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  #1  
Old July 2nd, 2016, 04:27 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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Exclamation Serious Allergies in Dog - I am defeated.

This will be a long post, please bear with me.
My dog is now over 4 years old, and after tens of thousands of dollars and feeling completely ripped off and scammed by vets and lousy advice I just don't know what to do. Any advice is greatly appreciated, but please note -yes the dog has been tested.
I got my puppy from a farm in the country. She was a super healthy mixed breed that was with her mom until about 14 - 16 weeks old. I forget, she was older, and her mom was very well mannered and polite. Best puppy ever!
We took her straight to the vet for de-worming and shots and everything we could do to be sure she would have along happy life. We enrolled her in puppy classes and socialization classes - the whole 9 yards.
2 weeks after her first set of shots she broke out with a rash on her tummy. It kind of looked like flea bites, but without the dirt. This was odd because she was on Revolution. But I thought maybe because she was growing so fast, and because we had been regularly romping through a nearby conservation area - maybe it was just bug bites. As weeks went on, she stopped sleeping through the night. She would wake up fussing. I would take her outside thinking she had to go, but this would happen 2 - 5 times a night.
At her next vet appointment they ignored it and said maybe bugs from outside. The rash became worse and scabby. I made another appointment and insisted on full allergy testing. The vet said not yet, lets change food, put her on salmon oil tablets, and gave us shampoo and conditioner which was to be done every day- and to come back in 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, and it not helping, and the vet wanting more $ I was feeling scammed. I had spoken with a fine employee at pet value who had 2 dogs with allergies. He sent me to his vet who took care of his dogs. So off we went. The vet said it was allergies, it was so bad my puppy had a fever. They gave her steroids and some meds to help her, and we moved forward with allergy testing (the blood work). I was thrilled with the results. My puppy was completely different! happy and not whining all the time. We actually went for a 4 hour walk without her laying down part way through and giving up. The allergy test came back full of allergens. All poultry, potatoes, soy, carrots, and many environmental allergens. We changed food again and talked about having the allergy serum made. But the vet said wait and see how the food change worked because they can grow out of the allergies. My poor puppy did not grow out of it. It got worse! I went back to the vet to have the serum made, but she was cross with me saying we were feeding her other foods - but she was assuming or confusing me with another patient, she didn't even know us. So my hunt began for another vet. Fast forward through 7 different vets I finally found one that seemingly knew what they were talking about. The vet was a 2.5 hour drive away. They referred us to an allergy specialist (one of the best in Canada) that happened to be close to us at the time (we were in Ontario at the time) After many dollars and further testing, we found more allergies. Also being told all the money we had spent previously was for nothing because it isn't done correctly. So it continued. With a new allergy serum, new medication, new food. And! on top of it we renovated our house with a modified furnace with filtration. Ripped out all the carpet in the house, and had air ducts cleaned. Plus placed high quality air purifiers in strategic locations around the house. This helped - depending on the time of year. In the dead of winter allergies were gone. In the spring and fall they were at their worst. Moving on, we had to move for work, from Ontario to Winnipeg. Now in Winnipeg things are way worse. We have kept our allergy specialist as he travels here several times a year. Anyways, now, nothing works. We are now spending about $600 a month on meds, constantly going from almost bald and scabby, to better, but the vet doesn't want her on those doses long term so it is a constant yo-yo that costs about $600 a month. Once we add the vet fees on top of the meds it is ridiculous - plus it doesn't work!!! My last conversation with the vet was quality of life vs quantity. Atopica doesn't work, the only thing that works is high dosage of Vanectyl-P or Apaquel (which is $300+ for 200 pills)
so now what? My dog sleeps all the time and is useless. We rarely walk her - haven't walked her for years. Her food is kangaroo based and she has scabs on her skin again suggesting food allergen - and it could be, so what do I switch it to? she is allergic to lamb, beef, poultry, pork, deer. Everything outside, the air she breaths. I've thought about making her own food, but she is allergic to soy, primrose, safflower plus all those proteins. And that's just the stuff we have tried and know about. I don't have another 1k a month to spend on holistic, and in my own experience it doesn't work, its just another money grab with vet visits starting at $130 to walk in the door and have them say try this, no try this, no try this... The sleepless nights, the diarrhea, the ear infections, the shedding, the vomit... does no one understand that every time we "try this" it isn't an easy thing? And they want us to re-try stuff we have already gone through over the last 4 years, like this time it is going to magically be different. I'm so mad! it feels like a scam! and to make matters worse the specialist said it was because of her vaccinations! The vets insisted she needed 4x3 year rabies in her first 2 years. Now she can't have any vaccinations - not that she goes anywhere, but come on! it ruined my dog and I paid for it!!!!!!!!????
My poor poor dog. I don't know what to do or think anymore. And now I don't know what to feed my dog, or what to medicate her with and everything seems like a scam. And I'm not spending another 10-20k on mystery medication and vet troubleshooting bills. Especially when the end result is damage to the dog. I see her fading over time - she should be thriving at this age. It's heartbreaking.
Is anyone else going through this? I guess if there is nothing else I get out of this it helps to type it all out and vent.

