So chicken makes my dog itchy......

There are plenty of foods that you can buy (no chicken or poultry) that aren't too expensive.

There's:
Natural Balance Fish & Sweet Potato
California Natural Lamb & Rice and Herring & Sweet Potato
Eagle Pack (fish formula)
....just to name a few.

Also, chicken fat usually does not result in an allergic reaction to those allergic to chicken because it is absent of protein.

If your question is whether chicken fat will cause your dogs poultry allergy to flare up - no.  When an animal is allergic to something it is the amino acid in the protien the animal is allergic to.  Chicken fat is not protien - it's fat.  But if  you are adding home cooked chicken fat, I wouldn't because you won't know whether or not you added chicken protien as well.

So if you buy a dog food that has no other chicken in it other than chicken fat you should be okay, but if you see Chicken meal, chicken by product, poultry by product, or even meat by product, these have or probably contain chicken protien and will cause your dog to have allergy problems again.

Good Luck.  The foods papillon mentioned are great foods.

Thanks for the chicken fat info. That's very helpful.  He's made such a remarkable response to just having extras like chicken/turkey treats removed  from his diet,  I may keep him on the lamb&meal  a bit longer to see how he continues to respond. (nutro natural choice yeaah I know middle of the road but my finicky husky likes it and is doing great with it as did a previous dog with skin allergies)

If this doesn't do well for him I'm considering solid gold. I can get that locally for about the same as online (including s&h) and the ingredients look pretty good on that.

I've tried the natural balance. neither of them will touch it , gave my husky a constant upset tummy. so I stopped that food.

The rest of the suggested food I'd have to get online, which is not entirely out of the question, I just prefer to buy locally when possible, and the price is comparable to online.


Thanks!

Do you have access to Petco?? If so, you can also look in to Sensible Choice (lamb & rice).  It's a bit better than Nutro

Do you have access to Petco?? If so, you can also look in to Sensible Choice (lamb & rice). It's a bit better than Nutro

 
  Our PetsMart recently started carrying Sensible Choice; I'm thinking about trying the Lamb & Rice for Jessie; she does well on the Eagle Pack Fish but has periods of dandruff and dry coat even with fatty acid supplements. Even with allergen immunotherapy her immune system is under more stress than a "normal" dog so it's harder maintaining a healthy coat. I noticed that Sensible Choice seems to have more zinc when comparing it to the Eagle formulas and zinc is supposed to be good for the skin.

I am feeding Jetta Sensible Choice lamb and rice. She was doing fine on it for a week, but this week she is really itchy, but I think that is due to her environmental allergies. I think it must be a really palatable food (the royal canin company,which makes Sensible Choice, is good about that) because she likes it better than all the other kibbles.

ORIGINAL: jessies_mom


Our PetsMart recently started carrying Sensible Choice; I'm thinking about trying the Lamb & Rice for Jessie; she does well on the Eagle Pack Fish but has periods of dandruff and dry coat even with fatty acid supplements. Even with allergen immunotherapy her immune system is under more stress than a "normal" dog so it's harder maintaining a healthy coat. I noticed that Sensible Choice seems to have more zinc when comparing it to the Eagle formulas and zinc is supposed to be good for the skin.

Not to dis Sensible Choice Lamb and Rice, but if you are feeding EP Fish and Oatmeal, I can almost promise you your furbabies will not eat SC Lamb and Rice.  From working at a pet store that carried it, I can tell you that SC Lamb and Rice was often returned because the dog wouldn't eat it.  Good food, but not very yummy.  My dog turned it down.  The only food that took him a full day before he'd touch it.

But Nutro Nat. Choice Lamb and Rice is usually well excepted and I've seen many dogs do great on it.  However, I've also seen many dogs do great on Sen. Choice Lamb and Rice.

By the way, Joey does great on Eagle Pack Lamb and Oatmeal.  When I recommend a Lamb diet for a dog that is known to be fussy, I recommend EP Lamb and Oatmeal.

