Which food for allergies?

[mebolson]

We just got a 2 year old bull terrier from a rescue and she has skin allergies and we have her on Call of the Wild Salmon dog food (grain-free). Is there another food that any of you would recommend over this for allergies? Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[Budboy88]

orijen 6 fresh fish is a good one if you can find it and afford it thats what my sister feeds her allergy prone boxer and its worked wonders for her

 

[renae_nae]

How long have you had him? Did you change his food? What was he one before? Did he have skin issues before? Do you live in a different area/climate than the rescue?

 

[mebolson]

We've had her for 4 weeks. She lived within an hour of where we live and she has been on the same food for 2 months now so it may not be long enough to know for sure. She's had two vet visits with both vets saying her skin looks as though she has had long-standing allergy problems.

 

[stoneislandv8]

Not sure if they are fully available in the states but for dry foods we've had good results in the past from James WellBeloved and Burns, though we have had 1 bullie that disagreed with Burns. We've also found that gradually weaning the dog from 1 food to the new by measured additions of the new and subtractions of the old helps stop reactions rather than a complete sudden change.

We also get a York Test done on any new rescues we have to show food intolerances and allergies, again freely available in the UK through our vet.

 

[renae_nae]

We've had her for 4 weeks. She lived within an hour of where we live and she has been on the same food for 2 months now so it may not be long enough to know for sure. She's had two vet visits with both vets saying her skin looks as though she has had long-standing allergy problems.

That makes me think it could be an environmental allergy than a food allergy. I would personally research raw diets so you have more control over what she eats and if it doesn't go away in a few weeks to a month then start looking at things such as pollen, grass, etc.

 

[Patch O' Pits]

Unless you have allergy testing done or do food trials to know what the dog is allergic too guessing at what food is best won't help especially if it isn't a food allergy. Remember it could also be environmental or an underlying health issues like a thyroid problem or other autoimmune issue.

Best foods to try to see if it is a food allergy would be those with limited ingredients and one protein source

 

[mebolson]

Thank you everyone for all the great responses!

 

[kc2111]

What to feed for allergies

When we got our Pit she had severe allergies on her belly. Her skin was almost purple. We tried a few different foods and settled on the one below. She has been on this food now for about 3 months and her allergies have completely cleared up. Its by Nutro.

Benefits of NATURAL CHOICE® Lamb & Rice Formula:

Guaranteed great taste*

Natural sources of Glucosamine

& Chondroitin for healthy joints

Advanced antioxidants for

a healthy immune system

Natural ingredients with added

vitamins, minerals & taurine

Helps clean teeth & freshen

breath

Guaranteed to improve skin &

coat*

Premium Nutrition. Superior

Performance.â„¢

 

[Mollie's Nana]

Bella came to us with some skin issues and itchies. After consulting with some folks on here, I switched her to Taste Of The Wild Salmon, with no chicken (even though the kibble was grain free, the chickens are grain fed). She's doing great, all her hair came back in and no more itchies.

 

[Kai]

Find an allergy diet that contains hydrolized protein sources, which prevents the histemic response to the protein shape. That, or keep trying different diets and different protein bases until you find one that offers no response (each diet must be fed for a considerable amount of time before a proper reaction can be determined).
In the meantime, I would try an allergy medication to relieve current symptoms (start with a clean slate so to speak).


Quick Quiz (no google cheating!): What are the top 4 dog/cat food allergens?
:p

 

[Kai]

Ok, since there were no takers...

Beef
Dairy (which in a way is redundant, being the majority of dairy products are bovine...)
Wheat
Chicken
Which is where 68% of the protein allergens are found.
Below these is eggs, corn, and soy.

It isn't necessarily about a no grain diet, which is why I asked to see what people thought about common food allergenic responses.