Help Needed! This is a long one, but I need help if you're willing to read!

[anatess]

There are many factors that cause allergic reactions (itching and scratching an paw licking, etc.) in dogs. Food is not even the most common one. Seasonal factors are the most common - pollen, grasses/weeds, mold, insects, etc. Also, stress can weaken the immune system and cause allergies. And then theres dust mites in the home, chemical cleaners, and the like. And sometimes, an overload of these factors when, individually, they don't have problems with, could also happen.

From the things you recounted, it may not be the food that is causing this. The stress of travel may be a factor or it can be something in the environment. I would look at those first before embarking on a food switch especially since you have observed some success with the current food.

Also, sometimes, a dog who is doing good on a particular food could end up getting allergies on that same food later. But, a month is too short a time for this to develop... More than likely he's always been allergic to that food, it just took this long for the symptoms to surface so the period of good stuff was from the old food - in your case, it's not as likely because he's been on his old food for a while before you noticed improvement.

So yeah, some detective work is needed. My suggestion is to keep him on the current food, lower the stress level (consistent activities daily), provide baths with oatmeal shampoo and try to check with the weatherman if allergens are popping up. If you're in Florida, pollen appeared 2 weeks ago.

Hope things get better soon.

 

[brileythebully]

[MENTION=860]sheshistory[/MENTION] totally agree, allergies are a PAIN! how much of the antihistamine would you recommend? I may try that. Thank you for your advice. I do want to do a allergy panel but they're so expensive from the vet. Do you know of any other testing? I haven't looked much into it, except calling the vet the asking how much they run.
[MENTION=2874]anatess[/MENTION] how long do you think I should wait until switching foods again? I've been watching and think the skin issues are getting worse which leads me to believe it is the food, and like you said the good signs were from the old food. Also, the weather hasn't changed really where I am (San Antonio, TX) and the only different thing is the food. I don't want it to be the food causing this and me wait until its gotten really bad. However, I do want to see if it's environmental so I don't have to put him through another switch.

Everyone here seems to have such luck with Fromms Beef formula, that I may give it a go if I switch foods.

 

[2BullyMama]

@2BullyMama thank you! I am starting to feel like he is having allergy to this. However, I have given him fish before with no side effects. Maybe the amount in the food is just too much. I really want to do an allergy test on him, it would make a lot of things much, much easier. Did you do yours at the vet? Did you do food only or environmental as well?
Also, do you know of anything I can give him to help releave his allergys/symptoms until I find a food suitable?
Thank you for your advice btw.

I did the allergy test through the vet - full blood screen covers both food and environmental. The results will list high, low and no sensitivities... the highs you would totally avoid (where possible), the lows try to stay away from as there may be a reaction. I give Banks Benedryl two or three times a day depending on the time of year (1 mg per pound of bully.. Banks is 62lbs so I give her 50 mg at a time). Relational to food... I avoid anything with chicken, grains or potatoes... I found out about the salmon reaction by trying the Fromm Tunalini (bag was free)... I ended up taking it back to the store and getting a free Game Bird and she did well on that one too, but not as good as she does on the Beef Frittata.

Good luck, keep us posted and let me know if you have any other questions

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, my female Blossom also, has food allergies or sensitivities to Chicken , corn and grains. I switched to Fromms Beef Frittata when she was 7 months old, and she is doing very well on it, as is her brother Dozer. I also started giving her salmon oil, and immediately she had a reaction again, pink/red ears, face, chin, and chin rash, red eyes, and eye boogers. I gave her Benadryl, and it went away, so I knew it was allergy related, and that it was the salmon oil, because that was new to her diet. I now do Fromms Kibble in the morning, and in the evening I do home cooked. I can't do raw, it creeps me out, plus my guys don't really chew their food, they inhale it, and I'm afraid of them choking. I changed their food 4 times before I found the right food, so it is frustrating, but eventually you'll find something that works for your baby. For the home cooking I use ground beef, browned with water, a package of frozen mixed vegetables, green beans, and brown rice. You can make a batch and either freeze it, or use it up in 3 days.

 

[cowsmom]

ok im late to this but with all these food switches and location switches its hard to know whats what here. your bully probably does have environmental allergies as do most. also probably has some food allergies as do most. now what to do now. i would stop everything except the kibble. bullies can have allergies to even the tiniest things. laundry detergent to fleas to something in a supplement to a small ingredient in a food. first thing ive found is to find what protein your bully does good on. sounds like beef was a good choice. have you tried a diet of beef and rice called a bland diet. might be good to get him on something like that to clear all the kibble out and start over fresh so to speak. also benadryl 1 pill per 25 pounds am and pm is used here alot for allergy symptoms. you can also get some duoxo wipes which are great for the folds or you can get some witch hazel and duoxo ps shampoo to try for skin issues. i would highly recommend an allergy test. i had sarah on like 25 different kibbles and finally had her tested. i did a full screen for food and environmental. is it not fool proof as she is allergic to venison and it said she wasnt but it will give you a nice base to go on. i would have never known she was allergic to kelp and alfalfa and fleas and dust mites had i not had her tested. i would also look at maybe going back to the totw beef one that your bully did ok on if you decide to go with the bland diet to help settle the stomach down. i dont like totw as they have had many recalls but when your dealing with allergies you have to use what works and go from there. i would also see about wiping your bully down when they come back inside from outside. you have to look at pillows they lay on and all kinds of things. keep a journal or when you see syptoms the most like right after eating or coming in from outside. keep us updated please

 

[brileythebully]

[MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] thank you very much for your advice. I started on the Benadryl a few days ago, but haven't seen very much improvement. I also decided to make the switch to Fromm Beef [MENTION=6311]Vikinggirl[/MENTION] thank you, how much do you feed her at a time when you do the home cooking? I may consider doing it occasionally. [MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION] thank you so much for all the advice, I stopped everything but kibble a few days ago, and started Benadryl, and haven't seen much of an improvement yet. After reading your post (I read your post earlier but didn't have time to reply then) I decided to make the switch to Fromm Beef since he did best on the TOTW beef. I didn't want to go back to TOTW because of all the recalls, which is part of the reason I took him off in the first place. I'm hoping since the main protein source in both foods is the same that he will do good on Fromm as well. Plus the Fromm has much more limited ingredients which I know is a good thing, so maybe (hopefully!!!) he will do even better on Fromm. I'm crossing my fingers! I do try and wipe him down every time we come back from outside, but I do often forget. I do however, always wipe him down if we are coming from a long walk, trail, or dog park. I'm going to have to get better at doing it all the time.
Also, I know it usually takes a few weeks to notice anything after a food switch but if it was the Wellness CORE that was causing the allergies how long do you think it will be until I see those symptoms start to disappear? He has his first bit of Fromm tonight in his dinner. Again, thank you for your reply!