My dog is a lab/mix(grey hound or sight hound) 4.5 years old, looks 10 yrs. and sounds like Darth Vader. She would love to show you her toy - you just can't have it.

Thanks for reading.
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  #2  
Old July 2nd, 2016, 05:05 PM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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What an ordeal. Sadly, it could well be vacciniosis. Hard to treat--and the fact that most vets don't want to deal with it makes it harder.

A couple of questions:

Have you tried a raw diet?
Has she been on steroids recently and did it still help her?
What meds is she on now?
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Old July 2nd, 2016, 05:19 PM
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Loki Love Loki Love is offline
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Keep in mind that Vanectyl-P is different from the Apoquel - one has steroids, the other does not. Maybe you already knew that - I wasn't sure.

I can certainly sympathize with the skin issues. My Loki suffered for about 18 months when we made the move from QC to SK in 2014. It's now under control, but we realized the prednisone in the Vanectyl-P has messed up his liver and we are hoping now that he's off, that his liver levels will go back to normal - craziness!

Have you tried a raw diet?
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Old July 2nd, 2016, 05:35 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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I am looking to try raw diet, but they recommend chicken. She is allergic to chicken (all poultry) and lamb, beef, pork, deer, and now the kangaroo is suspect. She is also allergic to potatoes, carrots, soy, safflower, and primrose. This leaves us very limited. But if someone has a recipe that I could work with, or ideas??? I'm open to suggestions.

Currently we bounce back and forth between Apoquel and Vanectyl-P along with ketoconozol to ward off infections.

Recently we stopped with atopica and allergy serum, they have done nothing for us and I was wondering if they were contributing. And there is no point keeping her on costly meds that do nothing.
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Old July 2nd, 2016, 05:40 PM
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Keep in mind - being allergic to poultry in kibble is quite different from raw poultry. Many dogs do just fine with raw chicken and yet couldn't tolerate it in kibble. Plus, you could always go with turkey instead of the chicken if you are concerned. All the proteins you mentioned - again, raw vs processed is very different.

You don't need to concern yourself with any kind of vegetables/potatoes/etc if you go raw - we do meat/bones/organs only, no veggies.

For some raw feeding ideas: http://preymodelraw.com/page/article...l-raw-diet-r19
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Old July 2nd, 2016, 05:41 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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vacciniosis??

I don't know if it would be vacciniosis. This all came on slowly and built over the years. She hasn't had a shot in 3 years. Only Titers. She is due for a Rabies shot, but will not be getting one. The symptoms don't match - maybe 2 of them. And the fact that everything clears up in February.. points to allergies.
However, this is just what I read on Dr. Google, if you have a more informative link I would be interested in reading.
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Old July 2nd, 2016, 05:54 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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raw food

Allergy testing showed allergic to chicken, turkey, and duck.
Plus how she reacts once she cleans up after the kids during the holidays.
This is why I haven't tried the raw diet.

fear of ear infections, diarrhea and vomit and the time for it to get out of her system.

