Birthday Pics and Food/Allergy issues

[Nicole G]

Hope everyone is enjoying what is (hopefully) the end of summer!

Ella turned one yesterday! It goes so fast. I can't believe she's one. I think she had a good day.



So...we need some advice here.

We've ended up switching slowly to Fromm over the last two weeks because her allergies decided to start back up. She had been eating the same foods, but homecooking doesn't seem to be working anymore. We always do all natural, organic meat and veggies with rice or pasta, but I don't think it's helping, considering her underarms are red, she has small, dry bumps on her belly, back and legs, and she's very itchy. I've done so much research on allergies and food, and came up with the Fromm Lamb and Lentil. I was disappointed as I really am a firm believer now in raw and homecooked, but we have tried everything at this point and it just doesn't seem to work for her. I have heard really good things about the Fromm though, so here's hoping.

I also have tried to find anything I could on pyoderma/Staph because that is what our vet diagnosed her with, but I realize that it is a secondary infection and being caused by something else (right?). We did see our vet recently, and she gave us Douxo products to use if it gets bad again. I am no vet and am not usually going to take my opinion over theirs, but I'm not a hundred percent convinced it is Staph. I also don't want to keep putting her on medication unless absolutely necessary, because Ella doesn't seem to react well to most medication (even eye drops for a different issue set her off terribly when she was a baby), and didn't react well to what she was given for the Staph. It also only worked for a short time before she started to get inflamed again. The bumps she has now don't look like the staph she had - I thought she had hives when I first noticed it but they're not. We use Benadryl if needed, but that seems to be somewhat short-term.

 

[Cbrugs]

Have you tried no veggies and no starches? Those can be what is causing the yeast. Jax gets raw and there is no veggies/fruits or anything other than meat. Jax will still get yeast but I am able to control it pretty good now and get rid of it fairly quickly when I notice it. Just recently he had a rash/bumps on his inner thighs and after a few days I realized it was yeast causing it. I have a spray I use whenever I notice redness on his pits, legs, paws, etc. (https://www.amazon.com/SynergyLabs-...817&sr=8-1&keywords=antifungal+spray+for+dogs). I will usually spray it on the area twice a day and then use these wipes in the morning https://www.amazon.com/Sogeval-Doux...&qid=1471369891&sr=1-2&keywords=chlorhexidine) and then at night wipe him down with diluted iodine. It seems to do the trick. I also give Jax a bath every Sunday with a medicated shampoo (https://www.amazon.com/Vet-One-3139...id=1471369956&sr=1-3&keywords=ketohex+shampoo). Once you can figure out what is causing the issues, it will be more manageable.

And happy birthday to Ella...those pictures are adorable!

 

[Squishy Walnuts]

Happy birthday Ella!!! Gorgeous pics! Luckily I have not had to deal with allergy issues so I have no advice. I hope you're able to figure it out soon!

 

[Nicole G]

@squishywalnuts [MENTION=188]Cbrugs[/MENTION] Thank you both - one of her presents was a Teepee from Pipolli and she has been in it all day and cracking me up!

Have you tried no veggies and no starches? Those can be what is causing the yeast. Jax gets raw and there is no veggies/fruits or anything other than meat. Jax will still get yeast but I am able to control it pretty good now and get rid of it fairly quickly when I notice it. Just recently he had a rash/bumps on his inner thighs and after a few days I realized it was yeast causing it. I have a spray I use whenever I notice redness on his pits, legs, paws, etc. (https://www.amazon.com/SynergyLabs-...817&sr=8-1&keywords=antifungal+spray+for+dogs). I will usually spray it on the area twice a day and then use these wipes in the morning https://www.amazon.com/Sogeval-Doux...&qid=1471369891&sr=1-2&keywords=chlorhexidine) and then at night wipe him down with diluted iodine. It seems to do the trick. I also give Jax a bath every Sunday with a medicated shampoo (https://www.amazon.com/Vet-One-3139...id=1471369956&sr=1-3&keywords=ketohex+shampoo). Once you can figure out what is causing the issues, it will be more manageable.

