OT: need dog diagnosis

[Gimplar]

It's the food, not fleas. A dog dosen't wake up one day allergic to fleas. surely they have been bitten before with no such reaction. All grocery store, walmarts, sams club, etc... sell dog foods loaded with soy, wheat and by-products. The rules governing dog food requirements are very vague and allow the companies to add in some pretty bad things. Most companies do not make their own dog food and the formula can and will change. You can feed a dog a certain food with soys and wheats for years with no problems and then they change a soy or wheat without and the dog starts reacting to it.

Signs that your dog or any dog is allergic to the food may include licking/biting paws and legs (number one sign), bad odor even after a bath, hair loss, scratching constantly, ear infections, hot spots, etc...

98% of dogs that exhibit these problems are not allergic to fleas or the environment.

Here is a fantastic website that rates almost every dog food and explains to you the ingredients involved. The link will take you to one of the beneful brands. Make sure you read the editors responses. You can type in any dog food under the review section.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1873&cat=all

Oh wow, he definetly bites at his legs and feet (more so his back thighs) I dont think it's fleas because i groom him routinely and atmost i find 1 flea or 1 tick every few days.

I tried accessing the website but it says it's temp down. Maybe switching foods is the solution. thanks for the posts everyone, i appreciate it.

-gimpy

 

[N-E CICHLIDS]

Oh wow, he definetly bites at his legs and feet (more so his back thighs) I dont think it's fleas because i groom him routinely and atmost i find 1 flea or 1 tick every few days.

I tried accessing the website but it says it's temp down. Maybe switching foods is the solution. thanks for the posts everyone, i appreciate it.

-gimpy

It may be down at the moment. Keep checking back on it. Depending on the dog, it can take up to 2 full months for them to flush all the toxins out of their system. You will see improvements as each week goes on. I would go with a allergy food. No Soy, No Wheat, No By-products and Grain free. Whatever you do, stay away from Science Diet and Royal Canine. Both have soys, wheats and By-products.

Here are some great grain free foods:
Orijen
Natural Balance
BG
Evo
Taste of the Wild
Natures Variey (Instinct Brand)
Earthborn Holistics (Primitive formula)

Watch the treats you feed also, as some will have wheats and soys in them. Milk Bones and cookies use soys and Wheats to hold it together. There are a few companies that use Spelt Flour which is not an allergy causing ingredient.

 

[AG84]

We feed Innova EVO, it's a great food and all natural ingredients and made in the U.S.A. You can find it at a lot of feed stores but it is kinda pricey.
Just take a look at the ingredient list, the dogs eat better than we do:

Beef, Lamb Meal, Potatoes, Egg, Sunflower Oil, Buffalo, Lamb, Venison, Beef Cartilage, Herring Oil, Natural Flavors, Apples, Carrots, Tomatoes, Alfalfa Sprouts, Garlic, Cottage Cheese, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins/Minerals, Ascorbic Acid, Dried Chicory Root, Direct-Fed Microbials, Vitamin E Supplement, Lecithin, Rosemary Extract.

 

[boakley]

Could be fleas, but sounds food borne. We just switched to Innova. Great stuff, but do the transition slowly. Changing foods can be very tough on a dog's stomach. Great for reducing skin allergies.

 

[Gimplar]

Ok, so i looked at the website, Wow, i knew there are bad dog foods out there, but all the "6 star", 5 star ect ect foods, i had never seen before. I dont think im allowed in Petmart (Petwise) so i cant go there. Where do you guys get your food from?

 

[AG84]

the feed store i get my food from is in riverview their # is 813-672-1244

like i said it isnt cheap at 59.99 for a 28.6 lbs bag but its just about the best food out there!

 

[BR12349]

My wife is a Vet and she said---- #1 go to your vet to see if it is food or flea allergy and #2 they will tell you what food to look for. She tells everybody to look for the aafco (assoc. of american feed control office) seal on the bag when choosing a food. Just her 2 cents

Brad

 

[AG84]

Brad going with a vets choice for food isnt always the best idea. most vets will push science diet on anyone because they get good money for it, and science diet by far isnt a great food to feed your pets.

 

[Postal]

If you are in the Temple Terrace area I know that the Chuck's healthfood store on 56th near Fowler carries Orijen and some other brands. These foods are expensive but worth it. We have used EVO and Wellness (CORE and regular) with great results.
If you go with a grain free food make sure you watch the serving amount as these foods can put weight on a dog quicker. I would first try switching to a high-end food (Wellness, etc) that just has different grains than your current food. Then if that doesn't work go ahead and switch to grain-free (Wellness CORE, EVO, Orijen).
Another thing to consider is that (last I checked) only Wellness and Orijen guarantee the ingredients to be ethoxyquin free. That is a known carcinogen that is used in the preservation of fish meal. Many manufactures say they don't use it themselves, but only Wellness and Orijen guarantee that none of their suppliers use it as well.

