# Fromm



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Anyone have a dog that itched on Fromm? In August I switched from California Natural Lamb and Rice (limited ingredient diet) to Fromm Gold because it is cheaper (bigger bag, less cost) and supports a fairly local company, made in the USA. My dogs like it but one has been itching terribly lately. I cannot tell if it is food or a seasonal allergy or what. I guess if other people have this problem I will start by switching him back to Cal Nat and see if he improves. He scratches all day long and when I come home there are puffs of black hair everywhere (he is not a GSD). I have vacuumed every day for the past two weeks (and this dog is half shaved, he has a lion cut right now!). His skin is flaky. At first I thought fleas or a flea allergy but I haven't been able to find fleas or flea dirt, and he doesn't have sores, just really flaky skin. I do not supplement anything and am not against it but I'd rather find the source of the itching and deal with that (for example I don't want to give him oil and keep feeding him Fromm if the Fromm is what is causing the itch). Some times if he itches really hard he might get a little scab but he's not erupting in the sores that I think of when I think of a flea allergy. Also my dogs use Frontline Plus. Benedryl seems to help but only if I give it to him like three times a day and as soon as I miss a dose he's back to scratching. I haven't gone to the vet yet because they always seem to want to start by relieving the dog with prednisone but pred is not good for this particular dog, he took it once and it made him very depressed, he just hid in the basement for several weeks and acted very moody, almost aggressive.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Grim could not take Fromm but he has troubles with any food containing flaxseed. Beau grew up well on it. ..........I would look to the differences between the From and what you are feeding to see if anyone particular ingredient stands out.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

To me all the ingredients stand out since the Cal Nat is an LID (it's basically Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Rice, Sunflower Oil and some vitamins). Ideally if it is the food I'd like to narrow down which ingredients but for the dog's sake maybe I should just switch back and not mess with a good thing? The only issue this dog had on Cal Nat was that his poop was REALLY solid, I mean like dry, hard pellets. Is there any supplement that could soften him up a bit that isn't known for allergies?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

the best way to find out I think, would be for the heck of it, switch HIM back to the CA and see if the itching is resolved..

I used Fromm years ago, for a time, dont' recall why I went off it.

Poor pooch, having just had a wicked case of hives (never had them before) I can understand now what a dog must go thru itching !! It's the PITS!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Lies we were posting at the same time I would add a T of canned pumpkin to the food daily, (pure not pie filling),,it can work both ways, softening stools or firming them up, for whatever reason pumpkin "knows" which way to go ..


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

My dogs are fine on Fromm. But, one fall my collie went crazy itching..it was def related to a certain type of grass he ran thru on ours walks. Took a couple weeks to figure it out. Fall is known for causing lots of itching..just a thought if your dog runs thru lots of tall grass/ weeds.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

Has anything in your environment changed? If you can't think of any changes I would switch him back and see how he does. My girl does awesome on Fromm but every dog is different. Poor baby, I hate seeing them scratch. Jazz is allergic to ragweed so I know how you feel.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Nikon goes through all kinds of cover at training but Coke is very much a lazy house pet so he is only in contact with the normal grass in our yard and this weed that has taken over. We do walk him but living in the city it's just sidewalk and road.

I'll try the pumpkin, I don't think he can get any firmer so hopefully it'll go the other way!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

fuzzybunny said:


> Has anything in your environment changed? If you can't think of any changes I would switch him back and see how he does. My girl does awesome on Fromm but every dog is different. Poor baby, I hate seeing them scratch. Jazz is allergic to ragweed so I know how you feel.


Well yes and no. I haven't changed anything in the house or any landscaping but living in Michigan we have had a season change. I turned the heat on Sunday so it wasn't that because he's been itching through September. I know lots of allergy sufferers say it has been brutal so maybe it's just a seasonal thing I can't avoid, though we've always lived in this city and I don't ever remember him itching this bad (he's six years old and we've had him since he was 1.5).


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

At first we thought he was itching because I had him shaved in a lion cut when he got some hot spots while on vacation in August. This poor dog cannot win! The summer was brutal, often near or at 100 and humid here and because of his coat he got hotspots even though I only let him swim one time. So I had a groomer shave him down since the spots were spreading and that worked to air them out and dry them up right away and he seemed very pleased to be rid of that hair. We thought the itching started because his hair was growing back, lol. But I've observed that he itches ALL over, not just his back half. I am finding fistfuls of black hair all over the house so clearly he is itching and pulling out hair from the front half.

This is how he looks with his hair after two DAYS of brushing and trimming! (his butt fluff, ear hair, front leg feathering, and belly hair will grow long and stringy)









This is his hot spot shave

















Everyone says he looks cute like that so I think I'll keep using the groomer. Then at least we don't have the hot spots on his rear and legs. His undercoat is so thick his hair stands several inches straight out/up.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

Wow, he's really handsome. What kind of dog is he?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I think the change in seasons can be a reason for itching. Kacie has never been one to scratch herself, and she is doing it now. Karlo is too. Onyx always has been itchy and gets benedryl for her environmental allergies.

Drop in humidity/getting in the winter undercoat is playing into it, IMO. Last year they did the same thing, I was thinking fleas, but we had none. I haven't changed the diet on my dogs, so I know it isn't that. I also have read several fb posts about dogs scratching excessively right now. Up the oils!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

No idea! His mom is a mix. The rescue pulled her from the shelter. Coke was adopted as a puppy and then returned. We got him from the rescue when he was 1.5. I can't imagine why he got returned. He can't be trusted off leash but other than that he is a love and requires very little exercise. He's good in the house and hasn't been crated in years. I stole the puppy pic from his rescue/foster mom









This is Coke's mom


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## 0pusX (Jul 21, 2012)

Mine has been itching more than usual too. We have moved into fall so maybe that's why.


