Help Needed! Dog food and Allergies?

Patty Roby

New member
Apr 4, 2012
7
0
Bay City, Michigan, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Spike
Any thoughts or advice would be great here...

A few months ago, Spike started have all these little problems and his mornal everyday problems are worse and I've come to think it must be what he is eating.

He's had some type of dermatitis...vinegar helped...after taking him to the vet and they just give me an antibiotic and tell me don't worry.

He has major cysts between his toes. He's had the occasional in his 6 years but he has 4 of them right now. I went to my friend's grooming shop yesterday and showed her his foot while were talking (the vet had already told me it "Wasn't a cyst, here's some antibiotics, don't worry."), that one popped all over while she was feeling it...so I gave him a really good inspection last night and found the other 3. Basically one on each foot.

He had the flu/bronchitis at the beginning of the spring. That was my first experience with my new "don't worry, here's antibiotics" vet.

I closed my doggy daycare a few months ago, thinking he was getting all of this stuff from other dogs, even though I had to have a vet slip saying the dog was immunized and healthy to come here.

He got a huge scratch/puncture on his eyeball, because he waits for other dogs to run past them rams them (he went flying) and that will not heal.

Spike has always had problems, I got him from a breeder that supposedly had an accidental pregnancy that was very inbred. His little cough when I got him turned out to be pneumonia, he can't run around too much because he has major breathing difficulty, chronic ear infections and fold problems.

My poor sweetheart, I love him so much.


So....maybe I just need moral support. I'm looking up dogfood recipes today, but I thought I saw on here somewhere to stay away from chicken and...something else? Wheat?
 

RiiSi

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Sep 30, 2011
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Poor baby. He has had so many antibiotic that first thing I suggest is a heavy dose of probiotics and prebiotics. A lot of skin problems can come from too much antibiotics. Also a lot of times dogs can handle fresh chicken, it's the "chickenish" stuff in the kibble that they can't handle. Grain in any form is also not good in many cases. I would try home cooking or raw food for him.
 

bullmama

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Jan 28, 2010
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The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
Antibiotics are great stuff, but it kills the natural good bacteria as well as the bad. Is Spike itchy? I would think the cysts could be caused by bacteria in between the toes. I would try using antibacterial and anti fungal shampoo like Pharmeseb, and add probiotics, and change food. What are you feeding him now?


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ABEBD

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Feb 18, 2011
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Phx, Az.
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By many names depending on the situation?
Hello,

One thing at a time.

So, explore other threads and look for common questions and answers all around this site.

Food is a major problem. Yes, many, many Bullies are allergic to chicken (meat, meal or by-product) in the dog food or in any treats. Also grain is a big issue. Check your food and treats. See the other posts about food.

Depending on the age, immune systems can be changing. Either very young or old.

Too much antibiotics can cause a problem, but using them IS important, but not for everything~ Topical spray, ointments, creams can work great of surface problems as long as it is NOT caused by germ ,virus, parasite, etc.

It can seem very overwhelming at times. You will have lots of support from people here.
Good Day~
 

dalmatina38

The Stripe Wearing, Broom Wielding, Voodoo Prieste
Community Veteran
Jul 13, 2012
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Sierra Vista Arizona
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Amber and Ruby
If you have the time, I would recommend trying Spike on home cooked foods. Its easier than it sounds, start with some meat (I use all meats for Ambers food but she doesn't have any allergies to any meat), get ground beef, fish, chicken, pork, liver and gizzards, anything that is on sale, I usually stock up. Get a large boiling pan and use one of the meats and boil it (I usually cook 5 lbs at a time), add frozen bags of vegetables or fresh is good too (green beans, peas, carrots, almost any vegetables), add potatoes (these are good for carbs) and they can be frozen hash browns or just regular potatoes chopped up. Once all this cooks together it becomes a gruel, drain off the excess water, and then put it in zip lock freezer bags and freeze them. I take Ambers food out for the next day the night before so we don't waist anything. I boil eggs and chop them up and put them in her food daily. Dairy products such as cottage cheese is cheap and good for them. I put a little bit on top of her food once a day. Snacks are dehydrated apples (I have several apple trees) or beef jerky (just cheap roasts sliced down and put in the dehydrator). Spike will get plenty of nutrients without all the grains and it may help with his skin conditions, good luck.
 
OP
Patty Roby

Patty Roby

New member
Apr 4, 2012
7
0
Bay City, Michigan, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Spike
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
Thanks everyone!

He isn't itchy, but he's been acting pretty depressed lately...I can't blame him, I'd be depressed too if I felt bad all the time.

I've tried a lot of different dog foods, but he was originally on Nutro when it started. And he has been having yogurt daily for a couple weeks.

I will be grocery shopping for him tomorrow. Tonight, I guess he is having burgers on the grill and a salad with us and apparently, I will be making some type of potato for him! I read somewhere 40% protein/60% complex carbs. I wonder if brown rice is ok? Now, I just need to figure out how much to give him.

He is going to think it's his birthday every day.
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
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Louisville, KY
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Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
I can't comment on home cooking but looks like you got some advice. Also, there are several threads here with recipes. Try soaking is feet in epsom salts and see how that goes with the cysts.

I am a little concerned that he has an eye issue that isn't resolving. Eyes are nothing to mess with for sure. It seems to me that you might need a new vet. There is actually a place here on this site with vet recommendations. Here is the link http://www.englishbulldognews.com/f...ews-Recommended-English-Bulldog-Veterinarians. You may also want to check out a pro-biotic formula for him and get him on some salmon oil as well.

Please keep us posted on his progress and what plan of action you took. I know it is frustrating but you can do it! ((hug))
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Jul 28, 2011
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The cysts between the toes are usually a big sign of an allergy.... what ever you decide to feed try to avoid grains and chicken, they seem to be a problem for bullies. My boy was allergic to rice and dairy and until I got that info and removed them from his diet - they were constant....after that they were never seen again. Epsom salt foot soaks do help relieve the pressure and keep the paws clean.
 

cowsmom

..........
Apr 27, 2011
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you have gotten good advice so i will just say some dogs cant handle dairy so maybe a pill probiotic till you get things straightened out. cysts are bacteria so hibiclenz or even peroxide something for bacteria is good till you can remove the allergen. good luck.
 

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