# Kibble Advice Please...



## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

I am going to try to keep this from becoming a novel, but my head is swimming a bit with all the info I have been looking at..

I have to boys, both rescues. The first one, Bo was emaciated and had all sorts of issues when I got him including some pretty bad skin. I have been feeding him a little dry kibble with steamed white rice, yogurt or cottage cheese and a little either fish or coconut oil. I also feed him satin balls and sometimes some cheddar cheese and the occasional treat.

Moose is my second rescue and he is healthy with no issues at all. I did research and YES, I know RAW/BARF is best but we aren't quite ready to take that on at this time. I took a list of top rated food to my only local pet store and found NOT ONE from my list, but settled on Blue Buffalo chicken & rice.

Both did well, I was surprised how little they needed and Bo's skin looked better, still a little flaky but I am not sure if that was food issues or the skin infection we treated.

ANYWAY, after reading here that I should look in the feed stores, I did. They aren't able to get BB from their distributors but they had several of other top options. I am not sure why, but I decided to try Chicken Soup. Maybe it was because after FULLY vetting 2 rescues I was concerned with long term price, I don't know. But it was definitely a mistake.

I can say that Moose had no issues but is hungry ALL THE TIME. He follows me around like he's starving to death and the feces is WAY more than on BB. Bo doesn't even want to eat it and his skin flakes are back, plus his paws were swollen up and red a couple of days ago. He does lick them a lot but this scared me.

I gave him Benadryl and fed him just rice/satin balls and the swelling/redness went away. 

SO...I got a bag of TOTW Sierra Mtn Lamb which is grain free to try today and may or may not go back to BB but my question is, Can anyone offer a suggestion for a food for very sensitive dogs? I don't mind feeding them 2 different kinds. Also, while price is somewhat of a concern, less expensive foods aren't a value if they lack proper nutrition and require twice as much kibble to full them up. 

Yes, I plan to get Bo allergy tested but I have used 2 different vets in the area, one for each and let's just say I am not thrilled with either one of them. I have heard there is a decent one about 30 mins away that I will try next time but for now, the budget is a bit tight.


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## SMiGGs (Jul 6, 2011)

Natures domain grain free, cheap and good


you want to solve the problem completely, Raw diet.


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## Kingsgurl (Dec 16, 2011)

Dogs are funny. Sometimes when you find a food they do well on, you got to stick with it.


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

I got TOTW Pacific Stream and they are eating it, though they aren't thrilled by it. We are headed to the vet in @ 2 hours to have Bo looked at. His skin is still really bad and I just want to make sure he doesn't have a skin infection before I get anymore crazy with all these wonderful suggestions since he had one before.

I will update after the appt to see what vet says...


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

I think the problem is your looking for a food that will work with both of them, when they could have very separate issues and might not do well on each others foods so I would start to keep track of them, I have a hard time with one so get a notepad or your phone and keep notes, lol.

Grain free is the way to go, like others said or RAW. The protein for one might be OK and one might not be able to eat it. Do you notice the allergies when he comes in from outside, or after you clean or do laundry? If its food related it could take up to 6 weeks to correct so make sure you slowly transition over a week or so but give them time to adjust. I feed my boy Blue Buffalo Wilderness, chicken, but I would try and gran free kibbles and go from there. I also add fish oil, for dry skin casing him to scratch, Puree Pumpkin for his belly and Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother for his Leaky eye (and a bunch of other reasons) which went away about a month after the ACV was added.

I never got my boy tested took me a year to figure out what was wrong, seasonal allergies, grains, steak, laundry detergent, etc but I was able to figure it out without paying for a test. My boy never acted like there was a problem, it was just me hating him licking and shaking his head and a bad belly, which I kept blaming on antibiotics he kept getting put on that made me get to the bottom of it.


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

Well, he has an infection between his toes and some pretty intense yeast on his underside. They prescribed an antibiotic, steroids and an anti-fungal.

She said that it is probably allergies at the root of the issue but wants to get him cleared up first and go from there. I agree, I hate seeing him so miserable and itchy.

I got the free and clear laundry soap today, so laundry and mad cleaning in the morning. I will make to ACV solution to use for every time we go outside in the morning. He is already on grain free food (TOTW Pacific) and that is all I can do for now.

Oh, and I have said many times, I don't mind having them both on separate foods, but my other boy can eat whatever so, I will just feed him whatever Bo can eat since it's quality anyway. I already give fish oil with every meal and Bo baby is getting a home made oatmeal bath this evening.

I was glad that as I was talking to the vet, telling her what I am doing and have done, she said to the vet tech it was nice to deal with someone who knew what they were doing! lol I told her I don't, I am just a research nazi and had been seeking advise online  Though, I should be an expert by the time this is all said and done! lol


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## SMiGGs (Jul 6, 2011)

Hello if you dont mind me asking what did they prescribe for his yeast infection? Name of the medication


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

Oops, I posted this in the wrong thread. I had asked this question then, things seemed to get worse and with no answers here, I started a new thread. Sorry.

But, they gave him Ketoconazole (Nizoral) once a day, Prednisone , half a pill 2x a day for a week, then 1/2 tablet 1x a day for a week then 1/2 every other day for a week, cephalexin 250mg 2x a day. 

They were going to give him another antiboitic but it was too much $. I had planned on dropping maybe $50 and it became $100 before I realized it so they gave him the cehpalexin which was cheaper they said it was just the difference between once a day and twice a day...