I will read the link - if I can afford it, it's worth a shot.
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Old July 2nd, 2016, 07:06 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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has anyone tried. Perfectly Raw? It's a Manitoba based company for raw food.
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Old July 2nd, 2016, 10:59 PM
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Loki Love Loki Love is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zreebirt View Post
has anyone tried. Perfectly Raw? It's a Manitoba based company for raw food.
I have - we found it a bit too bony for our dog, but every dog is different. It's a great brand and certainly worth a try. We have also used Mountain Dog Food with good success.

If you can find suppliers, it's sometimes more cost effective to do your own raw (rather than premade). While living in Montreal, we sourced all our own stuff - but having moved to SK, we are now doing various blends of premade.
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Old July 3rd, 2016, 09:37 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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What an ordeal, your poor pup. Here are my thoughts. My allergic dog is no longer scratching. Van-P did work but it's a steroid, I switched to Atopica a lessor evil, it did work too. Then he got sick, we went raw and to a holistic integrative Vet when traditional meds did not help month and a half long diarrhoea. The new VEt had us feed a home cooked diet of one novel protein and one novel carb, for us those were turkey and sweet potato. She also gave him TCM and acupuncture, he recovered AND he stopped itching. We had stopped all other meds. Then we went raw at her urging, still no itching. REal raw, nothing pre-packaged, BARF.

Then he got sick again, diagnosed with Lymphangiectasia, INtermal Specialist Vet got him over that, blood levels recovered but now he is on a special Kangaroo kibble for his gut issues but it is also an allergy food and this is summer three of no more itching. It's http://www.raynecanada.ca/wp-content...Kang_Oct14.pdf

My boy's allergies were seasonal environmental but I did the Nutriscan saliva test on him and, as is typical, he is now allergic to some foods as well. My information from Dr. Jean Dodds is that your dog is allergic to an allergen whether it's in kibble or raw but raw has far fewer antigen sites so it may take more time for the reaction to build up but chances are if your dog is allergic to chicken in kibble she will eventually react to raw chicken as well.

There is growing acceptance that allergies, some at least, stem from gut issues. This certainly seems to be the case with my dog. Unfortunately it's hard to see gut issues unless, like my poor boy, you have some sign like his horrible diarrhoea. Bloodwork might help, my boy had low albumin counts from the first time I tested him at age 5 (which I did because of the strong meds he was on) but he showed none of the usual symptoms that might signify a reason for it. Now, with a recovery of his gut issue his albumin levels are normal but it was a hard time getting there.

Good luck. What works for one dog may not for another. IN a sense we were lucky, we had that extreme illness and after one failed attempt we got good results right away with remedies we tried.
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Old July 4th, 2016, 09:42 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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Originally Posted by Longblades View Post
What an ordeal, your poor pup. Here are my thoughts. My allergic dog is no longer scratching. Van-P did work but it's a steroid, I switched to Atopica a lessor evil, it did work too. Then he got sick, we went raw and to a holistic integrative Vet when traditional meds did not help month and a half long diarrhoea. The new VEt had us feed a home cooked diet of one novel protein and one novel carb, for us those were turkey and sweet potato. She also gave him TCM and acupuncture, he recovered AND he stopped itching. We had stopped all other meds. Then we went raw at her urging, still no itching. REal raw, nothing pre-packaged, BARF.

Then he got sick again, diagnosed with Lymphangiectasia, INtermal Specialist Vet got him over that, blood levels recovered but now he is on a special Kangaroo kibble for his gut issues but it is also an allergy food and this is summer three of no more itching. It's http://www.raynecanada.ca/wp-content...Kang_Oct14.pdf

My boy's allergies were seasonal environmental but I did the Nutriscan saliva test on him and, as is typical, he is now allergic to some foods as well. My information from Dr. Jean Dodds is that your dog is allergic to an allergen whether it's in kibble or raw but raw has far fewer antigen sites so it may take more time for the reaction to build up but chances are if your dog is allergic to chicken in kibble she will eventually react to raw chicken as well.

