[JRSPITS]

I'm not sure what to do next. My dog Whitey has had reoccurring bacterial skin infections. We have done cultures and biopsys which have done nothing to help him. "Just keep medicating." In April 07 we switched his food to Timberwolf due to all the positive results everyone has had.

Due to the current TW issues we made the decision to switch foods again. We switched to Taste of the Wild. I know it's a Diamond product but it had the least amount of fillers and was very similar to TW. He has been on the Waterfoul variety for 5 weeks and he started to break out again.

Now, my question : what would you do? Go back to TW with all their issues, Change to the bison variety of TOTW, or try another food? I have several of my other dogs on Kirklands Signature and they are doing fine but it has more fillers than TOTW. I have been researching dog foods nonstop for the last year and now I'm totally confused, I don't know what to do next.

[fearlessknight]

If it is due to food...I w try the Natures Variety....I am not sure which one it is, but I know that A LOT of people use it for sensitive skin and skin issues.......ask Boogieman which ones he uses...he has a simliar problem with nick.....

[maryellen]

stop switching his food.. you first have to also get a new vet, who will test your dog to find out WHAT KIND of bacterial infection your dog has, and have it treated accordingly...

bacterial infections are normally not because of food, and i doubt the TW is the cause of it..

what symptoms does your dog have that makes your vet say its bacterial? where are the bacterial infections on your dogs body?

[JRSPITS]

Maybe my post was unclear, let me clarify.
1. We were feeding Iams for years - Whitey had several bac. skin inf.
2. Had surgery for biopsy - results were the same bac. skin inf.-antibiotics
4. 6 wks later another infection. - sent culture to MSU for analsys same diagnosis treat with better antibiotic for that strain
5.Switch to quality TW food
6.No bacterial infections for 10 months
7.Switch to TOTW and 5wks later bacterial skin infection -maybe the food is not related but it sure seems like it to me.

My vet is great all testing has been done except allergy and we are 100% sure it is bacterial unless it is a secondary response. I have had a second opinion with the same result. His symptoms are skin blood blisters and excessive itching covering his whole body.

I only changed foods 5 weeks ago because TW went up in price and there have been ingredient questions. I went to TOTW for the high enegy dogs and Kirklands for the others.

Before that I switched to TW from Iams in April. Before that I fed only Iams. So, I have only switched foods 2x in 15 years.

[maryellen]

did the vet say what kind of bacteria infection he has?
what type of antibiotics were given? and were they given for at least 30 days?

most infections turn into secondary when not treated properly with the right medicine for at least 30 days.

i would get him allergy tested for airborne allergies as he could very well be allergic to grasses and environmental stuff, which would make him break out like he is doing.

the food allergy testing you basically give him one protein and one carb only for 90 days, then slowly add other proteins in to see what is affecting hiim

[JRSPITS]

Yea, the vet told me but I'm at work and can't remember. He was treated for 45 days to be sure it was gone.

I'm just frustrated because I honestly thought we beat it with a good diet.

[DivineOblivion19]

Please stay away from Diamond foods. Waaaay too many recalls from them (outside of the massive recall from last year). If you are choosing from Timber Wolf (a food your dog did wonderfully on) and Taste of the Wild, then definitely stick with the Timber Wolf.

However, if you have other food options, like Innova or Nature's Variety, then you might want to try one of those.