# Food allergies?



## CynDean69 (Feb 6, 2018)

We feed our dogs (Gibson 6 month old GSD and Patron 10yr old Malamute) Diamond rain free dog food. We switched to grain free because of the skin rashes, and the constant biting and scratching. We stopped buying them the chicken and stuck to the beef and white fish. Has anyone else experienced this while feeding their dogs grain free food? I made an appointment with the vet. Just wanted to see who else had these issues and what could be done to alleviate the irritated skin, and constant non stop scratching.


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi CYNDEAN and Welcome!:greet:

These are a few items in dog food AND treats that dogs are sensitive to: Chicken Items (Meat, Meal, Fat, Eggs, Cartilage) Grains of all kinds (including oatmeal and oatmeal shampoo!), even some of the "Non-Gluten" grains, Lentils/Pea items, Potatoes, *Flax seed or oil,* certain *Fish* and Yeast supplements. So read the ingredient list VERY carefully.


Diamond Grain Free Salmon (1st 10 ingredients): Whitefish, *fish meal*(WHAT fish??? Source is UN-Named. Could contain Ethoxyquine!), sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, pea flour, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, *flaxseed,* natural flavor, salt,


Diamond Grain Free Beef (1st 10 ingredients): Beef, lamb meal, sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, pea flour, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, flaxseed, *fish meal *(WHAT fish???Source is UN-Named. Could contain Ethoxyquine!) 

Common thread between the 2 Diamond products you are feeding is Flax and Fish Meal, which is an UN-Named source of fish.

I would slowly switch to a high quality - ONE PROTEIN Limited food like ACANA SINGLES with a *matching 1 protein treat *and......NOTHING ELSE (NO cheating ) for a 6 to 10 week trial period.


 *Acana Limited “Singles”:* Pork & Butternut Squash: http://acana.com/our-foods/singles/pork-butternut-squash/ 
Ingredients: Deboned pork*, pork meal, green lentils, red lentils, pork liver*, butternut squash*, pork fat, green peas, yellow peas, canola oil, algae, garbanzo beans, pumpkin*, carrots*, pork kidney*, freeze-dried pork liver, kelp, chicory root, ginger root, peppermint leaf, lemon balm, mixed tocopherols (preservative), dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product. 
*Pork & Squash Limited treats: *https://acana.com/our-foods/dog-foods/singles-treats/pork-squash/?lang=usa
Store locator: Store Locator | Acana


Nature's Variety also makes a Limited Kibble but their treats have contain flax so I wouldn't use the treats Here is a sample:
*Nature's Variety "Instinct" Limited* not Nature's Recipe): Limited Ingredient Lamb: (can be purchased at PetsMart, Petco) Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Kibble Dog Food - Lamb | Instinct Pet Food for Dogs and Cats 
Ingredients: Lamb Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Pea Protein, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Lamb, Natural Flavor, Montmorillonite Clay, Coconut Oil, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite), Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract 
*Store locator*: Find A Store | Nature's Variety

*1 Ingredient Lamb treats:* http://www.purebites.com/en/products/dog/freeze-dried/lamb/ 



Moms


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I wouldn't change food yet. At the vet appointment, they can do a skin scrape to look for parasites (fleas, mites), bacteria (like staph), or fungus (yeast, ringworm) before doing anything else -- any of those would need to be treated. A simple flea allergy can cause terrible, systemic reactions (and drive an allergic dog mad with itching), when just one flea outside bites a dog. 

If that's negative, ask the vet about supplying you with antimicrobial shampoo -- or get it on Amazon (chlorhexidene is the key ingredient I look for). It's designed to use often without stripping coat oils (it doesn't suds up). Frequent bathing is a simple, cost-effective first step for treating this stuff, per the protocol of a blue ribbon international panel of vet derms. It washes off contact allergens and prevents opportunistic microbes from creating infection. 

The vet derms say that food is not the most likely source of a skin allergy -- it's possible, but less likely than environmental triggers. So I would start with environmental triggers, working our way down from most likely to less likely. If your weather is warming up, Spring tends to make a lot of dogs itch because of all the pollen (and even mold from wet weather).


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Agree with Magwart here: _" At the vet appointment, they can do a skin scrape to look for parasites (fleas, mites), bacteria (like staph), or fungus (yeast, ringworm) before doing anything else -- any of those would need to be treated. A simple flea allergy can cause terrible, systemic reactions (and drive an allergic dog mad with itching), when just one flea outside bites a dog."
_

In my way of thinking (and discussing with holistic vets)......there are thousands of food allergen's.....And If you can limit what goes into his/her mouth/body (by using very limited ingredients), you just might see a difference quicker....IF........IF....... it IS the food! 


BUT......there are millions of environmental allergen's, and the component's that make them up. 
Is the water you give the dog chlorinated/treated with fluoride
Do you use a plastic, metal or glass bowl for feeding
The flea/tick med you use for your dog
What detergent you wash with
What cleaning agents you use around your home
Dust mites
Grain mites
What your floor and furniture is made out of
What the dogs bed is made of
Different Grasses
Different Trees
Different Weeds
Different man made surfaces walked on (new blacktop etc)
What perfume/makeup you wear
What the dog is bathed with
What type of toys he plays with
Are they around smoke
Is your house too dry
What your clothes are made of
What you or neighbor applies to lawn or garden
you could go on and on with what a dog or person is exposed to from day to day.


If the vet gives steroids or apoquel, it is just a band aid covering up the problem and not getting to the root of it. 
Now granted, some dogs may need these ...... 
but I would want to start out with something less volatile. 


Moms


----------