There is growing acceptance that allergies, some at least, stem from gut issues. This certainly seems to be the case with my dog. Unfortunately it's hard to see gut issues unless, like my poor boy, you have some sign like his horrible diarrhoea. Bloodwork might help, my boy had low albumin counts from the first time I tested him at age 5 (which I did because of the strong meds he was on) but he showed none of the usual symptoms that might signify a reason for it. Now, with a recovery of his gut issue his albumin levels are normal but it was a hard time getting there.

Good luck. What works for one dog may not for another. IN a sense we were lucky, we had that extreme illness and after one failed attempt we got good results right away with remedies we tried.

Thanks for your post. I have yet to have "remedies" work.

We are already using Kangaroo, have been for a couple years.

After 6+ months on Atopica we stopped as it did not help, and seemed to make things worse.
Atopica was originally created to help people accept organ transplants.
It is made from fungus.

Apoquel has not been tested long term on the dosage my dog needs. It does work.
But only time will tell of side effects.

We are interested in raw, but will have to book vacation time off work to test. I'm not going to put my dog through long term diarrhea.
I emailed the allergy specialist tonight and asked about raw diet, will see what response we get.
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Old July 5th, 2016, 06:31 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Originally Posted by zreebirt View Post

We are interested in raw, but will have to book vacation time off work to test. I'm not going to put my dog through long term diarrhea.
I emailed the allergy specialist tonight and asked about raw diet, will see what response we get.
In case you misunderstood me, (or me you )my dog did not have diarrhoea on a raw diet. He recovered from diarrhoea on a home cooked diet and then we slowly, very, very slowly, switched to raw.


The home cooked novel protein and carb is something you might ask about anyway, even without diarrhoea.
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Old July 6th, 2016, 05:47 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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Longblades, yes I did miss read your post.
I actually tried raw with my last dog. When she was younger raw was a terrible idea. She had diarrhea so bad she started to dehydrate. We tried it twice, months apart with the same result. When she was about 10 we tried it again and it worked with no issues.

The home cooked is a great idea, but there are no recipes that don't contain the foods my current dog is allergic to. I cannot purchase Kangaroo in Winnipeg and I don't know what other protein to try. Poultry is off the menu - all poultry.

I am still waiting for a reply from the allergy specialist.
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Old July 6th, 2016, 06:15 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Our home cooked diet was for recovery from serious, long diarrhoea and it was only ONE protein, turkey, and ONE carb, sweet potato. My dog had not eaten a food with either turkey or sp in it before. This was for three months. Not a balanced diet but ok for that period of time. It wasn't a recipe, really.

Yeah, kangaroo is hard to find. I'm lucky, it's carried by a butcher shop in a city near me and one in the town I have a relative in a nursing home I visit. I was given my choice of two foods and I picked the kangaroo. The other choice was one with hydrolysed protein. Have you looked into hydrolysed protein?

https://www.vetinfo.com/hydrolyzed-p...-dog-food.html
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Old July 6th, 2016, 06:29 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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From the web site:
Hydrolyzed protein diets often feature chicken or soy as the protein source, with soy often preferred since few dogs have likely consumed soy protein as part of their former diet, so they are unlikely to be allergic to the soy protein. These proteins are usually paired with potato, rice or cornstarch as the carbohydrate source as these are less commonly used in commercial dog food production than other carbohydrates like whole kernel corn or wheat.


