Need HELP with food... Internal Rash food intolerance

Natural Balance also has a Venison and Brown Rice formula. Works great and my dog loves it. Also had allergies and irritated stomach for so long and I was told, "don't worry, dogs won't starve themselves. Just keep picking the bowl up." I know how you feel terrierlover. I felt so guilty. Now my cocker Monty eats great and looks forward to it. I was just saying to my husband that based on how Monty is excited for food today, he must have really felt awful when he wasn't eating. Just keep trying things.

 
So how did you find out he had an irritated stomach? And what was he allergic too? Louie has to be on a regiment of pred...
20 mil for 2 weeks
10 mil for 2 weeks
5 mil for 3 weeks..
 
I feel horrible cause Louie has felt bad for so long and its gotten worse over time.
 
How long did it take Monty to start feeling better.... Im so happy for you cause its very stressful when they aren't eating and you can clearly see they are hungry but afraid to eat...

I also agree to stay away from anything with barley.  Willow can tolerate it for a few days but it catches up to her in less than a week. 

Just a thought, could you try Solid Gold Millenium (spelling?).  I thought that was beef?  Or, maybe the one that's bison/salmon--he might still eat it if it's bison too, right? 

When I got really desparate I tried Nutro Max Beef and Rice dinner. 

Edited to say---I believe I looked at Wellness Simple Solutions--that one looked good too--they've got a venision version. 
 
Edited again---My brother has a Scottie and he eats Eukanuba Fish--the prescription formula and it works well for him--and he likes it.

I work at a vet clinic that does not sell science diet or prescription diet foods.  With this said, and I would prefer not take a beating for this, have you considered using Pres. Diet Z/D?  Z/D is formulated in such a way that the proteins are broken down so small that they cannot cause allergic reactions.  It may be a choice, albeit not a great choice under regular circumstances.

Terrierlover---
 
Does your pet store carry Timberwolf Organics?  If so, you could try the Dakota Bison formula---this was the only kibble that my tzu would eat before we eliminated grains and potato from his diet.  It does contain millet and oats, both grains are easier on the tummy.  This is listed as one of DogterJ's "clean" foods--those that are free of gluten.  There are more listed----a good read if you have time:   [linkhttp://www.dogtorj.net/id5.html]http://www.dogtorj.net/id5.html[/link].
Here are the ingredients:

Timberwolf Organics - Dakota Bison
Suitable for animals with allergies, sensitive skin and for overweight dogs

Note:
This product uses alternative animal protein sources and may be
suitable for dogs that are allergic to regular ones like chicken or beef.

Ingredients:
Fresh bison meat, salmon meal, millet, sweet potatoes, oats, flaxseed, carrot, watercress, spinach, celery, parsley, fennel seed, wild salmon oil, atlantic kelp, alfalfa, potassium chloride, amaranth, currants, cranberries, pears, figs, thyme, anise seed, ground cinnamon bark, fenugreek, garlic pieces, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, apples, chicory root, spirulina, choline chloride, lecithin, probiotics: (lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus lactis, bacillus bifidum, streptococcus diacetilactis, bacillus subtillus), taurine, mixed tocopherols (a source of vitamin E), lysine, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, thiamine, methionine, carnitine, niacin, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, iodine proteinate, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, folic acid, pyridoxine (a source of vitamin B6), cobalt proteinate, papain, yucca schidigera extract

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein: 26%
Fat: 16%
Fiber: 3%
Moisture: 9%

Additional Nutrient Guarantees
Calcium: 1.4%
Phosphorus: 1.1%

Calories
approx. 551 Kcal/cup (calculated)

Omega Fatty Acids
Omega 6: min 3.8%
Omega 3: min 1.4%
Ratio: 2.71:1

My friend's tzu is doing great on this--he has allergies to poultry and lamb.
 
I know Willowchow mentioned Solid Gold Mmillenia---they have since added barley to all their formulas, except Barking at theMoon--which may be a good choice.  Here are the ingredients:
 
Solid gold Barking at the Moon

---

New! Grain Free, High Protein, Low Carbohydrate dry dog food for performance dogs.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min 42%
Crude Fat, min 20%
Crude Fiber, max 4%
Moisture, max 10%

465 kcal / cup


Ingredients

---

Salmon Meal | Beef | Potatoes | Potato Protein | Canola Oil | Tomato Pomace | Natural Flavor | Salmon Oil | Choline Chloride | Taurine | Dried Chicory Root | Parsley Flakes | Pumpkin Meal | Almond Oil | Sesame Oil | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Thyme | Blueberries | Cranberries | Carrots | Broccoli | Vitamin E Supplement | Iron Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | Copper Proteinate | Ferrous Sulfate | Zinc Sulfate | Copper Sulfate | Potassium Iodide | Thiamine Mononitrate | Manganese Proteinate | Manganous Oxide | Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Calcium Panthothenate | Manganese Sulfate | Sodium Selenite | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Riboflavin | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid
 
