Going RAW, gradual change from kibble or go full raw from day 1?

[pcchenard]

There were no foods included in the blood allergy tests. My vet doesn't think she is food allergic because she was just as bad on the prescription hydrolyzed protein foods as any other food. I have been feeding her Stella & Chewy's frozen raw beef formula for the last 4 weeks with no improvement. She has never been given anything to eat other than whatever food she is eating at the time. I did add some fresh organic green beans to add some bulk to her stool, which helped with that.

Here is the ingredient list for the frozen raw food from their website:

Beef, beef liver, beef kidney, beef heart, beef tripe, beef bone, pumpkin seed, organic cranberries, organic spinach, organic broccoli, organic beets, organic carrots, organic squash, organic blueberries, fenugreek seed, potassium chloride, dried kelp, sodium phosphate, tocopherols (preservative), choline chloride, dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, taurine, calcium carbonate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid.

 

[2BullyMama]

I got Lola's blood allergy test results last week. She is allergic to a bunch of grasses, trees, molds, as well as dust mites and storage mites. There were no foods/meats included in the testing. I have not seen any improvement at all with her being on a frozen raw diet for close to another month, and her vet does not think her issue is food related.

I'm trying to decide if I want to start the allergy injections, but the medication seems ridiculously expensive. It will cost $416 for a single 10ML vial. The vial COULD last up to 10 months, depending on her response. That said the price is the same if it is mixed for one (1) allergen or twelve (12) allergens. I'm curious if others are paying this much or if I'm being over charged, because that price seems ridiculous to me.

Also, how do these kind of allergy shots affect their immune system? Is it potentially as bad for them as the Apoquel or are the injections less likely to cause issues with her immune system long term? I don't want to trade one poison for another.

I do not have much experience with allergy shots, but when i did for our first bulldog, after a year of shots i did not see any really change or improvement for him. I stopped and switched to raw food, 90% of his issues went away and Benadryl covered the rest. He was allergic to everything green and many foods (grass, trees, dairy, rice and chicken). What frozen raw/protein are you feeding... if not using it, try duck, it is lessen of a chance in having an allergy. Since, your baby is allergic to mites... kibble is not a real option for you since storage mites live in the kibble.... if you do decide to continue with kibble freeze it to keep the mites at bay.

 

[pcchenard]

I was going to try the Primal Duck, but it is way more expensive than the other frozen raw proteins. It costs about 50% more than the other proteins, and has only about 66% as many calories...so I would need to feed more food on top of the increased cost. I'm still considering it...just not sure I can afford it right now.

 

[Cbrugs]

When Jax was allergy tested, his was an intradermal skin test and did not include foods either but he is allergic to everything green outside plus dust mites as well. He started on the allergy shots plus Apoquel. Allergy shots DO weaken the immune system and I can't really say they made a difference. The Apoquel did help and at the time that was the best option as I couldn't leave him to suffer with nothing. He gets the Cytopoint injection now and that has worked amazingly and we can go over 2 months between injections. We do not give the allergy shots anymore.

 

[2BullyMama]

I was going to try the Primal Duck, but it is way more expensive than the other frozen raw proteins. It costs about 50% more than the other proteins, and has only about 66% as many calories...so I would need to feed more food on top of the increased cost. I'm still considering it...just not sure I can afford it right now.

Duck has a higher fat content so you might feed less... you want at least three proteins eventually to alternate with. I use duck, tuna and beef or rabbit

 

[pcchenard]

Duck has a higher fat content so you might feed less... you want at least three proteins eventually to alternate with. I use duck, tuna and beef or rabbit

I was strictly comparing calorie count.

Beef - Calories: 64 per oz.: https://primalpetfoods.com/products/raw-frozen-canine-beef-formula#variant=35868838418
Duck - Calories: 48 per oz.: https://primalpetfoods.com/products/raw-frozen-canine-duck-formula#variant=36371474194

I would be happy to find one protein that works. I realize you want to alternate to prevent an allergy from developing, but at this point if I find something that works I will be very happy.

