Elimination diet question - HELP!!!

An elimination diet should be ONE carb and ONE protein source only.  Most kibble at least has a preservative in it and most likely some added vitamins and minerals....most canned will have vitamins and minerals added.  That's why I said all that different stuff is NOT an elimination diet.
 
She CAN be allergic to stuff she hasn't had before but that's not terribly common.  But, the first time Jennies Emma ate a pear she reacted, the first time she ate cole slaw, she reacted.  So, it does happen.
 
If you are having problems finding JUST what she needs for a true elimination diet, try homecooking her pork and sweet taters or pork and oatmeal or something that hasn't been on the ingredient list of her previous foods.  It's not often that pork is used in dog food and beef isn't used much.  Venison is another good meat to try if you can find a source for it, or buffalo, although thats pretty pricey.
 
I honestly feel like your vet is steering you a little wrong telling you that you are  feeding an elimination diet with all that different stuff.

Cindy - take it from someone who delayed doing a TRUE elimination diet for a long time too - you really must keep the diet to one protein and one carb.  Nothing else.  I went with pork & buckwheat because pork is accessible and affordable. I knew I wouldn't stick to it if I had to drive to far off places to find something like venison or rabbit.  I was going to use barley but when buckwheat was suggested, I thought that'd be even better.  I wouldn't be suprised if barley had been in one of the kibbles Sassy's eaten before.  Anyway, I would pick one of the proteins you're using, like maybe the rabbit and only use that with some carb you think she's never had and is easy to buy and use.  Plan to do it (no cheating []) for 10-12 weeks.  I actually marked it on the calendar and have tried to keep track of any changes I've noticed.  I've got 5 weeks to go and am hoping to know something  then.  It may be that I know she doesn't have a food allergy, but at least I'll finally know that and quit wondering.

As you see that is my point.  Brandie has had all of the usual proteins like pork beef chicken, etc. everything that you would buy in a grocery store because she ate our leftovers.  my dog's are were spoiled and did not like dog food.  I wish I could cook her up some pork.  So I guess I could stay with one protein but Cathy does Sassy not get any bone (kibble) to chew on for 12 weeks for her teeth?  I am not cvrazy about kibble so I would be willing to stop using that.  I never got the impression from the vet that minerals and supplements could be harmful during an elimination period.  He sold me the omega 3 for dogs and that is a supplement and I was told to use it for her skin.  So Cathy you go 12 weeks on pork and buckwheat and it does not work say.  So was it the buckwheat or the pork or both or environmental allergies?  I mean how often do we switch up these poor dog's diets??   If she is still scratching after 12 weeks will you get rid of both the buckwheat and the pork?  and then go to say benison and barley?? I'm just asking and the whole time she is not getting any vitamins and supplements and I am learning that maybe!!! just maybe Brandie's diet wasn't balanced and this caused her allergy problem to happen.  i don't know anymore.   I can tell you she hates!!!fish and oy if I could feed her pork I would be one happy woman.     

But, the first time Jennies Emma ate a pear she reacted, the first time she ate cole slaw, she reacted. So, it does happen.

The first time she ate chicken, the first time she ate corn. Emma's allergies seem to be built in She's special like that.... Drives me crazy!!! The first time I gave her kelp, she had a HORRIBLE reaction!

Cindy - I have been able to give Sassy both consumable pork bones and some  that are more recreational.  She's been in heaven [].  My view on it all at this point is - Sassy was itchy before I started the diet.  She still seems a little itchy (but maybe a little better).  If she quits itching, I will assume she has/had a food allergy.  At that point, I can begin to add one ingredient at a time to test it/her reaction.  If I decide it probably isn't a food allergy, I may stay with homecooking but get a balanced diet formulated for her that includes everything she needs.  My vet said no supplements, even the Omega 3/6s.  I feel for you having such a tough time trying to find something "novel" as far as a protein.  I'm not sure what to tell you, but I would still limit the proteins you're using to just one.

