Help Needed! Bully Acne & Allergies

Meggs19

New member
Oct 14, 2011
290
16
Madison, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
Hi everyone!

I know there has been a lot of discussion on this topic already but I just wanted some additional clarification. I know that it's been said bully acne can occur when a food allergy is present, but can environmental allergies cause the acne eruptions too?

Tonka is 1 1/2 years old and I try to keep him as clean as I can. I do wipe his chin when I clean his face but I can't use anything too strong since he will wipe it off of himself or try to lick it off. He does have a stainless steel water dish as well. I probably don't clean his toys as often as I should though. He does have bad environmental allergies. He was given the skin test and is allergic to 15 different environmental items--mostly outdoor plant matter but also cotton, wool, dust/dust mites/decaying insects etc. so I am wondering if these types of allergies can cause the acne as well?? He doesn't just get them on his chin, but also on top by his droppy cheeks and way down by the sides of his mouth too.

I feel like his food isn't really the problem. He's on the Fromm Beef Fritatta and has been for quite a while and doesn't have specific food allergy type of symptoms like extremely itchy paws (he only licks them on occasion) or the hot spots/bald spots/hives etc.. His face alone is itchy a lot and I do catch him trying to rub it against the carpet and he has a runny nose/sniffly sneezes often, but we have always attributed that to his environmental allergies. Those are his two biggest symptoms in addition to the acne. Would it be worth it to try a new variety of the Fromm grain free food? A new protein source entirely like the salmon or something just to see if that does anything? It's SO hard to tell if something is food/environmental!! ARGGH...so frustrated! Tonka is already on allergy shots and two antihistamine/per day so I don't know what else might help. Any thoughts on this or advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Meggs19

Meggs19

New member
Oct 14, 2011
290
16
Madison, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
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Uh oh...no replies! :( That's a first! Maybe this is a tough question.....
 

Momma2Bullies

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Aug 2, 2012
356
26
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Layla and Wilbur
Uh oh...no replies! :( That's a first! Maybe this is a tough question.....

Hi!
I have this totally with Wilbur. He is just over a year and a half now too, and I have been through every. single. grain-free food in the world. I can't seem to identify the protein source, and we (myself and my vet) have ruled out a solely environmental cause since everything is frozen solid here (could be dust I guess, but we know it isn't grass etc.). His acne and face sores get horrendous - totally full of pus, and bleed. He has been on several rounds of antibiotics in order to heal it up. He always clears up wonderfully on antibiotics, and I switch the food (the only protein I haven't tried at this point is kangaroo!). Sure enough, by 6 weeks in he is a mess again.

I have finally caved, and he is now on Medi-Cal Hypoallergenic HP. It is a prescription food, and it is hydrolyzed protein (soy based). I had him on Hill's prescription diet hypoallergenic z/d for 6 weeks, and his skin is awesome BUT he has non-stop soft stool and gastro issues. This is why I have now switched to this new one. 2 weeks in and his poop is normal again, so far awesome with skin. We will see.

I hate the prescription food, I know it is all super processed but at the same time I know the proteins are hydrolyzed and that is supposed to solve it (PS the starch in the current food is rice). I am hoping to get him solid and stable for several months and then I will explore maybe homecooking, etc. I am just not sure what I can use as a protein source, since he seems to have allergies to everything. I asked my vet about allergy testing, and she said there is not one that is reliable or specific for food allergies (environmental, yes).

All this to say, I am going through the same thing. Chicken, Salmon, Beef, Venison, Duck, Turkey, Whitefish, Potato, Tapioca, Core Ocean, all grain-free... all not working. I feel for you!!!
 
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Meggs19

Meggs19

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Oct 14, 2011
290
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Madison, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
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Thanks for replying [MENTION=5605]Momma2Bullies[/MENTION]! Everything here in WI is frozen right now too so I am attributing his allergies to dust/dust mites and maybe items around our house with cotton or wool (it's impossible to get rid of everything with those materials!). We have not tried any other protein sources yet. When Tonka was younger we had him on a Salmon and sweet potato food-Natural Balance brand, but he wasn't on that or too long before we switched him to Fromm Beef Fritatta thinking it was a better food. I didn't notice any change in his allergies (not better but not worse) upon switching him to the Fromms which is why I thought his allergies were mostly environmental. Not sure which Fromm grain free flavor to try next. I'd like to stick with one of those since they are interchangeable flavors and you don't need the slow transition. I figure it can't hurt to try a different one just to see. He is doing fine other than the acne, runny nose and occasional itchy face/eyes. Do you think just trying a new food might help? If it doesn't get better but yet doesn't get worse again....am I to assume the issues are likely just environmental?
 

Momma2Bullies

New member
Aug 2, 2012
356
26
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Layla and Wilbur
Hey [MENTION=3445]Meggs19[/MENTION], I have read on here that people swear by the Beef Fritatta, somehow it is different in a way that has solved a lot of issues for people. It didn't solve my issues, but it might help for you? I would say give it a try, since you are already on Fromm's. And since you already know his environmental allergy situation, I don't know if you will ever be able to properly evaluate how a food is affecting him. But perhaps his acne will at least improve? I wish you the best of luck! I hope it goes better for you than it has for me, I might be trying to figure out his allergies to food and perhaps it is also just dust and wool too! I can treat the occasional isolated acne bump, but I hate seeing him with such a full-on breakout. It looks so sore.