These may be good options for you--I know my dog likes a more "meaty" tating food---he prefers anything beef, which is good since he really does best on a mainly beef diet--we rotate with chicken, turkey, and fresh fish and of course some fruits and veggies.
 

terrierlover, Monty's troubles started when he was about 7 mos. old (he's now almost 2). He literally had diarrhea, vomiting, and ate sporadically for close to a year. Our original vet just kept prescribing Metronidazole over and over again and telling us to "be tough, Monty's just being stubborn." the Metronidazole would work for a short time but then it all started again. All the while Monty's not eating regularly, his energy dropped and his tongue started to turn white. We freaked. We went to four "regular" vets, one holistic vet, and the university vet. The last "regular" vet we tried was the one who finally said "this isn't normal." Duh! They found out he had a UTI which he probably had for 8 months but was left untreated, giardia, and when they would mess with his stomach, he'd cry. X-rays were negative, blood work was negative. Tested for Addison's, diabetes, negative. Scoped. Irritated stomach lining from being sick so long. We need to stay away from wheat, corn, chicken, duck. Finally, got the venison - we mix it with pureed carrots and peas and a little yogurt. Monty also gets a probiotic and a digestive enzyme. My husband, me and Monty are celebrating on Friday because Friday marks 6 months of Monty being in good health. I think a bustercube and some new racquetballs are in order. No diarrhea, vomiting for six months, and he eats like a horse. It's very troublesome thinking how terrible he must have felt. It was even suggested to us to put him to sleep. We only saw that vet once. We knew it had to be something inside that vets were missing. I truly do believe he was afraid to eat knowing "last time I ate this I hurt." I did a lot of research and this forum has been great. I feel like I earned a degree in canine health from all of this. It really burns me though because a few of the vets we saw basically told me that I don't know anything.
 
To answer your question, once Monty got on the proper antibiotics and food he could eat, we noticed improvement literally within days.
 
Just keep researching. You know your dog better than anyone. I've also learned to be more assertive and ask for certain tests, when that doesn't work, I start to demand them.

I can tell you this fish diet isn't going to work around here.. .Im so stressed and Louie is starved so I gave him the kibble he loves which I bought a week ago and its Royal Canin formula #30 till I can get out tomorrow and get him Lamb...I guess that is the route I will go next....

If you have decided to go lamb and he seems to like the Royal Canin products (which a lot of dogs do), you could try the Sensible Choice Lamb, it is made by Royal Canin and seems to be a very palatable food.

This is the 3rd time I've posted this - and I don't have time now to re-do everything again.. So, really short: 
 
 I would start him on Purina H/A and add in Culturelle probitics for 2-3 months in order to give his gut time to heal.  I would not add in any other foods, such as sweet potatoes, since he might be more likely to become allergic to whatever he is eating while is stomach is inflamed.  Purina H/A is a hyrolyzed protein source.  The only hesitation I would have in feeding it now would be if you thought he would not have ANY other food sources to eat, and he might end up on this long term.  If you are confident you will be able to provide other food sources after his gut heals, then I would use this food.  If you think you have "run out" of all protein sources, then I would "save" this as a last resort. 

Whatever you do, keep the food sources to an absolute minimun and try not to use something you would want to use later - such as sweet potato.  AND, starchy carbs are more likely to be problem foods.      You could try quinoa as the carb.  It is in some foods, but not alot of foods, and so it might not be an issue with him.  That's what my girl is on now.

I'm so sorry this is happening.  I have a question:  I thought he was diagnosed with that closp.....(sp?) bacterial.   Was having that overload of bacteria what caused him to become so raw and irritated on the inside?   Or is this something totally different?   Again, I'm so sorry for all this........
 
edited to take the "darn it" out at the beginning of  my post.  I don't have the right / reason to be frustrated just b/c I've had to post something more than once when I'm short on time.  That's not a big deal, and I shouldn't have been so frustrated about that.  Especially when Louie is going thru all this stuff - now that would be something more reasonable to be frustrated about.

To answer your question, once Monty got on the proper antibiotics and food he could eat, we noticed improvement literally within days.

Just keep researching. You know your dog better than anyone. I've also learned to be more assertive and ask for certain tests, when that doesn't work, I start to demand them.

 
Your story is my Story!!! All I have to do is change Monty to Louie. Except for he never got as sick as Monty. Im ashamed to tell you this has gone on for YEARS....
But has gotten much worse when he would hide at feeding time and lay on his side a growl at us when we would pick him up to go eat!!!
 