 

[Cbrugs]

I was strictly comparing calorie count.

Beef - Calories: 64 per oz.: https://primalpetfoods.com/products/raw-frozen-canine-beef-formula#variant=35868838418
Duck - Calories: 48 per oz.: https://primalpetfoods.com/products/raw-frozen-canine-duck-formula#variant=36371474194

I would be happy to find one protein that works. I realize you want to alternate to prevent an allergy from developing, but at this point if I find something that works I will be very happy.

Rotating proteins on a raw diet is more than preventing an allergy. Each protein has a different nutritional value so rotating will ensure a nutrient balance.

 

[pcchenard]

When Jax was allergy tested, his was an intradermal skin test and did not include foods either but he is allergic to everything green outside plus dust mites as well. He started on the allergy shots plus Apoquel. Allergy shots DO weaken the immune system and I can't really say they made a difference. The Apoquel did help and at the time that was the best option as I couldn't leave him to suffer with nothing. He gets the Cytopoint injection now and that has worked amazingly and we can go over 2 months between injections. We do not give the allergy shots anymore.

Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately the Cytopoint shots did nothing for Lola. I’m hesitant to start the allergy shots because of cost and I keep hearing that in a lot of cases they don’t work. Plus it can be more than a year before they start working. Also unfortunately the Apoquel is no longer working very well. I’m also pretty positive that the Apoquel is what caused the mast cell tumor that she developed several months after starting the medication, so I want to get her off of it if at all possible. So far it isn’t looking very good.


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[pcchenard]

I started Lola on Primal frozen raw duck yesterday. Hopefully we will see some improvement in a month or two. [emoji1696]


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[helsonwheels]

I started Lola on Primal frozen raw duck yesterday. Hopefully we will see some improvement in a month or two. [emoji1696]
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It’s going to be less than 2 months for sure.

 

[pcchenard]

It’s going to be less than 2 months for sure.

I sure hope so.


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[helsonwheels]

I sure hope so.
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On kibbles I always said you got to give it a month. On raw you’ll probably see something in about a good two weeks to a month.

 

[2BullyMama]

I started Lola on Primal frozen raw duck yesterday. Hopefully we will see some improvement in a month or two. [emoji1696]


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Great... as Helene stated, give it at least a month. I’ll have to go check my thread for when I switch Lambeau, but I do think we started seeing improvements in about a month

 

[pcchenard]

I was looking back through Lola's vet file. Shortly after her first Rabies vaccination is when she started having the skin allergy issues. In February, 2018 she had the 3 year Rabies vaccination booster. A month or so after that she got her first ear infection (both ears). Then in June 2018 she had her anal glad infection, impaction, and rupture, and shortly after that her feet and belly started to get infected...and it has been a nightmare ever sense. Is it a coincidence that her issues appeared shortly after both of the Rabies vaccinations? I'm really beginning to think it is no coincidence at all. But if that really is what is causing her issues what is one to do when the laws require you to give them the vaccination every 3 years?

 

[2BullyMama]

I was looking back through Lola's vet file. Shortly after her first Rabies vaccination is when she started having the skin allergy issues. In February, 2018 she had the 3 year Rabies vaccination booster. A month or so after that she got her first ear infection (both ears). Then in June 2018 she had her anal glad infection, impaction, and rupture, and shortly after that her feet and belly started to get infected...and it has been a nightmare ever sense. Is it a coincidence that her issues appeared shortly after both of the Rabies vaccinations? I'm really beginning to think it is no coincidence at all. But if that really is what is causing her issues what is one to do when the laws require you to give them the vaccination every 3 years?

If this holds to be true... you can work with your vet to get a waiver, I'm not sure how they work or how the process is set up, but i do know you can get a waiver due to allergic reactions. There was a member here years ago that had to get one because both times his boy received a rabies shot he broke out in severe hives and skin sores