    cindydane,  The reason your vet isn't as strict about the elimination diet is probably because she is not a derm vet. I couldn't give Jessie fatty acid supplements, and I had to use Interceptor instead of Heartgard for heartworm prevention because Heartgard has a beef flavoring. If the dog is still scratching after twelve weeks then it is not a food allergy and the derm vet will test for environmental allergies. It's not a matter of constantly changing the dog's diet, just following the elimination diet for the time specified. If the diet works, then you introduce the things the dog ate before one ingredient at a time. When the dog reacts to one of the ingredients, you know it has an allergy to that food. That is how we learned Jessie's allergic to chicken. You avoid that ingredient in whatever you decide to feed your dog. It won't hurt a dog to do without supplements for the short time they're on the diet. By the way, Jessie improved about 50% on the elimination diet, so she was still tested for environmental allergies and is highly allergic to several grasses, weeds, and trees, as well as dust mites and storage mites. So, you need to consider the possibility that Brandy may have both a food allergy and environmental allergies.

Kibble does NOT help clean the teeth.  In fact, the higher carbs can LEAD TO TARTER>

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Kim - welcome back and I hope you're feeling okay.  Sorry to hear that Alley's not doing much better.  I hate to say it, but we'd be in trouble too if something happened to me.  My husband tries, but the whole elimination diet, medications, etc., can get pretty confusing.  I'm not sure the diet's helping Sassy either, but I'm going to hang in there for the next 4-5 weeks and see it thru. 
I'd love to hear what you find out at the holistic vet today.  Keep us posted.

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Kim - I sent a ticket to Jaime and Joel and also emailed Jaime, so hopefully they'll be able to help you.  Hang in there - they'll get you fixed up.
 
 

Re-posting Kim's posts as there are deleted with us fixing her account
 
Hi guys...
Iv wanted to posted for weeks now.... and had to create a new email address cause nothing and I mean nothing I was doing was working to rejoin this group.

Cathy I so wanted to post to your Sassy saga of itching... I had some surgery and wasn't online for a couple weeks and saw the entire board had changed when I got on. So I haven't posted in a month today.

Alley update... my surgery put her into a tailspin cause the routine around here changed. She got yet another UTI and the food diet or Rabbit squash and green beans still isn't making all the much difference. She goes back to the Holistic Vet today so will see what she has to say. Now that Alleys routine is back to normal she is doing much better but still is an itch fest. Bathing is about every 2 days for her.

With the elimination diet were at the first of the month to start to slowly add new things but with the situation around here and her we didn't do it...so she is yet on another round of antibiotics.... she has staff on the skin.... and I could go on and on....

I think Im going to do pork cause the Rabbit is so expensive and if it isn't helping all that much then Im not spending a load anymore on that.

Kim
 

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Hi Cathy..

HELP what in the world am I doing wrong. I know this is off  the subject but Im yet again at another email address. Why is this happening. I went to log in and put terrierlovers and my pass code and it was a no go... so I went to an old email address and registered again and here I am.HELP..... Im out of address's now....
Hubby will be taking Alley as Im still not up to par to go....so I hope he gets all the info....he had to take care of the dogs when I was down.... and it was a chore all 5 of them.... food .. med's...exercise... and so on....
I want to keep you posted....but Im afraid Im not going to be able to get on again.
Here is my email address [email=Wescotmom@aol.com]Wescotmom@aol.com[/email]  if someone reading this knows what the problem is let me know what IM doing wrong....

Thanks
Kim

Kim,
 We've got you fixed up. You had two accounts on the old forum.
 
I sent you an e-mail please use the terrierlove account with the password I e-mailed you. Please let me know if you have any issues going forward.

Cathy,
 Thanks for all of your help and getting the information to me for Kim!

Yippee... Here I am.... thanks so very much Jamie and Cathy....
 
Kim