

I know that my dogs who constantly had some sort of puscule, itchy, scabby bump are now free of those irritating ugly ickys. It took me a while to make the switch, but putting them on raw food was the best thing I could do for their well being.

 

[LoveNewfies]

If you can't do a raw or home prepared diet, maybe the Canine Caviar Venison & Split Pea?

Venision And Split Pea


Ingredients
Venison Meal, Split Pea, Canola Oil, Dried Pumpkin, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Venison Tripe, Dried Beet Pulp, Coconut Oil, Borage Oil, Primrose Oil, Sun-Cured Kelp, Sodium Chloride, Lecithin, Whole Clove Garlic, Parsley, Peppermint, Limestone, Dried Chicory Root, Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Papaya, Rose Hips, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (a source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine, Methionine, Biotin, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, L-Carnitine, Beta Carotene.

 

[clockcycle]

Personally I am considering "California Natural" dry kibble.

California Natural Dog Food, Natural Cat Food & Nutritious Dog Treats – Natura Pet Products

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showcat.php?cat=all&stype=1&si=california+natural

 

[LoveNewfies]

California Natural is very high in carbohydrates and low in protein. With skin issues, your dog will need good amounts of protein to help his body repair the skin and keep it in good health. If you're going to feed California Natural, please at least go with a puppy formula as the protein level is higher than the adult formulas.

 

[rannmiller]

Yeah, I'd say go raw if you can, then you have total control over what goes into your pup's mouth and it's cheaper than most of the high end/high quality foods. If not, the Canine Caviar sounds good, and California Natural has grains but aside from that is a pretty good food, I've heard.

 

[clockcycle]

California Natural is very high in carbohydrates and low in protein. With skin issues, your dog will need good amounts of protein to help his body repair the skin and keep it in good health. If you're going to feed California Natural, please at least go with a puppy formula as the protein level is higher than the adult formulas.

I am considering their Lamb Meal & Rice Puppy, it seems slightly better than their Chicken Meal & Rice Puppy.

But then again I was thinking, is it a gimmick? What I mean by that is, see they list simple ingredient names, which shows as very limited/low number of ingredients. The typical analysis shows 45+/- "Salt, Vitamins & Minerals".

My Miniature Pincher is practically naked/hairless on her Chest, Neck, sides behind her ears, underside and booty. Not bald, she does have what I would call baby fuzz.

 

[rannmiller]

I think they pride themselves on having very limited ingredients. Is your min pin still a puppy? Or are you just trying to get more weight on her?

 

[RawFedDogs]

Her results:

Low Positive: Eggs and Potato

High Positive: Beef, Mixed Fish (can pitch the salmon oil in the trash), and Yeast.

Being a carnivore I doubt that she is allergic to beef, fish or eggs. I have always been told by vets I trust and a vet dermatologist that there is no reliable test to determine what food a dog is allergic to. I have had people online tell me that there is now such a test but when I ask for more info, links, etc, I get no replies. So until I see something concrete, I will continue to say there is no reliable test to determine exactly what foods a dog is allergic to.

She has some inhalant and pollen allergies to Dock, English Plantain (no clue), Sage, Cedar Mix (bye bye bed you just got for christmas), Mulberry (high), and Bayberry. She is low to house dust (my wife took this one personal-lol) and cat hair, and high to "Mite Mix", whatever that means.

My highly uneducated guess that your dog is allergic to one or two of the items in the paragraph above and not all the possiblities listed in your post.

 

[LoveNewfies]

California Natural is a simple diet designed for dogs with allergies.

I believe it is the ELISA test that shows IG response to foods, etc., in order of the bodies response to them. We have had great results with it here and numerous problems have been addressed by changing a diet in accordance to the ELISA results. Is it 100%? No, of course not. When science comes into play, nothing is.

When a dog, a carnivore, is exposed to unnatural things that stress the immune system, such as vaccinations, medications and unnatural diets, allergies, true allergies, can and do come about - including allergies to meat proteins.

If a dog has a severe enough allergic response to something consumed, the body can then develop an allergy to other ingredients that were consumed at the same time as the allergen. This is how allergies snowball into more allergies.

Considering that allergies are an immune issue, it is not at all unbelievable for a dog to develop an allergy, even to a meat source. Consider the stress that our dog's immune systems are put under pretty immediately in their lives. Lots and lots of stress.

 

[RawFedDogs]

I believe it is the ELISA test that shows IG response to foods, etc., in order of the bodies response to them. We have had great results with it here and numerous problems have been addressed by changing a diet in accordance to the ELISA results. Is it 100%? No, of course not. When science comes into play, nothing is.

Thanks, LN. This is more info on detecting food allergies than I have had before. I am looking at ELSA tests now to see exactly what they are and how they work. So far I have only looked at one source and it seems to cast doubt on the whole process. I still have an open mind about the process.

For more information you might want to look at a paper by Sheryl B. Miller, PhD. This is a well referenced work and I think should be taken serously. You can find it at IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA What Do They Really Tell Us

Her whole paper is on the site but here is her conclusion:

" In conclusion, food allergy testing by IgG ELISA/EIA panels is a convenient and easy way to diagnose food allergies in a patient. It is, however, a testing method that is questionable in both its theory and validity. It is also costly and may not be reliable, depending on which laboratory you use.

