What does your vet suggest? Cross contamination can be a problem with really serious allergies. A hydrolyzed protein diet given by your vet may be the way to go.
Also fair warning, but Pet Nutritionist is not a protected title. No formal education is required to be one so anyone could just decide to be one on a random day. I would use extreme caution going forward. I personally would not take advice from one.
If there was no improvement on the hydrolyzed diet it makes me speculate if there’s possibly more to his allergies. Could some of them be environmental as well?
Personally I would check out Hill's Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Adult Dry Dog Food - Pollock. I’ve heard good things and it’s WSAVA compliant!
I recommend trying out the WSAVA compliant brands first as they have the most research behind them. So Hills, Purina, Royal Canin, Iams or Eukanuba. If none of those work, then I would just try and experiment to see what works. I can’t personally recommend other brands in good faith due to lack of research, however I understand every dog is an individual and some dogs need different or more unorthodox things.
I’m sorry you’re going through this. Thank you for spending so much time, energy and money to get your rescue in tip top health. Your pup is lucky to have you. Best of luck!
The mail-in tests are known to be inaccurate. The best way to determine a food allergy is to do an elimination diet with guidance from your vet or a board certified veterinary nutritionist. What did you use for the elimination diet you did before? Chicken is a fairly common allergen for dogs, but “synthetic vitamins” aren’t.
It’s been a process. First did an at home/mail in test. Then met with a pet nutritionist once I had those results. Then went on elimination diet and tried new food recommended by the specialist. Skin flare ups almost gone.
Was the nutritionist a board certified veterinary nutritionist or someone who called themselves a pet nutritionist? And why didn’t they recommend a diet that works for your pet?
What specialist? Those home tests are totally bunk. I’m sorry.
https://www.reddit.com/r/DogFood/wiki/index/allergies/
There’s almost no scenario in which your dog is allergic to “synthetic vitamins”
That’s simply not a thing.
Those allergy tests are not accurate. Also "pet nutritionist" is not a protected/valid credential, and anyone can give themselves that title with no actual educational background in animal nutrition. What sort of elimination diet did you do; what food was used and for how many weeks?
My dog has never formally been diagnosed with allergies, but chicken based foods give him diarrhea. He's on Purina Pro Plan sensitive skin and stomach salmon flavor and no longer has poop issues. It's the only WSAVA food I could find that contains no chicken at all.
Carna4 is does not meet WSAVA guidelines. If you are truly concerned about allergies, you could ask your vet about doing a proper elimination diet with prescription hydrolyzed food, then work on transitioning to a food from a WSAVA compliant brand (Purina, Hills, Royal Canin, and in the US also Iams and Eukanuba). If you would like to try an OTC diet from a WSAVA compliant brand, these companies offer diets for sensitive skin/GI sensitivity.
Check out The Honest Kitchen. One of the very few “holistic” brands that actually has their food proven by feeding trials. Another is Just Food for Dogs but that’s fresh so it’s pricey. Otherwise I would say give proplan sensitive skin and stomach diets a try. There is also Royal canin sensitive skin and hills sensitive skin pollack.
My pitty has severe allergies and has done well on the wellness digestive whitefish core and limited ingredient natural balance diets. Unfortunately, my pitty does not do well on all the science backed diets as I have tried them all. Stay away from grain-free though!
What does your vet suggest? Cross contamination can be a problem with really serious allergies. A hydrolyzed protein diet given by your vet may be the way to go. Also fair warning, but Pet Nutritionist is not a protected title. No formal education is required to be one so anyone could just decide to be one on a random day. I would use extreme caution going forward. I personally would not take advice from one.
Has been a 2 yr uphill battle with this rescue. Tried the vegetarian hydrolyzed recommended by my vet for ~6 months. No improvement.
That is a very strong indicator that food is not the issue here at all
How could that be as there was improvement with carna4?
Whatever triggered the initial issue went away.
If there was no improvement on the hydrolyzed diet it makes me speculate if there’s possibly more to his allergies. Could some of them be environmental as well? Personally I would check out Hill's Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Adult Dry Dog Food - Pollock. I’ve heard good things and it’s WSAVA compliant! I recommend trying out the WSAVA compliant brands first as they have the most research behind them. So Hills, Purina, Royal Canin, Iams or Eukanuba. If none of those work, then I would just try and experiment to see what works. I can’t personally recommend other brands in good faith due to lack of research, however I understand every dog is an individual and some dogs need different or more unorthodox things. I’m sorry you’re going through this. Thank you for spending so much time, energy and money to get your rescue in tip top health. Your pup is lucky to have you. Best of luck!
The mail-in tests are known to be inaccurate. The best way to determine a food allergy is to do an elimination diet with guidance from your vet or a board certified veterinary nutritionist. What did you use for the elimination diet you did before? Chicken is a fairly common allergen for dogs, but “synthetic vitamins” aren’t.
How did you diagnose an allergy to synthetic vitamins and chicken?
It’s been a process. First did an at home/mail in test. Then met with a pet nutritionist once I had those results. Then went on elimination diet and tried new food recommended by the specialist. Skin flare ups almost gone.
Was the nutritionist a board certified veterinary nutritionist or someone who called themselves a pet nutritionist? And why didn’t they recommend a diet that works for your pet?
What specialist? Those home tests are totally bunk. I’m sorry. https://www.reddit.com/r/DogFood/wiki/index/allergies/ There’s almost no scenario in which your dog is allergic to “synthetic vitamins” That’s simply not a thing.
Those allergy tests are not accurate. Also "pet nutritionist" is not a protected/valid credential, and anyone can give themselves that title with no actual educational background in animal nutrition. What sort of elimination diet did you do; what food was used and for how many weeks?
WHEWWWWWWWWWWWWW you got taken for a ride. Talk to an actual veterinarian whose specialty is animal nutrition.
Thanks. Been to multiple vets in the past 25 months too. Even maxed out our pet insurance benefits.
My dog has never formally been diagnosed with allergies, but chicken based foods give him diarrhea. He's on Purina Pro Plan sensitive skin and stomach salmon flavor and no longer has poop issues. It's the only WSAVA food I could find that contains no chicken at all.
To clarify: Carna4 works for my dog. I’m looking for a less expensive alternative to it.
Carna4 is does not meet WSAVA guidelines. If you are truly concerned about allergies, you could ask your vet about doing a proper elimination diet with prescription hydrolyzed food, then work on transitioning to a food from a WSAVA compliant brand (Purina, Hills, Royal Canin, and in the US also Iams and Eukanuba). If you would like to try an OTC diet from a WSAVA compliant brand, these companies offer diets for sensitive skin/GI sensitivity.
Check out The Honest Kitchen. One of the very few “holistic” brands that actually has their food proven by feeding trials. Another is Just Food for Dogs but that’s fresh so it’s pricey. Otherwise I would say give proplan sensitive skin and stomach diets a try. There is also Royal canin sensitive skin and hills sensitive skin pollack. My pitty has severe allergies and has done well on the wellness digestive whitefish core and limited ingredient natural balance diets. Unfortunately, my pitty does not do well on all the science backed diets as I have tried them all. Stay away from grain-free though!
We just made the switch to the honest kitchen and our dogs DEVOUR it, and we’ve noticed great improvement in their energy coats and bowel movements!