She is very allergic to soy. Her eyes and ears swell shut.
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Old July 6th, 2016, 08:01 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Poor little girly pup.
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Old July 6th, 2016, 09:44 PM
lindapalm lindapalm is offline
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I know you are having a problem with a dog, and not a cat, but I thought I would mention what helped our cat. We suspected he was allergic to chicken, but it was impossible to find a food without it, even fish brands had it as an ingredient. We put him on Natural Balance Pea and Salmon, grain free, and also had to put him on Amitriptlyne in case it was an OCD problem and not allergies. It took him several months, (and a leg amputation because he had done so much damage from licking,) but he no longer licks, chews, or scratches. I know they sell this food for dogs, maybe it would help you. I wish you luck, I know how frustrating it can be to figure out what the problem is
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Old July 9th, 2016, 09:22 AM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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Originally Posted by lindapalm View Post
I know you are having a problem with a dog, and not a cat, but I thought I would mention what helped our cat. We suspected he was allergic to chicken, but it was impossible to find a food without it, even fish brands had it as an ingredient. We put him on Natural Balance Pea and Salmon, grain free, and also had to put him on Amitriptlyne in case it was an OCD problem and not allergies. It took him several months, (and a leg amputation because he had done so much damage from licking,) but he no longer licks, chews, or scratches. I know they sell this food for dogs, maybe it would help you. I wish you luck, I know how frustrating it can be to figure out what the problem is
Funny you should mention the pea and salmon. When my puppy was first diagnosed we immediately switched everyone's diet in the house to avoid any cross contamination. We put the cat on the pea and salmon, Natural Balance also has some wet food that has no chicken, I think it was the beef one.
It was hard to find treats with no chicken, carrots, potatoes or soy. We make our own now.

As for the behavioral and not allergies approach, I really wish I could see an angle where that were possible. She doesn't lick or scratch (maybe scratch a bit if there is a flare up) In fact, she doesn't have behavioral issues, or anxiety. She was probably one of the few dogs that had no problem with the fireworks on Canada Day. Not that she gets to go outside for festivities anymore.

Your cat must have really had a drastic issue to result in amputation.
Allergies are NEVER one ingredient. Always a mix of environmental and food.

My late dog had anxiety. It turned into dementia when she was about 11.
She would do so much damage if left alone. And she would panic if we left her in a crate. She did lick and fuss over her paws if a thunder storm was coming, and other reasons, I don't know why she was like that.
She had some mild allergies too, probably chicken and seasonal. Nothing like what we deal with now. Maybe Amitriptlyne would have helped her.
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Old July 9th, 2016, 09:26 AM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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Update from allergy specialist.

The vet emailed back.
They agree with trying a raw diet. They stressed good hygiene practices.
And also said to stay away from the known allergies. Chicken, lamb, beef, dairy, soy, carrots, potatoes.
They suggested try pork.
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Old July 9th, 2016, 08:27 PM
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Royal Canin makes a vet diet called Anallergenic. Expensive as hell but the science behind it is super cool. They broke down the proteins to the amino acid level so they no longer trigger a reaction. Each ingredient was picked due to it's amino acid profile.
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Old July 15th, 2016, 09:55 AM
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Allergy info

Pork, Rabbit, Venison, Boar, Buffalo, all are good options. A good probiotic is a must, Genestra has a good one, no allergens no dairy, kelp or other fungus for a dog to react to. If your dog reacts to molds stay away from plant enzymes for now. Seacure is a fish based l glutamine that repairs the intestinal lining and gives nourishment easily tolerated by IBD dogs and allergy dogs.
Re local allergies, yes they can change with a move, anything outdoor consider local bee pollen granules. It can take a month or two but they work wonders. Start literally at one teeny granule wait a day, add two slowly work up to a couple tsps. AGAIN research the above, you have to start slow with all, only ONE supplement a week, and especially even if it seems tedious literally one granule of the pollen. It can take a month to work up to dose give or take and another few weeks to ease reactions.
Do you bathe your pup regularly? Again with allergies, at very least wiping down with a damp cloth face, feet EVERY time they come in is a must. If have carpet again in your new place and do not wish to lift up there are some really good dust mite sprays.
Lastly yes a good holistic doctor, do the research, call ask questions, if they do not answer initially and easily move to next can help a great deal. An immune modulator something to balance is also something you would wish to consider. Depending on the sensitivities there are thymus glandulars, colostrum among others.
If you start on raw... as long as there is no worsening in the first week... you want to stay on the one protein only that includes all treats etc, barring a probiotic for four weeks minimum, only then try one new one a week and watch. I am a member of an international allergy Facebook forum. Many great ideas, feedback from conventional and holistic food companies, vets and people. It is tough, and takes time, and every dog is individual but it can be doable. Yes steroids should be a last option and Atopica suppresses the immune. Lastly, have you tried Zyrtec or Benadryl, safer than steroids for sure to ease histamine reaction. Natural alternatives, Vitamin C, Quercitin, Stinging Nettle.
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Old July 15th, 2016, 09:59 AM
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allergy info

