buffie Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Just wanted to post this for Lesley and for anyone else who may benefit. Our boxer Daisie has had ongoing skin problems, over 2 years and we've done everything. Finally we have got to the root cause (immune system based which we are still treating holistically) food allergy. I had recently noticed her severe reaction after eating beef (she's on a raw diet now) and we decided to cut it out and see our vet. We walked in and I couldn't believe it when the young vet absolutely agreed with our discovery and said beef and crop fields were the major cause of allergy in dogs and all her symptoms were typical. It would be a cycle of eye infections, ears flaps hot and sore, chewing her feet (they had gone from white to red/brown) scratching at her face and puss filled spots on her lips and chin. Upset tummy. Sorry for the graphic description She is now on her second week of a months diet of potatoes, cooked, and coley fillets. Already there is a huge improvement and her feet are getting whiter, no tummy probs and not much scratching. It's taken so long but wanted to pass it on in case someone elses dog can benefit from our experience with Daisie. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I have heard this before and knew a dog with skin allergies. That dog went on a boiled chicken and rice diet and it worked a treat. My two go on the chicken / rice whenever they have upset tums and it soon sorts them out - they are none too happy when they go back to their normal food - in fact Dylan sniffs it, sticks his nose in he air and walks away Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Bless. Chicken used to good, as did lamb, but it's now a common pet food, so Burns have broguht out Pork, it's not a usual meat and is good for allergy sufferers. Fish has worked for us and we will try chicken at the end of her month. We'll not bother with beef at all, shame as she loved a bone. I said I didn't mind making her food, she does have a tsp of omega oils, every other day and 1 tsp of greens (powder) daily. No foot licking at all today BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I think there is a veterinary diet - CApelin and tapioca for the same reasons and it ususally works well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I think that I am about to discover that my terrier dog is allergic to maize (sweetcorn). I have had him for nearly 8 years (since he was a puppy) but, by chance, his predominantly dry dog food diet has never included tinned sweet corn until about a month ago when I started giving it to the hens as an afternoon treat. Whenever I did this, I would give him a few as well to prevent him feeling jealous. It has taken a while to work out why his undercoat all fell out, in a few days (never happened before) and he started obsessively scratching his chest and biting his legs as if they itched. When indoors, I tape trainer socks onto his back paws, to reduce the amount of damage his claws do to his chest. I think I've caught it in time - he still has his upper coat of hair! and he doesn't seem to itch all the time - I hope so, it has evidently been making both him and me a bit miserable. I am giving him cod liver oil every day now, to help with his skin and regrowing his undercoat - he loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 My mothers dog almost died from an allergy to red meat. He was so poorly and lost lots of weight. It took ages for the vet to work out what was going on but when they changed his food to turkey and rice kibble he made a miraculous recovery and lived for another 8 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 My dogs are both on Burns due to the spaniel having an intolerance to certain foods, He's 8 now and the Vet told us he wouldn't live past 2 or 3 due to the amount of problems he had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 We have this problem with Zeus - its very common in American Bulldogs because they are pink-skinned mainly white haired and inbred as hell. He was fine all winter, now the pollen is coming out he's tearing himself up again, we give him a double dose of Evening Primrose Oil and feed him chicken and rice 'Chappie'. I'm going to cut out any beef now, thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Molly has sensitive skin too and we found with her it was wheat intolerance. I have heard that red meat is best avoided with dogs as it can cause aggression anyway, but I really do not know if this is true or an old wive's tale. Molly loves Burns food and I love the fact that you can order it online and get it delivered to the door: No more lugging around huge sacks of dog food! Just wish I could get my layers' pellets that way too! So glad Daisie is feeling so much better Buffs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yes I thought of you too Annie. It's so simple and I wish we'd known earlier. Daisie has suffered so long, poor baby. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Holly has a lot of allergies including wheat cheese and timothy grass She has Burns chicken and rice and is better, but I can see the difference if she has been in long timothy grass playing Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 When we first got Jasper (ESS) I looked into all different types of dog foods quite thoroughly and put him on Burns. I like the fact that it is as natural as I can give him without having to prepare all his meals myself. I don't like him having any additives as he gets very hyper and naughty if he gets given any. I definitely agree that, as with humans, a lot of canine medical and behavioural issues can be controlled by investigating diet. Glad you have got to the bottom of it so that Daisie can have a more enjoyable life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yes, she's so much more comfortable and we get to sleep through the night. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 It must make such a difference. So is she on the BARF diet? Someone on our puppy classes had her show doberman on that and he looked to be in great condition, but it seems a very expensive way to feed your dog, although plenty of people say that about Burns. Naturediet is supposed to be another good one but I haven't tried it as I prefer Jasper to be on dry food. Again, it's more expensive than "standard" pet food (or should that be sub-standard?!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 The raw diet has been fine and as it's pure protein a little goes along way. We gave, furit and veg also. She has loved it but obviosuly it's limited at the moment. Also the cats eat a raw diet and they are really well BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Thanks for the update Buffs - I'm glad Daisie is improving Jazz has a pollen allergy and had cracked paws and a bald chest. She spent the day at the Vets and they diagnosed the pollen allergy. We're just waiting to hear which pollen. We always said she must be allergic to grass a bit of a problem when you live on a farm Jazz has raw food and sometimes Pero Organic kibble. We started her on Homeopathic remedies...... Graphites and Sulphur - her paws are almost smooth now and her hair is growing back. She is less itchy as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 James Wellbeloved dried foods are really good too. Rosie has had a poorly tum for motnths now ( finally diagnosed as clostridium bacteria and treated with some antibiotics and flora stuff). Her coat is good, her teeth are good and she does not scratch at all. All my various family dogs are on Wellbeloved or Burns food and are healthy and happy on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 We started her on Homeopathic remedies...... Graphites and Sulphur - her paws are almost smooth now and her hair is growing back. She is less itchy as well. Homeopathy seems to work really well on dogs. My dog has bad arthritis and was taking Metacam which really screwed up her kidneys Changed over to a homeopathic vet and she has been taking Rhus Tox for 18 months now and is massively improved and not in pain any more Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 It's good to know that you can use the remedies without doing any harm isn't it? We haven't told the Vet yet - we're waiting to see how much improvement there is and then tell him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 We haven't told the Vet yet - we're waiting to see how much improvement there is and then tell him Ooooh Bet you can't wait Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 - I think he'll be OK. We haven't asked what his view on homeopathy is but he's coped well with being told that Jazz would be on a raw food diet......... and didn't ever push Hill's Science stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy&cake Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 this happened to Karls dog skyy too buffie. I spoke to him on MSN about it months ago and skyy went on a raw food diet and his now better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Yes it good stuff Obviously we can't give her any meat at the moment but we'll try chicken in a couple of weeks or so. The main culprit appears to be red meat BBx : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Jazz has a pollen allergy and had cracked paws and a bald chest. She spent the day at the Vets and they diagnosed the pollen allergy. We're just waiting to hear which pollen. We always said she must be allergic to grass a bit of a problem when you live on a farm Thats the problem Zeus has! He was lying on some hay the other day and I watched him go from light pink to puce I can highly recommend the Evening Primrose Oil, it yakes about 3 weeks to work though and we didnt start soon enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swinnys Hinny Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 We feed our Wheaten Terrier on James Wellbeloved as it was recommended to us. See their web page here (check dog then allergies)it confirms about Beef, dairy products and wheat causing problems. We also sprinkle a little Bokashi bran on her food as well to help aid her digestion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...