Best Dog Food For Alergies

[jlj781]

We have had buff on Acana Pacifica since we got her because thats what she was getting at the breeder, buffs had lots of allergy issues and even though the Tests that we have done come back showing that she is not overly allergic to anything that was tested for, the vet wanted to try several different foods, both Royal Canin Brands (a vet formula and a skin care one i believe) . After going several weeks with each of the new types of food buff didnt really seem to change at all, so we are in the middle of transitioning her back to the Acana Pacifica, but i was wondering if there was somthing i was missing, maybe an ingredient that is in all 3 of those that lots of bulldogs are allergic too or something. i was also wondering what a good option for a high quality food would be for a dog with alot of allergy issues. Its frustrating having buff itch so much and not being able to find out what is causing it. any help would be appreciated thanks.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, I understand your frustration, as I also have a female named Blossom, and she has allergies to chicken, salmon, grains and corn. A lot of bullies are allergic or sensitive to chicken, grains and other fillers. Check the labels on the foods you've tried, and see if chicken is a common demoninater. We changed our guys food 4 times before we found a food that they could both tolerate. Many people on this forum feed their bullies Fromm's, it is rated a 6 star food on the dog food ratings on the home forum, it is a grain free formula, and they have 5 flavours, which are all interchangeable with each other. We chose the Fromm's Beef Frittata, because of Blossoms allergies to chicken and salmon. They have been on this food for 18 months and are both doing really well on it. You can also add natural supplements to Buffs kibble, like plain unsweetened yogurt on her morning kibble, this is a very good source of probiotics which boosts the immune system, and is also good for digestion. We also add apple cider vinegar to thier drinking water, there are many benefits to ACV, such as its a natural anti inflammatory, it kills the bad bacteria in the body, so again boost the immune system which helps with allergies, and it also balances the Ph levels of the blood. You can also add a source of Omegas to the evening kibble, such as salmon oil, cod liver oil, or, coconut oil. These are excellent for the brain, skin and coat. It's really trial and error to find a food that they tolerate. Good luck, I hope you find something that is nutritious, high quality, and that Buff tolerates.

 

[4flowers]

I like Natures Logic and Fromm Grain Free. Natures Logic is harder to find where I live, but it's a good one if you can get it. Fromm is easier to find. Things that make Meatball itch? Chicken and Salmon do not do well with Meatball! Give him either of those proteins and he's toast.

 

[RiiSi]

Home cooked or raw. That's the only way you really know what your bully is eating and can limit the ingredients the way needed.

 

[4flowers]

I forgot, although my vet doesn't agree with me, I swear whenever I try to give meatball treats with pumpkin or sweet potato, he sneezes, has the runs, his eyes start running with tears. I keep trying because the vet says he's fine with it but I tell you once I stop those treats his eyes clear up, he stops itching and his poo firms up.

 

[nycbullymama]

We have had buff on Acana Pacifica since we got her because thats what she was getting at the breeder, buffs had lots of allergy issues and even though the Tests that we have done come back showing that she is not overly allergic to anything that was tested for, the vet wanted to try several different foods, both Royal Canin Brands (a vet formula and a skin care one i believe) . After going several weeks with each of the new types of food buff didnt really seem to change at all, so we are in the middle of transitioning her back to the Acana Pacifica, but i was wondering if there was somthing i was missing, maybe an ingredient that is in all 3 of those that lots of bulldogs are allergic too or something. i was also wondering what a good option for a high quality food would be for a dog with alot of allergy issues. Its frustrating having buff itch so much and not being able to find out what is causing it. any help would be appreciated thanks.

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I've been trying to figure it out for over a year now.

Thing is, you said you would try each new food for "several weeks". Ideally you should be giving each new food about a month to see if there's a difference. I mean it takes at least a week just to slowly transfer from old to new, so not
sure you're giving the new food enough of a chance.

Also, to keep it simple- make sure it's grain and chicken free as those seem to be common allergies.