Lastly assuming they did skin scrapes and you have been through the antibiotic and anti fungal drill, all can suppress immune as well. Topically there are options if the skin is all red, raw scabby. Colloidal silver is wonderful to help heal infection and does not sting. Vetricyn can be bought online another wonderful help does not sting to ease that. If the rash is on the tummy a light cotton t shirt is helpful till healed too. For the paws... a tbsp of epsom salt in a cup or more of water is a good soak to clean, detox and ease itching. Many find success with a good Betadine Iodine solution, diluted in water of course till the color of weak tea works well too.
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Old July 15th, 2016, 11:48 AM
mikebusano mikebusano is offline
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that's terrible. Personally I don't trust vets 100% at all times.

have you tried changing dog foods? or cleaning his environment?
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Old July 15th, 2016, 11:52 AM
lamberti lamberti is offline
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Just read this post. You should feed your dog raw. I have been feeding it for years. You just switch cold turkey. I use www.bigcountryraw, they deliver right to your door and they have all the answers to all your questions on there web site. Hope your pooch feels better.
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Old July 15th, 2016, 08:08 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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Thank you for the posts.
She is currently on Apoquel and doing just fine.
Currently she has low energy, but she is given high dosage of Ketoconozole on the weekends (vet insists to fight off any bacterial infections)

Yes she gets paws wiped every time she goes outside (has for 4 years). Lots of baths.
I vacuum almost every day (dog is not in room with vacuum - she is in separate room with air purifier) No carpet in home. Just area rugs - yes we spray for mites and mold spores, and get air ducts cleaned as well.

Yes she has been through the antibiotic and skin fungal treatment - but that is only with a flare up when trying to treat the symptom, not the cause.

Royal Canine's main ingredient is soy - not touching that with a 10 foot pole - allergy specialist agreed it wasn't a good idea.

Bigcountryraw looks good, but it is based out of Ontario, we are in Winnipeg.

Loopoo - some good info in your post. We have 2 holistic vets in Winnipeg - neither seem to know what they are talking about when it comes to allergies. Yes we have done the natural antihistamines, they have never worked, just made her drows. She will still get some if we dare to try a walk.

Puppy severely reacts to mold, and many plant based products. Tests all proved positive for that as well.

Thanks for posting, keep the ideas coming!

Going to look at the Genestra and see how that helps.
Thanks again.
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Old July 15th, 2016, 08:25 PM
zreebirt zreebirt is offline
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LooPoo,
Genestra probiotics. It doesn't list the ingredients. It says it is vegan.
Puppy is very allergic to primrose, and safflower.
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Old July 16th, 2016, 11:33 AM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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I see this listed for Genestra probiotics (formulated for human guts--not sure they have one specifically for canines?):

Quote:
Probiotics - reinforce the epithelial barrier and mediate intestinal permeability by controlling the integrity of tight junctions. Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria are the most commonly used probiotics, effectively colonize the intestines, and promote the presence of beneficial bacteria to support normal intestinal function.

