Dog Community

orijen

Posted : 8/25/2008 9:01:44 PM

Well the NB fish and sweet potato, grain free, is still making Tootsie itch. I just gave Advantage on Saturday and she always gets it once a month, fleas or no fleas. It can't be the fish because she never had this problem with EP fish, so... I'm thinking Orijen fish. My question is: Do I need to give her the salmon oil still? Coat, stools, breath, energy all great, its just the itching.

tiffy

Posted : 8/26/2008 9:28:43 PM

Bump

kpwlee

Posted : 8/27/2008 7:23:19 AM

tiffy
Do I need to give her the salmon oil still? Coat, stools, breath, energy all great, its just the itching.

I dont' have a definitive answer for you but I have my guy on the Orjen fish now and still using fish oil but I do that for his allergies - if he didn't have allergies would I? Not sure. It is supposed to help with inflammation too so if she has any joint issues or such it may be of use

tiffy

Posted : 8/27/2008 8:59:24 AM

Thanks Karen! How is Bugsy doing on the orijen fish? I'm gonna keep adding the salmon oil because I like what it does.

mudpuppy

Posted : 8/27/2008 9:32:39 AM

you're giving salmon oil for omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are very unstable and well, best to assume they have all broken down and aren't present in any kibble, regardless of what the bag says.

If you're dog is itchy though it's best to try a real elimination home-made very simple diet to figure out what is causing the problem- it could even be something associated with one of the vitamins or mineral formulations they put in kibble. Although most dog allergies aren't actually diet-related, it could be mold spores in your house, or pollens, causing the itching.

jessies_mom

Posted : 8/27/2008 1:30:06 PM

mudpuppy
If you're dog is itchy though it's best to try a real elimination home-made very simple diet to figure out what is causing the problem- it could even be something associated with one of the vitamins or mineral formulations they put in kibble. Although most dog allergies aren't actually diet-related, it could be mold spores in your house, or pollens, causing the itching.

Excellent advice. Keeping a journal of things like the weather conditions, pollen count, and food your dog is eating when she's having itchy spells will give you clues as to whether it's pollen, mold, or food. This time of year, it's hard to tell if the itching is caused by pollen, mold spores, or diet, so good luck in figuring this out. Jessie is highly allergic to many grass and weed pollens, house dust mites, and has food allergies.

As far as food is concerned, I discovered that Jessie is allergic to sweet potatoes when I did an elimination diet. Dogs can be allergic to any food, even if it's something they haven't eaten before. It's also possible Tootsie is allergic to the salmon in the Natural Balance formula; Jessie is allergic to salmon but not other types of fish.

The best immediate relief for the itching is a bath with a good itch relieving shampoo, and one of the best is NuSal-T;

http://www.vetamerica.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=nusal+t

tiffy

Posted : 8/27/2008 7:51:33 PM

Hmm... The NB fish and sweet potato, obviously has sweet potatos so maybe thats the itchiness cause.

kpwlee

Posted : 8/27/2008 8:37:51 PM

tiffy
How is Bugsy doing on the orijen fish?

Seems to be doing just fine - it is a terrible time for his seasonal allergies so it can be hard to tell how well the food it doing or not doing. He never has any digestive issues (other than occasional gas) and needs the higher protein kibbles so this is our best choice/option.