An argument in its favor by certain physicians is that it is extremely popular with patients because it gives printed proof to the patient that the patient is allergic to certain foods. This makes it easier for the doctor to convince the patient that they need to change their diet. Is this printed proof however, a very costly substitute for discussion with and education of patients? Would patients insist on this test if they knew they may not be reliable?

After preliminary investigation of food allergy testing panels offered by three different laboratories, it is this author's suggestion that physicians give serious consideration to the aforementioned issues before ordering these panels for the diagnosis and management of patients with food allergies. If one does order these tests, it is highly recommended that reproducibility of these tests be investigated. At the very least, physicians should consider the possibility of sending split samples to their testing lab (at the cost to the lab) on a regular basis."

What do you think?

One more point ... I have noticed many times that a dog diagnosed with an allergy to a particular meat while being fed kibble has that allergy disappear when switched to a raw diet. Do you have any thoughts about that?

 

[claybuster]

One more point ... I have noticed many times that a dog diagnosed with an allergy to a particular meat while being fed kibble has that allergy disappear when switched to a raw diet. Do you have any thoughts about that?

I do...never blame ingredients like sun-cured seaweed, it can cut in to the profit margin.

 

[whiteleo]

What the **** does that mean claybuster? My male bull terrier was allergic to beef kibble, anyhting with beef in it, he has been eating raw beef just fine.

 

[claybuster]

What the **** does that mean claybuster? My male bull terrier was allergic to beef kibble, anyhting with beef in it, he has been eating raw beef just fine.

What it means is that is how the industry protects itself, by targeting the expensive ingredients like beef and chicken and never blaming the cheaper ingredients as to the problems.

So by your own admission, your dog is allergic to beef kibble or anything with beef in it, yet at the same time does just fine on raw beef. Can't you figure out somewhere along the way they pulled the wool over your eyes?
Why wasn't another common denominator in those old kibbled diets you use to feed take the blame like beet pulp, soy, cranberry dust, etc. Because it is about money and the industry will protect itself by NOT blaming ingredients
that are cheap but rather the meat items because they are more expensive.
That is WTF I mean.

 

[LoveNewfies]

RFD, in regards to the ELISA testing, from what I've seen here, it has been very, very helpful. We make custom diets here and have done several based upon the findings of the tests and have had tremendous results. Results that were not seen with simply changing to a raw diet or anything else. Just like any other scientific data, and means of collecting it, it will be questioned, doubted and countered by many. Do I think it's 100% accurate? No, I don't think that's possible. But, I certainly think it's a great tool and accurate enough to be beneficial with dogs that are very problematic and truly have allergies.

I have seen that by simply changing a dog over to a raw diet that some are able to tolerate meat sources that they could not in kibble form, absolutely. In cases like that I don't consider the issue to be allergies but more an intolerance, if you will, of the processed ingredients. Offer up the same in it's natural, raw form and the issues that were thought to be allergies do go away. Not allergies after all, then, right?

I happen to have one dog, my Newf, that has true allergies. She cannot have beef in any form, period. She currently has an intolerance to chicken, not quite an allergy, but, with her history I don't doubt that overexposure to chicken, even in it's raw form, would eventually lead to an allergy. She is extremely sensitive and quite obviously has some immune issues. We do have to rotate her protein sources on a regular basis to minimize the development of new allergies. In cases like her, yes, true meat allergies are present. As is the case with one PB we cared for. In his case, he was so extreme with his reactions that anything he consumed along with chicken would turn into an allergen. His body was so reactive to chicken that it began to recognize anything that entered his body with the chicken as a threat. And boy, let me tell you, his body reacted. He was so severe that his vets suggested euthanasia. He is alive and well today.

 

[BoxerMommie]

What it means is that is how the industry protects itself, by targeting the expensive ingredients like beef and chicken and never blaming the cheaper ingredients as to the problems.

So by your own admission, your dog is allergic to beef kibble or anything with beef in it, yet at the same time does just fine on raw beef. Can't you figure out somewhere along the way they pulled the wool over your eyes?
Why wasn't another common denominator in those old kibbled diets you use to feed take the blame like beet pulp, soy, cranberry dust, etc. Because it is about money and the industry will protect itself by NOT blaming ingredients
that are cheap but rather the meat items because they are more expensive.
That is WTF I mean.

You know things CAN change when cooked. I'm a human obviously and not a dog, but personally I am allergic to raw celergy, but I can eat cooked celery just fine. Obviously something changes. I don't think it's crazy to say that a dog could be allergic to the cooked and processed beef in kibble but not to raw fresh regular beef in a fresh food diet. It doesn't have to be any kind of industry corruption, just the simple difference between it being cooked versus raw.

 

[claybuster]

I don't think the industry is corrupt, just full of propaganda and deceit. They have to work within the confines of the law obviously, they just don't have tell you everything they know. Do I think there is some borderline criminality in there...yes I do....because WARPED THINKING is institutionalized, just like the way they justify omnivore theories so the can get away with providing people with grain, fruits, and veggies for carnivores…to me that seems criminal because dogs can suffer.

 

[Boxer]

Got California Natural Chicken and Rice, have started the gradual change mixing 1/4 new and 3/4 old. A few bumps here and there is better than taco craps that ensue on a quick switch. :lol:

So far she really likes the food. There are only a select few she'd eat out of the bag, this is one of them apparently.