Hi does anyone recommend a dry dog food for sensitive skin?? my Dalmatian is always breaking out in rashes due to an allergy
Have you identified what he is intolerant to? It's worth doing a bit of investigation. My girl is intolerant to quite a few things - the worst being chicken. After much trial and error, we found that Wafcol Salmon and Potato was ideal for her and once we were sure we'd got her on something she didn't react to, then we could try adding things one at a time so that now we have a good idea what she can and can't tolerate.
Have you had him tested to find the cause of his allergy if not changing his food may have little or no effect, it can be a lottery as to which ingredient in the food your dog is allergic to unless tests have been done to determine the allergens, you could try an elimination diet start with one that has limited ingredients then gradually add in other ingredients to see what if any changes take place.
It's also worth considering a contact dermatitis. Allergy to dyed and man made fabrics - even carpets - is not unknown. Also, think about household chemicals, washing detergents, etc. An exclusion diet is a good way to start if you suspect a food allergy, Start by feeding only a novel protein source (usually lamb or duck is recommended) and boiled rice, and see whether the problem subsides. If so, as GSDSlave suggests, you can start to add other simple recipe foods, like fish and potato, and again, check his reaction. This can be a long process. You may need to spend a month on each test feeding to either identify or eliminate the culprit(s). Be careful with treats, and read all labels carefully, avoid any vague descriptions - like cereals, meat by products etc. Wheat is a very common allergen for dogs, it is usually the first thing that vets tell you to try excluding. There is a very good site on the web which tells you All About Dog Food, with full analyses and comments. My boy's problems are internal, but I have found it very useful. Hope that is OK Azz!
I will get her tested and hopefully find out what has been causing these awful rashes thanks everyone for the advice
Species appropriate is a diet that is considered most appropriate for that given species. For example, in dogs, that would be raw food that is mainly animal based. So no grains, legumes etc. Have a look at here for more info on dog food www.dogsey.com/dog-food.htm
I don't really see that. Raw food is species appropriate for wild animals, but dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years so their diet has been adapted over that time. Many dogs turn their nose up at raw and simply won't eat it. I agree, however, that it can be a good diet for those dogs who both enjoy and thrive on it, but not all dogs do
When we had boarding kennels if a dog had dry or itchy skin we always recommended including fish oil in the diet which seemed to work. Never give dry food without moistening it first,. AS some dry foods swell up this can cause the stomach to swell more than it can take causing "bloat" (gastric torsion) which can kill in some cases if not treated straight away at a vets. Quick little tip put a small handfull of dry food in a bowl and pour warm water in it leave for about 5 minutes. This will give an indication of "swell factor" in the stomach
My dally has the same problem however with a dally you are rather restricted in what food you can buy because of them sometimes having problems with high purine foods so I chose to go the home made route with great success. Oh also please do not go raw as it messes with dalmatian digestion and can cause big problems (stone formation which requires veterinary treatment) due to the high purine levels in the meat. (egg is the best form of protein I have found for a dalmatian.)
Interesting! As I also give my Pei home made food due to many of the breed being allergic to grains and some of the ingredients in commercially produced food. She's nearly two years old, has never suffered from any skin problems or allergies and her coat is always in good condition.
thank you for that reply as I was going to buy my girl some raw food today so I am so glad that I didn't
