[Leanie]

I have a 2 and half year old female, Shih Tzu. We got her when she was 8 weeks old. Soon afterwards, she became very sick with vomiting and diarrhea. We finally found a vet who would listen to us after 3 others said she was too young to have allergies that bad. Our vet did an allergy test and Ginger is allergic to everything, from cats to fleas to grass and mold. She gets an allergy injection once every 3 weeks, and I give her anti-allergy pills to help her also but she still scratches and gets red bumps on her plus the ocassional ear problems. I am thinking of switching her food cause I think there might be something in it she's allergic to also. I thought her allergies might be seasonal but she does this year round. The vet put her on Hill's Science Diet Z/D. She throws up yellow bile from time to time. And since she's been on it she eats her feces. We've tried everything to get her to stop that. Is there any good dogfoods that will help her more than Hill's? I know vets gets kickbacks from selling SD. And the ingredients in Z/D have chicken livers, which I have been told is bad for allergy-suffering dogs.

[anneh]

May seem radical to you but I would purchase some raw ground rabbit or venison or goat(ground with the bones) and feed small amount of that along with some canned (plain) pumpkin (the pumpkin will settle the tummy). Also give some probiotics (acidophilus) and steer clear (for now) of any grains, just stick to meat and veggies. Make sure treats are something like Sams Yams made from sweet potatoes. Try this for a couple of months. Also add small amount of an opened capsule of Ester C and Vitamin B complex plus a splash of salmon oil daily. Good info (they are not selling anything) at dogaware.com or join the K9Nutrion list at yahoo for great info and support
anneh

vomiting and diarrhea. We finally found a vet who would listen to us after 3 others said she was too young to have allergies that bad. Our vet did an allergy test and Ginger is allergic to everything, from cats to fleas to grass and mold. She gets an allergy injection once every 3 weeks, and I give her anti-allergy pills to help her also but she still scratches and gets red bumps on her plus the ocassional ear problems. I am thinking of switching her food cause I think there might be something in it she's allergic to also. I thought her allergies might be seasonal but she does this year round. The vet put her on Hill's Science Diet Z/D. She throws up yellow bile from time to time. And since she's been on it she eats her feces. We've tried everything to get her to stop that. Is there any good dogfoods that will help her more than Hill's? I know vets gets kickbacks from selling SD. And the ingredients in Z/D have chicken livers, which I have been told is bad for allergy-suffering dogs.

[onyxdaily]

I'm not a dogfood expert by any means, but I don't think Science Diet is high quality food. There are many threads here on the dog food forum with links on dog food and how to find a quality dog food. It also sounds like your dog might benefit from seeing a vet that specializes in allergies?

[Leanie]

I don't give her treats at all, unless it's a piece of a carrot or an apple which she loves. I've just now learned to stay away from chicken and grains and the bad thing nearly every dog food I've looked at has some kind of grain in it. I know when she plays, she gets tired fast after about 20 minutes and sleep. Her coat is very pretty though, and so soft. It's just little things I've being paying attention to lately. People have been telling me how bad Hill's is. I would be afraid to feed her raw meat....that's a little scary for me. Although, I live in a part of the US where everybody hunts...especially my family.

yeah I wish I could see a dermatologist vet but where I live there aren't any.

[FriendsOfZoe]

You want to look for a quality food with one meat and one carb. source only. Try to pick something a little bit weird, so that hopefully she hasn't had it before, like bison or venison with sweet potatoes. This is usually what I've heard recommended for allergies, as hopefully the dog hasn't been exposed to these yet and will tolerate them. Try something like Innova, Orijen, etc.

I'm with you about being squeamish feeding raw, and since I'm a vegetarian, I don't think I could handle it. But I will just add that I've heard others say that they've had dogs with such severe allergies that they can't tolerate anything BUT raw...If I'd tried all the other protein sources and still couldn't find anythign that worked, well then, for the sake of my dog, I think I would try raw.

You can also buy pre-prepared raw diets, in the form of frozen patties. They are very expensive, but that might make it easier if you're squeamish about feeding raw. It wouldn't be too bad for a shih tzu either, since you wouldn't have to feed as much as for a larger dog!

