Dr. Fox: More on dog skin problems | Pets | journalnow.com – Winston-Salem Journal

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More on dog skin problems
Dear Dr. Fox: Regarding your recent column, “Getting to the roots of dog’s skin problem”: My dog, a mixed-breed resembling an Australian cattle dog, had a serious skin problem. The vet could not diagnose it, but did suggest it could be a food allergy.
Someone online had suggested an allergy to chicken. There is chicken and chicken byproducts in much of the dog food on the market, and the vet indicated that it is a cheap variety of protein.
I now feed my dog chicken-free kibble, and I make her your recipe for wet food. Her skin problem cleared up. M.H., Poughkeepsie, New York
Dear M.H.: I am glad that you got to the bottom of your dog’s skin problem. There is no simple rule for treatment, since dogs can differ widely in terms of them being allergic to or intolerant of certain food ingredients. That can include sardines, fish oils and nutritional yeast, which I often recommend for dogs with skin problems. When such supplements cause worsening of the skin issue, then you are halfway home in knowing what to avoid.
Veterinarians can do allergy tests or an elimination diet, where the dog is put on a simple diet (often white fish and rice, or mutton and barley), evaluating the response and then adding more ingredients one by one.
The problem with many brands of dog and cat foods, even specially formulated diets, can be the inclusion of unlisted animal proteins and other ingredients to which some animals may be allergic. This is why I advocate home-prepared diets of known ingredients for dogs and cats with skin and other diet-related health issues. Alternatively, have your attending veterinarian go to secure.balanceit.com for veterinarian-formulated diets.
As emphasized in the book “Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat and Dog Food,” which I co-authored with two other veterinarians, many of the costly manufactured special diets can cause more harm than good.
Australian cattle dogs have a dash of dingo in them, as well as a bit of dalmatian. This makes the breed at once terrific at herding and deeply loyal.
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These 30 foods can potentially be poisonous to dogs. The list includes things like nutmeg, garlic, cherries, peaches, onions and other everyday foods.
Australian cattle dogs have a dash of dingo in them, as well as a bit of dalmatian. This makes the breed at once terrific at herding and deeply loyal.
You may also like: Most popular dog breeds that keep it quiet
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