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Time to move to raw?? Piper has decided that she is going to turn really picky. I have been giving her canned food mixed with a little bit of kibble and some of them she will eat the canned food and leave the kibble and some of them she won't touch any of it. Of course it's the canned foods that are made for toppers that she loves!! She is on a grain free diet but I still see her biting at the bottoms of her feet and at her joints. Do you think it is time to move her to a raw diet and if so, what would you suggest to start out with. Should I take her to the vet first? Thank you for any help offered. Tammy |
Most allergies are not due to food. Have you done any blood work to check for environmental allergies? Yes, I think a vet visit is in order. Good luck! |
What kibble are you feeding now? You can try sample sized bags of premade raw. Nature's Variety, Stella & Chewy's & Primal has them. Have you done a skin scraping & cytology to determine what could be causing the itchies? It doesn't cost much & they look under the microscope to see if it's bacteria or yeast related. My guys eat premade raw for 1 meal & kibble for the other & are doing great. Canned food is an excellent topper as well. I would like to switch them to exclusively raw, but it's kinda pricey to feed 4 mouths. If I was to go PMR, it might be more affordable but I'm not @ that level, comfort wise...yet.:D I have 2 w/enviro allergies & yeast (skin cytology confirmed this), they used to lick their paws excessively & always have a 'frito' smell. They were even on temaril-p for awhile, but now are doing 90% better. I've also eliminated all 'sugary' foods from their diet & no more store bought treats. Hope this vid helps, it helped us tremendously: Eating These Foods Can Cause Dog Yeast Infection |
Sometimes I wonder if it's a nervous habit for her. She is a rescue dog and her first year was pretty crappy. I mainly notice her biting at herself when we are playing or right before she goes to bed at night, she doesn't do it when she takes her naps during the day. Is that a possibility? I would assume (yep, I know what that word means!) that if it was any type of allergy that it would be a constant thing? Sorry, what is PMR? LOL...I used to work in the medical profession so that is the only verbage that pops into my head!! :P As far as what kibble she's eating right now....NONE!! She refuses to eat any that I have tried so far. :/ I'm seriously considering giving her Darwin's Raw because they will ship and I live in a small town a little over an hour from a town that would even come close to having stores that carry raw feed. What kind of kibble are you feeding? |
Poor baby...she is miserable or she would not be biting herself. I would take her to a vet and find out what she is allergic to. At least maybe they could give her something to ease the itching. Changing food the way you are doing it, probably will not help with the allergies. I am not saying what you should feed her. I just don't think this is the way to go to find out what the issue is that is making her itch. Good luck. |
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Don't get me wrong, I am going to take her to the vet but I was going to change her to a raw feed anyway so figured now was as good a time as any. Why do you say "Changing food the way you are doing it..."? I have yet to get her to try any of them as of yet!! The only food she will eat right now is the canned that are made as toppers so not a balanced diet. What am I supposed to do??? I guess my main concern at this point is her not eating more than her biting at her feet during play and before bed. Please don't try and make me feel bad. I love her with all my heart and only want what's best for her. I'm not a heartless person. :confused: |
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Q: How common are food allergies in dogs? A: Ten percent of all allergy cases in dogs are food allergies. Dogs also can suffer from food intolerance, which is different from a food allergy. Q: What are the common signs of a food allergy? A: Anything from chronic ear inflammation, gastrointestinal problems, and chronic diarrhea to chronic gas, licking their feet, or an itchy rear end. Q: What are the most common things that could trigger a food allergy in my dog? A: It’s a genetic problem, and when it’s triggered, it’s by exposure to whatever they’re allergic to. The most common allergens are beef, dairy, wheat, egg, chicken, lamb, soy, pork, rabbit, and fish. And, most dogs are usually allergic to more than one thing. |
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I don't know why she would only seem to scratch at certain times...maybe when she is busy she does not think about it as much?? I have a foster who has been showing signs of allergies and she does tend to itch more when she is not running around. Just speak with your vet about it and see what he/she thinks. I would definitely want to get something for this because the next thing you will be dealing with skin infections. They are very common in allergic dogs. Again, I am sorry, I did not mean to offend or insinuate you don't care. |
