Recipe for Prey Module Raw Food

[grozelle]

My last attempt for our 5 yr old GSD to help clear up her ?allergies ?leaky gut...any thoughts suggestions would be appreciated. This has been an ongoing issue for 15 months, several vet visits, ear drops, ear cleaning etc etc....and she is still itchy (scratching ears, shaking head and sometimes chewing belly and paws. It is a sin to see her suffer so....symptoms lessen with Vanectyl P, but I don't think long term use of a steroid can be very good for her. Looking forward to your experienced replies.

[Clyde]

A single source prey model diet would be the best way to do an elimination diet. The hard part is finding a good novel protein that you can have easy access to. In my area I can get a good supply of whole rabbits perhaps if you do some research you can find something in your area. If you can find a whole animal you don't need to worry so much about the ratios. I wouldn't feed a single source forever but for 6-8 weeks would be fine.

I hate to say it but based on the symptoms I would say your are dealing with something much bigger than a food allergy. Probably a combination of food and environmental. I assume you have already tried some sort of elimination diet using kibble?

Have the vets suggested anything other than treating the symptoms or is what was listed above all that has been done so far?

I would recommend getting your hands on The Allergy Solution for Dogs by Shawn Messonnier. The book covers all the natural and conventional therapies that can be used for allergies. If your vets have only recommended what you have described in your original post I would be looking for a new vet. The book will help a lot in figuring out what therapies or testing you would like to explore which you can then discuss with a vet.

I am not really familiar with leaky gut so my advise is just based on what I know of allergies

[Clyde]

I just did a quick search on leaky gut and development of food and enviromental allergies and if I was you I would get my dog on....
Probiotics
Digestive Enzymes (Protease, Amylase, Lipase and Cellulase)
Bromelain Extract
Raw diet (single novel protein)
Omega 3's

The use of antibiotics, steroids, and NSAIDS can be a cause of leaky gut so I would be concerned about the steroid use at this point. Steroids are usually a last resort for treating allergies any ways.

I have never actually looked into leaky gut before. I would think there must be a way to test for this. Unfortunately it sounds like even if you can treat the leaky gut the allergies that developed will remain.

[Clyde]

I have been researching some more and I guess an over growth of yeast is the primary cause of leaky gut. This would make a lot of sense with regard to the ear and paw itchiness. Has your vet discussed yeast with you at all?

Also please describe your dogs current diet including any supplements. Has your dog ever been treated with antibiotics before and if so how frequently?

[grozelle]

Thanks for your responses Clyde....after trying many elimination diets(we tried them for about 8 weeks each) inclusive of the very pricey hypoallergenic food from the vet with no improvement....we went back to her original food TLC and started back on the Vanectyl P to help ease her symptoms.
One of the vets said we could do allergy testing, but the accuracy is not there....blood test is only 40% accuracy skin testing only 70% accuracy and then they may not capture all of her allergies plus the expense of weekly allergy injections and the making up of the serum...She was spayed July 2010 got an infected wound and was on antibiotics for 10 days and developed symptoms October 2010 and it has been a battle since,

[Jax08]

Have you tried probiotics and digestive enzymes?

[grozelle]

Hi Jax...that is what the plan is to add probiotics, and Nupro to the mix....just trying to find out a safe and reasonably priced place to purchase the raw meat....I live in the Hamilton area in Canada

[Clyde]

Raw food suppliers in Ontario, Canada


I found this it is from 2008 though and not sure how close some of them actually are to you.

Was it your vet who mentioned the leaky gut? If the intestine is leaking you would think there would be a way to test for that. Does your dog show any other symptoms of leaky gut? Also is your dog yeasty did they test for this? They can do skin scraps on the ears, paws and belly.

Your dog was on antibiotics a few months before the issues started. Antibiotics can throw the digestive system out of wack which could allow for an over growth of yeast.

I wouldn't bother with the blood testing either it is mainly for food allergies and an exclusion diet is a much more accurate way to determine if you are dealing with food allergies which you have already done. I would consider the skin testing once you have ruled out other possibilities. The serum injections are a whole different story and are not necessary just because you have the skin testing done. Does your dog itch year round or is it seasonal?

I was looking at Nupro and I wouldn't rely on it for the digestive enzymes. Do a google search on digestive enzymes for dogs and you will find lots of information. The ingredient list should show all the active enzymes. Nupro shows no specific enzymes in the ingredients they do have an analysis which is lacking in some important enzymes and also makes me wonder what the source is for the enzymes? the bee pollen?

Nupro Gold All Natural Dog Supplement