Allergies?

[k9kreationz]

You said you added potatoes - regular potatoes? I know you are not supposed to feed dogs raw potatoes. Have you tried yams/sweet potatoes instead?

Don't worry, nothing I feed my dog is raw. The potatoes are cooked so much that if you push too hard on it, it'll turn into mashed potatoes.

So, I emailed my nutritionist about the sweet potatoes. Basically, they're a "worse" food for calcium oxalate (which Miko is known to have). But maybe I can switch it out for a bit to see what happens to his allergy issue (assuming it's an allergy). And if he's fine on sweet potato, then I know it's the regular potatoes and need to find a new carb.

 

[Emmasmom]

I know with Liam right now, I have to have him on a very limited diet - no carbs other than a few small biscuits that I make myself. I notice he isn't scratching as much as before.

 

[Lynnel]

Max has allergies to outdoors, grains etc. Then he got a growth in the ear, had it tested no reason why from the vet, so I read a lot ore and actually it can come from yeast infections!!! Which was why I stopped with grains. Long story short, I mixed organize apple cedar vinegar with water and every night wiped his ears out with it every night and his paws. When he first started biting his paws the vet said to bath his feet in betadine every time he comes in!! Don't really think it helped! But am sure about the vinegar helping the yeast. I also am a essential oils user on Max and they are wonderful for just about anything! Don't give up sometimes it take awhile. Don't be afraid to challenge your vet, there human and don't know everything! Reading is your friend! Trust me I know.

 

[k9kreationz]

Interesting. The nutritionist doesn't believe that potato is ever a reason for allergies (very rare). And since he wasn't diagnosed with allergies, she can't help me. Bleah. Sometimes, I hate her. But I totally understand where she's coming from.

Okay, so if it's not allergies (to food), then what is causing poor Miko to bite and pull out all his paw fur? Ugh. Obviously his blood tests don't show anything. Sigh.

Need to look into a few things. He may have to go back to booties for awhile. I just don't know if his body is strong enough to walk with them on (he's already having issues on my hilly grass).

 

[corbinam]

Need to look into a few things. He may have to go back to booties for awhile. I just don't know if his body is strong enough to walk with them on (he's already having issues on my hilly grass).

Have you tried the Pawz rubber boots? They are fairly unobtrusive. Our dogs didn't mind them too much. I also know a couple people who use them on their older dogs' feet to help them get up on slick floors in the house.

 

[k9kreationz]

OMG. I saw this site, look, you can make socks that won't fall off (scroll down)

http://www.dogpawlicking.com/whathelpswhathurts.html

It's also linked to this site: http://www.dermapaw.com/

I just thought to myself, hey, I saw a few Shelties in there. Can't say the site is true or not, but it was just kinda fun to read. I really need to get on top of this. Poor Miko.

Another OMG, the guys video when he puts the stuff on his Sheltie and the socks. The dog just lies there, doesn't care a bit. That says a lot for those socks.

 

[k9kreationz]

Have you tried the Pawz rubber boots? They are fairly unobtrusive. Our dogs didn't mind them too much. I also know a couple people who use them on their older dogs' feet to help them get up on slick floors in the house.

Interesting. I wonder if he'd like them better than the stiffer Muttluks I have. And darnit. I was just at Petco! LOL

 

[Tagg]

The test for yeast is sooooo simple. They take a piece of tape, place it on the lesion, put a stain on the tape and then look under the microscope.
Phoebe's yeast issue was because she had been under a lot of stress and then went into season. Her immune system was compromised allowing the yeast to flourish. If she got yeast in her diet as well she was battling the problem on two fronts. Her ears were constantly infected, she rubbed off her beard repeatedly and she had chronic lip fold dermatitis. Somehow I managed to keep her from getting a bacterial skin infection. She ended up with demodex, again because her body was now dealing with so much. Blood tests for allergies are sketchy at best. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone and neither would my vets or the vets at the University.
Prednisone would have helped alleviate the itch but can cause other problems that I didn't want to inflict her with so I fought to keep her off them. I did give her Vanectyl P, primarily antihistamine with a small amount of steriod, which helped for awhile but eventually didn't. Medicated and oatmeal shampoos gave little relief. She would chew her feet until she was limping. She was put on an anti rejection drug that really helped but she started to lose muscle tone and obviously didn't feel great.
Doing the Nizoral treatments took care of the foot itching. I can still buy it here but I understand that it might be hard to find in the U.S.
Finally she went through a liver cleanse afterwhich she was put on Orijen food with enzymes and Oxy E. The Oxy E was used topically and internally. That is what did the trick for her. Her system is now in balance again and she is a healthy little westie once more. I recently changed her diet as the Orijen is so high in protein that her dorsal had turned quite yellow and she now gets everything that the other dogs get in terms of treats etc. including toast. She has gotten into the cat food - high yeast content - several times with no reprocussions. Where once she would go crazy with itching if any water got on her, she runs out into the rain to chase the chipmunks. I have kept her on the enzymes - at $55 a year why wouldn't I???? My vet is using this protocol on other clients in the clinic. I do rinse my floors after washing them, do not use air fresheners, never dry dog bedding in the dryer, only use unscented detergents and am careful to clean her feet if we go out walking in town in case people are treating lawns.

 

[mellie]

Tag, what brand of enzymes do you use ? I take Wobenzymes, but they are human grade and mighty expensive...Sally doesn't need them now, but I'm sure those with dogs with allergy symptoms and older dogs could benefit from them. Sounds like you had a really good protocol going there.

 

[k9kreationz]

This is getting weirder.

Last night, I woke up to Miko pulling at the carpet. I made him go away and he went back to it. He walked out of the room, I sat there, and he eventually came back. I finally turned on the light to see what the heck was there. Nothing. I felt around. Ew. Very wet spot. Almost like he peed there, but it wasn't urine. It actually smelled like fish oil (maybe like Miko's food - since I put fish oil on that). I am wondering if because he licked his feet so much, it got sopping wet and then smelled like food, so was he trying to eat it? Is this becoming more of an OCD thing? Do dogs really bite at their feet if they're in pain?

Seriously, I haven't slept through a night yet. He seems to start gnawing around 2am to about 5am (at which time, I wake up anyways). So frustrating.

Tonight I am going to wash his feet with a baking soda mix and I'm using his Muttluks every time we go out. Poor guy was falling over this morning, but until I can try other ones, that's what he's got. I may look into the Pawz booties or other softer ones. The Muttluks are awesome, but poor Miko doesn't have enough muscle anymore. Mental note: work on rebuilding muscle tone.