# Dry kibble for puppies with allergies?



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

Hi all! This is my first post and the main reason I signed up. I have a 10 month old chi rescue that came to me on Iams smart puppy. After the first bag that came with him, I immediately wanted to change. I chose Taste of the Wild Wetlands (duck based), since it is a grain free, pretty high quality food that I also feed to my 2 cats. Shortly after switching, he got MAJOR issues: dry and flaky skin, hair loss, black scabs on his ears, anal gland blockages, ear infections, he even bled from his penis! The vet told me it was all probably due to a food allergy and suggested I go back to the Iams to make certain it was a food allergy. It seems it was, all of his health issues have cleared up (aside from the scars from the ear scabs  ), and I am looking to find a high quality food to get him off this awful Iams, but I am apprehensive after the TotW fiasco. The vet said it may have been due to its very high protein content (32%), but I thought that was a normal, slightly low, number? He also went into a 10 day vomiting binge after I accidentally gave him wet tuna cat food with his liquid antibiotic, thought I got turkey (vet recommended mixing to get him to eat it fast), so I'm not sure fish agrees with him either. I've considered the Natural Balance range, but would like a food higher than 4 stars. Problem is, all the 5/6 star foods are so high in protein and the doc has got me worried about that..I'm so confused...Please help!

Thanks for your time and consideration!
Jessica


----------



## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Hi, Jessica, and welcome to the group!

Your poor little guy has had a time of it, hasn't he? I did a little research and have some thoughts about the food situation. First of all, I looked up the specs on the Iams puppy food, and correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't it have 31%protein? The percentage of the protein is only slightly higher in the better quality foods although it could be argued that higher quality ingredients give more useable protein. I know you want to feed afood with a higher rating and I think that one of the things that makes the rating higher is the protein percentage.

A couple of dry foods that I found on the hypoallergenic list are Canidae grainfree pure, which comes in several varieties and Nature's Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets. 

If it were me, before I tried him on anything else, I would compare the ingredients of the Iams and the TOTW to see what is different between the two. If you can figure out what's different then you can avoid those things in the new food.

Does his food have to be a kibble? If not Youmight think about Ziwipeak or The Honest Kitchen. And whatever new food you go to l would make the switch very slowly.

Let meknow how he is doing.


----------



## PR Punk Skater (Dec 29, 2011)

i thinks some brands have a limited ingredients diets (not the same as grain free), the only one i know its BASICS from the blue buffalo company, but start looking to limited ingredient diets.


----------



## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

Poor guy! I would also compare the two foods you've given your puppy and see what the difference is. If you want to stick to a kibble, that will definitely help you choose one. It sounds like he has a pretty severe allergy, and a very sensitive tummy. Dogs can be allergic to _anything_ in their food, including the meat or preservatives. I'm sure others will chime in that have gone through the same thing. I'm sure there's probably something natural you could add to his diet to help his tummy. You might want to try to find a quality kibble with similar ingredients (like protein source), and without all the other crap and fillers.


----------



## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

I have a chi that's is severely allergic to just about everything & I've had her on The Honest Kitchen now for almost 2 years! It's the best thing I've ever done. You can email the company and ask for samples of their food to see if he tolerates it before you buy it. The nice thing about THK is they have a nice selection for puppies to sensitive tummies. I would get him off Iam's & TOTW, but that's just my opinion. I know some here like TOTW, but they've had several recalls. I haven't heard of any recalls with THK and it's good quality, healthy people-type food that the majority of dogs love, so it's like a treat for them. Although the price seems high, it's really not when you break it down, plus a healthy, happy dog means little to NO vet visits when they're eating right.