Good Luck!!!
 
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Meggs19

Meggs19

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Oct 14, 2011
290
16
Madison, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
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Hey @Meggs19, I have read on here that people swear by the Beef Fritatta, somehow it is different in a way that has solved a lot of issues for people. It didn't solve my issues, but it might help for you? I would say give it a try, since you are already on Fromm's. And since you already know his environmental allergy situation, I don't know if you will ever be able to properly evaluate how a food is affecting him. But perhaps his acne will at least improve? I wish you the best of luck! I hope it goes better for you than it has for me, I might be trying to figure out his allergies to food and perhaps it is also just dust and wool too! I can treat the occasional isolated acne bump, but I hate seeing him with such a full-on breakout. It looks so sore.

Good Luck!!!


Thank you!! Tonka is actually already on the Fromm's Beef Fritatta flavor, though. He has been on that for quite a while now. Maybe I could try the surf n turf or they have a salmon tunalini or game bird one I believe. It's hard to know where to go when you have started with the supposed "best" one. I'll just switch it and see if it gets any better. Can't hurt to try. I hope your new food works for you as well. It does look painful when they get those acne eruptions like that! Poor babies!
 

Lauren31287

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Nov 8, 2011
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Rhode Island
Bulldog(s) Names
Winston
Winston used to have HORRIBLE acne on his chin. We were living in an apartment at the time and had carpet I have no idea if that had anything to do with it, but we have since bought a house and have all hardwood flooring, Winston's acne has completely gone away and has never come back. Do you have carpet or anything that could be irritating it when he lays down? For us that was the only thing that changed his food and everything has stayed the same. Good luck, I hope you figure it out!!!
 
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Meggs19

Meggs19

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Oct 14, 2011
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Madison, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
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Winston used to have HORRIBLE acne on his chin. We were living in an apartment at the time and had carpet I have no idea if that had anything to do with it, but we have since bought a house and have all hardwood flooring, Winston's acne has completely gone away and has never come back. Do you have carpet or anything that could be irritating it when he lays down? For us that was the only thing that changed his food and everything has stayed the same. Good luck, I hope you figure it out!!!

Yes, we do live in an apartment and it has carpeting. Tonka's area that he is gated in during the day while we are at work is linoleum so he lays in his bed most of the day I think, but everything else is carpet. With my luck, he's probably allergic to something in the carpeting....sheesh! Thanks for the heads up on that! :)
 

Lauren31287

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Nov 8, 2011
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Rhode Island
Bulldog(s) Names
Winston
Yes, we do live in an apartment and it has carpeting. Tonka's area that he is gated in during the day while we are at work is linoleum so he lays in his bed most of the day I think, but everything else is carpet. With my luck, he's probably allergic to something in the carpeting....sheesh! Thanks for the heads up on that! :)

No problem!! :D The one thing that did help us a little bit while it was happening was the Malaket wipes!! Those things are like little miracle wipes!!
 
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Meggs19

Meggs19

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Oct 14, 2011
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Madison, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
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[MENTION=3652]Lauren31287[/MENTION] we have the Douxo pads...hopefully those work just as well since they are technically supposed to serve the same purpose. It's difficult for us to use them because Tonka always tries to wipe it off his face! He'll rub it against a blanket or the carpet and try to get it all off. AAARGGH!!! :)
 

Lauren31287

New member
Nov 8, 2011
1,004
38
Rhode Island
Bulldog(s) Names
Winston
@Lauren31287 we have the Douxo pads...hopefully those work just as well since they are technically supposed to serve the same purpose. It's difficult for us to use them because Tonka always tries to wipe it off his face! He'll rub it against a blanket or the carpet and try to get it all off. AAARGGH!!! :)

Those are great too!! Yeah I know the feeling, it usually takes two of us with Winston. One holding his head and the other wiping then holding his head up until it dries somewhat lol. Good luck!!
 

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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Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
i hav the same issues with Banks... all environmental allergies as she is allergic to all grasses, weeds, molds, some tress and even though not on her list... hay/straw really seems to be bugging her. Best you can do is keep her clean, wipe paws after being outside and keep the chin as dry as you can.
 

Trod1

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Jul 2, 2012
168
10
Michigan
Bulldog(s) Names
Olive, Oscar
I'm in a similar situation with Olive. We are on our third food since the fall because of allergies. we are on 1/2 beef frittata kibble ( which is a new food for her) and 1/2 boiled meat. So far she seems to be doing well but does have a bad chin which she will likely again need antibiotics for. Did your reg vet do the allergy skin test or did you have to go to an allergy vet practice?
 

mistshadow

New member
Dec 30, 2011
31
2
Bulldog(s) Names
Athena and Ty
I've had the same issue with Athena. We had originally thought it was a sore from her and Ty playing and thought maybe she got knicked in the chin. We took her to the vet when Ty went in for his eye surgery. The Dr. said it was caused from the drooling she does when she chews on her toys (Athena is an excessive chewer). So she was put on a 2 week round of antibiotics as well as a antibiotic ointment to put on her chin. It's been a week and a half and her chin is all cleared up. The vet also recommended we get some baby wipes and use them to keep her chin clean. If that doesn't keep it away she will be giving us a medicated shampoo to try next. Good luck with your baby!
 

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