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NuriScan Results...Sigh

5K views 34 replies 11 participants last post by  Springbrz 
#1 ·
This is mostly a vent:

I got Ziva's NutriScan Food Sensitivity Test result's tonight. At this moment, I feel like feeding her for the rest of her life is going to be such a daunting task.:( I know in time it will get easier.

I suspected problems with pork and chicken very early on. After trying Orijen 6 fish I suspected a problem with whitefish.

Being she is raw feed a diet of mostly beef, venison and occasional turkey and goat and lamb, I give her salmon oil for omega 3's. (she doesn't like sardines anymore). Well she is sensitive to Salmon so that is out. Are sardines considered a white fish? Turkey and Venison are now out as well.

We have always given Ziva peanut butter in her kong and I use it to get her to take her heartworm pills. I hide her benedryl (for severe itchy days) in peanut butter so she will take them without a fight. Well don't I feel dumb now. Her most severe sensitivity is to peanuts. :eek:

After seeing all the things she can't or shouldn't have I don't feel I can continue to fed raw and keep her diet balanced and healthy. :( Makes me sad.

The worst part is she won't touch kibble anymore. I have know idea how I'm going to get her to eat LID kibble. She use to eat NV Instinct LID Lamb before we went to raw. But, she wasn't thrilled with it. She is such a picky eater (no wonder, everything makes her feel yucky).

Any advise on kibble or a way to continue RAW and still have a complete balanced diet that is still affordable is always appreciated.

Sorry for the big pics of the results. Couldn't figure out how to get the PDF file small enough to just link to it.


Here's her test results:

 
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#2 ·
I am not that familiar with how the Nutriscan test works, but I am curious as to how the results are interpreted. When I had a human allergy test (which I realize is different from a dietary sensitivity), I turned out to be sensitive to a lot of things I had no idea were problematic. But they didn't cause symptoms. It was explained to me that there really were only a few allergens I needed to avoid. The chart at the bottom of her results says that a weak reaction means "clinical significance unclear." To me that would indicate that she may not experience symptoms at all when being fed those foods, and they would seem to be good candidates to introduce after an elimination diet.

I see that duck, lamb, and beef seem to be okay. Is your vet recommending an elimination diet now? You could ostensibly do that with one of those proteins. They make supplements for balancing a single protein diet (haven't tried them, but they exist). Also it seems unlikely to me that she would develop a severe imbalance on a temporary elimination diet.

I hope this is some encouragement. I am not an expert about any of this stuff, but I find myself going to the doctor and the vet's office an awful lot so I can sympathize!
 
#3 ·
We did an elimination diet for several weeks before we switched back to raw. That is when we fed Nature's Varity Instinct LID Lamb. She did fairly well on it, the itching decreased a lot. But she didn't eat well.
I'm not so concerned about all the grain food stuffs as we would choose grain free anyway. She will miss her popcorn with daddy, though.
I can't afford much lamb on raw. And she won't touch raw quail and I'm not sure she would eat raw duck if I could get it and afford it.
NV does have lamb and duck LID formulas so maybe I could keep her interested if I rotate them. That is if I can get her to eat kibble again.
She is just so picky. Some of the proteins she won't touch are also ones she is sensitive to anyway.
Oddly enough she loves chicken. Chicken just doesn't like her.
I fed her right before I got the results. Of course I fed her venison and turkey. Poor girl quite itchy...

I just got the results tonight by email, so we haven't talked to the vet yet. it's just frustrating at the moment.
 
#4 ·
No advice on raw.. but we just got Titan's allergy panel back.. fortunately for us it's not a many allergens as yours, BUT unfortunately it is enough that it has been near impossible for me to find a food that is clear of his 7 avoidable allergens. We also didn't do this inteense of a test.. only tested 20 ingredients. Anyways.. check this food out..
Open Sky Grain Free ALS Dinner | Canine Caviar | Holistic Dog Food and it's not shown on there, but i believe if you ask for the Free Range Buffalo, they have it in kibble too.

Also, if that's not up your alley, check out Nature's Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets. I am currently feeding the duck version. I believe duck was a weak reaction right?

Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Kibble Dog Food - Duck | Instinct Pet Food for Dogs and Cats

I know how frustrating it is looking for new food.. I hope those help.
 
#6 ·
No advice on raw.. but we just got Titan's allergy panel back.. fortunately for us it's not a many allergens as yours, BUT unfortunately it is enough that it has been near impossible for me to find a food that is clear of his 7 avoidable allergens. We also didn't do this inteense of a test.. only tested 20 ingredients. Anyways.. check this food out..
Open Sky Grain Free ALS Dinner | Canine Caviar | Holistic Dog Food and it's not shown on there, but i believe if you ask for the Free Range Buffalo, they have it in kibble too.

Also, if that's not up your alley, check out Nature's Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets. I am currently feeding the duck version. I believe duck was a weak reaction right?

Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Kibble Dog Food - Duck | Instinct Pet Food for Dogs and Cats

I know how frustrating it is looking for new food.. I hope those help.
Thanks for the link. Going to go check out the canine caviar site.
 
#5 ·
Sorry posted while you were posting apparently. Canine Caviar, I had never heard of until I went to by NV Instinct and the store owner brought me her catalog. It is very interesting to read about the company and where they came from too.. seems like very good quality.
 
#8 ·
No advise on the food but I did want to say I've had the blood allergy testing on myself and I find that when I'm in an outbreak (I get hives) that I test allergic to just about everything. But when I'm not in an outbreak (remission) I do not test allergic to very many things. For me when my immune system is in hyper-drive it effects those tests. Just something to keep in mind. When you have her system calmed down you might test her again and see if the test comes out the same.
 
#9 ·
No advise on the food but I did want to say I've had the blood allergy testing on myself and I find that when I'm in an outbreak (I get hives) that I test allergic to just about everything. But when I'm not in an outbreak (remission) I do not test allergic to very many things. For me when my immune system is in hyper-drive it effects those tests. Just something to keep in mind. When you have her system calmed down you might test her again and see if the test comes out the same.
Thanks for the advise. I myself have food intolerance's. Namely, gluten. I also have several auto-immune diseases, so I totally get the immune system in overdrive scenario. Dr. Dodds did recommend retesting in
6-12 mo.
I can only hope as time goes by that more protein sources become approved. I was just taken aback at the peanut butter reaction. Who'd of thunck it. Not surprised by any of the grain reactions. Dogs aren't really meant to eat grain anyway.
I just feel bad for my poor pup. She is already a very picky eater. I guess I should be happy her favorite treats are Merrick's lamb and beef lung treats. Both approved proteins.
 
#11 ·
Nutriscan saved my dog.

Yours, actually, can eat more than mine. Hans can only eat beef and lamb.
I am feeding a complete raw mix from My Pet Carnivore, because I can't give chicken or turkey bones, and the beef bones must be ground. The only way I would be able to home grind beef bones would be to buy a ginormous commercial grinder. No can do!

You can absolutely still do a raw diet and keep your dog healthy. Don't let this overwhelm you, just be thrilled that now you know what she can't have.
 
#12 ·
Agree with Sunflowers.
Why not keep her on beef most of the time and then rotate in some lamb and duck one or two days per week!
There are a few supplements that you can use to supplement raw. Here is one that is a base mix and is AAFCO approved balanced to use with raw:

"When mixed according to directions, See Spot Live Longer™ Homemade Dinner Mixes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adults and for all life stages."
Ingredients: dried spinach, ground flax seed, dicalcium phosphate, oyster shell powder, dried spirulina algae, psyllium husk powder, organic dried kelp, sea salt, inulin, chelated minerals (iron, zinc, manganese and copper amino acid chelates), vitamin E, choline chloride, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3, vitamin B12.
“It's easy. Just add 2 tablespoons (4 for puppies) of our special mix to one pound of fresh beef, chicken, turkey, or lamb, and add a can of sardines or fish oils weekly.” -maybe Krill Oil would work since it is a “shell fish”- A typical 35-pound dog will need one bag per month.