----------



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

Oh my gosh, So sorry it took me so long to reply! Thank you all for you time and concern! I found the ingredient lists, here they are:

_TOTW
Duck, duck meal, chicken meal, egg product, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, roasted quail, roasted duck, smoked turkey, natural flavor, tomato pomace, ocean fish meal, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product,dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

IAMS
Chicken, Corn Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Egg Product, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Caramel, Monosodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Fructooligosaccharides, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, DL-Methionine, Rosemary Extract._

The main differences being obviously the proteins duck/turkey/quail, potatoes/sweet potatoes, peas, tomatoes/tomato pomace, chicory root extract and the berries. I have been searching all over to find foods without these ingredients (not easy, let me tell you!) and I have found two that seem promising. Nature's Variety Instinct Grain-Free Chicken and The Honest Kitchen Force (grain free chicken also). My only concern is THK has the sweet potatoes , though I doubt that is what is bothering Dexie. Also, does THK need to be consumed quickly? Because Dexie does not eat right away. He isn't picky at all, just eats a few kibbles at a time. I feed him 3 small amounts a day, but I have never been able to get him to eat enough to take the dish away completely. I just do not want to be wasting food because it has sat too long. Also, what about the teeth issue? Isn't dry food better for keeping his teeth up? Any info is appreciated! Thanks again everyone!


----------



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

I've done a bit more researching and been to the vet since my last post. I've decided that THK is the best option, and I'm going to go with Thrive now since Force is indicated for adults only and I want to avoid the potatoes, just in case that is the issue. But I had another question..Is it ok to mix kibble with the THK? For more protein and fat? I was thinking about adding in the Natures Variety Instinct after the original detox and to stretch out the THK a little farther. Maybe doing one meal THK one kibble. This would be ideal because he can have the kibble at work so I don't have to fuss and then the THK I can do at night when I have more time. Does anyone do it this way?


----------



## 23083 (Sep 22, 2011)

check out Wellness Simple.
I love wellness for both my dogs. Simple is for dogs with food intolerances and is grain free.
Good luck!


----------



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

I just checked on it, and while it sounds great for allergic dogs, it has a very low protein and fat content and is very high in carbs (it's mostly rice). I'm sure there are dogs out there that do well on it (like yours), but at the beginning of my journey of trial and error with Dexter's allergies, I'm going to try other options first. Thanks for your consideration and suggestion though!


----------



## Maia's Mom (Oct 13, 2011)

My 6 month old female chi has a grain allergy so she eats Blue Buffalo Freedom Puppy. Its grain free and she loves it!!!


----------



## Chi Nation (Mar 7, 2012)

*Canidae*

My brother feeds Canidae grain free formula. His dogs with food allergies have done really well on it. Maybe check this one out... CANIDAE® Natural, Holistic Dog Food - CANIDAE Grain Free Pure Land

They have four differant grain free formulas to choose from.



.


----------



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

Ok so here's the thing..I was trying to find a food without all the different ingredients the TOTW had. People could name their favorite brand of food all day long and it wouldn't make a difference. I found one that didn't have any of those ingredients, the Natures Variety Instinct, but I have decided to try the Honest kitchen because of the lack of preservatives and such. I am more wondering about mixing it WITH the kibble, or one meal of each per day. Thank you for your replies though


----------



## princess_ella (Jun 4, 2005)

Dexiehuahua said:


> Hi all! This is my first post and the main reason I signed up. I have a 10 month old chi rescue that came to me on Iams smart puppy. After the first bag that came with him, I immediately wanted to change. I chose Taste of the Wild Wetlands (duck based), since it is a grain free, pretty high quality food that I also feed to my 2 cats. Shortly after switching, he got MAJOR issues: dry and flaky skin, hair loss, black scabs on his ears, anal gland blockages, ear infections, he even bled from his penis! The vet told me it was all probably due to a food allergy and suggested I go back to the Iams to make certain it was a food allergy. It seems it was, all of his health issues have cleared up (aside from the scars from the ear scabs  ), and I am looking to find a high quality food to get him off this awful Iams, but I am apprehensive after the TotW fiasco. The vet said it may have been due to its very high protein content (32%), but I thought that was a normal, slightly low, number? He also went into a 10 day vomiting binge after I accidentally gave him wet tuna cat food with his liquid antibiotic, thought I got turkey (vet recommended mixing to get him to eat it fast), so I'm not sure fish agrees with him either. I've considered the Natural Balance range, but would like a food higher than 4 stars. Problem is, all the 5/6 star foods are so high in protein and the doc has got me worried about that..I'm so confused...Please help!
> 
> Thanks for your time and consideration!
> Jessica


Are you sure its not the fish that is causing the problem you mentioned your dog puked the tuna you accidently feed him the totw has fish in it.