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Nikon is itching more than usual which I attribute to the season, but Coke is itching himself raw and is itching 24/7. We've always lived in Michigan so there's always been seasonal changes and I've never seen itching like this. If it is only seasonal, then I'll probably have to look into some treatment because he is miserable and I'm worried he will cause some secondary skin infections from all the itching.


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## barnyard (Jun 21, 2012)

By the start of the 3rd bag of Fromm Gold Happy started itching like crazy. I switched her to Acana Pacifica and Wild Prairie, and she's been ok on that but now created a bad hotspot. Since Acana is hard to get right now, I'm doing a slow switch back to Taste of the Wild Salmon to see if it resolves. Since she was on that before and had no problems, if she is still itching then I'll know it is environmental and not the food.


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## lilysmom (Dec 27, 2000)

Well I'll jump on the band wagon with everyone as we are itching on the East coast. I gave Delta a good salt water swim and "special" shampoo afterwards. While the itching has decreased a bit I am becoming convinced that it is seasonal. Seems as though every spring and fall the itching starts and then goes away. 

I've been looking for a kibble that will hardend up the stools so think I may try the CA Lamb... I have read on numerous sites that some dogs do itch with Flaxseed. I have stayed clear of it as an ingredient, although I don't know if that would be a problem for us or not.

While you aren't supplementing I do give her raw local honey everyday... I figured it can't hurt .
Hope your pup is doing better.. he/she is a beautiufl dog


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Lies I have no idea about the itching, other than that if he's still scratching since the shave, I would think food. 

But.. I wanted to say Coke is very handsome! I've never seen pictures of him. I wonder what his dad was? His puppy pic is SO cute and his adult color is awesome. That's what's so cool about mutts. Mother Nature sure comes up with some beauties.


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## vickip9 (Mar 28, 2012)

Liesje said:


> Nikon is itching more than usual which I attribute to the season, but Coke is itching himself raw and is itching 24/7. We've always lived in Michigan so there's always been seasonal changes and I've never seen itching like this. If it is only seasonal, then I'll probably have to look into some treatment because he is miserable and I'm worried he will cause some secondary skin infections from all the itching.


 
If nothing in the home has changed and he has lived through season changes before without ill effect, then I would say it's more than likely related to the Fromm food. Can you try switching him back to California Naturals but try a different kind within the California Natural line? Maybe it was just THAT particular kind that was making his stool so hard. Perhaps if you try a different "flavor", it would help. Gosh, choosing food is seriously a doozie. I swear I've tried hundreds of kinds trying to find something my GSD likes..


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Perhaps he has a grain allergy? Although Fromm is an excellent food I don't think Fromm is grain free, if I recall... maybe you can try switching them to a grain free alternative? Sounds like you'll need to either go back to Cal Nat or play around with food for awhile.. it's hard to do it now while the seasons are changing and dogs are itchy with the large drop in humidity anyway.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Wild Wolf said:


> Perhaps he has a grain allergy? Although Fromm is an excellent food I don't think Fromm is grain free, if I recall... maybe you can try switching them to a grain free alternative? Sounds like you'll need to either go back to Cal Nat or play around with food for awhile.. it's hard to do it now while the seasons are changing and dogs are itchy with the large drop in humidity anyway.


Fromm does make grain free kibble in their "four star" line: Salmon Tunalini, Game Bird, Beef Frittata, and Surf & Turf are all grain free


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

I feel your pain. It's been a terrible season for allergies. My rescue dog is also itching like mad and had a couple of breakouts on her belly. Only benedryl helps


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Liesje, if you like Fromm you can try their Four Star line, slightly more expensive but LI so you can either nix grain or a protein source and see if that helps

Otherwise if the previous food was better for Coke then I would look at switching back. Coke is a real cutie BTW :wub: the haircut really looks nice

My parents lab has severe environmental allergies and this year is the worst we've seen in 11 years for scratching, she's worn two scabs on both of her front paws even on benedryl


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think I'll go back to the Cal Nat and see what happens, since I already know he's fine with that. In the past, grain free has been too rich for my dogs, especially Nikon who likes to eat a lot so I tend to give him more food that is less rich/calorie dense. I've used all the Cal Nat LID varieties in the past, the chicken one gives my dogs nasty gas!


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

I use Fromm 4 star. Stella had terrible itchiness when we got her. Went thru lots of different food. Fromms 4 star salmon was recommended to me to help with that. She has been doing well until this month. I think it is seasonal because this is about the time of year we got her.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I stopped at the pet store on the way home and got a bag of the old food (Cal Nat Lamb and Rice), some fish oil/vitamin tablets for dogs, and a bottle of cream rinse for itchy/dry skin. Gave Coke the Cal Nat, fish oil, and two benadryl. Then he got a hose bath with the rinse which he did NOT like but I massaged it into his skin which he seemed to like. Because of his issues with hot spots I dried him using the forced air dryer I won at a raffle over the weekend. Before I bathed him his fur was covered with large flakes of skin. When I got home from flyball hours later DH said Coke seemed happier/less itching and so far the flakes haven't come back. I didn't find any real sores on him during the bath so I'm hoping I helped massage off the itchy dead skin. I'll keep him on the benedryl while the food switch and fish oil supplements go to work and we'll see how this goes... He seems happier already but baths always make him crazy and the benedryl probably takes the edge off.


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