And happy birthday to Ella...those pictures are adorable!

Yes...we did try a nothing but protein diet, unfortunately. I was so hopeful but she was still so itchy! The spray looks really interesting though - I think we may give that a try!

 

[Cbrugs]

@squishywalnuts [MENTION=188]Cbrugs[/MENTION] Thank you both - one of her presents was a Teepee from Pipolli and she has been in it all day and cracking me up!



Yes...we did try a nothing but protein diet, unfortunately. I was so hopeful but she was still so itchy! The spray looks really interesting though - I think we may give that a try!

Could it be an issue with the protein(s)? I know Jax does best with novel proteins. He also has many environmental allergies (grass, trees, weeds, shrubs) which is where most of his issues come from. Maybe you can do an allergy test? Do you have any dermatologists near you?

The spray works wonders!

 

[Mavis]

Happy Birthday, Ella!!! OMG, the picture of her in that pom pom thing is adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pics of her in the tee pee, please!!!! (@Squishy Walnuts, reminds me of a joke I once heard.) :lol:

Looks like she got a ton of presents - darling!

So sorry to hear about her allergies. It is a terrible worry. Good luck with the new food, etc.

 

[Mavis]

P.S. Bambi would like that purse!

 

[Nicole G]

Could it be an issue with the protein(s)? I know Jax does best with novel proteins. He also has many environmental allergies (grass, trees, weeds, shrubs) which is where most of his issues come from. Maybe you can do an allergy test? Do you have any dermatologists near you?

The spray works wonders!

What kind of proteins would be considered "novel"? Ella has only been able to eat beef and lamb.

And yes - allergy testing is on the plate. I have a feeling she may have some environmental allergies too. Jax sounds a lot like her symptom-wise!

 

[KimB3384]

Lamb is considered to be a "hot" protein and really should be avoided if your dog has allergies. Take a look at this chart and look at the "neutral" or "cooling" proteins. Maybe try one of those for a while to see how she does. Beezy does well on bison, pork, rabbit, and alligator. She cannot tolerate chicken, turkey, and most recently I'm noticing that duck is giving her some issues as well. Beef, even though it's considered neutral, can be problematic for some dogs with allergies. We can do it in very small doses, but I have to mix it with bison to avoid any issues.

Also, it can be the sourcing of the protein, and not necessarily the protein itself. Meaning that if the protein source (say, beef) is eating a diet of something that your dog is allergic to (like corn or wheat), that could be the root of your issues. Is your beef grass-fed? Raw in and of itself isn't a miracle cure. It still requires some trial and error to get it right. But when you *do* get it right, it can be the best thing for an itchy dog. The enzymes and amino acids really do help an unhealthy body repair itself.

 

[Nicole G]

Happy Birthday, Ella!!! OMG, the picture of her in that pom pom thing is adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pics of her in the tee pee, please!!!! (@Squishy Walnuts, reminds me of a joke I once heard.) :lol:

Looks like she got a ton of presents - darling!

So sorry to hear about her allergies. It is a terrible worry. Good luck with the new food, etc.

Thank you! I think she enjoyed her birthday. The pom poms did not thrill her, but she's a good sport about it thankfully!

P.S. Bambi would like that purse!

And that is from Amazon. It's the "chewnel" collection. There is nothing cuter than seeing a Frenchie running around with a stuffed purse!

 

[Cbrugs]

What kind of proteins would be considered "novel"? Ella has only been able to eat beef and lamb.

And yes - allergy testing is on the plate. I have a feeling she may have some environmental allergies too. Jax sounds a lot like her symptom-wise!

Jax got his allergies pretty early on and had an allergy test right before he turned 1. The vets out here do not do food allergy tests though so I have had to figure that all out by trial and error.

Jax usually rotates between bison and rabbit and he gets bison tripe as well. Every now and then I will give him chicken for 1 week. There is also goat out there which I want to try next. He is allergic to turkey and seemed to get itchy when he had duck and wild boar.

If Ella does have environmental allergies, that's a whole other can of worms. That is why Jax gets his weekly baths and his wipe downs with the medicated wipes and sprays when needed. Once you figure out what the issues are, it's easier to manage. I now know that our weekly regimen is something that we just have to do.