Iv talked to VETS till Im blue in the face and decided to take him to the speciality clinic and get this figured out once and for all. I had been busy with Rescue work for 5 years and Alley my Scottie was a train wreck in the allergy dept. No excuse I know but I was always told by everyone that Louie is just picky and like to only eat once a day....
 
He is on Metrondizole now and another antibotic to clear up all the clostridum and I did Panacur 3 weeks ago so we could cover any Giardia bases.  When I rescued Louie he was full of Coccidia.
 
I knew things were getting serious when I was starting to see blood in his stool
 
I love this dog to pieces.....and I hurt to think this has gone on so long cause truly I do the VERY BEST for my dogs. In fact my other Westie girl is having anal gland problems that can't be resolved so they need to come out. Im not letting my Vet do it ...Im having a specialist that does soft tissue surgery remove them this friday.
 
Today I went and got NB Venison today. So wish me luck. You guys have all be FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so sorry this is happening. I have a question: I thought he was diagnosed with that closp.....(sp?) bacterial. Was having that overload of bacteria what caused him to become so raw and irritated on the inside? Or is this something totally different? Again, I'm so sorry for all this........

 
When I took Louie to my regular vet that did a stool anyalsis... he had the Clostridium (Clostridal enteritis)........... but this did answer my questions on why this dog has had this eating problem for YEARS.... I mean come on... back and fourth and back and fourth on Metronidazole....
 
Monty's Story is Louies story...Its identical except for the fact that Louie has never gotten so sick that he was close to colapsing.

Or is this something totally different? Again, I'm so sorry for all this........

 
Oops I hit "Ok"...
 
I meant to finish... then I took Louie the specialisty clinic and had him scoped at both ends... That was when we finally got down to finding out that his insides were nothing but a rash. And Just like Monty... I think its been years of this to the point of his insides being a wreck....
 
Sorry If Im frustrating you on this subject..... Im just as frustrated in wanting to make the absolute right food choice and stick with it!
 
thanks for all your help and all your advice EVERYONE I do appreciate it...

Today I went and got NB Venison today

 
Yes---let's hope Louie likes this formula --fingers crossed.
 
 

Yes---let's hope Louie likes this formula --fingers crossed.

 
I can't feed him in a bowl anymore as he relates eating in a bowl to getting sick..
 
So I put kibble on the tile floor... Venison NB... and canned Venison NB... at this point he gets his choice cause I want him to eat and get started on this.  He like the canned but didn't touch the kibble. So its a start... My Dogs were never crazy about Natural Balance Kibble ever... I know there are other Venisons foods so I will check them out. But if he learns to eat this and sees he doesn't get sick then its going to be a better. The Pred is making him hungry or it would still be a power struggle to get him to eat.
 
He is still so lery to eat anything.... Its crazy when you have 5 dogs and now I have 3 different foods Im nowing having to deal with....

Well, its easy to see why he would choose the canned---usually the smell is stronger----it's actually a good thing as I think the canned will be much more gentle on his insides.
 
So glad he's eating.  I've been thinking about little Louie all day.

terrierlover, I really hope this works for poor Louie. It sounds like he and Monty have a lot in common. The venison kibble doesn't have much of a smell at all. I mix it with a little yogurt and that seems to have done the trick. Now Monty will eat it without anything in it. I also only buy the 5-pound bags so they stay fresher longer. I put the actual bag in a vittles vault. The 5-pound bag only last about 2.5 weeks and although it would be cheaper buying bigger bags, I'm afraid it will lose more of its smell and Monty will not be interested in it again. There are numerous high-quality foods out there so if this doesn't work, just try another. We're very fortunate that our pet food store will take back and refund the full amount of a bag, even if it's half gone. Makes trying different foods a little easier. Yes, I know the hurt you are feeling. All I can say is be glad you're smart and doing research to figure stuff out. I shudder to think how many people would have taken the vet's advice who told us to put Monty to sleep.
 
Monty also has anal gland issues. He needs to have them emptied regularly. That's one of the reasons we puree peas and carrots, to bulk up his poops. It's working so far and it's been a while since he's had to go in for that. I feel bad for your dog having to have the surgery. Sometimes it must sure suck being a dog.
 
Please keep us posted on Louie and your girl's anal gland surgery.

I thought that I would post on my experience with food allergies.  My dog would throw up about once or twice a week.  I didn't think much of it because there weer no other symptoms.  I switched food from Solid Gold to NB and the vomiting stopped.  We now know it was a food allergy.  The Solid Gold cat food aslo gave my cat acne which the vet said was a sign of an allergic reaction.  She has been doing good on NB, no more itching, vomiting, or biting on the paws, or tail.  Old Mother Hubbard has a line called Simple Solution Food that I hear is good for dogs with allergies.