Pink, Itchy Pup

[Guest GreytBengalMom]

I posted a while ago asking for help with getting Eddie's tummy troubles under control. I have since then switched him from Nature's Domain to Iams in the green bag. I began transitioning him over last weekend, and for the past 2 days he has been on only Iams (no more Nature's Domain mixed in). His poops are finally perfect! However, over the last couple of days, we've noticed Eddie has been flakey. Last night I began adding Salmon oil to his food, hoping that would cure it. Today, Eddie's belly and paws are looking pink. His belly is VERY dry and flakey. I'm wondering if it's the Iams.

 

Should I keep with the Iams to see if it subsides? I'm so happy that he no longer has the big D that I would hate to change his food. However, obviously I don't want to see him pink and itchy.

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions/comments!

[tbhounds]

Sounds like he does have an intolerance to the food. I hate to say it but, if nothing else has changed (no other treats etc) you may have to find another food.

[Batmom]

First stop the salmon oil and see how he does over the next couple days. If he gets worse after @ day 3, then I'd switch foods. If the pinkness goes away (or starts to fade) and you just see some flakiness, you can try a different type of oil rather than switching foods. (I suggest this because I had a dog who was allergic to fish and fish oil; I found out by accident, fortunately before I'd spent more than a few hundred $$$ on looking for a different cause.)

 

If it seems to be the food: You might want to make a line-by-line comparison of what you were feeding and what you are feeding, and see what is new in the new food. That might help you choose a different one.

[a_daerr]

Ah! What bad news. Usually swelling and redness of the paws or base of tail/bum indicate a food allergy. As the others suggested, I would try taking out the fish oil and all treats for a few days. If that doesn't work, then you might need to change foods. Since his poops are finally good, I would stick with the Iams but try a different protein source. If he's intolerant to chicken, you could always try the lamb (red bag) or fish (light blue bag). There is a possibility that there is an ingredient in all Iams food that he's allergic too (that was the case with my Henry and TOTW). But if you have to switch to a new brand, Purina Pro Plan (pink label) is another one that's good for greys with diarrhea issues.

[cleptogrey]

tree pollen has been counted in staten island, ny!!!! this is the earliest season yet

to me it sounds like an either or situation. i would also cut out the kibble. change to rice and boiled beef(1 to 3 ratio) and wait a while until i started a new food. what's the food source in the nature's domain? there are 2 varieties. what ever he had in that wasn't agreeable(loose poops) and now exactly what food source is the iams??? from what i read, in checking out bags i thought the lamb and rice also had chicken in it. no???

just looked up iams red bag

Lamb Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Grits, Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Monosodium Phosphate, Caramel, Choline Chloride, Fructooligosaccharides, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Citric Acid, Rosemary Extract.

 

this is why i didn't pick up a sack when i searched for a new food for felix. he too gets farty and itchy from chicken. holistic select has some non- chicken based foods- their duck is pretty good for sensitive tummies and allergies( just couldn't afford it anymore). i've transitioned over to blue seal lamb and rice kibble- excellent results, great price.

Edited February 19, 2013 by cleptogrey

[a_daerr]

from what i read, in checking out bags i thought the lamb and rice also had chicken in it. no???

just looked up iams red bag

 

Yep, you're right. Lamb and Rice (red bag) does have chicken by product. But the Iams Sensitive Naturals Ocean Fish has probiotics and beet pulp (the magical poop firmer), but no chicken or chicken by-products. That might be a better solution if chicken is the culprit.

[cleptogrey]

if your dog tolerates the fish you'll love the results- glossy beautiful coats. but beware- those fish farts will clear a room! i checked out the other iams sensitive foods- lamb and rice has chicken...grrrr

 

canadie foods makes a beef based kibble, nutro went down hill but it makes a simple formular of lamb and rice and a venison recipe as well. praire natural has an excellent veniso/sweet potato kibble which i used to serve....until the price soared. but we had greyt results w/ that. they also make a beef based kibble.

[a_daerr]

if your dog tolerates the fish you'll love the results- glossy beautiful coats. but beware- those fish farts will clear a room! i checked out the other iams sensitive foods- lamb and rice has chicken...grrrr

 

canadie foods makes a beef based kibble, nutro went down hill but it makes a simple formular of lamb and rice and a venison recipe as well. praire natural has an excellent veniso/sweet potato kibble which i used to serve....until the price soared. but we had greyt results w/ that. they also make a beef based kibble.

 

It's a crapshoot (no pun intended) finding a food that works well for your dog.

[GeorgeofNE]

I would listen to Batmom. There is no reason to believe it's the food versus the oil that caused the itch.

 

Stop the oil and see if the itching stops. It'd sure rather have flakes than loose stool!

[Guest GreytBengalMom]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

 

For now, I have stopped the fish oil (as of breakdast today) and stuck with the Iams. I'll give it another day or two to see if it gets better. I agree, that flakes are better than loose poop, but poor Eddie is terribly itchy. I feel really bad that the poor guy turned pink and is licking/scratching now. This happened also when I was trying to give him yogurt, but once I stopped the yogurt his color returned to normal and the flakes went away. So, I should know in another day or so if the fish oil was the culprit.

 

The Nature's Domain was turkey, and also grain free. So if it's not the fish oil, it could be chicken or grains. :-\

[a_daerr]

So if it's not the fish oil, it could be chicken or grains. :-\

 

I don't think they generally get grain-free food at the track. Last time I was at Wheeling, they were feeding 4Health Performance which is 30% protein, 20% fat, and has grains. Unless Eddie's had a history of food allergies, I doubt it's the grain. I'd be more inclined to believe it's the chicken, fish oil, or something totally random that's halfway down the ingredient list. Do you know what he was eating in his foster home or at the kennel/track?