[Lightwingcreations]

Do you know exactly which foods she is allergic to? If you are aware of what she can and can't handle I would check out the dog food project site as well as the dog food analysis site to look at ingredient lists to figure out what food she might respond well to, not to mention a bunch of leg work. Links to the sites are below. Of course, you won't really know what she will respond to well until you try it.
You will more than likely have to find a super premium food that won't be cheap, but I've heard that z/d isn't cheap, and that's an awful food (everything in it is synthetic, I've heard). They've got some really good foods out now that do not contain the mainstream grains or grains period, which is great for your pooch. You might look into the Timberwolf or GO Natural food lines, I couldn't find GO Naturals in my area, but I would love it if they were.


http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ - dog food reviews


http://forums.dogfoodproject.com/pos...dogfood&page=1 - dog food ingredients lists

[DogDaze]

My dachshund was having ear problems and I read that too much grain can cause it, we switched about 2 months ago to Innova Evo, which has no grain and is hi protein lo carb. The ears are much better. Of course he still gets some carbs but not like with the other food. Any food you buy at the Vet - the Vet is selling the food because he makes money from it...

Innova can be found online, I believe. You can also go to a feed & grain store, which is where I buy it. And the feed & grain store would also have those raw medallions someone else mentioned.

[Leanie]

Originally Posted by Lightwingcreations

Do you know exactly which foods she is allergic to? If you are aware of what she can and can't handle I would check out the dog food project site as well as the dog food analysis site to look at ingredient lists to figure out what food she might respond well to, not to mention a bunch of leg work. Links to the sites are below. Of course, you won't really know what she will respond to well until you try it.
You will more than likely have to find a super premium food that won't be cheap, but I've heard that z/d isn't cheap, and that's an awful food (everything in it is synthetic, I've heard). They've got some really good foods out now that do not contain the mainstream grains or grains period, which is great for your pooch. You might look into the Timberwolf or GO Natural food lines, I couldn't find GO Naturals in my area, but I would love it if they were.


http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ - dog food reviews


http://forums.dogfoodproject.com/pos...dogfood&page=1 - dog food ingredients lists

No I'm not 100% sure what she could be allergic to in food but her allergy test that was done over a year ago she allergic pretty much everything, like pollens, trees, grass, mold, fleas, etc. Not sure about the foods though. She cannot eat Purina Puppy Chow as she was on that when we first got her and she would throw up and have diarrhea so bad, when we switched to the ZD diet she never did do that again. But she does throw up from time to time yellow bile and will go sometimes only eating only once a day and not pooping for a whole day. I figure with her being allergic to so many things outside she's more than likely allergic to all grains. Our problem is finding somewhere around here that sells good quality food. I'm just trying to figure out first what to feed her and I'm worried about the high-protein foods cause she only weighs 10 pounds, she's little. Thanks for all the help.

[Lightwingcreations]

Why are you concerned about a food being high protein?

[Leanie]

I've read alot about the high protein causing liver/kidney problems in small dogs, that's why I'm a little concerned about that. She's 10 pounds, pretty small. I would think for larger dogs the high protein wouldn't be a problem. Just my thoughts about it, I've been doing ALOT of reading the past couple of weeks on everything I can find. This is probably the only concern I have about the high-protein foods, other than that they sound pretty good to me.

[Lightwingcreations]

Look at this post
http://www.dogforums.com/5-dog-food-...otein-too.html (How much protein is too much for small breeds?)

Instead of typing it out all over again, go to post #5 and read. Some proteins are easier to digest than others (ie harder on the kidneys). Chicken and turkey are both pretty easy.

[TeddieXRuxpin]

In my opinion Hill's is bad news for any dog, breed, or size. I've only heard bad things about this brand and wouldn't even let it get near my dogs mouth.