See Spot Live Longer™ Homemade Dinner Mixes | Product Catalog
Info: Healthy Dog Food Dinner Mixes

Search out My Pet Carnivore and also Oma's Pride distributor list for your state: Distributors of Oma's Pride and O'Paws in the United States (USA)

Raw list: Oma's Pride Raw Products



Don't be discouraged! I had MANY trials and errors with foods and other modalities to find out what would work with our first GSD. But when you finally do, and you see your dog flourish......it will all be worth it!;)

Moms:)
 
#13 ·
Thank Mom's! I have looked at See Spot Live longer. I hesitated before because Ziva is such a picky eater as it is. When we started raw we started with Honest Kitchen Love. She thought it was the best. Now she won't touch it. She won't eat any food that has Nupro Silver anywhere near it. She won't touch pumpkin, yogurt or american cheese(seems she can't have that anyway). She likes cheddar cheese. She use to love coconut oil but now I have to hand feed it to her off a spoon with coaxing or she leaves it on her plate. For about 2 months she got a couple small cans of sardines packed in water. Now she won't go near her food if any fish has touched her food. All of the previous has cause food to be discarded after 3 days.

I have always been a firm believer that a dog will not starve themselves unless they are ill. Until we got Ziva. On more than one occasion with raw and kibble, she has turned her nose up at food she didn't like and gone hungry for as long as three days. Being she was and still is a growing puppy and was loosing weight on her hunger strikes, I gave in after 3 days. Guess she has me trained now.

I just worry she will get bored with mostly beef for raw. I can't afford lamb very often. And I haven't seen raw duck anywhere here. I get her some goat once or twice a month. Goat is like $5/lb.

I guess I'll order some See Spot Dinner mixes and give it a shot. It's already costing us around $120-$150 a month to feed her and get her treats. Can't afford much more than that. I digress...

off to check out those links.
 
#17 ·
I just worry she will get bored with mostly beef for raw.
You might find that once she starts feeling better she'll stop being so picky. It's possible she's learned to avoid lots of food because they make her hurt or feel bad. If that's been the case for several months it wouldn't surprise me if she became wary of new foods or immediately recognized a food that had previously made her feel ill. Once you get her started on a diet with the ingredients to which she shouldn't react, she'll begin to feel better and hopefully will no longer associate her food with feeling poorly, and so will no longer be as "picky" about it.

My dog was diagnosed with an autoimmune GI disease, and during the months-long diagnosis I had the same problem with him-- he would refuse food for days on end, eat something for a few days to a couple weeks and then turn his nose up, etc. The food was making him hurt. Once we got a diagnosis and got the right treatment started, it was as if he'd never been so hungry. Scarfed down his food like a champ. Now he hasn't refused a meal in months and eats regularly, even though I feed him the same boring thing day in and day out.

Hopefully it will be the same for you and Ziva.
 
#14 ·
Why isn't flax in Dodd's list. It is considered an inflammatory fibre as a meal and as oil and is in so many flippen products.:mad:
 
#15 ·
Why isn't flax in Dodd's list. It is considered an inflammatory fibre as a meal and as oil and is in so many flippen products.:mad:
Well the is a good question. I have noticed myself that a lot of products use it as a source for omega 3's in place of fish oils as well as a fiber/binding agent.
Also, along your lines of thinking, in humans(don't know about dogs) flaxseed is a phytoestrogen and in higher amounts can mess with estrogen levels. I hadn't even thought about that.
I personally use an algal sourced product for omega's 3 (OVEGA 3). I'm thinking it's what I'm going to have to use for Ziva as well. Not very cheap though.
 
#21 ·
I don't know what happened to my previous post so I'll write again.
I just received Traveler's report and he's sensitive to everything except beef and lamb and veggies.
No eggs-cow's milk products-venison-pork-peanut-every friggin grain-chicken&turkey to!
Dr. Dodd did answer my email requesting clarification very quickly. She recommends retest every 6-12 months. At $280, it won't be every 6 months, that's for sure.
I was feeding Orijen regional red grain free. No longer I guess.
I have a huge box of Honest Kitchen dehydrated turkey flavor:cry:

I feel your pain!
I'll be watching the list to see recommendations.
 
