# Orijen Regional Red-new formula? Itching.



## SDG (Jul 30, 2013)

We have fed our 3 year old GSD Orijen Regional Red for 2 years with great success. The last 2 months, however, she has started to itch..a lot. Been to the vet and checked: no fleas or other problems.

I am wondering if any one else feeding Regional Red has noticed a problem recently. I have emailed the company and asked if there has been a formula change, but have not yet received a reply.


Thank you.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

I would actually make a phone call to them.
CHAMPION PETFOODS LP
11403-186 STREET NW
EDMONTON, ALBERTA T5S 2W6
CANADA *PHONE*
(780) 784.0300

They have changed some of the formulas, but I'm not sure about Reg. Red.

It could also be environmental with your dog, or a new treat or shampoo or flea/tick topical that was applied. New dog bed, rug, furniture, paint, in the house?

Moms


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## MishkasMom (Aug 20, 2015)

Mine is also on Orijen and Acana since we had him (switch between the 2) and is doing fine, I thought the changes were only in the US plant not in Canada. A couple more friends dogs are also on it and no itching on their side either


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## CanadaDry (May 22, 2016)

Similar situation with my dog. Is there chicken in the food you use? Chicken is the NUMBER 1 cause of intolerance and itchy skin. And just because they were fine at first it can most definitely develope over time. Dogs were bred over the decades using chicken based foods only until recently has different proteins become popular because now dogs are developing an intolerance to chicken since that's all generations have eaten. Fish is a high quality protein source that most any dog can tolerate. Orijen is also notorious for their EXTEMELY high protein and long ingredient list. GSDs are also more prone to sensitive stomachs than other breeds. I would highly recommend a food that is specifically made for this with a single protein source and easily digestible like this one Wild Mackerel | ACANA Pet Foods or Fromm four star grain free pork, beef, or lamb flavor (their fish recipe has chicken in it) is also an extremely extremely high quality food. These are both held to higher standard than Orijen in holistic vets eyes.


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## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

I can personally recommend Acana Lamb and Apple and now Acana Pork and Butternut squash. Both are single protein, limited carbs foods. My guy is allergic to chicken, has been on the former for over a year and has just been successfully introduced to the latter. His coat looks great and he has minimal itching, which is caused now by his environmental allergy.


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

Champion started production in their KY plant earlier this year, and the new Acana formulas are slowly filtering in and replacing all of the old lines. Every line of "Acana" that's sold in the US will soon be made exclusively in the DogStar plant. 

They haven't announced anything about Orijen making that same move, but if you're noticing a change, I would contact and ask. All of the sourcing from the new Acana formulas has obviously changed, as all of of the meats are coming from the US vs Canada now, which could play a factor for sensitive dogs. Again, as far as I know Orijen is still the same Canadian formula, but its worth asking about.


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## SDG (Jul 30, 2013)

Thank you all so much for your thoughts. I just tried calling them and they are closed for a Canadian holiday. Will try again tomorrow. Our girl has never been on a chicken food. She has ZERO digestive issues, thankfully, and has always been extremely healthy.

I'm noticing not just itching, but an overall deterioration in her coat. She is all black and it used to look very, very shiny and felt luxuriously soft. It's looking a bit dull now, and feels much rougher.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

A few years after our girl was spayed, she had similar symptoms, even being on a raw diet, and was diagnosed with low thyroid, which my vet said is common with spay/neuter.

If she was spayed, you may want to have your vet run Dr. Dodds Thyroid test called T-5 as a T-4 (which is the usual thyroid test run when doing a blood panel) may not be accurate for hypothyroid diagnosis. Info below

Per Dr. Dodds: 

We veterinarians should not use the T4 alone
as the first screening test for 
hypothyroidism. If the T4 is low, you will not know whether the values are accurate without performing additional tests. If it’s normal you may miss the diagnosis altogether, because there could be an antibody preventing you from even seeing it.

*[FONT=&quot]What really constitutes a “complete” baseline thyroid profile?*
The initial thyroid profile should be comprehensive enough to accurately identify or rule out thyroid disorder, and to determine whether or not the condition is heritable autoimmune thyroiditis. As 
Emphasize above, serum T4 alone is not sufficient for this purpose.
A complete baseline thyroid screening (referred to at the Hemopet lab as the “Thyroid 5” panel) typically includes:
·T4
·T3
·freeT4
·freeT3 
·TgAA
If a dog is brought in for a general wellness exam or with signs of an illness, the Hemopet Thyroid 5 panel (or an equivalent profile conducted at a lab such as Michigan State University) should be combined with a CBC, Super Chemistry, urinalysis, and a comprehensive physical examination. However, if the dog is simply coming in for genetic screening or a thyroid profile, 
only the Thyroid 5 is necessary.

Scroll down to middle of page to see test form descriptions. https://labordatenbank.com/cake/hemopet/samples/hemopet_form 

Moms:smile2:
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