I have Teddie on Solid Gold and when I got him he had bad skin and a bad coat. Well his coat is now shiny, fluffy and soft. His skin is also silky smooth and has not dandruff at all.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_f...t=1079&cat=all

This is an extremely low nutrient food relying on starch to hold it together and hydrolyzed chicken liver/chicken as the primary source of nutrition. Soybean oil provides a small amount of additional low quality protein. We note, however, that soy is one of the most common causes of food allergies in dogs and in this instance is preserved with a chemical (BHA) that is believed to be carcinogenic.

Powdered cellulose is filler - better known as sawdust. The food uses a further chemical preservative, ethoxyquin, which is banned from use in human food due to the belief that it is carcinogenic.

Overall, this is a very low quality product. It is a prescription food that is not intended for long term use and does not have a macronutrient content adequate for adult maintenance. For food allergies and intolerance, there are far superior mainstream products available - without the accompanying chemicals.

[Leanie]

Originally Posted by TeddieXRuxpin

In my opinion Hill's is bad news for any dog, breed, or size. I've only heard bad things about this brand and wouldn't even let it get near my dogs mouth.

I have Teddie on Solid Gold and when I got him he had bad skin and a bad coat. Well his coat is now shiny, fluffy and soft. His skin is also silky smooth and has not dandruff at all.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_f...t=1079&cat=all

This is an extremely low nutrient food relying on starch to hold it together and hydrolyzed chicken liver/chicken as the primary source of nutrition. Soybean oil provides a small amount of additional low quality protein. We note, however, that soy is one of the most common causes of food allergies in dogs and in this instance is preserved with a chemical (BHA) that is believed to be carcinogenic.

Powdered cellulose is filler - better known as sawdust. The food uses a further chemical preservative, ethoxyquin, which is banned from use in human food due to the belief that it is carcinogenic.

Overall, this is a very low quality product. It is a prescription food that is not intended for long term use and does not have a macronutrient content adequate for adult maintenance. For food allergies and intolerance, there are far superior mainstream products available - without the accompanying chemicals.

I know someone who has a Shih Tzu like me with the allergy problem and she said she feeds hers Solid Gold also. I also heard they are owned by Diamond Foods?

[gone2thedogs]

Solid Gold's dry food (kibble) is manufactured by Diamond. But Solid Gold is independently owned, afaik.

I agree with the previous advice to try a simple food with one protein and one carb, such as duck and potato, or sweet potato and fish. Also, this is just my own personal experience, but sometimes when you get a positive reading on all the allergens tested, it means you're getting false positives, not that the dog is really allergic to everything under the sun. So there is hope. Have you considered getting your dog re-tested?

[TeddieXRuxpin]

Originally Posted by Leanie

I know someone who has a Shih Tzu like me with the allergy problem and she said she feeds hers Solid Gold also. I also heard they are owned by Diamond Foods?

Teddie has some allergies. His body all together is doing better. I don't know if you've seen any threads or pictures of Teddie, but he was a stray. So when I got him his skin was bad and his coat was very short and discolored. He had been living on the street, but now that I've had him for four months and I've had him on Solid Gold for about a month and a half he's just gotten so much better.

Here is a before and after picture of my little Teddie monster.
Before-

After-


Something else you can try is giving her fish oil. You can buy them at a whole foods shop and just give her one capsule everyother day. That will also help her skin. Usually allergies tend to mess with the coat and skin and this can help.

[Leanie]

Ginger's coat has always been really nice, not shiny though but very soft. Sometimes I'll find dandruff tho. I've decided I'm going to try Canidae lamb and rice dry.. I'm going to order a small 5 pound bag first and try it and if it's pretty good for her than I'll get the bigger bag. I called the only petstore I could find that sells it and they charge $37 for a 40lb bag. The guy at the pet store said he recommends it all the time and it's really good. Is the lamb and rice the best way to go with allergies of the Canidae? I like that they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The pet store I found is a good drive, about 60 miles away but hey if she likes it I'll go and stock up...lol.