----------



## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

Dexie, good for you for being so determined, what a terrible thing to have to go through with him when he had that horrific reaction!

It never ceases to amaze me how we Aussies shell out millions every year on Iam, Eukanuba, ToTW etc because we believe, having been SOLD by our Vets & Pet Stores they're the best of the best - codswallop they are!!! And the worst part is trying to find someone who works in a store who knows what they're talking about, besides the Uni degree they're studying  

I'm so grateful to have found this forum, otherwise I too would've joined the ranks of the ignorant. Now, after much reading I've decided to go 80% raw and 20% Ziwipeak (as entirely separate meals) with a teeny weeny amount of a whole lot of stuff thrown in between every now and then so when our slack suppliers run out, formulas get changed, or I can't get out of the house, I'll have no allergies, upset tummies etc.

One look at Brodie's pearly whites was enough to sell me on raw


----------



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

You're right, it COULD be the fish meal. It could be anything, really. That's the problem with allergies. Its just quite far down the list, even below "natural flavor", so I figured it was more likely the duck or the egg product.


----------



## glittergirl (Aug 11, 2011)

AussieLass said:


> Dexie, good for you for being so determined, what a terrible thing to have to go through with him when he had that horrific reaction!
> 
> It never ceases to amaze me how we Aussies shell out millions every year on Iam, Eukanuba, ToTW etc because we believe, having been SOLD by our Vets & Pet Stores they're the best of the best - codswallop they are!!! And the worst part is trying to find someone who works in a store who knows what they're talking about, besides the Uni degree they're studying
> 
> ...


I know, we are so unbelievably limited to what we can get in Australia, noone supplys canned hypoallergenic food to us except for Hills pescription ZD which Nach did great on but he has suddenely gone of it and keeps trying to eat Bella's food.None of the vets have even heard of half the brands that are out there and even if they had it doesn't matter as we can't them here anyway...I am so angry right now.!!!!


----------



## glittergirl (Aug 11, 2011)

Your poor baby, how is he now????


----------



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

glittergirl said:


> Your poor baby, how is he now????


Well, it kind of comes and goes. Right now, we have infected anal glands, ear crud and super shedding! It seems never ending...I truly hope when I switch to a quality food, things will sort themselves out. I just want my baby healthy! He's such a happy boy though, he doesn't let anything bother him. I have The Honest kitchen on order, but I still wonder if I can give one meal of that a day and one of the NV kibble. Anyone have an idea if that would be ok? Or should I stick to THK alone?


----------



## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

My chi suffers from severe allergies (environmental & food) I feed her THK 90% of the time. Once in a while when I don't feel like making the THK, I'll substitute 1 meal with either ZP or ACANA. Once the ACANA's gone, I'm not getting any more. My chi has done excellent with the THK & ZP. 
As soon as you get your THK, I would get your chi on it immediately. The fiber in the food with help minimize or eliminate infected anal glands. I haven't had a problem with anal glands since my chis been on THK (about 1-1/2 to 2 years now). I don't know what you're feeding your chi, but if he's having all these issues, I would discontinue that food as soon as you get the THK & feed the THK twice a day for a while to see how he handles it. 
You can buy Aveeno Oatmeal Bath soak for your chi to help with his itchy skin, ear crud & shedding. It's around $6 and has 6 packets. If you do the soak in the sink, you only need about 1/3 to 1/2 a packet, but remember, it's a soak, so DON'T rinse it off. I hope you're taking him to the vet for his anal glands. Hope he gets to feelin' better.


