Food Allergies?

[WalterWallerson]

I've had Walter for about a year and a half now. He was fostered in a prison, and the prisoner noted several times that Walter LOVES having his chin scratched and it always seems to be itchy.

He came to me on Purina Pro Plan and I changed him to Orijen (http://www.orijen.ca/) because I wanted him to be on a better quality dog food. After a few months on Orijen, a bout with worms and way too many mushy poos, I switched him to Acana (http://www.acana.com/products) which had less protein, so I thought his poos would get better. They did(not perfect but definitely better). For about the past year he has been on the Classic and Regional varieties of Acana. He is rubbing part of his lip fuzz off, he rubs his nose so hard that he gives himself rug burn and I muzzle him when I leave for work because I don't want his scratching/rubbing while I'm gone.

 

Now I have him on Acana Singles, which is a single source protein food.

 

I want him to be on a good, quality food, but I don't want him to constantly be so itchy. I'm not sure what else to do.

[DesiRayMom]

Are you positive it's a food allergy? Maybe an environmental element of some sort?

[WalterWallerson]

I'm not positive, but the research I've done points toward a food allergy since he is only itchy on his face/nose/lips. I vaccuum weekly, I wash his bedding in detergent that is free & clear of dyes and perfumes. I mean, he could be allergic to NJ I guess?

[4My2Greys]

If it is environmental allergies off brand Zyrtec has proven to be most beneficial for Beanie's itchiness. Beanie's feet were affected to the point she was licking them raw and was having trouble walking. Since I started her on the Zyrtec, which was recommended over benadryl for seasonal allergies in a thread in H&M she has stopped the constant licking of her chest and feet which has enabled them to heal.

It might be worth it to give it a try top see if it helps.

[GeorgeofNE]

What kind of dish is he eating out of? And honestly? It could be the muzzle irritating his face if you think about it.

 

A dog, like a person, can be allergic to ANYTHING. The carpet in your house. The "free and clear" detergent you use. Pollen. Grass.

 

But if it's ONLY his face that itches, to me that suggests it's something that's touching him--like the muzzle. Or a plastic dish he eats or drinks out of.

 

It would be worth a trip to a doggy dermatologist to find out what they think before you go nuts changing foods.

 

And I agree with Judy--try an antihistamine and see if it helps.

[tbhounds]

Here's something you may want to consider to help rule out food allergies vs environmental.

 

http://nutriscan.org/home.html

[cleptogrey]

is he better in airconditioning???? if it's environmental- ac does the trick. right now it's ragweed and mold season.....a killer for both people and canines. so, note changes when he's in a "clean"(pollen free) environment, food wise you can always change him to plain old white rice and start adding one ingredient at a time, but w/ the wind/weather/seasons i would bet it's something natural...like nj(ha-ha)....have you spoken to your vet about benadryl or zyrtec??? start simple....and wait for the first frost!

 

it's pretty clean(ha)in prison...right? no rugs, drapery, grasses in the yard to collect pollen right?

[RedHead]

It sounds like this is something he has always had, even though he has been on several foods and in different environments. I am not positive, but I would think if he had this as a severe food allergy for years it would start to show up in other places as well (?) Could it be something he sticks his nose into? Has he ever been checked for any sorts of bacterial infections that just haven't healed properly because of the constant rubbing? I knew a dog that got an infection like this from the constant rubbing of the muzzle on the skin. He kept rubbing and it made it worse and didn't allow it to heal. There is no harm in trying an allergy med to see if you notice improvement, or you could try a very simple homemade elimination diet for a few weeks. If you notice a difference from that at least you can better pinpoint what the problem is, and whether it is an allergy vs. some other sort of skin problem.

[WalterWallerson]

He eats out of stainless steel. I randomly leave his muzzle on when I am at work (about 7 hours) some days I leave it on, some days I don't. I've noticed the itchy-ness regardless, and it seems like he is the most itchy when he's had his muzzle on all day. It is as if he can't get the right spot until the muzzle comes off.

 

To be honest, I've never noticed if he is better in the a/c or not. I'm wondering if maybe he is allergic to pollen/ragweed since he was originally a Southern dog(he raced in Alabama/Florida, etc) before we was relocated to NJ with me. I would imagine that prison is cleaner since it is all concrete and no drapes... When I first brought him home I joked that I had to be careful around him because he might shank me.

[Guest Trentsmom]

my dog has a similary itchy chin issue. for her, it's a seasonal allergy and after a few vet visits we've determined that benedryl works and if it gets really bad she goes in to the vet for a shot (I can't remember exactly what they give her, but know it's a steroid and can't be given too often). The vet also told me to use the stainless steel dish since it won't hold the germs as much plastic and keep the chin dry and free of food gunk. One last thought, an iritated rash can turn to a fungal infection, which needs different treatment.

[Burpdog]

After messing around with Isaac and his allergies for 2 years, I did the allergy tests. I can honestly say it was worth it and if I ever suspect allergies again, I'll do the test asap. You can guess all you want, but that doesn't help the situation.

 

I guessed he should not have chicken and fed him turkey. He is allergic to turkey and not chicken.

 

I never imagined he was allergic to lamb and peas.

 

Isaac also has outside allergies (which he did not have in Florida where he was on sand/dirt). Since elminating his food allergies, the rest have been managable.

[greyhoundgang]

Greyhound Gang has lots of information about allergies, both environmental and food.

 

I've successfully used Azmira holistic products:

- Yucca Intensive for acute inflammation

- AllerG-Free - capsules

- Daily Vitamins

- Grizzly Salmon Oil

 

Hope something here helps.

[Guest RMarie]

Not to hijack your post...but after our boy finishes eating, he comes into the living room and starts rubbing his muzzle all over anything...the couch, the curtains, furniture...whatever. Is this an allergy or just his "after dinner cigarette," so to speak?

 

@WalterWallerson...we, too, are dealing with mushy poops. We've only had our boy for about a month (so I know, he's still getting used to our house), and he's been off and on antibiotics for skin infections. Due to diarrhea, the vet prescribed a diet of chicken/rice/low residue vet food. After a couple of weeks of mushy poops, the vet suggested transitioning to kibble to get more nutrients. We transitioned him to a 2-to-1 ratio of Nature's Domain Salmon and Sweet Potato and the low-residue vet food (just to finish it off). We've seen no improvements in the quality of his poops, but definitely the quantity. He eats more than 6 cups a food/day. Before the transition, he was only pooping twice/day. After the transition, he poops 5 times/day, all mushy. Treats that aren't kibble are extremely limited. We're awaiting the results of a test for giardia (he already tested negative for worms). If the giardia test comes back normal, we'll be looking for new food. Like you, we want to feed him good, quality food, but so many people on here swear by the green bag of Iams. We can get that at Costco, so that might be our next option.

 

The good news, he gained back 3 lbs of the 9 lbs he lost after retiring. Even with all that pooping, he's somehow holding on to enough calories to gain weight. Now, if we can get his poops and skin under control.