Itchy dog - probably allergies - what to do?

[3Stars]

I hope this isn't the same dog that's having the resource guarding issues. You sure have a lot going on. Granted, I think we both have the same issues....allergies and bad doggies.

No, thank goodness - different dogs!

Hope you find the culprit. Just curious, have you changed the food recently? Can you go back to what you were using just to rule it out? I figure, it's the "easiest" thing to figure out if the dog was fine before, but isn't now.

No, I haven't changed the food recently. In fact, I'm wondering if I've stayed on the same food (protein wise) too long. This is the same dog who had HGE a couple years ago - she has a very sensitive stomach, and Fromm's has been fantastic for her. I'm hoping same brand, but different protein, might help - but it's just a shot in the dark.

 

[3Stars]

I don't even know what to say about that. Makes me wonder what else they "believe" that is out of date or that they didn't research. So no whole foods? or no raw foods? or did they not specify?

I lent the puppy booklet to someone else, so I don't have the contract handy to find the wording. It was fairly specific, though, and I believe the justification was included as well - I'll see if I can get the booklet back.

I'm iffy too. I truly believe if you feed a good variety of foods, whether whole or commercial, that you don't need supplements. I have tried a few, but never saw any difference. And it's one more thing to eliminate when there is a problem.

I agree. I'll keep my other dogs on it, but I'm taking her off.

 

[Lynnel]

My Max is a rescue and it took awhile to find out why the itching then hits spots. They need the cortisone to calm down the inflamation ( don't like this be ause max has pancreatitus) vet also suggested ever time he comes in the house to wipe his feet. I use organic apple cedar vinegar mixed with water, then last call stand him in a betadine solution for five minutes. He is now to the point of cutting back the cortisone to almost. Itching. His allergies are environmental. I believe in homopathy, so I use essential oils, digestive enzymes and other supplement because I cook a grain free diet. He had a growth in his ear and I know now it was from yeast, so I did get ride of it with oils, but wiped his ear every night with organic apple cider vinegar and water. Now I do it every other day. Just keep it simple, but make sure his hot spots are getting better and I can tell you from experience he will be on cortisone for more then ten days.PM anytime.

 

[Tagg]

I know who the breeder is and they put their unwillingness to continue a health guarantee if you feed raw right on their website. I had things that I was not prepared to be responsible for that would void a health guarantee. I made sure that the purchasers initialled the clause so that they could not come back and say they didn't realize or weren't informed. It's not that we are "behind the times" it's a difference of opinion on how we interpret the facts that are out there and what experiences we have had raising multiple dogs over a long period of time. Please don't assume that breeders that don't support raw diets are idiots or out of touch. They make their informed decisions and live with them just as you do.

 

[ClantyreSheltie]

They make their informed decisions and live with them just as you do.

No, they make a decision based on their "truth", then force puppy buyers to live with it. As a buyer, that would be a serious red flag for me, that a breeder wants to have that much control over dogs they sell. What else will they want to control?

And as a breeder, I would never impose my "truth" on buyers. I can make recommendations and educate as to my own "truth" from my experience, but to contractually obligate it is a whole other realm of control issue.

 

[Tagg]

So what do you do when you guarantee the health of a dog and it comes back with skin issues? Do you pay for all the testing, medical supplies etc. for the rest of it's life even if it turns out that the dog was being fed Old Roy, wasn't taken to the vet until the dog was in pretty rough shape etc. etc.
While I certainly wouldn't ask someone to sign an agreement that said only one type of food will be fed or contract is null, I would have them sign an agreement that stated "breeder will not guarantee the dog in the event that a raw diet is fed" IF I FELT STRONGLY that it wasn't a healthy way to feed a dog. Why should I be financially responsible to a client if they feed something I think will cause issues? I don't have a problem with people feeding raw diets if they wish as long as they are educated about them and follow a protocol that is more than opening a can of tuna fish and adding some vegetables with an occasional poultry neck. I also don't want to handle dogs that are fed raw unless I believe the owners are scrupulously hygienic about it all.
I am in touch with all but one puppy purchaser out of the many many puppies that bear my kennel name. Even now, when they no longer have one of my dogs - I am no longer breeding - I get Christmas notes, phone calls, visits and requests for help from the people that I consider my doggie family. My big thing was making sure that any concerns was seen by a vet immediately, that report was sent to my clinic at onset of condition and results of any testing that is done so that if there is a possible genetic condition it was not made worse by procrastination or masked by steriods. I went to the expense of having it written by a lawyer. I kept $10,000 in an account for the purpose of paying for anything that might crop up. They got a copy of my health guarantee and purchase agreement after the initial phone converstaion if I thought that they might be someone I would consider for one of my babies before they ever came to the house.
I don't know why this breeder is adament about raw diets but she has the right to do what she is doing and the potential purchaser has the right to go elsewhere.

BTW, my daughter has had 2 of her dogs for almost 5 years and this is the only thing that she is adamently opposed to. She has been a breeder that I would definately buy a dog from, supportive, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. When I got Tinsel she was right there asking if she could be of any help. That is a breeder of integrity.

 

[take4roll10]

Please, lets keep this thread on topic. Thank you.

 

[3Stars]

BTW, my daughter has had 2 of her dogs for almost 5 years and this is the only thing that she is adamently opposed to. She has been a breeder that I would definately buy a dog from, supportive, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. When I got Tinsel she was right there asking if she could be of any help. That is a breeder of integrity.

She is an absolutely phenomenal breeder, I trust her implicitly, and I wouldn't ever consider going against her wishes.

*****

I dropped by a local pet store that specializes in products for conformation/performance etc. They also have a grooming business attached. The owner was saying that she has seen more dogs with hot spots, allergies, and yeast infections this year than any other year, but they aren't sure why. It made me feel somewhat better - at least I'm not the only one.

 

[famous seamus]

If you only have the one dog, "lifestyle" is not an excuse. Unless your lifestyle involves you not owning a refrigerator/freezer.

If "won't work for my lifestyle" is code for "the idea scares the crap out of me, OMG what if I don't perfectly balance the food and I make it worse and the dog DIES!" then we can help you get on over that. (and I only say this because that is usually what happens, people think waaaay to hard about it, scare themselves, then try to blame it on something else. Nothing personal, just a pattern I see a lot)

Get Lew Olson's Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs. Even if you decide to stay away from whole foods (which is really what raw feeding is), and feed processed foods, the information in her book will help you decide what is the most feasible types of processed food. She also has all kinds of homemade recipes for both raw and cooked diets. You might be able to supplement some of that in with the kibble.

As to supplements, those "don't fit with my lifestyle" I don't supplement, and none of my dogs have ever had a hotspot. Hotspots are essentially an immune system failure, and fixing the root of that problem is the most important thing. You are absolutely right that Pred is a temporary fix, changing the diet and watching outdoor exposure until you figure it out is a better plan.

Couldn't agree more with your observations. This year, here in NJ is the absolute worst for fleas, ticks etc. I was just out in the yard with Harper and we are both itching like mad.

The season is so bad, in fact, that I have broken out with excema for the first time in a long while.

While we are on the subject, what do you think of Fromm dog food?

Hugs,
Kate