Homecook vs. Commercial Foods

[roaniecowpony]

I never thought I'd homecook for my dogs, but I'm currently homecooking for my e-pointer to help diagnose a skin/itch problem with her. I'm looking for some others experience and solutions with similar problems.

The pointer has a poor coat with no hair on her underside and front of her hind legs. Hair was coming off in large quanities on everthing she touched.

My vet advised switching foods to try to I.D. the problem after she had tested the dog for parasites. She suggested it was allergic reaction to either food or airborne/contact allergens. She layed out how a hypo allergenic diet trial would be done and I read on what things others have encountered as allergens to their dogs. Evidently, others have commonly had dogs allergic to grains, with wheat and corn at the top of the list. Others have had certain proteins that cause reactions. The vet had a dog that was allergic to chicken, she said.

I followed her advice with the lab 6 yrs ago, when the lab had chronic itching, and switched to a non-chicken diet which was Pro Plan Lamb and Rice. The dog eventually grew out of the chronic itching, but I don't know if it was because we started giving fish oil (omega 3 fatty acids) or just the absence of chicken.

Last year, I tried the pointer on the Pro Plan Lamb and Rice (since I was feeding the lab this) for a month and there was no change.

After that, I decided to see if the corn and wheat were the culprit and put the pointer on Pro Plan Chicken and Brown Rice 30% protein/17% fat for a month or so. No change.

Reading further of other's experiences, the other additives such as brewer's yeast, etc had come up as possible allergens.

So, I started recently cooking the "put-n-take" hunt club pheasant for the dog. I boil the birds and schred the meat, boil brown rice, boil carrots, add a fish oil caplet, a dash of olive oil, and wet the whole thing with the broth from boiling, since it containns the fat.

After a few weeks now, I noted that her coat is not shedding much if at all and her coat is looking great. She still is itching. Possibly the itching is not related to the shedding problem she had? I'm also bathing her once a week now.

[ezzy333]

I have no idea what the problem is but I can give you some info. Dogs are seldom allergic to dog food but for the few that are, 90% of them are allergic to a protein source which leaves practically no chance of being allergic to grain. If they were the dog probably would have a problem surviving since in reality it would almost have to be allergic to the starch and that would eliminate most any food you tried to feed. Most of the allergies people have been blaming on the food are actually a reaction to something in their environment, but even that is rare. What is puzzling is somewhere the loss of hair on a dog suggests allergies. Why, when that is not a problem with animals that have allergies? Eyes and nose discharges would be one of the first things in most cases. And vets are just as guilty as many others when they can't find or haven't really tried the source of the problem. Plus it is very very difficult to actually run a panel to find the source, so just blame it on the food.

I think you have proven it isn't the feed in your case already as you said she had eaten this feed with no problem prior to this occurance and she is still itchy after changing everything. I would definitely look else where.

I also would be concerned about weeky baths. That in itself can and does create coat problem by continually washing the natural oils out of the coat and off of the skin.

Hope you get her straighten out and she gets relief from the itching.

Ezzy

[roaniecowpony]

Ezzy,
Thanks for your thoughts.

I think I forgot to mention that the dog has been on Pro Plan Performance since I got her from Hickox and I assume all her adult life. But she did come to me with the itch and hair issues.

The vet ran tests for parasites.

The thing I don't quite understand is the shedding issue has stopped with the homecooked meals, but not the chronic itching. I don't necessarily want to go back to Pro Plan Performance if she's going to shed like before.

I note that the dog does sneeze regularly, but no noticeable discharge above normal from the nose or eyes.

I'm still perplexed. The itching seems a separable issue from the shedding.

Some reading on food allergy trials revealed that old school thinking was 3 weeks was enough eval time. New information suggests that only 25% of the dogs will respond in a 3 week trial, that would later respond if the trial went 12 weeks. I'm at about 4 weeks in my trial.

[Angus]

Not sure if you read the labels or not, but all Pro Plan products contain Corn and Poultry. Trying to diagnose a food allergy with pro plan would be pretty tough.

Has teh dog been checked for mange? Time of year could also be a factor.

[roaniecowpony]

Angus,
Thanks for lending a hand.

Yes, first thing was a check for mange.

On the Pro Plan foods, you can get a pretty diverse type of protein with the different selections. The Chicken and Brown Rice is corn and wheat free. There are Lamb, Beef and other protein selections as well. As I mentioned, the lab I've had for 6 yrs is on Lamb and Rice Pro Plan.

My wife and I have been schredding pheasant and quail for the last hour and I took a beer break. The dogs were hanging around and I noticed the belly of the pointer now has a nice coat coming in. I swear that dog has had a pink, bare belly the entire 1 yr and half we've had her. Like no hair at all. She looks a lot better than a few weeks ago.

Gotta figure out a kibble that will work. I can't do this homecook stuff much longer. Way too much work.

[Cajun Casey]

Check her thyroid and pancreas.

[southwayno]

Went through the same thing with my pit and spent a lot of money on this issue. Try feeding a raw diet or canned food. It helped my dog a lot. My friend also had a itchy dog and switched foods to orijen and the itching stopped.

[MonsterDad]

The best cure for itching costs about $7 at any good tack shop, its called a Rubber Curry Comb.

[roaniecowpony]

Monsterdad,
I appreciate the tip on the curry comb, but this condition is well beyond simply an itch. As I mentioned the coat is poor and lots of slippage/shedding and no hair on her underside and front of her hind legs, plus the chronic itch and licking/chewing til sores appear.

With the change I noticed yesterday, I think I'm making progress. I'd like to be able to get back to a kibble for practical reasons.

[Doc E]

Check her thyroid

I'm thinkin' Thyroid too.



.

[roaniecowpony]

Could be...no matter how much food I pour thru her or lower activity level, she is skin and bone.

[RoostersMom]

Ha,

You've got my pointer in your house, I just know it. She's all skin and bones. No reason says the vet school after a big chunk of change and a whole lot of testing. I'd make a suggestion for you though....feed your dog the homemade diet - but by gosh - stop cooking everything. That takes forever. They'll eat it raw and it will be better for them. Just do what you're doing, but do it all raw. Well - cook the rice of course. Everything else - raw. My sister feeds her special needs dog a raw diet - he's finally been able to transition to a kibble this year - but the past 2 years it's been a raw diet for his many, many issues.

Good luck!

[roaniecowpony]

Well, I misspoke a little. She muscles up pretty good when exercised regularly. Just never puts any fat on. I guess I should be grateful.

[12Gauge]

I have been feeding my dog a frozen raw food diet for about 6 months. The brand I use in Northwest Naturals. I use the 2lb chub. My EP weighs 40lbs of bones and muscle. I feed her and a little 5lb dog (1) 2lb chub a day 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 at night the little one gets about 1/4lb each feeding the EP eats the rest. I am very happy with it. I rotate between chicken, turkey, beef, and lamb. It costs me about $6 a day. I look at it like the price of Starbucks with a tip. I don't think I could do the work of home cooking. I think this is the next best thing to home cooked.

[roaniecowpony]

12gauge,
Look at my pointer's ears and yours. Can you PM your pedigree?

[brdhntr]

many times the protein allergy is caused by the starch it's mixed with. starches and proteins are digestive opposites. proteins are digested first then starches. If the proteins are not fully digested when the enzymes are released to break down the starch your dogs body will try to absorb the undigested or partially digested protein.