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  1. #1
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    Grain-free, meat free food

    Hello.
    I have a 6 year old female chocolate lab who I got about 9 months ago from someone else who couldn't take care of her anymore. The previous owner got her from a shelter after she'd been abused.
    Once she made a home with us, we took her to the vet to be checked out. The vet told us that due to the pink in her eyes and the build-up in her ears, it appears she's allergic to chicken, beef, and grain. The previous owner had her on some grain-free food, but he didn't say anything about any allergies. We changed her food to some salmon, pea, and pumpkin grain-free food. After a few months on that food, her ears have gotten worse. I would like to take her off from all meats, in case it's the meat that's causing the issue. But, so far I can't seem to find any grain-free vegan food.
    Does anyone know if this kind of food even exists? I'm not in a position to pay an arm and a leg for dog food. But I don't know what else to do to try to figure out what exactly she is allergic to. I can't really afford to pay the $200+ to get an allergy test done either.
    I stopped feeding her the salmon food and switched her back to the chicken grain-free food she came to us with, but now she's back to itching her face more often than before. We do also have her on a form of Benadryl twice a day. The vet told us we could give her some fish oil pills to help with her coat, but I never did try that. Now, if her allergies got worse with the salmon food, I don't dare try the fish oil pills! Her ears are so full of wax and it sounds like there's a pocket of fluid deep down in there. Plus they stink and they seem to be a bit painful. I know they are irritated because they are often red, hot, and she itches at them a lot. The vet gave us some antibiotic stuff for her ears, but it doesn't seem to do any good. BUT, now that she's off from the salmon food, her ears don't seem to be quite as bad as before - they don't get as full of wax as quickly as before.
    I feel so bad for her and just want her to not be so itchy!

  2. #2
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    Chicken is a big issue with some dogs and is likely one of the sources of your problems. Do some research on "leaky gut syndrome" as I would be pretty sure this is what you are dealing with. I had a yellow lab years ago that had issues similar to what you are dealing with. Ge the gut back in balance and that should help a lot.

    I also used Nzymes products which also helped. I use their probiotics with my current Labs. Allergies in Dogs, What to Consider - NZYMES

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    I don't feed a raw food diet but many people whose dogs have food allergies find a raw food diet to be quite beneficial. As Barry said, chicken seems to be a frequently identified culprit. Maybe one of the folks on here who feed raw can help you find out more about a raw food diet and where to get the meats Here's one article on vegan dog food, brands etc. You might be able to order them online from Chewy.com or one of those companies. https://www.certapet.com/vegan-dog-f...up-vegan-diet/

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  6. #4
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Poor dog really needs to see another vet who will actually help you. It's going to be costly, I'm afraid, but the dog needs some help.

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  8. #5
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Welcome to the board. Sorry Katie is having these troubles. I'm afraid I'm with Labradorks, you need experienced Vet help, not guesses at what food will work in place of chicken or beef, which itself was a guess. Albeit an educated guess. Really, if it is an allergy, it might not be food at all but environmental allergy, like pollen or dust and those can be from indoors, outdoors and/or seasonal. OR not an allergy at all, but as many Vets (and our own human Doctors) now believe, and as seems to have been the case with my boy, a gut issue. And costly, yes, I'm sorry to say.
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  10. #6
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    Thanks everyone for your input.

    Maybe it's not even the grain that she's allergic to, but just the meat. I have no idea. But I will do more research, especially into that leaky gut stuff, and see if I can't get Katie to stop being so itchy. She seems like a happy and healthy dog otherwise! But I don't need her scratching her ear open again (it looked like her claws went right through the skin and left a nasty open wound) or chewing more hair off from her tail (after her ear healed I noticed she had a spot about an inch long on her tail where she chewed it raw and the hair has yet to start growing back).

    It's hard getting an already grown dog from someone else and not knowing much about her past. Even little things like the guy we got her from said she loves baths and loves water. Sure, she loves going into the lake, but bathtub?? Not so much!! And he claims to have trimmed her nails all the time on his own. Yet her front nails especially were so long, even the vet said there was no way he'd just trimmed them like he claimed. Now I have to try to get the quick to recede some so that her nails can be the length they should be, not super long and always pushing on the floor when she walks. Her back nails are good because she scratches on the driveway every day after she poops. She wouldn't allow the vet to clip her nails. But at least now she tolerates me clipping them, as long as I don't get the quick!! And as long as there's a treat when I'm done.

  11. #7
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    Dogs eat meat, I highly doubt the dog is allergic to ALL meat. I honestly can't imagine a vegan diet for a dog is too natural or healthy.

    I would probably try a commercial raw (easy for you) and pick the most unique protein. We used to use Stella & Chewy's on our seizure dog. Maybe Rabbit or Turkey.

    But know that IF the dog has a food sensitivity, I would make sure CHICKEN is removed from everything. Even chicken fat, though some say the processing removes the potential for causing problems.

    Also know that unless you read the labels, just because the bag says Salmon, it may be packed with additional meats like chicken! What brand were you feeding. And we have a chicken sensitive dog, there are FEW foods completely chicken free.

    Unfortunately, what you are dealing with is going to take a while to resolve. But kudos to you for trying to help this dog!

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  13. #8
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    Please please please get this girl's ears properly flushed and treated! They sound nasty, and will not resolve on its own. If funds are an issue, there are some possibilities on line for assistance. This one may be your best bet: 400 Bad Request
    Good luck!
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  15. #9
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Katiethechocolatelab View Post

    It's hard getting an already grown dog from someone else and not knowing much about her past. Even little things like the guy we got her from said she loves baths and loves water. Sure, she loves going into the lake, but bathtub?? Not so much!! And he claims to have trimmed her nails all the time on his own. Yet her front nails especially were so long, even the vet said there was no way he'd just trimmed them like he claimed. Now I have to try to get the quick to recede some so that her nails can be the length they should be, not super long and always pushing on the floor when she walks. Her back nails are good because she scratches on the driveway every day after she poops. She wouldn't allow the vet to clip her nails. But at least now she tolerates me clipping them, as long as I don't get the quick!! And as long as there's a treat when I'm done.
    It is hard and I did not address that, so belatedly, THANK YOU for taking Katie on and trying to help her. You are a good person and Katie is lucky you found her.
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  17. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    Poor dog really needs to see another vet who will actually help you. It's going to be costly, I'm afraid, but the dog needs some help.
    I completely agree! Your dog needs to have his ears treated properly first. Needs to be flushed out and cleaned out by a Vet, then prescribed ear drops to clear the the yeast/infection.

    I doubt your dog is allergic to ALL MEAT. Dogs need protein from meat!

    I would start by taking her to another Vet and starting all over.

    She could be having this problem with her ears because her previous owner neglected her ears and they kept getting worse.

    Any thought, is she swam in a lake all the time, her ears could have stayed wet inside and then yeast will start to grow.

    This may not be food related at all.

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