 

[2bullymama]

Lamb is considered to be a "hot" protein and really should be avoided if your dog has allergies. Take a look at this chart and look at the "neutral" or "cooling" proteins. Maybe try one of those for a while to see how she does. Beezy does well on bison, pork, rabbit, and alligator. She cannot tolerate chicken, turkey, and most recently I'm noticing that duck is giving her some issues as well. Beef, even though it's considered neutral, can be problematic for some dogs with allergies. We can do it in very small doses, but I have to mix it with bison to avoid any issues.

Also, it can be the sourcing of the protein, and not necessarily the protein itself. Meaning that if the protein source (say, beef) is eating a diet of something that your dog is allergic to (like corn or wheat), that could be the root of your issues. Is your beef grass-fed? Raw in and of itself isn't a miracle cure. It still requires some trial and error to get it right. But when you *do* get it right, it can be the best thing for an itchy dog. The enzymes and amino acids really do help an unhealthy body repair itself.

GREAT info! [MENTION=1690]Nicole G[/MENTION] I was going to suggest the same... Lamb is usually an issue, my Bulldog is allergic to it and Cheli get really runny eyes with it. Since you are using the Fromm you can take the Lamb and Lentil back to the store and get Pork and peas. That is the one I have the best results with for three of my babies.

 

[Nicole G]

Thank you to everyone for all the help.

Yesterday was completely awful. I don't think we will be doing Fromm anymore as even being introduced slowly, it was still too much for her and Ella ended up in the emergency veterinarian clinic last night. I still feel so terrible. She was alright, and then yesterday morning it progressed to non-stop vomiting and bloody stool. She is so incredibly sensitive it seems, that even the slight change was enough to set her off. I rushed her to our emergency vet who is five minutes from me, during which I got lectured by the not-overly-kind vet on how she should be on a prescription diet and not raw or homecooking because unless you're a professional, you don't know what you're doing.

The vets gave her Prevacid, along with along with something to stop the vomiting and sent her on her way. When we got home and she wasn't any better, I took her to the massive 24/7 hospital that's not far. They gave her IV's and ran a blood panel, and thankfully, everything came back normal. She is doing better today - still diarrhea but no blood and vomiting, and is more like herself.

Ugh. I have to be honest - I was a wreck over this whole thing. I don't think you realize just how much you adore them until you think you may not have them any longer. Thank you to everyone for the help! If you could keep Ella in your thoughts and prayers, it would be much appreciated!

 

[Cbrugs]

Thank you to everyone for all the help.

Yesterday was completely awful. I don't think we will be doing Fromm anymore as even being introduced slowly, it was still too much for her and Ella ended up in the emergency veterinarian clinic last night. I still feel so terrible. She was alright, and then yesterday morning it progressed to non-stop vomiting and bloody stool. She is so incredibly sensitive it seems, that even the slight change was enough to set her off. I rushed her to our emergency vet who is five minutes from me, during which I got lectured by the not-overly-kind vet on how she should be on a prescription diet and not raw or homecooking because unless you're a professional, you don't know what you're doing.

The vets gave her Prevacid, along with a

Please do not feed her a prescription diet as they are really not good at all. Look at the ingredients and you will see they are horrible and not what any animal should be eating. My parents have a 3 year old cat who the vet put on a prescription diet and he was doing horrible on it, they were constantly taking him to the vet. I had finally convinced them to try to raw and they did and the cat is back to normal now! There are a lot of vets that don't understand nutrition. And you don't need to be a "professional" to feed raw or homecooked, you just need to know the proper ratios.

If you are willing, I would try raw again but with a different protein. There are a lot of people on the forum that feed raw and will be more than happy to answer any questions you have and help you! With Jax's allergies, he was a mess on kibble and has done so much better on raw. While he still has issues with his environmental allergies, I really believe he would be even worse if he still was on kibble.

Don't give up and hang in there!

