Food allergy; switch to Innova?

 What food were you feeding before? What fresh foods did you give him? Innova isn't really an allergy formula.

California Natural would be the better choice for allergies (made by same company as innova)

We've had him on Hill's Science Diet.

As a puppy: Lamb & Rice Puppy Formula

As an adult: Lamb & Rice Large Breed, Adult

Most recent: Hill's Science Diet Large Breed Adult Formula (the original, I guess).

We noticed intense itching/scratching almost immediately following the switch to the Large Breed Adult Formula from the Lamb & Rice.  So, I'm unsure if it's one thing in the original formula that he's allergic to, or if it's something else.

 

The homemade dog food was 1 part protein, 1 part vegetables (carrots, peas), and 2 parts brown rice.  

What kind of protein? Seems like he doesn't have a problem with lamb or rice. Maybe try Cal Nat L&R.  

If you are going to go back to kibble you would probably be best using something with limited ingredients.  And, also the same protein as you were using when you homecooked.  At least that way, if there is a reaction you know it's not the protein. 

If you like the Natura company there is California Natural, they have a chicken and rice and also a herring formula--probably stay away from the lamb since you aren't sure if that's what set him off with the Science Diet. 

I've used Natural Balance fish and sweet potato also with good results. 

 

 I've used beef and chicken only so far with good results.  He's not consumed with scratching anymore.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and follow up questions so far!  I've been racking my brain since it's so hard to see Bailey so itchy and miserable at times.   

 It may be the soybean products or flaxseed;

 Lamb & Rice Large Breed 

Lamb Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Chicken Liver Flavor, Soybean Oil, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed, Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, L-Lysine, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Niacin, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Meal, Brewers Rice, Rice Flour, Ground Whole Grain Wheat, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Gluten Selenite), L-Carnitine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

 Regular Large Breed;

Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Oil, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, Iodized Salt, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Dried Chicken Cartilage, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, Beta -Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

   Most dogs develop a food allergy to something that's been in their diet for a while; soybean oil and flaxseed were in the Lamb and Rice, and both soybean meal and oil, and flaxseed are in the regular large breed formula. You've already proven he's not allergic to chicken.
 

I would stay away from lamb since he was scratching on lamb-based foods.

 

Limited ingredient foods are best for allergy dogs. And like the above poster said, little things like flaxseed  can start them scratching.

 I think my dog is allergic to flaxseed, because even on California Natural Chicken and rice she is itchy. But I know she is not allergic to neither chicken nor rice.
 

My dog has a definite flax allergy and its hard to find good foods without it.  Royal canin and Purina One are the ones he can tolerate.

I wish you luck with your search! Our two year old German Shepard was on the Hills Science diet as a puppy because he had digestive issues. We switched him to Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet Sweet Potato and Duck, but he was losing weight. Vet said that German Shepards need more food than our culture wants to feed and that he needed a higher protein diet so we stayed with Natural Balance but changed to Alpha Dog, Salmon, Whitefish and Trout formula and his occasional itching is full-blown and definitely a food allergy situation. He's going to the vet on Monday. The backs of his legs and his underside are pinkish and he's constantly either chewing himself or licking! It's driving us nuts, but I feel so bad for him. Dog food is so expensive. I wish I had an answer so that he can feel better without us wasting money on food he can't eat. We thought about home cooked food as well but I got scared out of that when I read that if you don't have the right amount of everything, including vitamins and minerals, you can actually do harm to their organs. Yikes! I found a cookbook from a vet but our computer crashed and it disappeared!

 Hello and welcome to the forum;

  

chrissymarie64

changed to Alpha Dog, Salmon, Whitefish and Trout formula and his occasional itching is full-blown and definitely a food allergy situation.

   Sounds like a fish allergy; Jessie is also allergic to fish. Different species of fish share a common enzyme so if your dog is allergic to, say, salmon, he's likely to be allergic to all species of fish. If he was doing well on the Natural Balance except for losing weight, couldn't you just feed him more? Also, did your vet mention digestive enzymes, like Prozyme? They can help put weight on a dog. Jessie is unusual because she's allergic to many foods; most dogs with food allergies are only allergic to one or 2 foods. I had Monica Segal formulate a diet for her;

  About Us

  The forward to her book "Optimal Nutrition" was written by Dr. Ana S. Hill, a professor of small animal nutrition at Ohio State University. Your vet may suggest an elimination diet to see what food(s) your dog's allergic to. I used Hill's z/d Ultra Allergen for an elimination diet, but there are also other prescription foods for that purpose. I know the ingredients aren't great, but it was absolutely worth it for us. Good luck; I hope your vet can help your dog.

  

Thank you so much, Janice! We think it's probably the fish too. I'llhave my husband ask the vet about the Hill's and the Prozyme when he takes him tomorrow. I'll also check out the book. :)

  You're so welcome!!! let me know how the vet visit goes. Jessie used to have ear and skin infections, the skin in the area under her tail was raw and her feet bled from her chewing. Food allergies can really make them suffer, and German Shepherds are one of the breeds more prone to food allergies ( Jessie is mostly Shepherd).

  Here's some links that may be helpful;

   Itchy Dogs – Is Food the Problem? - Texas A&M Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

    Dog Food Allergies - Are They Really What They Eat?

I know that grains can cause allergies in some dogs, so you may want to go the grain free route. Good luck with whatever you try! Also, you may want to check out the supplement called Dinovite. We had a Jack Russell a few years ago and she had serious skin issues and we fed her the Dinovite powder supplement and she cleared up immediately.