Dog Community

Chronic vomiting/allergy

Posted : 9/26/2008 12:16:19 AM

I'm helping my niece with an ongoing situation with her Wheaten. Bailey is just now two years old. Quite some time ago it was determined that she has allergies. She has been plagued with head and facial sores/scabbing and chronic vomiting. The vomiting has sent her to the hospital on a couple of occasions for dehydration.

The vet put Bailey on Zd, but made no efforts to determine the extent of the allergy. According to my niece, there have been definite negative reactions to beef, lamb and venison. I was horrified to discover that once the vet put Bailey on the Zd, no instructions were given to try to alter her diet. She has been on the Zd for many, many, many months. She is undersized and underweight for a typical Wheaton. I suspect from a substandard diet. Bailey is also vomiting up the Zd.

One vet liked the idea of Bailey being moved to a Natural Balance diet of either Fish and Sweet Potato or Duck and Potato. He was the surgeon who did her knee. When they returned to their regular vet, she told them NOT to put her on the NB diet because Bailey is a Wheaton and doesn't need that much protein due to her breed's predisposition toward kidney issues. I think it's worth a try. Surely she can't do well on this Z diet for her entire life.

I am planning to transition her starting this week. I'm going to introduce the NB F and SP along with some organic greek yogurt. I am also look into OptaGest to help stablize her digestion. Is there anything else I should consider? I will be pet sitting Bailey for about 10 days. I am eager to have her on the road to stability by the time her parents get back from Fla. I know that transition can be a rough road and I don't think my niece has the nerve to do it. Everytime Bailey has a rough patch, she has gone right back to the Z. Because of the protein issue and the vet spooking my niece about potential kidney issues, she has not made any real effort to move on to a fish or duck based diet.

Any input is welcome.

calliecritturs

Posted : 9/26/2008 7:24:08 AM

the vomiting would scare the tar out of me in a breed pre-disposed to kidney problems -- I would hope they would do blood work *fast*.

Z-diet HAS allergens in it -- it's simply that they hydrolize the food into such molecular mush that it's absorbed by the body 'differently'.

I know Cornell is a hike for you, but they have an awesome dermatology department -- and probably would be far less expensive than you'd imagine. If the same head derm vet is there who was there 5-6 years ago I saw him do major testing for a few hundred dollars (what would have cost thousands anywhere else) and then write a specific elmination diet for a dog and wow. The difference was astounding.

They really need to determine what's causing the vomiting FIRST. And then truly need to determine what specific allergens there are -- not just the easy blood test, but an in-depth test that will give them specifics to avoid.

There are times when atopic allergies and food allergies can merge to the point that the dog gets no respite. Not all environmental allergies are things you "can't do anything" about -- sometimes they ARE things you can attack.

AT the very least I'd go to Penn State and find out what their derm department says -- you should be able to call their small animal hospital and find out what the specific allergy testing costs and what they charge for intake, etc.

willowchow

Posted : 9/26/2008 5:24:48 PM

She probably does need some tests to make sure this is nothing serious.

But, Willow has very bad intestinal issues and did very well on NB Sweet Potato and Fish--for about six months though, that's it. I'd definately say it's worth a try though. And, it really doesn't have high protein at all, maybe the vet was thinking of a different food??

I'd probably just do the new food, leave out the yogurt for now. If there is a reaction you won't know, is it the yogurt or the new food. Do one new thing at a time--espeically yogurt because some dogs don't do well with dairy. My dog loves dairy but they all can't tolerate it.

Also, sometimes canned food is easier on the system than dry. And, if she does happen to have a kidney problem the extra moisture in canned would be best anyway.

Hope she's OK. My Willow gets z/d canned and some other things she can tolerate.

Also, wanted to add-Z/D is very low calorie so you might need to up the food if she stays on it and is still underweight.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 9/26/2008 5:59:13 PM

willowchow
I'd probably just do the new food, leave out the yogurt for now. If there is a reaction you won't know, is it the yogurt or the new food. Do one new thing at a time--espeically yogurt because some dogs don't do well with dairy. My dog loves dairy but they all can't tolerate it.

Seconded. My dog loves dairy, but her little behind explodes if she gets any.

jessies_mom

Posted : 9/26/2008 6:59:48 PM

I agree with Callie about taking her to a vet teaching hospital. It's very possible that the vomiting isn't related to the allergies but is caused by something else. Also, once the cause of the vomiting is found and treated, the allergies may improve. Sprinkling some acidophilus over her food may help, but start with a very small amount and gradually increase it. It will take at least a few weeks to know if it's helping. I use NOW 4x6 powder;

http://www.nowfoods.com/?action=itemdetail&item_id=3586

If she has found a protein that the dog doesn't react to, she can give the dog a small amount with the z/d to raise the amount of protein a little.

erica1989

Posted : 9/26/2008 7:02:24 PM

the zd itself is NOT a bad food - not the best, but I would not attribute that to the weight loss. I've known many dogs that have been on it, and done well - for their life.

if she can afford it - it may be worth it to do allergy testing and start the shots. The testing itself is pricey, but the shots are very inexpensive.

willowchow

Posted : 9/27/2008 12:12:38 AM

I don't know I was just re-reading this. I'm not so sure switching her especially right now is a good idea. If she's just barely stable on the z/d, I'm not too comfortable with going to a different food.

I think if this was my dog and she wasn't doing well on ONLY z/d--they are feeding ONLY z/d and nothing else, right? And she was not maintaining weight on the proper amount of the z/d I'd probably go for some additional testing to rule out some other causes besides allergy first.

Because you know if you try this transition and she ends up sick and she's already got some other issue going on it could just make her that much sicker. And, it might make it harder for her to recover from the illness brought on by the food switch too.