Is My Itchy Dog Detoxing On New Raw Diet, Or Is He Still Allergic?

[Podengo]

Go to a dermatologist, or find a regular vet clinic that can offer allergy testing such as Spectrum allergy testing.

[Rascalmyshadow]

Hi have just seen this post, we had similar problems with our last foster dog, I would suggest getting allergy testing done ASAP, once a positive reaction is found they can then make up specific injections to desensitise your dog.

Our foster boy turned out to be allergic to dust mites, dropped mosquito wings, his own yeast and fleas.

I would also suggest weekly baths, dogs with allergies do better being washed often, try using PAW Nutriderm shampoo and conditioner.

My oldest dog only has allergies to fleas, one bite and he goes mad scratching and chewing until he gets a couple of days of cortisone.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Rascalmyshadow

[The Spotted Devil]

I put one of my cats on a Z/D diet.

Allergies can often be multi factorial and you need to tackle each aspect as they "feed" off each other.

So - fleas always being the first port of call, I treated for that. Some animals only need one bite to start the scratching cycle.

Then - make them feel better - break the cycle - meds are great for this and discussed it extensively with my vet before making a decision. Lilly ended up having an anti-inflammatory with a side effect of reduced anxiety. Mainly because I suspected the latter was a problem.

So after 3 months of pure Z/D we started introducing what were then novel proteins. Chicken was fine. Regular dry food (Artemis) was fine. Beef made her throw up and itch and pluck like crazy. As did lamb and turkey.

Quite likely her anxiety made her reaction to foods and fleas more dramatic. But she's a very happy little camper now I'm pleased to say :)

[Dave-o]

Food allergies are rare.

Ask your Vet for a referral to a Dermatologist so you can get some answers.

They're not that rare. If I had a dollar for every email I've had about an itchy dog which has turned out to be diet related...

Canidae are excellent for resolving this kind of thing, which is shown here - definite improvement on the Canidae. Another brand which seems to work well for food allergies is Meals for Mutts, but usually grain free foods show an improvement. It could also be something like chicken or lamb which would be the reason a bison recipe would work.

[Erny]

I like to start with blood tests - work from the inside out.

A general blood work-up but also a specific test for Thyroiditis. This last, I prefer to have the bloods (which are spun down to serum) drawn and I send them over to Dr Jean Dodds (USA) ..... I trust her length and breadth of testing far more than I do any others, especially here, where it doesn't pick up thyroid issues until the condition is somewhat degenerated.

If you do this, having Dr Jean Dodds also conduct a saliva test for protein/food sensitivities could also prove a helpful guide.

Itching signals inflammation/heat, so looking for foods which help cool the system is another (not independent) angle. There are a variety of veggies that go towards cooling the system that you can add to your dog's food. Shredded lettuce is one of many. I don't know them for their specific cooling qualities as such, so a google search might help you. Just make sure the veggie is also ok for dogs to eat.

If you can get to a Vet who works with chinese herbal remedies as well as conventional - this might afford you some valuable help.

Also look up the thread here for Calendula Tea rinse use.

[giraffez]

According to this podcast https://www.spreaker.com/user/vettalkradio/vettalk-radio-sat-13th-february-2016?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=widget, kangaroo is one of the meats that is prone to allergies.

From reading on the internet, fish seems to be the best protein for itchy dogs. I've also added flax seed oil to my dog's diet, I'm not sure whether it has helped but coats certainly improved.

I've also tried Calendula Tea rinse, works temporarily for my dogs but they start itching again.

My vet suggested giving him antihistamine, works on one dog but not as effective on the other. My older dog used to scratch like hell and lick his paws, as he grew older, he seems to have gotten better. I'm not sure whether his immune system has developed over time or whether its the diet I put him on (taste of the wild salmon kibble), i actually think its more the former because he was still itching for a while after I switched him only the salmon kibble.

Edited March 1, 2016 by giraffez

[Boronia]

When he has his bath it helps to rinse him with a mixture of apple cider vinegar...(the Cornwell's brand will do) and warm water, I use about 1/2 cup of vinegar to about 2L of water, I just leave it on, don't rinse off

Dip his feet into a cup of this mixture and swish them around, this will kill the yeast, he will probably lick his feet afterwards but this is good as it'll get some ACV into his system, if you use the non-pasteurised for the foot-wash it would be better as it is more beneficial.

a dog's skin pH is more neutral than a human. The pH of dog's skin is about 7.5 where a human skin is about 5.5 on the standard pH scale from 0 to 14. (The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is).

The dog shampoo and conditioner are fairly alkaline so the vinegar rinse can help 'up' the acid part of the pH and help kill off the yeast bugs

Edited March 1, 2016 by Boronia