Skin Allergy/Irritation in Dogs

[journey11]

I have a 9-year-old pitbull that has suddenly developed some kind of skin allergy/irritation, possibly dry skin? I took her to the vet and we at first assumed she must be allergic to the Christmas tree because this was the first time I had gotten a pine and that was the only thing new or different in her environment.

They put her on antibiotics (for severe sores she had made while scratching) and methylprednisolone (like humans get for allergic reactions) and that completely healed the full-body hives, redness and swelling she had and her coat looked nice and glossy again.

Well now that she is stepped down off the steroid the rash is coming back! The tree has been long gone; tossed it out 3 weeks ago. The only other thing I can think of in the house might be the dry heat from the woodburning stove, but we've always burned only wood. And we burned wood 2-3 months before the rash even showed up. I can't think what else she might be allergic to.

I was feeding her Purina Dog Chow and switched her to Diamond Senior diet after her vet visit for the rash because the vet said she needed a senior diet now. She seems fine on that otherwise.

What I am wondering is what I might bathe her in or treat her with homeopathically that would help soothe her skin irritation?

I have thought too that maybe I should kick her out of the house for a few days and see if being outdoors improves it any (although she will be HEARTBROKEN because she has always been an inside dog and always at my side). I don't know what else to do for her right now, but I'll have to take her back to the vet if it doesn't improve. I know she can't be on the steroids forever because they are not very good for her.

ETA: The vet did do a skin scrape--so no mites or mange.

 

[tortoise]

Dogs with environmental allergies do well to get a "rinse" bath with clear water everyday to help get the allergens out of their coats. Should be pretty easy with a pibble.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Try a grain free food?

 

[booker81]

Our lab gets dry itchies in the winter. I grab a big bottle of Fish Oil capsules, and put a couple in her kibble. She thinks they are treats.

I'd try that, if that doesn't help, try a grain free food (Innova Evo is one), and if that doesn't work, then you can get a panel done to find allergies.

 

[SKR8PN]

SWITCH DOG FOOD!!

I wouldn't feed my dogs a Diamond product if they were starving to death.
I would bet a million dollars that is where the allergies are coming from.

We feed Taste Of The Wild. It is more expensive to buy, but the food is so good that you have to cut back the amount you feed at each meal. I have 2 Chocolate Labs and a Golden Retriever that do extremely well on TOTW. They only get 1 cup each in the morning, and the same plus a veggie as an evening meal. We still have trouble with weight gain!

 

[SKR8PN]

SWITCH DOG FOOD!!

I wouldn't feed my dogs a Diamond product if they were starving to death. That is the company that used tainted grain a few years back and a LOT of dogs died as a result.
I would bet a million dollars that is where the allergies are coming from.

We feed Taste Of The Wild. It is more expensive to buy, but the food is so good that you have to cut back the amount you feed at each meal. I have 2 Chocolate Labs and a Golden Retriever that do extremely well on TOTW. They only get 1 cup each in the morning, and the same plus a veggie as an evening meal. We still have trouble with weight gain!



http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL264/2074170/7177437/379633055.jpg

Don't take my word for it, look it up yourself. Just like with people food, the fist couple of ingredients make up the MOST of the dog food.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/


http://www.aplus-flint-river-ranch.com/define-diamond-recall.php
Corn used in dog foods - The use of corn in so many of Diamond's dog food formulas is also of some concern. While corn is a whole grain frequently found in cat food formulas, it's more difficult to digest by dogs (as well as humans) and can cause allergic reactions in some dogs. The feline digestive system can better utilize corn, and corn also delivers important dietary benefits to cats and kittens, but in dog foods it simply serves as a low-cost filler, albeit one that many manufacturers like Diamond use in order to save money.

Corn passes right through a dog, providing little to no nutritional value. If a dog food, such as Diamond's Premium Adult Formula for Dogs, lists corn as the first or second ingredient on its label, the customer can expect to pay for up to 25% filler in that food.

 

[journey11]

It wasn't the dogfood that triggered it, not the Diamond brand anyway. She was on Purina at the time and had been her whole life (corn based) and the Senior Diamond is wheat based. I did read the ingredients label and while it is a step up from the Purina, right now it is about the best I can afford. I wish I could get her something better but dog food is already ridiculously expensive as it is. The vet said she shouldn't have so much protein at her age anyway, that it is hard on aging kidneys.

It is something in her environment that is causing the itching. Right now my biggest suspect is the dry heat from the woodstove....but I can't do anything about that either. The wood is most affordable (and preferred). :/

I will try the baths and the fish oil is very affordable. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Farmfresh]

I have been feeding Diamond Naturals for quite a while and that actually helped eliminate the allergy issues in my German Shepherd.

Diamond does have filler, but IMO at least the "Naturals" line seems OK. Chicken or Lamb is the first ingredient in the bag and the Naturals line is corn free, wheat free and soy free. The filler is brown and white rice, pearled barley and beet pulp. It is 26% protein and 16% fat. The Senior diet is the same way, but 25% protein and 11% fat plus Glucosamine and Chondroitin.

The Taste of Wild dog food is certainly superior, but so is its price. Some of us just can't afford that extra amount and might not need to, depending on the individual dog. Just like I have to eat only expensive gluten free foods and yet my hubby can thrive (and get pudgy) on regular bread.

I actually switched to Diamond after working at TSC and watching ALL of the big show and working dog breeders buying it. I figured if they bought THAT for their valuable high profile dogs then it would probably work for my couch potatoes. They have seemed fat, shiny and healthy ever after.

My Grandma Nettie used to put fat drippings and raw eggs on the dog food in the winter months. The extra fat and lecithin from the egg might also help if dryness is the issue.

 

[SKR8PN]

Senior dog food has more fillers than regular dog food. If he is concerned about weight gain, simply cut back on regular food portions, and add more veggies. Our dogs LOVE green beans, carrots and yogurt added to their food. In the mean time, can you add a humidifier to the room she stays in as well as adding a water pot to the top of the stove to add even more moisture? Putting her outside would be very traumatic to her if she has always been an inside dog, and may do more harm than good.

A little story about Diamond from my personal experience......This happened around the time of the Diamond dog food recall, when all the dogs were dieing from tainted food........
Back when we first started researching different dog food brands, because of food related allergies our dogs were having(Nutro) we settled on Solid Gold. It is a premium 5 star dog food and they price it as such. We had the girls on it for about 3 months when I opened a new bag and discovered different kibble mixed in with the Solid Gold. I started digging online, and discovered that Solid Gold was actually manufactured and packaged by Diamond!! I went POSTAL! Here I was, paying out the nose for PREMIUM dog food, that was actually MADE in the Diamond factory! They didn't even take the time to clean the machines when switching from one brand to another, and THAT was where the different kibble came from in that bag. Some great quality control, huh?

Like I said before, after the dogs deaths from the tainted food, I wouldn't feed Diamond if my dogs were starving. To me.... they are the Monsanto of the dog food world. $.02

 

[Farmfresh]

When we were selling dog food at TSC at least OUR Diamond was one of the few NOT recalled. Hmm... I wonder if we just got it from a different plant?
That makes me REALLY curious now. I do respect your feelings about it. If I was concerned about the quality or safety of a bag I would not feed it either. We both have similar views about our big furry lap pillows.

Usually their food actually smells good when you first open the bag. Kind of chickeny. Was the bag you got off other than in the mixed kibble?

I will second the motion on the yogurt. I usually give my dogs (and even chickens) good quality plain yogurt about once a week.