#23 ·
Oh, I forgot to mention- Dr. Dodd said "whitefish" is all white fleshed ocean fish. She recommended sardines, herring and lake trout.

OH...Thank you so much for that info. I was wondering what to do about fish oils. I was going to email Dr. Dodds about that issue. Although, I can say Ziva does not like sardines. To know herring is ok opens thing up a tad bit.

Sadly, I guess it's true that misery loves company.... :(. Glad I am not alone in this. I too know "your" pain. We just want the best for our dogs, our family members...and it gets so hard.

I have a half/ two thirds full box of Honest Kitchen Beef that Ziva won't eat (even though beef is ok for her).
I have given away/donated more food than I can afford but it is what it is at this point.
Ziva has been on a hunger strike since Friday. Can barely get her to eat.
Weighed her and she has lost 2 lbs. So this morning I cooked up some ground beef and seasoned it with a bit of salt/pepper/garlic powder and put in on her raw beef and she finally decided to eat.

I have never struggled so to get a dog to eat as I have with Ziva. Leaves me weary. I'm hoping that @Zero's post will be the future. That once we eliminate the allergen foods that she will be a hardy eater again.

At this point I am trying to take one day at a time.

Funny, how when my DH and I were talking about what breed dog to get, we worried about known HD in the breed . Little did we know that food and environmental allergies were the bigger issue. Ugh :(

We love our girl and want nothing less than the best for her. But, it doesn't make us any less sad when we can't share our dinner, scraps or snacks with her. Popcorn time with Dad has always been something all our previous dogs have had. Ziva can't have corn :(. That made my DH cry.

Was devastated when I discovered NV Instinct Raw lamb had salmon oil in it. Don't know where I am going to get raw lamb that To say is affordable (not that $17 for 2 lbs premade was affordable).

To say I'm weary at this point doesn't even come close to how I feel. I just want a happy, healthy, well fed, well trained pup. The well trained part is coming along nicely. :)
 
#24 ·
I so understand what you are saying!!

I didn't know that Traveler had any allergies. I was convinced it was some skin issue relating to his tick bites (Brown dog ticks). He was stinky, greasy, itchie, runny eyes and down right miserable. Turns out "whatever" caused it, he tested positive for staph infection. That has cleared up using non steroid items per the doggie dermatologist:
Douxo chlorhexidine shampoo, Resi ketochlor leave on lotion, an antibiotic and Apoquel.

within minutes of taking the Apoquel, itching stopped. It was amazing.
 
#25 ·
Well just know that this is the worst part! I am in the early stages of our new food regimine that took weeks to figure out.. and I still have to change this kibble when I'm done with it. I can say you start getting accustomed to food labels and you manage to find all kinds of treats and things to spoil them with even if it means dedicating your sunday evening to chopping up sweet potatoes, carrots and other veggies for their delite.

Try not to get discouraged. Titan too is very picky about eating, on top of his allergies, and it made/is making it difficult.. but you're doing great at looking at all your options and you will find things that work for you both!

:)
 
#26 ·
Been there, it is normal to feel overwhelmed!

We did the Nutriscan test for Oliver's allergies and it came back with so many that it was easier to list the things that were ok than the really long bad list. In addition he has some environmental allergies too.

I remember feeling super daunted, like he was never going to be able to be a normal puppy and his care was going to put us over the top financially, physically and mentally. There were a couple really rough months and many vet visits. It seemed a never ending cycle of scratching, infections, drugs, side effects and seeing a lot of Vets.

Here are a few things that have helped us and now at 11 months, I feel like we are in a good spot and life with the dog will be just fine.

1. Coconut oil- has omega 3's and 6's like fish oil, but likely won't have the same allergic reaction. There is a link somewhere on the forum to the weight/teaspoon formula. I think it is like 1/2 tsp. for each 15 lbs. At 80 lbs. Ollie gets 1.5 tsp with each meal. Has really helped his coat and skin and his coat looks awesome right now.