[LoveLilly]

Jumped in this thread a little late but have read all the feedback.
Canidae is a good food.
Lilly has all sorts of food allergies in addition to hating to eat and being off the charts finicky (if she has something more than a couple days in a row she will go on a hunger strike till she makes herself sick). When we had her allergy test done they did a household allergen part, outdoor allergen part and then food allergies. I would think that you could call your vet to request feedback on the food results just so you are informed.
I understand your apprehension about too high a protein diet as Lilly is tiny, full grown at 6 lbs. I felt the same way & still do as I have read all sorts of negative side effects of too high a protein, in addition to the feedback from my vet. I am also skeptical about the raw feeding. Lilly's constant in her diet is her kibble which is Raw Instinct Chicken Formula. Its raw food that is freeze dried into kibble. It is grain free with Chicken as the protein and various herbs and veggies. She then gets something moist mixed in and its a variety. Sometimes I do my own thing cooking chicken breast, green beans, sweet potato, brown rice etc....but lately I have been trying the unbelieveable variety of Evangers canned products. She is doing very well and itch free.

You also mentioned that Ginger gets tired easy. If she is throwing up and not getting the nutrients she needs it could cause a small dog to become anemic. When I was struggling with Lilly and her eating I used to give her Nutra-Cal which is a high calorie supplement that I would give her when she was refusing to eat or itching to badly. Its recommended for small dogs, usually puppies, for reasons like this.

Good luck. It sounds like you are on the right path!

[Leanie]

Originally Posted by LoveLilly

Jumped in this thread a little late but have read all the feedback.
Canidae is a good food.
Lilly has all sorts of food allergies in addition to hating to eat and being off the charts finicky (if she has something more than a couple days in a row she will go on a hunger strike till she makes herself sick). When we had her allergy test done they did a household allergen part, outdoor allergen part and then food allergies. I would think that you could call your vet to request feedback on the food results just so you are informed.
I understand your apprehension about too high a protein diet as Lilly is tiny, full grown at 6 lbs. I felt the same way & still do as I have read all sorts of negative side effects of too high a protein, in addition to the feedback from my vet. I am also skeptical about the raw feeding. Lilly's constant in her diet is her kibble which is Raw Instinct Chicken Formula. Its raw food that is freeze dried into kibble. It is grain free with Chicken as the protein and various herbs and veggies. She then gets something moist mixed in and its a variety. Sometimes I do my own thing cooking chicken breast, green beans, sweet potato, brown rice etc....but lately I have been trying the unbelieveable variety of Evangers canned products. She is doing very well and itch free.

You also mentioned that Ginger gets tired easy. If she is throwing up and not getting the nutrients she needs it could cause a small dog to become anemic. When I was struggling with Lilly and her eating I used to give her Nutra-Cal which is a high calorie supplement that I would give her when she was refusing to eat or itching to badly. Its recommended for small dogs, usually puppies, for reasons like this.

Good luck. It sounds like you are on the right path!

Nutra Cal is great, I use to give her that and she loved it, the tube right? I'm taking her to the vet this Friday for her allergy shot and I'm going to tell them about me switching her food to Canidae. I'll ask him all about food allergies. He's never touched on the subject with me before except one time, I said I was thinking of changing her to a lamb and rice diet and he said "we have that to in Hill's Science Diet". So I never brought it up again. Sad thing is he's the only vet around here that realized she did have allergies. The rest wouldn't listen to me. When she had the test done I remember him telling me you can't test them for food allergies, that's a trial by error thing. I've been paying $21.50 for an 8 lb bag of Hill's ZD Ultra for nearly 2 years now and I just ordered a 5lb bag of the Canidae for $7 plus shipping. I can't believe I've been paying that much for crap.

[skelaki]

http://www.ahvma.com/
I would consult with a holistic vet. S/he may easily be able to give you some different alternatives to help your dog.

Also, if you go to http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ you can see how various dog foods rate (6 to 1 star ratings) including Science Diet products.

[Leanie]

Originally Posted by skelaki

http://www.ahvma.com/
I would consult with a holistic vet. S/he may easily be able to give you some different alternatives to help your dog.

Also, if you go to http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ you can see how various dog foods rate (6 to 1 star ratings) including Science Diet products.

I've looked at the food analysis and that's why I'm switching her food to Canidae. It has to be better than Hill's. Thanks