<p>Our dog is a golden retriever also. As I mentioned in a previous post, we believe that she has an allergy to some airborn substance, not food. If the symptoms started 3 weeks ago and that coincided with allergy season where you live (we measure it by H’s symptoms), it’s probably not caused by food.</p>
<p>Our dog’s problem is relatively short lived and not bad enough for us to spend money on allergy shots. We bath her with oatmeal shampoo and provide a bit of extra fat in her diet to counteract dry skin.</p>
<p>I have a German shepherd with lots of itching and licking her feet problems. (Also has sensitive digestion.) The food that has worked best for her is AvoDerm lamb and rice baked formula. It has mostly eliminated her itching, but she also gained about 10 pounds in 7 months! I think the avocado in this food helps her skin, but you just have to adjust the portion size. She does not get any treats or other food at all.</p>
<p>applicantmum, I am a bit familiar with the situation you described because it is what seems to be affecting my second dog, a 2 year old (but not the older dog with the allergies that I posted about). She also has this staph infection that shows up on her belly and the inner part of her legs. My vet treated her with antibiotic and steriods and it went away but came back a few weeks later. Did a second course of steriods and antibiotic, it went away and came back. Then the vet suggested bathing her affected areas every few days with a special medicated shampoo I bought from him, and in between baths, to wipe her daily with baby wipes. This worked at first to help the patches heal, but then we were away for a week and I couldn’t get it under control. </p>
<p>So I took my puppy with me to the allergist vet last week when I had my older dog there. He confirmed it was a staph infection, and he believes it too may be secondary to an allergy. So while I am putting my older dog on a food diet, I am doing the same with my puppy. In the meantime, he gave me a spray to use every 2-3 days (Douxo antiseptic spray) and he sent scrapings from my puppy to a lab to see which antibiotic may be needed. It is too early to say if the spray works. He thinks that once the infection goes away, that it might be possible to keep the infection from returning with ongoing use of the spray. </p>
<p>The instructions I received from the allergist vet is to keep the dog on the special food for 8 weeks, but then to introduce one new food for 1-2 weeks and see if the symptoms return. If so, go back to the diet for another week. Then try another food. In addition to a list of special dog food to use, I received a list of treats and bones that I could give my dog during this trial period.</p>
<p>All of this should be less expensive in the long run than if I have to pay for scratch tests and then the custom-made serum to inject the dog weekly. I did this in the past with another dog (now deceased) and prefer not to do it again unless absolutely necessary. </p>
<p>The puppy is our third dog and I’m facing yet another dog with allergies. I think our household is jinxed.</p>
<p>Unfortunately allergies are more and more of a problem as purebred dogs become more inbred. It shows up in the designer crosses (labradoodles, etc.) as well, because those dogs are often not bred from top-quality stock.</p>
<p>Frankly, if I had a new puppy again, I would ASSUME that the dog had allergies and start with a restricted diet and monitor the dog’s health closely. In fact, that is inadvertently what I did with my second dog, because I feed both dogs the same diet. I have had no allergy problems with the second dog.</p>
<p>I switched a kitten to Purina O.N.E. with great results, three years old now.</p>
<p>Regarding the “chicken allergy”. I wonder if the dogs are actually allergic to the feathers included in some dog foods as “chicken by-product”. Learning to read pet food ingredient lists, no simple thing.</p>
<p>Thank you. I will ask about the spray. I am convinced the allergy may be chicken. A couple of months ago I bought her the freeze dryed chicken breasts as a treat and her gums became inflamed and she developed scabs on her face. It disappeared quickly when I stopped giving her the freeze dryed chicken. I thought it was a perservative in the chicken that was causing the problem. Also, I used to give her a diet of chicken, lamb, venison and duck, rotating each meat. Then she refused to eat anything except the chicken so her diet became all chicken. And of course I gave her chicken table scraps too. So, time will tell.</p>
<p>The freeze dried chicken jerkey that I carry uses Vitamin E as a preservative – if it uses any. I’m not at the shop so I can’t check the ingredient labels :). We do see a lot of dogs with chicken allergies – also wheat and corn.</p>
<p>I have started giving my dog freshpet select dog food-as it is sold at the grocery store ( it has it’s own refrigerator ) and I dont have to make a special trip as with her canned food.</p>
<p>My dog has had problems with allergies for years - he’s a 9yo standard poodle. I’ve tried vet prescribed foods and single ingredient foods from the boutique organic pet food store. I think beet pulp, corn and wheat may cause problems, as can beef. Currently, I feed my dog Pinnacle Duck and Potato mixed with home cooked rice with chicken, flax seed, oatmeal and carrots. He seems to be doing well with that. If he has bouts of itchiness, I give him a small dose of Benadryl to discourage excessive licking and the development of hot spots. Also, I use a groomer that understands how important it is to rinse him completely after baths and avoids clippers in sensitive areas.</p>
<p>It’s a challenge, but the Pinnacle and home cooked combo seems to be working well right now. Before Pinnacle, I used Regal Sensabits, but the local dog health food store no longer carries it (stopped doing so soon after the Chinese melamine incident, so I did get a bit concerned).</p>
<p>RE: the chicken breasts - be careful with those. I think a lot of the chicken breasts, rawhide, pig ears and the like are from China. After the melamine scare, I try to avoid purchasing anything I know is processed there.</p>
) and I dont have to make a special trip as with her canned food.</p>