Red skin - food related?

cefe13

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2013
3,714
205
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Sweden
Bulldog(s) Names
Castor (2013-2021 RIP)
Dear experts,
Castor's skin is red around his mouth and we're starting to think it might be food-related. During the summer we thought he had been sun-bathing too much, but now autumn has arrived and he is still red. He eats Acana Puppy & Junior, and overall he does well on it, although his stools are loose sometimes so after having given him almost the amount recommended on the bag, we're now cutting back on his portions, which seems to work.

Here's the list of ingredients - I'd be most grateful if you could see if there is anything which looks bad for bulldog skin and whether we should consider a change of diet:

Chicken meal, steel-cut oats, deboned chicken, whole potato, peas, chicken fat, whole egg, deboned flounder, sun-cured alfalfa, chicken liver, herring oil, pea fiber, whole apples, whole pears, sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, spinach, cranberries, blueberries, kelp, chicory root, juniper berries, angelica root, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, lavender.
 

Vikinggirl

Norwegian Rose
Community Veteran
Oct 8, 2012
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Burlington, ON Canada
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Bulldozer and Blossom
Hi, it may very well be allergy related, as my female also had the same reactions, her face would get red or pink, she had warm pink ears, she licked her paws a lot, and she has chin acne, little bumps on her chin. We have discovered through trial and error, and 4 food changes that Blossom is allergic or sensitive to chicken, salmon, grains and corn. Looking at the ingredients, it looks like a good nutritional food, but if Castor is allergic or sensitive like most bullies are to chicken, then the chicken Ingredients in this brand could be causing the symptoms, also another ingredient that can sometimes cause problems is potatoes, and also the oats, oatmeal sometimes causes allergies as well. We switched our two guys to Fromm's Beef Frittata, which is a good quality food listed on the dog food ratings forum and is used by a lot of members on here, it is also a grain free food. My two have been on this food for 12 months now, and are both doing really well, I used to have to give Blossom a Benadryl all the time before we switched, and now she never needs it, and their poops are firm but soft, and they go 2 or 3 times a day. I hope this helps.
 

KMARINO

I couldn't make this sh*t up if I tried!
Jul 21, 2010
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Bradenton Fl.
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VEGAS and REBEL
A lot of our bullies are allergic to chicken, but another thought, What kind of bowls do you use?? A lot of bullies are also allergic to plastic. The best bowls are stainless steel and wash them out after every eating and drinking.
 

cali baker

Worlds Greatest Chef
Feb 25, 2011
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The Crown City (Pasadena)
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Tate Rory & Finn Paddington
Is Castor red in other areas of his body, besides the mouth? Cuz [MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION] brought up a good point re. the type of bowls and to avoid plastic ones since they can contribute to skin problems on the face area. Make sure to dry Castor's mouth/face well after he drinks and eats to avoid rashes...May want to look at these factors before making any food changes.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Jul 28, 2011
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Gilbertsville, PA
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Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Acana is a decent food so it could be the bowls as others have stated... can you post a picture of his face?
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
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Mar 21, 2011
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Katy, Texas
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I'm thinking it's the bowl too.
 
OP
cefe13

cefe13

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2013
3,714
205
Country
Sweden
Bulldog(s) Names
Castor (2013-2021 RIP)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Thanks for your replies and allergy info! Castor has always had stainless steel bowls which we clean, but I will wipe his face more often after his meals and drinks.

The redness in his face doesn't seem to bother him at all. I'm attaching a photo where it's visible. Not one of the best pictures of him, as he looks very grumpy, but you can seethe redness!

A month or so ago, he developed a rash on his tummy, and his vet, who noticed that the paws were a bit red too, prescribed Malaseb shampoo. We used it only once because the rash disappeared. I noticed this morning that he is a bit red on one paw again so we will wash his feet again. The redness in the face looks different, though, but perhaps it is the same problem? I don't think we should use Malaseb in his face, though.

redface.jpg
 
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