Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on September 24, 2010 at 6:28pm

Hi Tommy, it is weed & grass allergy season right now in your area, try and vacuum your house more frequently, make sure you wipe down Marley with a damp cloth every time you come home. Do not over bath him, being in the water will strip away his natural oil from the skin. Make sure your home isn't too dry, turn on the humidifier if you need to. The FDA do not regulate fish oil purity or any supplement on the market, you can add a tea spoon of oil to his food daily instead. Some dogs are allergic to fish, so fish oil may and may not help, too much omega 3 can also cause your blood to thin and reduce the ability to form blood clot.

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Permalink Reply by Joanne Koppenaal on September 24, 2010 at 7:48pm

The most important thing is what is he eating? Did the vet address food allergies for example corn, a common ingredient in supermarket food. I have a male corgi three now and have been through the ringer with allergies. I agree with Sam about seasonal outdoor allergies wipe them down house hygiene. I ended up on a single protein food with just one single grain not alot of different ingredients. You have to find the one that agrees with your dog. The two I have had success with my allergic male are Wellness is the brand it is single protein lamb, Wellness also has a single protein Duck both are specifically for allergic dogs. The enviornment is only the external factor you have to factor the internal diet also to complete the equation of a dog with a comfortable skin.

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Permalink Reply by Gail on September 26, 2010 at 4:33pm

My corgi has terrible scratching also. Vet has him on prescription z/d non allergen food, which does not seem to help at all. I give him one claritin daily and the omega 3-fish oil, still scratching. Next the vet wants to do $500 allergy testing to see what is causing the contact allergy. I was thinking on trying the Wellness food first to see if that would help. For treats he gets some of his z/d food, no other kind, per the vet. Any other ideas out there or should I try the Wellness?

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on September 26, 2010 at 8:01pm

@ Gail...does the food have corn in it? That would be the 1st thing I'd check...poor corgi!

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Permalink Reply by Joanne Koppenaal on September 26, 2010 at 8:41pm

There is no corn in Wellness. My three year old does best on their single protein Lamb and also they have Duck which I haven't tried.. It works well for him . I also for the outside allergies, like during pollen season, or fall ragweed or whatever you have in your part of the country is keep baby wipes by the back door and wipe down his belly and legs and paws during pollen season only. Another tip my sister gave who bred terriers for a living was fill the bath tub up to there belly a little up their sides with warm water and put cup of Baking soda in the water stir and dissolve it. When he had bumps on his belly from pollen grass in spring they cleared up just from removing it and that baking soda in water up to just over his belly. I have to say it was simple but amazing result. Let me know how it all turns out!

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on September 26, 2010 at 9:05pm

I changed Franklin's food when he was younger and he developed dry skin and itchiness. I put him on Wilderness by Blue Buffalo and his coat looks great and itching has stopped. It is a high quality food with natural omega-3 and many other ingredients good for the skin and coat. I think the itchiness and dry coat would go together and indicate internal vs external allergies. Also, flea collars are not an effective method of getting rid of fleas, they only repel mostly around the head/neck and they generally aren't a good idea exposing your dog to those toxins right around their face. Better to get topical flea treatment like Advantage or Frontline or any of those CARRIED BY A VET (do not buy the cheapie kind as they can cause seizures, etc). You apply once a month and fleas are killed and repelled on your whole dog, not just where the collar is. You can find a good skin supplement on any pet website like 1-800-petmeds or Drs. Foster and Smith.

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on September 27, 2010 at 4:01pm

You can give him fish oil and vitamin e capsule is great for skin. Also check your dog food. If it has alot of corn or by products, that cause's skin allergies. Good Luck.

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Permalink Reply by Tommy on September 29, 2010 at 12:16am

Thanks for the replies everyone. Right now Marley is eating Beneful Rice and Salmon. The good thing is that I cant find any bumps from the area he scratches or any lesions. Im going to try switch him over to a different brand of dog food that would help get a better coat. Any recommendations???

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Melissa Roberson on October 3, 2010 at 12:04pm

Skin the commercial diet all together! I switched my dog from food to food, all with limited ingredients and single protein. It wasn't until I put him on a raw diet that I prepared myself at home that his allergy symptoms finally went away. Putting your pup on a homemade diet will replenish his body with the nutrients over-processed kibble lacks which will in turn boost his immune system which can make him less sensitive to allergies. Take a quick look at this article on dog food allergies. I wrote it because I wanted to share information that could help so many dogs and save you a lot of money in vet bills. :)

As far as oil goes, I actually give my dogs coconut oil to hydrate their skin. It has a lot of health benefits as well. Good luck!!!

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