Help Needed! Allergy Test

kaikousha

New member
Jan 25, 2012
48
2
San Diego
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Thor & Odin
Hi all,

We are finally considering getting an allergy test for Thor. Some background:
He came to us on Eukanuba (ugh), with a case of Giardia. While that was clearing up we did a slow switch to Earthborn Meadowfeast. He was mostly OK except for he'd lick his paws a lot. Based on some of the comments here I did a slow switch to Earthborn Great Plains. His paw licking minimized but never really stopped. However, he had always had a lot of eye gunk so I got courageous and tried a slow switch to Fromm Beef Frittata to see if I could get rid of the paw licking AND eye gunk. That's when the whole thing took a huge downturn and he started chewing his paws until they were raw, rolling around to scratch his back and scratching his face nonstop. We immediately took him in and he was given antibiotics, a prednisone shot and a bag of Hill's Z/D Ultra (the hypoallergenic vet diet). I went along with it because I just didn't know what to do, and seeing him like that was so upsetting.

The prednisone shot had next to no effect on him, but once we started the Hill's Z/D he has settled back into a manageable level of licking his paws, rolling and itching his face. We keep him clean, clean his face, clean the house. He has been tested for parasites and our vet doesn't believe he has a skin condition. His coat looks great, shiny, no dandruff. If he eats *anything* but the Hill's food he has diarrhea for days. Our other dog (also a bully) doesn't show any allergy signs. Even on the Hill's food, he goes through cycles of being stopped up then diarrhea. The eye gunk is gone although his eyes are still somewhat watery.

I'd really like to get him to a point where the paw licking, rolling and face scratching stops, and his tummy is stable. I don't feel it'd be fair to put him through any more types of food especially after the reaction he had to the Fromm BF. Those of you who have had allergy tests done on their bullies (I know I've read posts by a few of you!!), I have some questions...Did you get the blood test? The intradermal test? Do those include food allergies? (I've heard they do, and I've heard they don't) Our vet says he doesn't believe in allergy tests, needless to say we're on the hunt for a new vet for multiple reasons. We just want to know what to feed him!
 

Alice Kable

New member
Community Veteran
Dec 17, 2010
4,423
281
Joseph, Oregon, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Ruggles and Buster
We had both Mack and Ruggles allergy tested for food only. You can have your dog tested for environmental allergies, too, but we chose not to because there was nothing we could change. (already have tile floors, use unscented laundry soap and double rinse, etc.) We had the blood test. Both boys were allergic to chicken, beef, pork, rice, and potatoes. Ruggles is allergic to lamb but Mack could eat it. Ruggles could eat turkey. I ended up feeding them both NVI Limited Ingredient, Mack got the lamb and Ruggles the turkey. The difference was huge and so worth having the test done.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Hi and welcome to EBN! Question.... when Thor was on Earthborn and licking his paws- were the paws red or have sores? He could just be licking out of being bored or grass allergy.

Can you slow switch back to the Great Plains... is that an option?

We did blood allergy test on both our bullies... Nitshcke had severe allergy to rice of all kind and grass/weeds/molds... Banks is HIGHLY allergic to chicken and every thing green you can think of. We opted not to do any allergy shots and just wipe her paws when she comes in from outside and give her Benedryl as needed. The Benedryl will help with the 'eye goopies'
 
OP
kaikousha

kaikousha

New member
Jan 25, 2012
48
2
San Diego
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Thor & Odin
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Hi and welcome to EBN! Question.... when Thor was on Earthborn and licking his paws- were the paws red or have sores? He could just be licking out of being bored or grass allergy.

Can you slow switch back to the Great Plains... is that an option?

We did blood allergy test on both our bullies... Nitshcke had severe allergy to rice of all kind and grass/weeds/molds... Banks is HIGHLY allergic to chicken and every thing green you can think of. We opted not to do any allergy shots and just wipe her paws when she comes in from outside and give her Benedryl as needed. The Benedryl will help with the 'eye goopies'

Thanks for the replies...when he was on Earthborn licking his paws they weren't red yet. It wasn't until the Fromm that his paws turned bright red :( I've tossed the idea around with my husband about slow switching him back to the Great Plains, but I do want to keep the allergy test in the back of my mind as an option, and I didn't know which one to get. Gotta find a vet that will do it :/
 

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