jessies_mom
Posted : 7/8/2011 6:44:23 PM
I don't have any suggestions to add to tzu_mom's list; it was impressive that she could name that many foods without grain or potatoes.
Silvers
PS I had her tested by my vet and that is how I found out she is allergic to these things and ironically enough out of the 3 litters her parents had she is the only one that has allergies.
The veterinary dermatologist I take my dog to said that blood tests for food allergies are unreliable and a waste of money;
Food Allergies & Food Intolerance in Dogs ;
" The only way to accurately diagnose food allergies is with a food trial
as detailed above. While the intradermal skin testing is excellent for
diagnosing atopy (inhalant allergies) it is ineffective for food
allergies. While specialized blood tests can be used to help in the
diagnosis of atopy, they have no benefit in diagnosing food allergies.
In our review of all the current books and articles on veterinary
dermatology and allergies, we could not find a single dermatologist that
endorsed anything other than the food trial as an effective diagnostic
aid. If you want to diagnose and treat food allergies you must do a food
trial."
Diagnosing a Canine Food Allergy and Food Allergy Testing in Dogs;
"Blood tests for canine food allergie testing exist but are essentially
useless. In one study, 75% of dogs with no allergic conditions tested
positive for allergies to multiple food ingredients, all of which the
dogs consumed on a regular basis without showing any symptoms or signs
of discomfort."
The dermatologist had me do an elimination diet, also called a food trial, to see if Jessie had food allergies;
Food Allergies & Food Intolerance in Dogs ;
"Food trials and elimination diets: A food trial consists of feeding an animal a novel food source of protein and carbohydrate
for at least 12 weeks. A novel food source would be a protein and
carbohydrate that the animal had never eaten before. Examples would
include be rabbit and rice, or venison and potato. There are a number of
such commercial diets available on the market. In addition, there are
specialized diets that have the proteins and carbohydrates broken down
into such small molecular sizes that they no longer would trigger an
allergic response. These are termed 'limited antigen' or 'hydrolyzed
protein' diets. Homemade diets are often used, as the ingredients can be
carefully restricted. Regardless of the diet used, it must be the only
thing the animal eats for 12 weeks. This means no treats, no flavored
medications, no rawhide or pig's ears; absolutely nothing but the
special food and water."
It's quite possible that your dog may not be as severely restricted in the food she can have as you think.