 

[Nicole G]

Yesterday was completely awful. I don't think we will be doing Fromm anymore as even being introduced slowly, it was still too much for her and Ella ended up in the emergency veterinarian clinic last night. I still feel so terrible. She was alright, and then yesterday morning it progressed to non-stop vomiting and bloody stool. She is so incredibly sensitive it seems, that even the slight change was enough to set her off. I rushed her to our secondary vet who is five minutes from me (our usual one is a little far), during which I got lectured by the not-overly-kind vet on how she should be on a prescription diet and not raw or homecooking because unless you're a professional, you don't know what you're doing. She is lucky I was so worried, otherwise I might have given her a piece of my mind!

They gave her Prevacid, along with something to stop the vomiting and sent her on her way. When we got home and she wasn't any better, I took her to the massive 24/7 hospital that's not far. They gave her IV's and ran a blood panel, and thankfully, everything came back normal. She is doing better today - still diarrhea but no blood and vomiting, and is more like herself.

Ugh. I have to be honest - I was a wreck over this whole thing. I don't think you realize just how much you adore them until you think you may not have them any longer. Thank you to everyone for the help! If you could keep Ella in your thoughts and prayers, it would be much appreciated!

 

[KimB3384]

I'm going to second what @Cbugs said, please reconsider using a raw diet. Vets receive little to no training in nutrition and are visited regularly by pet food company lobbyists.

I have said it on this forum before, I truly thought I was going to have to surrender Beezy because of the vet bills I was incurring. Rashes, ear infections, uncontrollable scratching - it seemed like every 4-6 weeks we were getting another prescription for a steroid and/or antibiotic.

I would get some raw rabbit or pork and try it for a couple of weeks. I would also give a prebiotic and a probiotic. Benebac is a fantastic probiotic or you can give something like plain kefir or Greek yogurt. One of the most important issues to getting an allergic dog back on the path to being healthy is getting the gut healthy. If you've had Ella on any antibiotics while dealing with these issues, her gut has been wiped clean of any good bacteria that she'll need to fight off allergans.

Raw feeding gets a bad reputation because some people just throw a couple of chicken backs into a bowl and call it a day. There are a number of commercial raw products that are balanced, and it's crazy easy to do it on your own. We're a strong community here, and we're all willing to help you through this.

 

[Nicole G]

[MENTION=380]KimB3384[/MENTION] [MENTION=188]Cbrugs[/MENTION] Believe me, (and please excuse my language!) there is no way in h*ll we will ever use prescription! I know from experience with a family member's dog that that stuff is absolute garbage and does more harm than good. That was actually why I almost went off on her - I probably knew more than she did! We have seen the results of raw with our other dogs and there's no denying the difference.

Ella is on medication and I'm still horribly worried about her, but she has been eating small portions of rice and meat throughout the day. I actually gave her a small bit of Greek yogurt as I usually do daily. She has quite an appetite and has been begging me for more food all day. We really do believe in raw, and that is why that vet annoyed me so much. I don't want to be ambushed just because I believe in something that they don't, especially when it's proven that it works.

 

[KimB3384]

We've got your back, @Nicole_G! You're in CA, right? If you're looking to stick with raw, do you want to be in control and do it yourself, or do you want something already made up? We can help you either way.

 

[Nicole G]

It's been four days since Ellie's little ordeal and she's doing so well. Yesterday she actually brought me a toy and wanted to play, and she's been chasing the vacuum like she always does.
We've been sticking to the bland diet as I didn't want to upset her system further, and I've been giving her a bit of canned pumpkin as well as yogurt to help everything build back again, and she also gets a bit of cheese with her medication as it seems to make her not even notice that she's taking it.

Thank you again for the support and help [MENTION=380]KimB3384[/MENTION] [MENTION=188]Cbrugs[/MENTION] as it's really upsetting to see them like that. Even though it was just Colitis and could always be worse, it doesn't make it any easier! And no haha,! I don't like to put my location out there for personal reasons (not anything related to this website!), but for some reason it always comes up as California even though I have nothing to do with CA. Not quite sure. But whether it's raw or premade raw (raw food doesn't bother me) it's always a possibility.