Dog Community

Toys and Treats That Are Okay During an Elimination Diet?

Posted : 6/14/2011 1:17:30 AM

Hi!

I'm not sure if this is the right section to post this in, or if it should go under health. If I'm in the wrong place, just let me know. :)

Our dog Cody is supposed to start an elimination diet to determine if he has food allergies. Our vet has him on Science Diet's z/d food, which has hydrolyzed protein (supposedly makes the molecules so small his system can't detect them), and he's not supposed to have any toys with flavoring. Science Diet does make treats, but they are hard/dry biscuits, and I'm wondering what other options there may be. Here are some questions I have:

Other than Kongs, or the blue Orca toys, does anyone know of chewable toys that are free from flavoring?
Are there any hard chew toys (like Nylabones or rawhides) that are free from flavoring and aren't animal-based? I searched through every Nylabone at my local pet store and couldn't find one without flavoring. Cody is a major chewer, and if I don't provide a variety of chew toys, we're likely to lose our couch. No lie.
I usually give our dogs beef bones stuffed with yogurt that have been frozen and Kongs stuffed in a similar way. Obviously, I can't give Cody the yogurt during the trial, but I'd like to find something I could stuff the Kong with other than wet z/d food, since it has so many calories. I suppose I could thin it down with water, but I'd love to know if anyone else has ideas for things I could use.

Thanks for your help!

Myra

Posted : 6/14/2011 6:04:07 AM

Sorry, but the only way an elimination diet can be accurate is for you to feed absolutely nothing but that food for the length of the trial. You even need to ask the vet about what heartworm preventative to use, as the chewable ones may interfere with the elimination diet.

Beachgal

Posted : 6/14/2011 12:51:30 PM

Thanks, Myra!

What about non-consumable chew toys? Do you know of any that are safe during an elimination trial?

jessies_mom

Posted : 6/14/2011 6:39:04 PM

I agree with what Myra said about heartworm preventative; when Jessie was on an elimination diet, I switched from Heartguard to Interceptor, as per my vet. Any regular toy should be okay, like a rubber bone, frisbee, tennis ball, or stuffed animal. It is a bummer that they can't have rawhides or any flavored chews; Jessie's teeth got a lot of tartar, so I had to brush them more. I know it's not easy, but it paid off big time for Jessie. We learned that she had a lot of food allergies, and she does much better now. Good Luck!!!

Beachgal

Posted : 6/15/2011 11:01:58 AM

Thanks, Jessies_mom! Unfortunately, Cody is going to have to have something to chew on...he chews constantly, and we might not have a house left (he goes for carpet if he doesn't have enough to chew) if I can't figure something. I have Kongs and the Orca products, but none of them are hard.

My vet is giving us a dose of pure Ivermection. He says Interceptor has beef flavoring, so it's not okay during a trial. Were you able to find unflavored Interceptor?

Also, what did you use for toothpaste during the trial? All the ones I've found have flavoring.

vernahll1

Posted : 8/12/2011 5:52:36 AM

You could safely continue with your dog's regular chewable toys. But keep treats off while the elimination diet is on.

sl2crmeg

Posted : 8/12/2011 1:37:08 PM

Someone once mentioned taking canned z/d and slicing it, then baking it in the oven. Micksmom maybe?

It may be a little messy but could you make a giant ice cube with bits of z/d floating in it? Bugsy's mom uses an old yogurt container, I think.

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/12/2011 3:05:53 PM

I suspect that the "flavoring" in the Nylabone is scent more than taste. *yes, I've actually stuck a new one in my mouth" -- they don't have a refined sense of taste but of smell. So the Nylabones should be ok.

Ice with floating bits of ZD should be ok -- but you really will have to do it with ONLY that food.

Be aware -- ZD is actually FULL of allergens -- so I truly, really, and honestly have to tell you it's not going to tell you a THING other than ZD is "ok" or not. Because any one of the things IN ZD can be allergens.

It's simply sometimes used as a last ditch elmination diet but it will only elminate ZD as an allergen. You won't know ANY specific allergens when you are done.

Why not do a **true** elmnation diet -- two ingredients (a veg and a meat usually) and then add items one at a time after your 3 week initial trial. Then you KNOW what things are and are *not* allergens.