Food For Thought

My gol;den retriever KayCee is allergic to fleas, live oak pollen, bermuda grass and mold.  And she can and has gotten hot spots from those allergies.  Not one of our English Setters nor pointers ever had a hot spot.  Neither did either of my irish Setters.  Neither did our first golden and nore does Honey.  KayCee's littermate brother had a few his first couple of years, but not in the last couple.  Buck got his first when he was 11 years old.

 Some breeds are a lot more prone to hot sponts and golden retrieves are one of them.  I am on 5 different golden forums and just about every single person on those forums keep benadryl and Gold Bond Powder on had to treat hot spots.  And the dogs are fed everything from raw to Beneful and every level and grade in between and it makes no difference.

sandra_slayton

 Some breeds are a lot more prone to hot sponts and golden retrieves are one of them.

Agreed. At the vet clinic where I used to work, we treated a Golden who has IMHA. SHe got the nastiest case of hot spots I've ever seen while she was staying in the kennel. It was sooo gross.

I think it's the texture of their hair that causes them to be prone to hot spots, but I could be completely wrong. It seems that Goldens who swim get them worse than Goldens who don't (moisture and drying time, perhaps?). I keep my swimming dog shaved down, but she doesn't have the downy undercoat that a Golden does. I've seen lots of Newfs, Pekes, and other fluffy, undercoated dogs with hot spots.  

good GRIEF. I got curious and looked up Abady granular online. $4.40 PER POUND plus shipping! I can feed a 100% free-range grass fed raw diet plus supplements cheaper than it would be to feed that food. Nothing against the food specifically other than the price.

I does take forever for a golden coat to dry.  And also a hot spot starts as such a tiny thing and in 24 hours it can be the size of a saucer--rare that it gets that big that fast, but it has happened to a few goldens on my forum.  The thing is with all that fur you don't see it until it is "bald" from licking and chewing, and even then when you clip the fur you have to clip way back and the skin will be red, making the hot spot much larger than it appears, and the entire area needs to be treated.  The most common places on goldems (dont' know about other breeds) to get hot spots are just above their tails, on their thighs and on their face, usually under their ear.  KayCee got one on her thigh back in the spring with the live oak and the bermuda grass, but i caught it early and just a couple of days of treatment and it was cleared up.    I can't believe she hasn't gotten one with all the rain we have had this summer, so unusal for here (is raining now).  She has itched some from all the mold, but no hot spots.

I have no idea of any food would bring them on or not, I just know with ours it was seasonal allergies, and KayCee doens't have as much trouble now as she died 4=5 years ago.  As her brother seemed to have just about gotten over having tem--he did rarely hvae one--she seems to be doing the same all thewe later.

k_dawg

good GRIEF. I got curious and looked up Abady granular online. $4.40 PER POUND plus shipping! I can feed a 100% free-range grass fed raw diet plus supplements cheaper than it would be to feed that food. Nothing against the food specifically other than the price.

Could you share what link where you saw that?  I would like to do the math because that seems very high.

"Classic" granular, 40 lbs cost me $65.  (65 / 40 = $1.62 per pound).  They're real numbers (no shipping).  "Basic" granular, 35 lbs cost me $65.  (65 / 35 = $1.82) no shipping.  That is why I am wondering what you're looking at?  Even the State of The Arts that would sell for 100, someone saw at 135 a box doesn't even equal what you saw.  100/35=2.85   135/35=3.85  You must of really come across one heck of a formula...wow.

jessies_mom

   Charlie; Dogs can be and are allergic to meat protein as they can be to grains and even some supplements; I proved Jessie was allergic to chicken with an elimination diet. It has nothing to do with poor nutrition; they inherit allergies from their parents just like we do. 

