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newbie seeking advice or thoughts....



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 24th 12, 02:48 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Jo in Ok
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default newbie seeking advice or thoughts....

Hi everyone...I'm Jo(short for Joanne) and have a 5 year old brown lab
with itching problems....I would like to try dif stuff first before
having my vet do all sorts of expensive tests to see why she scratches
herself so much. I am thinking of trying some dif products-maybe
lipiderm or skin eze....has anyone here ever tried these products or?
to help relieve the itching in their dogs? I have tried oatmeal
shampoo and other shampoos for itching problems but they do not work.
TIA(thanks in advance for any helpful answers)...I also feed my dog
pedigree can dog food and dry food...I did try some blue buffalo can
food but it is so darn expensive-I also have a border collie with no
problems as far as itching.
  #2  
Old December 24th 12, 02:05 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Glenn Lyford
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 79
Default newbie seeking advice or thoughts....

On Sunday, December 23, 2012 8:48:00 PM UTC-5, Jo in Ok wrote:
5 year old brown lab with itching problems....
I also feed my dog pedigree can dog food and dry food...


Does the dog have hot spots (sores, often under the collar) or red dots around the lips or corners of the mouth? These are often signs of an allergic reaction. Sometimes the ears will also be impossible to keep clean, too.

My lab gets itchy whenever she has food with corn, so food that does not contain corn would be the first thing I would try. Her ears also cleared up when we made the food switch.

Ours also gets seasonal allergies, in reaction to something that grows in the yard. Out vet has her on Benadryl for that, so between the food and managing the allergic reaction with appropriate medication (see your vet, they can determine if it is right for your dog, and if so, how much).

In general, while good food is expensive, vet bills are even more so. Was your dog less itchy when eating the Blue Buffalo? If it saves you a couple of vet visits a year, it's probably worth it.

Hope that helps,
--Glenn Lyford
  #3  
Old December 24th 12, 07:38 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Jo in Ok
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default newbie seeking advice or thoughts....

On Dec 24, 7:05*am, Glenn Lyford wrote:
On Sunday, December 23, 2012 8:48:00 PM UTC-5, Jo in Ok wrote:
5 year old brown lab with itching problems....
I also feed my dog pedigree can dog food and dry food...


Does the dog have hot spots (sores, often under the collar) or red dots around the lips or corners of the mouth? *These are often signs of an allergic reaction. *Sometimes the ears will also be impossible to keep clean, too.

My lab gets itchy whenever she has food with corn, so food that does not contain corn would be the first thing I would try. *Her ears also cleared up when we made the food switch.

Ours also gets seasonal allergies, in reaction to something that grows in the yard. *Out vet has her on Benadryl for that, so between the food and managing the allergic reaction with appropriate medication (see your vet, they can determine if it is right for your dog, and if so, how much).

In general, while good food is expensive, vet bills are even more so. *Was your dog less itchy when eating the Blue Buffalo? *If it saves you a couple of vet visits a year, it's probably worth it.

Hope that helps,
* --Glenn Lyford


My lab has hair missing on her elbows.....I don't remember her
itching like this like she was younger-in fact
when our next door neighbor's dog came over to play with my lab-I
noticed something strange on this dog-she would scratch at her
mouth....well now my lab has done the same so not sure if this dog
passed something on to her or not....this coming spring-if all I try
does not work or help-then I will have my vet start testing
her....occasionally I will give her a benadryl but that makes her
sleepy and when she wakes she will still scratch herself.I don't give
her alot of baths so her skin won't be too dry which wil make her itch.
  #4  
Old December 24th 12, 09:21 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Jo Wolf
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 479
Default newbie seeking advice or thoughts....

Glynn's got the right idea.

The loss of hair on the elbows of a largish dog is often the result of
lieing on hard surfaces, such as concrete or hardwood..... Daily
application of Preparation H hemmorroid creme is a long time solution
many owners recommend for this problem; keeps the skin softer.

Often dogs with food allergies/sensitivities also have repeated ear
infections, and lick at their feet a lot..... in addition to the other
signs listed.

Pedigree is mostly corn (read the label). Corn, wheat, soy, and dyes
added to inexpensive foods to make them look rich are major sources of
food allergy. Some dogs are allergic to rice, but it's not a common
issue, sometimes the meat base (beef, chicken, etc.) additives cause the
problem. Some dogs do not tolerate gluten.

When I switched my food-allergic/sensitive dog off supermarket foods to
high quality grain-free, I went from about quarterly ear infections and
constant itching with hot spots (his were on his back, right in front of
the root of the tail) to none of these problems with in two months. And
vet visits dropped to his annual wellness visit. HUGE difference in pet
costs per year....

You can do a decent review of dog food contents and some comments by
long-time breeders at http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com They use a 6-star
rating system.... Some of the foods you will never have heard of, but
increasingly, the better and best foods are available from PetsMart and
PETCO, as well as locally owned stores.

And if you are willing to put in some time studying, and have the space
for freezing the meats bought in greater bulk than for your own meals,
plus veggies and some other supplements, you can make your own raw
food..... This is more expensive.... but for some dogs it can make a
huge difference in quality of life.