----------



## Dexiehuahua (Feb 19, 2012)

woodard2009 said:


> My chi suffers from severe allergies (environmental & food) I feed her THK 90% of the time. Once in a while when I don't feel like making the THK, I'll substitute 1 meal with either ZP or ACANA. Once the ACANA's gone, I'm not getting any more. My chi has done excellent with the THK & ZP.
> As soon as you get your THK, I would get your chi on it immediately. The fiber in the food with help minimize or eliminate infected anal glands. I haven't had a problem with anal glands since my chis been on THK (about 1-1/2 to 2 years now). I don't know what you're feeding your chi, but if he's having all these issues, I would discontinue that food as soon as you get the THK & feed the THK twice a day for a while to see how he handles it.
> You can buy Aveeno Oatmeal Bath soak for your chi to help with his itchy skin, ear crud & shedding. It's around $6 and has 6 packets. If you do the soak in the sink, you only need about 1/3 to 1/2 a packet, but remember, it's a soak, so DON'T rinse it off. I hope you're taking him to the vet for his anal glands. Hope he gets to feelin' better.


I planned on basically "detoxing" once I get the THK. Do I need to do any mixing with the current food? If you read my initial post, he came to me on Iam's and I switched to a better food and things got bad. The vet told me to go back to make sure it was the food. Things immediately got better, less dry skin and itching, hair grew back, gland issues better, no more ear scabs or infections, so we were sure it was the food. He's been stable for a couple months now, but recently he's had some resurgence. He's itching again, anal issues are back and his fur is thinning in spots. So yes, I take him to the vet, was just there on Monday. He's on antibiotics right now and were washing his ears regularly again. I work with a dog groomer and she has kindly given me some of her hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo, so that is what I use for bathing. I try to do the best I can for him...


----------



## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

Dexiehuahua said:


> I planned on basically "detoxing" once I get the THK. Do I need to do any mixing with the current food? If you read my initial post, he came to me on Iam's and I switched to a better food and things got bad. The vet told me to go back to make sure it was the food. Things immediately got better, less dry skin and itching, hair grew back, gland issues better, no more ear scabs or infections, so we were sure it was the food. He's been stable for a couple months now, but recently he's had some resurgence. He's itching again, anal issues are back and his fur is thinning in spots. So yes, I take him to the vet, was just there on Monday. He's on antibiotics right now and were washing his ears regularly again. I work with a dog groomer and she has kindly given me some of her hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo, so that is what I use for bathing. I try to do the best I can for him...


Yea, sounds like you're doing wonderful. THK is real food & has raw meat depending on which one you get. It is minimally processed unlike kibble that is majorly processed. The chis get more of a benefit from the rehydrated food because most of the nutrients are still there once rehydrated. Kibble is hard to digest and all the nutrients are processed out. Most chis do well on THK, but I've heard a few don't for one reason or another. You should be able to tell after the first few feedings. One thing I did wrong when I started feeding THK is I fed way too much and my chi was pooping 6-7 times a day. They will poop a little more than usually as their body is detoxifying and the fiber content helps them to go. My chi is a little under 7 lbs and I feed her 1/4 cup twice a day. The Aveeno bath soak is just a soak, not a shampoo. It helps to soothe itching, irritated skin. With allergies, it's a constant battle of ups & downs. When I think the itching is completely stopped, she walks in the neighbors grass and she starts itching profusely again. One thing I need to do more regularly that helps is wipe her down with a baby wipe when ever she walks in grass.


----------



## TinyTails (Jun 24, 2011)

> Well, it kind of comes and goes. Right now, we have infected anal glands, ear crud and super shedding! It seems never ending...I truly hope when I switch to a quality food, things will sort themselves out. I just want my baby healthy! He's such a happy boy though, he doesn't let anything bother him. I have The Honest kitchen on order, but I still wonder if I can give one meal of that a day and one of the NV kibble. Anyone have an idea if that would be ok? Or should I stick to THK alone?


My dogs eat mostly THK but some mornings when it's super busy they get dry for their morning meal and it's never a problem. My allergic boy actually gets the NV LID turkey as his dry most of the time. After YEARS of trying to figure out his allergies I have finally figured out the main culprit for him is potato!

I use tea tree oil shampoo for him as well since he also has some seasonal allergies and that really helps him. We have tried almost every shampoo out there but this seems to work the best. When he gets itchy he licks his feet which results in yeast which oatmeal shampoo was actually making worse - I never even realized.


----------