Lee

 

[laserjim]

Innova Is a top notch food, I fed my dog that for 5 years. I doubt that is the problem. I have seen vets recommend Science Diet and its a crappy food. The Lamb and rice is the best food for allergy prone dogs. Break down and go to the vet, he will probably tell you its fleas. Just my 3 cents. Im not a vet ,Just a long time dog owner. I now feed California Natural Lamb and Rice formula. Its like 45 bucks for 30lbs.

 

[ls7corvete]

Brad going with a vets choice for food isnt always the best idea. most vets will push science diet on anyone because they get good money for it, and science diet by far isnt a great food to feed your pets.

What do Vets know......Only 8 years of school plus practice experience.

Go to the vet, this thread is full of well-wishing but counterproductive information. Period.

An office visit will cost you less than one bag of the "miracle" food. Even if it is the food you wont know for 6-8weeks and if it is something else it could be worse(and more $) by then.

Please stop playing doctor people.

 

[laserjim]

What do Vets know......Only 8 years of school plus practice experience.

Go to the vet, this thread is full of well-wishing but counterproductive information. Period.

An office visit will cost you less than one bag of the "miracle" food. Even if it is the food you wont know for 6-8weeks and if it is something else it could be worse(and more $) by then.

Please stop playing doctor people.

Lighten up man...Everyone is just trying to help.:love1:

 

[ls7corvete]

No doubt. Not always the best route though.

 

[pawlowjp]

They still sell the Malesab shampoo. You can go to Dr Fosters and Smith

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...KJZMS3h|pcrid|3777794991&cmpid=PPC-_-G-_-3928

 

[BR12349]

Are you serious?? Thats like saying a doctor has no idea on your health. Also AAFCO is a independent government agency like the FDA not a vet clinic. I guess we will see " need diagnosis on my wife" on the next forum since doctors have no idea with their 8 years of medical school and private practice experience. WOW:crazy1:

 

[pawlowjp]

I hope you dont trust the FDA!!! Have you seen some of the food that they put their stamp of approval on? Look at all of the toxins and drugs that they allow in the meat that we buy and serve to our kids!

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/dog-food-regulations.html#aafco

 

[N-E CICHLIDS]

The fact that Most vets push Science Diet shows that most of them know nothing about pet nutrition. The study of Vet Medicine is different from the study of animal nutrition. Most 8 year vet courses only have 1 or 2 classes on pet nutrition. As already mentioned by others, the vets are paid to sell Science Diet. It still amazes me that a vet with 8 years of schooling thinks that chicken by-products are nutritional to animals. Just because someone has a degree dosen't mean they can do the job.

I still stand behind the food. That is the cheapest (even at $50 a bag) way to find out if your dog is allergic to the food.

 

[pawlowjp]

Duck, Lamb or Salmon are chosen as "novel," high quality alternative to common proteins like beef and chicken due to its unique amino acid profile.

 

[N-E CICHLIDS]

Here is the review for the science diet sensitive skin formula. This is their allergy formula. Please read everything. It received a 1 star simply because there was nothing lower.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=134&cat=all

The main ingredient is brewers rice, which is a by-product of the alcohol industry.

 

[AG84]

wow...lol

wow...lol

What do Vets know......Only 8 years of school plus practice experience.

Go to the vet, this thread is full of well-wishing but counterproductive information. Period.

An office visit will cost you less than one bag of the "miracle" food. Even if it is the food you wont know for 6-8weeks and if it is something else it could be worse(and more $) by then.

Please stop playing doctor people.

Are you serious?? Thats like saying a doctor has no idea on your health. Also AAFCO is a independent government agency like the FDA not a vet clinic. I guess we will see " need diagnosis on my wife" on the next forum since doctors have no idea with their 8 years of medical school and private practice experience. WOW:crazy1:

lighten up a bit might be an understatement.

If you go read one of my origional posts, i gave a couple of suggestions that could help him thru the weekend UNTILL he was able to see his vet to diagnose the cause of the problem. I never pointed the problem at the food he was feeding..

ONLY WHEN people started talking about good and bad food I chimed in, and Your absolutly right a vet knows a whole lot HOWEVER It is a buinsess to most of them, how do I know that? Because my wife works side by side with them on a daily for YEARS.

UNLESS a vet owns their own practice they are to push whatever the office sells, and MOST offices you walk into sell science diet(PROVEN CRAP FOOD) and IVD foods. When asked opinions on what to feed a clients dogs will in MOST cases push science diet.

end of story.