Pick a food that has a line with interchangeable proteins such as Fromm 4 Star grain free.
So for instance, if you start her out on Fromms 4 star grain free Pork and Peas, and at the end of 30 days don't see a difference, you can immediately switch her to Fromm 4 star grain free Salmon Tunalini without any transition.

 

[jlj781]

Thanks for the info everyone. As for when we tryed out the other foods we transitioned slowly into them and then went for between 2 or 3 weeks of straight new brand and then usually the smaller sized bag we bought would be starting to get low and we wouldn't see any results so we would use the remaining amount to transition back. and i have just recently started the Yogurt in the morning so we will see if that helps and we will probably start some sort of oil on her meals at night. I think we will look into Fromms, seems like a good food to try and easy to try several different kinds of it without too much trouble that might make it easier to rule something out. We are also going to try a different vet to get a new view on her and see if we can get something figured out. She has been on too many drugs for too long and they dont seem to be doing much. Also i was wondering if a vitamin supplement like NuVet would help any of this or if we should be trying to figure out if its a food allergy before trying somthing like that. Thanks again for all the help, we were running out of ideas and options.

 

[jlj781]

Also [MENTION=6311]Vikinggirl[/MENTION] wondering on the amounts of Apple Cider Vinegar to put with the water and amount of coconut oil on food?

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Buffs Mommy. We give 1 to 2 Tbsp. of plain unsweetened yogurt on the morning kibble everyday, I add 1 Tbsp. of ACV to the drinking water, or you can also add it to the food. Some dogs will turn their noses up at the smell, but if you start it at a young age they get used to it and don't mind it. I also mix ACV with warm water and rinse their bodies after their bath. It keeps the skin and fur nice and soft, and keeps them smelling nicer longer in between their baths. For the coconut oil, or salmon oil, or other Omega source you may use, a Tbsp. added to the evening kibble is good.

 

[nycbullymama]

Also @Vikinggirl wondering on the amounts of Apple Cider Vinegar to put with the water and amount of coconut oil on food?

I really wouldn't give her anything other than food when you're trying to figure out the allergy. You don't want to complicate it with coconut or salmon oils right now. Just keep it simple. Otherwise, it becomes very difficult to determine what the cause is.

 

[BodiesMom]

Thanks for the info everyone. As for when we tryed out the other foods we transitioned slowly into them and then went for between 2 or 3 weeks of straight new brand and then usually the smaller sized bag we bought would be starting to get low and we wouldn't see any results so we would use the remaining amount to transition back. and i have just recently started the Yogurt in the morning so we will see if that helps and we will probably start some sort of oil on her meals at night. I think we will look into Fromms, seems like a good food to try and easy to try several different kinds of it without too much trouble that might make it easier to rule something out. We are also going to try a different vet to get a new view on her and see if we can get something figured out. She has been on too many drugs for too long and they dont seem to be doing much. Also i was wondering if a vitamin supplement like NuVet would help any of this or if we should be trying to figure out if its a food allergy before trying somthing like that. Thanks again for all the help, we were running out of ideas and options.

View attachment 68568

Was your vet the one who suggested trying the different foods for only 3-4 weeks? Normally when doing a food trial for allergy purposes, its a minimum of 12 weeks! This also includes NO treats, NO flavored toys/bones, NOTHING except for the food. And usually the food you do the trial with contains a protein that your dog has never had before. Do u know if that was the case with your last trials?
I've been dealing with allergy issues with Bodie for the last 3 years. And still haven't found the 100% right concoction that works for him. Where I live, Fromm's isn't a readily available option, we've recently started Bodie on Merrick Duck. Merrick is grain free, no fillers, no by-products, and no gluten. It's being seen more and more that a lot of canine allergies are to gluten.
Hopefully you can figure out what will work for your baby sooner rather than later! Good Luck and keep us all posted!!


BullyLove!!!