2. We tried a number of treats/food and went through a phase where he wouldn't eat and was dropping weight. Even hand feeding lamb roast didn't work. Right now we are using Nature's Balance LID sweet potato and venison. It is working for us and he likes it- wolfs it down actually which I thought would never happen. We have tired Nature's Variety LID and Royal Canin brands but this one works best for us and is a decent price. I also like real meat dog food/treats (actual brand name which make it hard to search for because you get a lot of search results. Look for a green bag for beef, purpose for lamb, and reddish for venison to know you found the right thing). It is essential a LID food or treat because is it a protein source and usually pumpkin. Zukes also has a grain free treat that is either beef or lamb with potato and apple.

3. Teething and the need to chew was hard because we needed something limited ingredient too. I got creative with what we put in the kong instead of peanut butter (Like canned version of LID food, banana, apple slices, ice chips). Also lamb and cow ears worked well and that we could avoid all the ingredients in other types of chews.

4. I'm sure your veterinarian has prescribed a number or drugs. I know some on this forum are more holistic. We were willing to try about about anything to stop the constant scratching & bloody scabs of our pup. Prednisone worked, but has side effects and isn't a long-term solution. We didn't have good luck with the following: benadryl, zyertec, hydroxyzine, cyclosporine. We have been doing really well for the past 5 weeks on a brand new drug called apoquel. It is pretty new on the market, but has returned our pup to a normal dog without the side effects we had with some of the other drugs.

5. Shampoos/baths- I found Oliver's skin is happiest and he doesn't keep infections from yeast or staff when he scratches if he has a bath every other week. We use aroma paws sensitive skin formula. It doesn't have an over the top scent and is seems to sooth better than the prescription cholorhexi shampoo we tried.

Allergies are super hard on you and the dog. My husband was so frustrated he was ready to send Oliver back to the breeder. I felt I had to be super positive for the dog and to keep my husband in check, but I didn't hand anyone but this forum to break down to (because non-dog people think you are nuts when you are spending more on dog food than your food). BUT we stuck it out and now it is pretty much just the usually annoying stuff any young dog would do. Message me if I can be of any help on explaining what has worked for us.
 
#27 ·
Traveler is sensitive to potato (white and sweet), rice, wheat,corn,soy, barley,lentil,millet,oatmeal,quinoa and rice.

I don't think there is a single treat or food out there without one of these in it.

You guys were commenting on flax not being on the test list. I'd like to ask about peas. It seems lots of no grain foods are using pea in one form or another.
 
#32 ·
I have always been a firm believer that a dog will not starve themselves unless they are ill.
I'm a firm believer that healthy dogs will not starve themselves, although the qualifier is 'healthy' & your poor girl currently isn't really healthy. Her picky habits are quite possibly due to the ongoing allergies & the feeling of general malaise she's constantly suffering.

However, do all that you can to curtail the fussiness. Dogs are largely creatures of habit. Picky food habits might endure past the time she's feeling better. Some suggestions are to try to feed her only when you know she's truly hungry. Also avoid feeding her when she's stressed or there are lots of distractions around. Try to encourage eating that isn't dependent on coaxing, pleading, begging, arguing etc. She will enjoy the parlay with you & may consider it part of the eating 'ritual'. Do not hang around while she's eating (or not eating) anxiously observing her, worrying & fretting. She will sense your emotional upset & is likely to stress in reaction to your feelings & concerns.

Remain focused on her issues which are food sensitivities & NOT disorders which impair her ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugar etc. As such, getting a bit hungry (ie skipping a meal or 2 or 3) isn't going to do her any real harm. Naturally consult with your vet on all of this.

I had a Husky rescue once who made the funniest face I've ever seen when I put a bowl of kibble down for her. She looked at it with a reaction of utter horror. Seriously. She then literally stuck her nose in the air & turned her head a bit to the side clearly conveying her absolute disdain for what I considered 'food'. Da Vinci, my Irish Wolfhound, immediately offered to eat whatever she didn't want while I chuckled at her reaction & told her that I don't give a ratz patoot if a healthy adult dog chooses not to eat...In fact it's cheaper. Go for it. She had 4 hungry days before she deigned to nibble a bit of kibble. After that she ate normally & had a good appetite, too.

