Is anyone having issues with Freshpet dog food?

[Jenna AK]

I'm talking about a possible allergic reaction causing reddened skin, incessant scratching or eye rubbing and what look like hives the size of dimes in leg bends and on the neck area, plus swollen eyelids at the top corners. Also possibly aggravated reverse sneezing.

Could this be a food reaction or something else? It seems body-wide and includes some pretty nasty gut sounds as well. No diarrhea so far but a bit of extra urination.

We have chlorpheniramine to help combat the itching and reduce the swelling but I've never seen a reaction like this before in a dog.

I've looked up possible recalls on this brand and can't find any. Some folks have cats who are having fur pulling episodes from eating it but nothing else that I can see.
I really need help isolating the problem. Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Lil Sis]

yes... I purchased some without thinking it through. My guys eat fromm and homecooked, so something that looked like homecooked for emergencies looked great!! not!! There has to be some grain or something hidden..I did not see corn on the ingredient list. Never NEVER again

My poor Bailey almost looked like he had mange... he had spots bigger then my hand where he pulled out his hair. He is a larger shih tzu, and can NOT eat any product with corn. I did not see corn on the label. I treated him with coconut oil and bendryl per the vet.

So sorry you little guy is having issues. I hope he gets better fast.

[AprilLove]

Originally Posted by Jenna AK

I'm talking about a possible allergic reaction causing reddened skin, incessant scratching or eye rubbing and what look like hives the size of dimes in leg bends and on the neck area, plus swollen eyelids at the top corners. Also possibly aggravated reverse sneezing.

Could this be a food reaction or something else? It seems body-wide and includes some pretty nasty gut sounds as well. No diarrhea so far but a bit of extra urination.

We have chlorpheniramine to help combat the itching and reduce the swelling but I've never seen a reaction like this before in a dog.

I've looked up possible recalls on this brand and can't find any. Some folks have cats who are having fur pulling episodes from eating it but nothing else that I can see.
I really need help isolating the problem. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Sounds like this could be a reaction. The only way to know for sure is to stop feeding the food

[mimimomo]

Freshpet uses carageenan, this ingredient is injected into lab rats' joints to induce inflammation, to test anti-inflammatory meds! http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...rrageenan.html

[Jenna AK]

Thank you everyone.
I have stopped feeding the food and thrown out the remainder. Last night Jenna had a 1 ml dose of chlorpheniramine and was lethargic and unresponsive within two hours. Her eyes were open and could look at me but she couldn't lift herself up from a lying position and she seemed unable to focus. My ER vet told me over the phone to push fluids and get her to urinate as much as possible. It took me two hours to get her back to a reasonably responsive state. So we got her in to the regular vet this morning and now have methyl-prednisone, regular benadryl and tri-otic ointment for her ears, plus Hills RX Kangaroo and Oat dog food to try to feed her for 6-8 weeks elimination regimen. However upon getting her home and giving her one kibble she broke out in spots again and her eyes flared up. Her ears were red and bumpy and I had to administer the steroid and benadryl. It took a few hours to get her back to a sense of normal. I was told she didn't have to eat till morning tomorrow, but she's hardly had anything for 24 hours. I am very worried she will throw up like she did this morning. (yellow foamy fluid)
She's been snoozing the remainder of the day today and is still out cold now. (about 11 PM AKDT) The last few days she's hardly slept and was completely hyperactive.

Does this sound like a reasonable course of action? Will she continue to have allergic reactions every time she eats? The vet said it could be food or environmental but I see the reaction after ingestion. What else can I do to help her and keep her eating without compromising her health further? Will she be like this for the whole 6-8 weeks?
Feel very discouraged and afraid for her.

[Verbena]

I am so sorry she is having such a bad reaction. Did you call the vet back and tell him about what happen after feeding her the food? Good thoughts go out to the both of you

[Jenna AK]

Yes we spoke at length today. And apparently it is the Hills RX Z/D, not K & O. Somehow that didn't sound plausible but I'll put it down to being sleep deprived and wanting to hear there was something/anything to help my dog.
She has continued to throw up today, mostly yellow foam but it turned brown this evening and was gravy like. No coffee ground appearance. Called the ER vet again and they said stop the steroids and call the regular vet in the a.m.

She won't even touch the canned food now (she probably thinks that's what's making her barf) and I don't know how I'll get the benadryl pill down her this evening.

Still rashing up. The drugs are having less of an effect as we go and wear off quicker each time. She was able to pee and poo fine tonight though. Poor thing smells terrible from all the vomit so I'm going to give her a light bathing tonight before bed.

I am really wondering if it is environmental and might be a reaction to our cat's litter. Except that her ears are so terribly red and inflamed and I don't get how that would be part of it.

[yorkiemini]

So sorry your having those food and skin problems. That is a really tough situation.

I give Cali I tsp of the Fresh Pet roll (not the tub) every night with her dinner Fromm kibbles and she likes it. No problems. Have given ky for about two years.

We are starting the home made dr remillard diet in this next week. Too many recalls! We will see how that goes.

[Jenna AK]

Well after two visits to two separate vets, we have an even more miserable dog than I thought possible.
For the last few days she did nothing but barf. No food or water in, we had to take her in on ER status yesterday for fluids, (300 mls, she was that dehydrated) sucralfate (the vet found blood in her stool as well as her sputum) and an injection of cerenia. She also has some kind of infection, not sure what but the doc wanted to give her metronidazole and I had to turn it down because she reacts poorly to antifungals. We got instructions to take her back in to the original vet who saw her (different practice) today, which we did. The two are faxing each other back and forth to try to help her.
We've given up the Z/D because she simply won't touch it. We're on day three of no eating and I'm desperate to get her swallowing something besides water and meds.
She seems to have intermittent stomach pain that causes her legs to spasm. Last night she had trouble swallowing. Getting meds in is becoming increasingly difficult as she hates the taste of them and fights me until I am afraid I'll hurt her restraining her.
The rash just won't leave. Benadryl hardly touches it and steroids are now off the table.
Will try her on a boiled fish and rice diet next, if I can get her even interested. Otherwise, she's flipping from being reasonably well in herself to being the most pitiful, uncomfortable little dog you have ever seen.
I am not certain if the Freshpet did this to her, or if her diet has just been so unbalanced that she simply can't handle anything she used to eat anymore.

I may just have an oversensitive dog, but I don't think we'll ever feed Freshpet to any more of our animals.