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

Costco - Best Pet Health? Probiotics with Wild Salmon Oil 2-pack customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings that's some fish oil with Probiotics in it to help with itchy skin and getting the bacteria back to normal with a bout of antibiotics. you can also add probiotics comes in pill form as well. I also add puree pumpkin to my boys food for his belly and Apple Cider Vinegar it helps with all kinds of things from the inside to the outside. They say use full strength in a spray bottle but I dilute mine with about half water. Costco - Best Pet Health? Probiotics with Wild Salmon Oil 2-pack customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings

Keep in mind I went grain free and then would give my boy Oatmeal baths thinking I was helping his skin, and then he would get a weird reaction and I realized its probably the grains in the oatmeal messing with him. Suck, you gotta think of everything, its a long process.

Is it infected? I dont know about yeast infections, but I would think a cream would work. I would be afraid to use too much, but I would use the benedryl to get your pup healed, wait for any infections or what not to be gone, then ween him off the benedryl so you can figure out what the allergy IS. I chose to wait until fall to try so I knew seasonal allergies were over and it would be food if there still was a problem. Not sure where you lie though. It could be anything like I said, you just gotta take away all factors of the equation and slowly add stuff back in.


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

I WISH there was a Costco here, I still have my not so cheap membership from where I moved here from this last fall. I would have liked to try the Kirkland food that is so highly rated but, alas, it is not to be.

I gave him punkin when he was having stool issues, I figured I would incorporate yogurt back into his diet to help with keeping bacteria levels right (I know it works in humans) but everything I read this morning indicated that a supplement may help keep this yeast at bay.

It's not infected, but it is very itchy to him and it looks ANGRY. I told my mom it looks like little blisters, but the vet said that it is normal looking for what it is and it may be a chronic issue. I only rescued him in March so, it is hard to say what is "normal" for him since he has been on so many medications since I got him.

I also noticed his ears are looking like they want to get infected again. I have already treated this twice with Tri Otic ointment which I honestly think is useless. I started cleaning him out good today with the vinegar solution I found here.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

NewPttMom said:


> I WISH there was a Costco here, I still have my not so cheap membership from where I moved here from this last fall. I would have liked to try the Kirkland food that is so highly rated but, alas, it is not to be.
> 
> I gave him punkin when he was having stool issues, I figured I would incorporate yogurt back into his diet to help with keeping bacteria levels right (I know it works in humans) but everything I read this morning indicated that a supplement may help keep this yeast at bay.
> 
> ...


I buy it online, if you have a membership, you can just do that with the link I attached. I actually have my mom buy it for me since I am a BJ's member, lol. She just has it shipped to me directly.

I do about a tablespoon of pumpkin daily. you could alternate between the pumpkin and yogurt, or get the fish oil cut out the yogurt and stick with pumpkin. Get the benedryl in him so he has time to heal, once he heals, ween off the bendryl and have a basic diet and add stuff slowly.


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

Why pumpkin daily? I know it's good for upset tummies/digestive issues but ongoing? I will have to re-research that  We are getting grain free food now so until I sort out if we have a grain allergy, it's of no use anyway


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

NewPttMom said:


> Why pumpkin daily? I know it's good for upset tummies/digestive issues but ongoing? I will have to re-research that  We are getting grain free food now so until I sort out if we have a grain allergy, it's of no use anyway


Its adds some water, he loves it and it regulates his belly. He has no problems with it so I keep it in. Works for him anyway, lol. He was just on antibiotics again and he did not have a bad belly AT ALL this time, I was pretty psyched lol. Its the little things... lol


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## Odin`s_BlueDragon (Mar 11, 2012)

ames said:


> Keep in mind I went grain free and then would give my boy Oatmeal baths thinking I was helping his skin, and then he would get a weird reaction and I realized its probably the grains in the oatmeal messing with him. Suck, you gotta think of everything, its a long process.


doh! i didnt think of that either. i went grain free with my boy but still have the oatmeal shampoo. luckily the TOTW was a drastic improvement for him and now that its warm he usually just gets rinsed off with the hose. lol


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

I looked into this after reading, and even searched "grain free soothing bath for allergies" I couldn' t find one thing anywhere that mentioned this even being a possibility.

I don't doubt you had that happen Ames, and it's even my luck, but I felt like its rare enough I could keep on my plan. Cleaned crate w dawn solution, washed ALL bedding w allergy safe detergent, gave hima step down dose of Benedryl, trimmed his nails, gave him his RXs, bathed him in a light dawn bath then cleaned the tub & did an oatmeal soak.

I will keep you posted if he seems more irritated in the morning, but hopefully some of this will help


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

I hear you lol each dog is different. My boy had a weird growth tumor on his side. It came back ok but I would still oatmeal bath and his skin and fur felt so nice and soft and smooth. After a few months I noticed a red splith in the exact same spot. It was warms and I hosed Mel off for a few months, no oatmeal baths and the splotch went away. I gave him a bath it came back instantly. I now use Dr Harvey And works so much better than even the oatmeal. It smells great cleans well and my pup is very shiny after the bath. I have not had the splotch return and he has been bathed indoors with it 3 times. Like I said trial and error and every dog is different 

Natural Organic Herbal Shampoo for Dogs - Dr. Harvey's


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## NewPttMom (Mar 20, 2012)

Well, after initial inspection this morning, he looks FABULOUS! Still will watch him but his coat is shiny and his paws aren't red or swollen this morning. I can't really say what worked since I did all the allergy things yesterday and he started the steroid yesterday as well but I am grateful.

It does appear as though I have lost my chenille bathrobe. Bo laid on it yesterday while I cleaned out his crate & did laundry, when I got him settled for the night, I look and Moose is spread on it....I HAVE blankets made of the same fabric, it must be my smell. It's funny because I am always complaining that they are the bf dogs and dammit, I buy the kibble and pay for the vet bills! lol

If we don't have any problems, I like taking oats from my cabinet, putting them in the food processor and feeling like we are keeping it basic.


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