Prebiotics - including FOS - are fermented by microbes in the colon. These prebiotics support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon and further maintain the barrier function of intestinal epithelial cells by increasing mucin levels. Their fermentation can result in the production of short chain fatty acids, including butyrate, the preferred energy source of colon cells.*
Typically, probiotics are not made of flesh or plant material, but bacterial in nature. Probiotics supplement the gut with healthy gut organisms and nutrients that support a healthy gut (FOS--fructooligosaccharides)

Also from http://www.rockwellnutrition.com/gen...-120-caps.html:
Quote:
This product does not contain: wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, corn, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The capsules are made from 100% pure vegetable sources, free of preservatives and additives.
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Last edited by hazelrunpack; July 16th, 2016 at 11:58 AM.
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  #28  
Old July 16th, 2016, 01:25 PM
loopoo loopoo is offline
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genestra

I use the Fos free multi strain version. There are none of the ingredients you mentioned your dog is allergic to. I have a severely allergic dog, could not tolerate most probiotics.... Could not handle plant enzymes either. Fos for my one dog, bad news most every time made from inulin, which is comprised of chicory. This can cross react if a dog has a bad ragweed allergy. Rockwell is one company that delivers this line of probiotic....You can access their actual website as well.

Molds can be an issue, obviously a dehumidifier if you live in a humid area. If you feed kibble freezing is recommended...
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  #29  
Old July 22nd, 2016, 10:56 AM
rhynes rhynes is offline
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Sounds like you've been through the wringer. And we've been in the same boat with vets. 3 years this pup suffered, itching, eating himself to open sores and lesions - vet after vet, bad advice and wanting to throw steroids and other meds to "fix" the problem - steroids likely would have killed him. It took 3 years for us to figure out he's hypothyroid - which creates all sorts of havok in the body.

Personally, I would remove the medications - they are likely messing with the dogs system, wean if you need to. Many allergy tests will pop false positives unfortunately.

Then start in on a raw diet.
Feeding raw allows you to remove any toxins and crap out of your dogs system. They will be carb free, sugar free, gluten and wheat free etc - no surprises or unknowns as to what goes into your dogs system. You control what the dog eats.

I would start on chicken - allergy to chicken doesn't mean they will react to raw chicken. What you're looking to do is start a new diet of single source protein. If you are scared to start with chicken, then turkey is another that people have success with as a starter.

Let me get back to steroids - vets wanted to give him prednisone - and I would not. I'm not giving a dog an immuno suppressant when he's undiagnosed. Here's the kicker, after 3 years of sufferage - his thyroid was already way down - prednisone will suppress the thyroid further and yes, it could have killed him. I don't have much faith in western vet medicine anymore. I demanded a T4/TSH be done, vet claimed normal and here's some pred - but his T4 was low, TSH was high. What an idiot - I'm so thankful for this current vet.


Your dog will definitely need a detox period, so much going on. typically after switching to raw, many dogs can experience a period of being itchy all over. We currently use claritin daily along with the synthroid and he's doing better than he ever has - loves the raw food and turns his nose up at kibble.
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  #30  
Old August 26th, 2016, 09:42 PM
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SuperWanda SuperWanda is offline
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Hi Zreebirt,

I live in Winterpeg too!

I was wondering if the vaccines messed up your dog's immune system and now that is causing the allergic reactions you are seeing.

I would just start fresh. No meds, simple whole food diet and check out this holistic vet out of Vancouver. Just Google Dr. Peter Dobias. He really sells some great supplements and also has Thuja, I think, for treating vaccinosis.

My dogs were the most healthy when I followed his advice. He has free advice and answers questions on his blog, facebook etc. His supplements are a little expensive but they really work and imagine you will pay less in the end following his recommendations than a conventional vet has to offer.

It sound to me like his immune system is in overdrive and what was the trigger - vaccination. That's when it all started for you. Do the HAIR Q test from Dr. Dobias. It will tell you if there is heavy metal toxicity and follow his online protocol for recovery.

Last edited by SuperWanda; August 26th, 2016 at 09:55 PM.
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