Can anyone help with a dog with a possible food allergy?

[TwoCrows]

I totally agree with @Folly's place try the grain free varieties, most dogs have horrible sensitivities to grain, corn especially.

 

[Weeg]

The whole ingredient list matters, in your original food, scraps, and the new diet. ALL the meats and grains will matter, unless you want to spend three months at a time testing different ingredients, which could take years.
Also, some individuals who can't eat chicken also can't eat turkey, and beef and bison are too similar too.
And look up the list of 'grain free' diets that have been implicated in heart failure in some dogs, before deciding to use one of them.
It will take you some time to sort all this out, there's no one fix that fits all.
Home made will be way more expensive than store bought, and you don't have a tiny dog to feed!
Mary

Heart failure? Most of the hypoallergenic foods are grain free. I will get eh salmon one form chewy since turkey is very similar. Thanks for all the help

 

[NatJ]

He eats Iams dog food from Costco, and has had these symptoms for 3ish months?

Was he on the same food before the symptoms started?
If he was ever on a different food, do you remember when and for how long?

For example, if he was doing fine on a different food last year--it would make sense to switch back to whatever food that was.

But if he's been eating the same food for several years, and the symptoms just now showed up, then there is no obvious food to switch back to.

 

[Weeg]

I totally agree with @Folly's place try the grain free varieties, most dogs have horrible sensitivities to grain, corn especially.

The food I am feeding is whole grain so that could certainly be a issue. I will mix the foods in so he has time to get used to it. Once I have him fully on the hypoallergenic I will put him on feed lock down, nothing but that food! Thanks again, Avery

 

[Weeg]

Was he on the same food before the symptoms started?
If he was ever on a different food, do you remember when and for how long?

For example, if he was doing fine on a different food last year--it would make sense to switch back to whatever food that was.

But if he's been eating the same food for several years, and the symptoms just now showed up, then there is no obvious food to switch back to.

He has been on this same food his whole life other then a puppy food he probably ate when he was vey young 3 years ago. So there is bo obvious food to switch back to, this is a good point though.

 

[clickchicks]

Heart failure? Most of the hypoallergenic foods are grain free. I will get eh salmon one form chewy since turkey is very similar. Thanks for all the help

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterina...rtain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterina...rtain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

Take it with a grain of salt. No definitive link has been made thus far and as far as I'm concerned, that fact that Goldens were represented almost twice as much as most other breeds is telling.

Plus several of the breeds are known to struggle with DCM as a breed, regardless of diet. Its almost laughable to sit around wondering how Acana and Taste of the Wild is killing Dobermans (for example) rather than, perhaps, a bit of introspection about the quality of dogs we are breeding.

 

[LaFleche]

The first thing to do would be having his thyroid levels checked as an imbalance will cause food allergies, susceptibility to ear infections, skin inflammations, hair loss etc. among other things.

 

[NatJ]

He has been on this same food his whole life other then a puppy food he probably ate when he was vey young 3 years ago. So there is bo obvious food to switch back to, this is a good point though.

Then I would first take a good hard look at all treats and snacks he gets.

Yes, of course a dog can have a reaction to a food he's been eating for years.
But I would still think a new thing is more likely, which is why I would check them first.

I will mix the foods in so he has time to get used to it. Once I have him fully on the hypoallergenic I will put him on feed lock down, nothing but that food!

You could start that lockdown now--nothing but his current food, then mixed with the new food, then nothing but the new food.

If you remove all other foods now, and if the symptoms start to improve, you will have a good idea that it's something in the other treats/snacks instead of the main food. And if the problem is the main food, then cutting out the other things sooner will help you be sure sooner.

 

[FloorCandy]

I feed my dogs a food made by Verus. I’ve had dogs with food sensitivities in the past, it’s very common with bulldogs. Verus is pricey, but it’s wonderful. I use the menhaden fish and potato version. With my previous bulldog, who has passed (old age) as well as my shar pei, who has also passed (liver disease she had from birth) the food made a huge difference. The tear stains and red raw feet went away. My shar pei had much less swelling, and took fewer meds. There used to be an independent site that rates dog foods, maybe something like dogfoodanalysis or something. Turns out the brands people believed were premium, like Iams and eukanuba are just garbage ingredients. I believe the diamond pet foods, including kirklands brand (costco) are pretty highly rated, maybe 5 stars. I chose Verus because it’s 6 stars, and the owner of the company really supports local small business. He only lets stores sell it in person (may be different with covid) and not online or thru amazon. I’ve had wonderful success with it, and I tried so many brands, and raw.

With this limp, did your vet check for Lyme disease or a reaction to the Lyme vaccine? My old bulldog had developed a limp at only 3 from Lyme, and idk if it was out of habit or what, but he had it his whole life even after he was well and it never progressed or caused him issues.

 

[Weeg]

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterina...rtain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterina...rtain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

Take it with a grain of salt. No definitive link has been made thus far and as far as I'm concerned, that fact that Goldens were represented almost twice as much as most other breeds is telling.

Plus several of the breeds are known to struggle with DCM as a breed, regardless of diet. Its almost laughable to sit around wondering how Acana and Taste of the Wild is killing Dobermans (for example) rather than, perhaps, a bit of introspection about the quality of dogs we are breeding.

Wow, that was interesting. So now I guess my question is, should I worry about feeding him the grain free Blue Buffalo, food and it leading to DMC? Thanks, am I over reacting?