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My boys do a little scratching and licking -- and they always save it for late at night when I finally go to bed. Not sure why they do that unless they feel comfortable when I am there. I tell them to stop and they do. My guess is that if she biting only her feet and legs, it is probably environmental, maybe something she is walking in outdoors. I know that is why my boys lick and sniff their feet. You could try rinsing her legs and feet every day with water and see if that helps at all. I wouldn't use any shampoo unless it is a super mild dog shampoo and diluted. |
I'm sorry I even mentioned the fact that she was biting at her feet. My reason and main concern is the fact that she is not eating her food except for the canned kind that is meant as a topper. |
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You clearly have linked the biting to grains and we are trying to help you understand that there is a high probability it is not that. Here is what you stated, She is on a grain free diet but I still see her biting at the bottoms of her feet and at her joints. That tells me that you feel she has a problem and you think it is related to food. Now you are sorry? I thought you wanted to help your pup??? Totally confused. As for the raw diet...I have no experience and would never consider it because I have strong beliefs about it; but that has nothing to do with my response to you. Others can advise you on that diet. I was merely trying to help you help your pup ... Just like us, when we itch and we scratch it becomes itchier, that is happening to her..BUT we can take things to soothe it. Your pup does not have that luxury. She depends on you. I do hope you will consult with your vet. |
Has she had a Bile Acid Test? I would recommend that before going to raw... |
She is going to the vet. Thank you for your help. Thank you kjc, that is what I needed to know. :) |
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I'd also have her teeth checked specifically. She may have a bad tooth that bothers her when eating kibble. I've read about some dogs doing fantastic on a raw diet. It wouldn't hurt to get your vet's opinion on switching her over. He may have more tests in mind to make sure it would be beneficial for her. |
I understand the frustration of possible allergies bc I've been through it down here in pollen-ville with 2 of my kiddos. You are smart to focus in on her paw chewing bc it is indeed a cardinal sign of allergies. So, that's great of you to notice it and to keep an eye on it. Btw, how old is she? I feed raw and I really love it. Mostly I use the Primal brand (duck). I've been using it about 5 years. If your kiddo is a picky eater, it may be worth trying raw bc there have been some other picky eaters here who then go crazy for raw. So for that reason alone, it may be worth trying it. As for the allergies, food allergies are rare - but they do happen; only about 10-15% of the time. That said, I do think it helps enviro-allergy dogs to be on low allergen type foods. How does her skin look....especially on her belly, armpits, groin, back etc -- any red patchy areas, any inflammation at all? If yes, then def get a skin scraping asap to see if she has a skin infection. I'm going to paste a thread here, it's a thread about how to approach allergies if you're suspicious they may be present (and I think you're correct in that they are present): http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/die...tart-here.html |
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This morning she had some Evanger's Pheasant mixed with some Evanger's Super Premium Pheasant and Brown Rice kibble. She did eat almost all of the kibble with her canned. She only left a few pieces of the kibble. :) We'll see if she eats it for more than a couple of meals. FINGERS CROSSED!!! |
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She is a year old. She's a rescue dog so that is why I'm concerned that it may be a habit. She only does it when we are playing (on the floor, on the bed, on the sofa) and when she goes to bed at night. She also scratches her ears but she has no ear infection and I keep the hair plucked out of her ears. The vet gave me an ear wash to clean her ears with but I see no change in the scratching. This is another thing that will be addressed with her vet when she goes back in for her booster vaccines in a couple of weeks. |
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I already asked her vet about a raw diet and she was a total b!tch about it! This was my first and also my last time seeing this vet. I just went to her because my regular vet was in surgery the day that I needed to go over. |
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