I wouldn't put too much faith into elimination diets.  Most get them all wrong I'm sure.  Suppose you have a feed that contains Chicken, plus apples, yucca, and peas.  Next you try a feed with Beef, and it has pears, kelp and carrots and the dog can miraculously tolerates the food...oh boy it must be the Chicken without ever considering the species inappropriate ingredients first.  That is the way I see it anyway.  Meat, Chicken, and Fat, all the staples get the blame while the more wholesome ingredients are promoted in regards to profit margin.  That is how the industry thrives and protects itself at the same time.  They will sacrifice nutrition for profit, and the vast majority of skin and coat trouble (assuming it's not fleas) is diet and nutrition.

cc431

Suppose you have a feed that contains Chicken, plus apples, yucca, and peas.  Next you try a feed with Beef, and it has pears, kelp and carrots and the dog can miraculously tolerates the food...oh boy it must be the Chicken without ever considering the species inappropriate ingredients first. 

That is *not* an elimination diet. An elimination diet is taking a novel protein (which means that the dog has never eaten it before) and a novel carb (same same) and feeding *only* that (no supplements, no nothing) for eight weeks. You slowly add in other ingredients and see what causes a reaction. It does work.

 I do think it is necessary if anyone feeds a kibble (other than Abady Kibble) to add the extra meat or poultry. 

I am perfectly comfortable and confident with Eagle Pack,,, but I add meat to her dinnertime meal and egg to her breakfast meal....I would feel no different feeding Abady.

 I agree Dyan. I would add fresh foods no matter what commercial food i was feeding,A*ady included.

As it stands now, my dogs get way more fresh food meals than they do kibble

 KDawg which one is the $4.40 a pound formula? I'm useless at Maths

jennie_c_d

That is *not* an elimination diet. An elimination diet is taking a novel protein (which means that the dog has never eaten it before) and a novel carb (same same) and feeding *only* that (no supplements, no nothing) for eight weeks. You slowly add in other ingredients and see what causes a reaction. It does work.

But what I described is how *most* probably do it, incorrectly blaming the wrong ingredients.

k_dawg

I just picked a random formula. Even the largest bag you can buy is still $3.30 a pound. This is from fordogsake.com. 5 pounds for $21.99 Abady State of the Art Maintenance & stress Formula	$21.99

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For all adult dogs and puppies that that will weigh less than 60 lb at 1 year of age. This formula delivers the highest levels of conditioning. Species appropriate, the Abady granular formula enables each ingredient to be processed individually , to insure maximum nutritional availabilit . Nutritional info: Abady State Of The Art M&S The ingredients listed bellow represent the entire contents of the product, excluding vitamins and minerals. For further questions regarding this product please contact us. Ingredients: Chicken Meal, White Rice, Menhaden Fish Meal (Select Grade), Lard (Source of Omega 6 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids) Beef Meat and Bone Meal, Sunflower Oil (Non-genetically Engineered Variety), Chicken By-Product Meal(Highest Quality), Beef Fat, Undefatted Beef Liver (Human Grade), Whole Dried Eggs (Human Grade), Flaxseed Oil (Organic), Menhaden Fish Fat plus Minerals and Vitamins. Protein 34.9% Fat 28.5% ASOA-5 $21.99 ASOA-18 $68.99 ASOA-35 $115.99

$21.99

Available Options:

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Size:

5lb18lb ($68.99)35lb ($115.99)

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Qty:

Just looked at a page a fordogsake.  They have a 5-lb box with the 21.99 price.  When you click the item it is the 20-pound box is the 21.99 price, not the 5-lb.

not on the one I'm looking at, 5 pounds is $21.99 (Which is $4.40 per pound) 18 pounds is $68.99, and 35 pounds is $115.99.

 I didn't go pick the most expensive, I didn't even look at the others. I just picked a random one and those are the prices.

Second random one I looked at was much cheaper, but look at the ingredients! $28.99 for 20 pounds and this is what you are getting:

Ingredients: Chicken By-Product Meal, White Rice, Menhaden Fish Meal (Select Grade), Sunflower Oil (Non-Genatically Engineered Variety), Lard (Source of Omega6 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Beef Fat (Human Grade), Beef Meat and Bone Meal plus minerals and vitamins.

no thank youuuuuuuuuuu