Note that when you feed a grain-free food, you feed LESS, because you
aren't filling the dog up with filler-grain. You also scoop less. When
I went from feeding 1 1/2 cups per day of 24-26% protein and around 16%
fat to feeding 34-36% protein and about 16-18 % fat, the amount dropped
to 1 cup. Obviously, I have smaller dogs than you do.... {grin} As the
entire ingredients list is higher in quality, you are much less likely
to need to add Anything to the food. I do add salmon oil to my gang's
food in the winter.... central heating results in very low humidity
indoors.... but the other commercially balanced oil supplements are
reasonably good, too. Cheaper olive oil, about 1 teaspoonful a day can
do a darn good job, and it's easy to find in the supermarket.

When you give an antihistamine like Benadryl on a regular basis for
more than a couple of weeks, the sedation effect is usually lost or
signifcantly reduces.

Oh, the veterinary nutritionists are increasingly recommending grainfree
foods, according to an obedience training student of mine who has been
in a "animal husbandry" type major in college, and are also suggesting
rotating among similar quality foods every few (3-4) months, varying the
meat base (chicken, fish, beef, lamb, and even more exotic ones) as
onemethod of reducing the development of food sensitivities and
allergies. I have read this in other sources.... You do NOT need to go
to foods with super-high protein levels in the mid-40s %.... there are
grain-frees with upper-20s % protein, and many in the lower to mid-30s
%.

I have been addressing ONLY dry foods.... My gang gets canned food as
add-ons for special occasions.... Usually canned versions of the same
formula of dry food they're getting at the time. Frozen high quality
foods are also available, freeze-dried, and refrigerated.......

Jo Wolf
Martinez, Georgia, USA

  #5  
Old December 25th 12, 08:18 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Jo in Ok
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default newbie seeking advice or thoughts....

On Dec 24, 2:21*pm, (Jo Wolf) wrote:
Glynn's got the right idea.

The loss of hair on the elbows of a largish dog is often the result of
lieing on hard surfaces, such as concrete or hardwood..... *Daily
application of Preparation H hemmorroid creme is a long time solution
many owners recommend for this problem; keeps the skin softer.

Often dogs with food allergies/sensitivities also have repeated ear
infections, and lick at their feet a lot..... in addition to the other
signs listed.

Pedigree is mostly corn (read the label). *Corn, wheat, soy, and dyes
added to inexpensive foods to make them look rich are major sources of
food allergy. *Some dogs are allergic to rice, but it's not a common
issue, sometimes the meat base (beef, chicken, etc.) additives cause the
problem. *Some dogs do not tolerate gluten.

When I switched my food-allergic/sensitive dog off supermarket foods to
high quality grain-free, I went from about quarterly ear infections and
constant itching with hot spots (his were on his back, right in front of
the root of the tail) to none of these problems with in two months. *And
vet visits dropped to his annual wellness visit. *HUGE difference in pet
costs per year....

You can do a decent review of dog food contents and some comments by
long-time breeders athttp://www.dogfoodanalysis.com*They use a 6-star
rating system.... *Some of the foods you will never have heard of, but
increasingly, the better and best foods are available from PetsMart and
PETCO, as well as locally owned stores.

And if you are willing to put in some time studying, and have the space
for freezing the meats bought in greater bulk than for your own meals,
plus veggies and some other supplements, you can make your own raw
food..... *This is more expensive.... but for some dogs it can make a
huge difference in quality of life.

Note that when you feed a grain-free food, you feed LESS, because you
aren't filling the dog up with filler-grain. *You also scoop less. *When
I went from feeding 1 1/2 cups per day of 24-26% protein and around 16%
fat to feeding 34-36% protein and about 16-18 % fat, the amount dropped
to 1 cup. *Obviously, I have smaller dogs than you do.... {grin} *As the
entire ingredients list is higher in quality, you are much less likely
to need to add Anything to the food. *I do add salmon oil to my gang's
food in the winter.... central heating results in very low humidity
indoors.... * *but the other commercially balanced oil supplements are
reasonably good, too. *Cheaper olive oil, about 1 teaspoonful a day can
do a darn good job, and it's easy to find in the supermarket.

When you give an *antihistamine like Benadryl on a regular basis for
more than a couple of weeks, the sedation effect is usually lost or
signifcantly reduces.

Oh, the veterinary nutritionists are increasingly recommending grainfree
foods, according to an obedience training student of mine who has been
in a "animal husbandry" type major in college, and are also suggesting
rotating among similar quality foods every few (3-4) months, varying the
meat base (chicken, fish, beef, lamb, and even more exotic ones) as
onemethod of reducing the development of food sensitivities and
allergies. *I have read this in other sources.... *You do NOT need to go
to foods with super-high protein levels in the mid-40s %.... there are
grain-frees with upper-20s % protein, and many in the lower to mid-30s
%.

I have been addressing ONLY dry foods.... *My gang gets canned food as
add-ons for special occasions.... Usually canned versions of the same
formula of dry food they're getting at the time. *Frozen high *quality
foods are also available, freeze-dried, and refrigerated.......

Jo Wolf
Martinez, Georgia, USA


I got some corn free pedigree I plan to use instead of the reg kind-
says
healthy weight on the bag.
  #6  
Old December 26th 12, 09:09 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
Jo Wolf
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 479
Default newbie seeking advice or thoughts....

Take some time and go to http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com and get a real
education on quality..... before you buy another bag of dog food.
Please.

Jo Wolf
Martinez, Georgia, USA

 




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