You will get her dietary restrictions under control & that will be so liberating for both of you. She will be feeling better & so will you. It's stressful now & won't be easy but it's good days up ahead for both of you.
 
#34 ·
I'm a firm believer that healthy dogs will not starve themselves, although the qualifier is 'healthy' & your poor girl currently isn't really healthy. Her picky habits are quite possibly due to the ongoing allergies & the feeling of general malaise she's constantly suffering.

However, do all that you can to curtail the fussiness. Dogs are largely creatures of habit. Picky food habits might endure past the time she's feeling better. Some suggestions are to try to feed her only when you know she's truly hungry. Also avoid feeding her when she's stressed or there are lots of distractions around. Try to encourage eating that isn't dependent on coaxing, pleading, begging, arguing etc. She will enjoy the parlay with you & may consider it part of the eating 'ritual'. Do not hang around while she's eating (or not eating) anxiously observing her, worrying & fretting. She will sense your emotional upset & is likely to stress in reaction to your feelings & concerns.

Remain focused on her issues which are food sensitivities & NOT disorders which impair her ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugar etc. As such, getting a bit hungry (ie skipping a meal or 2 or 3) isn't going to do her any real harm. Naturally consult with your vet on all of this.

I had a Husky rescue once who made the funniest face I've ever seen when I put a bowl of kibble down for her. She looked at it with a reaction of utter horror. Seriously. She then literally stuck her nose in the air & turned her head a bit to the side clearly conveying her absolute disdain for what I considered 'food'. Da Vinci, my Irish Wolfhound, immediately offered to eat whatever she didn't want while I chuckled at her reaction & told her that I don't give a ratz patoot if a healthy adult dog chooses not to eat...In fact it's cheaper. Go for it. She had 4 hungry days before she deigned to nibble a bit of kibble. After that she ate normally & had a good appetite, too.

You will get her dietary restrictions under control & that will be so liberating for both of you. She will be feeling better & so will you. It's stressful now & won't be easy but it's good days up ahead for both of you.
Ahh.... you made me chuckle...Thank you! It is good advise you give. I will admit that often my compassion gets the better of me. When my lean pup show visible ribs I tend to give in to what ever it takes to get her to eat. I am well trained by her I'm sure. :)
 
#33 ·
The Apoquel I mentioned previously is almost miraculous. It came on the market in 2013 so it remains to be seen if there's a downside down the road. However, Traveler was ripping himself up so I chose to go with this until his skin heals and I can get to the source of the problem. In other words, I'm using it for a short term fix. He had greasy skin but big dry flakes at the same time. He lost so much fur-not in patches, just thinned out all over. He should have had a big shed but really has not much undercoat to shed.

The doggie derm dr. thinks the food sensitivity testing was a waste of time (I didn't have results at the time of the appt.) and it's all environmental. He wanted me to sign off to have Traveler's back shaved and then do a 50 needle scratch test and see what happens. Nope-I don't think so, thank you very much. Maybe some day but at $1000 which is his quote, I will have to rule out a whole bunch of options before we go there and we won't be going to him.
 
#35 ·
The Apoquel I mentioned previously is almost miraculous. It came on the market in 2013 so it remains to be seen if there's a downside down the road. However, Traveler was ripping himself up so I chose to go with this until his skin heals and I can get to the source of the problem. In other words, I'm using it for a short term fix. He had greasy skin but big dry flakes at the same time. He lost so much fur-not in patches, just thinned out all over. He should have had a big shed but really has not much undercoat to shed.

The doggie derm dr. thinks the food sensitivity testing was a waste of time (I didn't have results at the time of the appt.) and it's all environmental. He wanted me to sign off to have Traveler's back shaved and then do a 50 needle scratch test and see what happens. Nope-I don't think so, thank you very much. Maybe some day but at $1000 which is his quote, I will have to rule out a whole bunch of options before we go there and we won't be going to him.
Wow! $1000 for skin testing! Shoot, my daughter was skin tested last fall for dozens of food and about 50 environmental allergen and it was only around $600. Not that that is cheap.
I will be looking into Apoquel and consulting my vet about it in the near future. Thank you for the info on Apoquel. I had not heard of it before.
 
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