After all the switching I did trying to find something that agreed with Boomer's stomach he got pretty picky. Sensible Choice Lamb & Rice is the first food in a long time that he didn't hesitate about eating. He even turned up his nose at Eagle Pack fish. Guess it just depends on the dog.

We're really happy with it. Absolutely no digestive problems and Boomer's coat is as soft or softer than it's ever been. He still has a little dandruff that he's had pretty much since I've had him but because of his sensitivites I've never supplemented him daily with fish oil. We may have to try it and see how he does.

Chicken fat makes my dog itch.

Becca's dog, Ben, too (even chicken eggs make Ben itch, I think).

Dogs that are very allergic may react to the fat.

But Nutro Nat. Choice Lamb and Rice is usually well excepted and I've seen many dogs do great on it. However, I've also seen many dogs do great on Sen. Choice Lamb and Rice.

 
I'm considering Sensible Choice because I think the formula has more zinc than Eagle fish, which may help her dry coat and dandruff; 
    Ingredients
Lamb meal, brewers rice, brown rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), beet pulp, natural lamb flavor, rice hulls, brewers yeast, potassium chloride, salt, DL-methionine, monosodium phosphate, [font=caxton-book][size=1]zinc proteinate, choline chloride, L-lysine, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, iron sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, rosemary extract, sodium selenite, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, niacin supplement, calcium iodate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B supplement, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.[/size][/font]
 
Eagle Fish;
 
Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meals (Preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Oatmeal, Ground Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Menhaden Oil (Preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Dried Beet Pulp, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Air Dried Peas, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dried Carrots, Dried Apples, Inulin, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Dandelion (Organic), Garlic Powder, Yucca Schidigera Extract, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, d-Pantothenic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Rosemary Extract, Inositol, Dehydrated Kelp, Polysaccharide Complexes (sequestered) of Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Copper and Cobalt, Potassium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, B. Subtillus, Bacillus lichenformis, Bacillus coagulins, Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger
 
She isn't a fussy eater so I'm not worried about her eating Sensible Choice.
 
 

ORIGINAL: jettasmomma

I am feeding Jetta Sensible Choice lamb and rice. She was doing fine on it for a week, but this week she is really itchy, but I think that is due to her environmental allergies. I think it must be a really palatable food (the royal canin company,which makes Sensible Choice, is good about that) because she likes it better than all the other kibbles.

 
Jettasmomma, my bichons are a bit itchy right now also- they rub their faces on the carpet and paw at their eyes. The grass pollen is a bit high here.  I think more often than not with bichons it's more environmental than anything.   Glad she's doing well on the Sensible choice otherwise

ORIGINAL: jessies_mom

I'm considering Sensible Choice because I think the formula has more zinc than Eagle fish, which may help her dry coat and dandruff; 

I found this interesting since I haven't seen it mentioned here before, but I just read a post by Mordanna on her board that she feeds canned oysters because they are high in zinc.

 Before Jessie started on immunotherapy, when I was trying supplements such as herbal tablets called Skin Eze and Nzymes, I had read that supplementing with zinc was beneficial for atopic dogs. However, too much zinc can interfere with calcium absorption so I avoided zinc supplements. I spoke with the vet today when Jessie got her allergy shot and she said I could change her food if I want but she would prefer that Jessie stay on the EP Fish since she is doing so well overall; since Jessie started on Eagle Pack her coat has gotten thicker, especially on her sides, and is very shiny; the vet says she "looks wonderful." If you look at it from the vet's point of view Jessie's skin and blood tests say she has serious allergies and the only problem with her coat is occasional dandruff, so she doesn't want to risk changing to a different brand, so I'm going to try some Grizzly Salmon Oil. I think I'll try giving her some oysters too; thanks Kelly.[]

It certainly makes sense not to switch from what is working. Good luck with the fish oil! My three say Grizzly is good stuff!!