# Lilly has Allergies



## Gableshavs (Jun 19, 2007)

My vet says one of my dogs has serious allergies (vet says to foods) and has just gotten over a terrible staff infection in her ear. Of course he recommended I start my dog on a special diet, and sold me a prescription diet. What do you who have canine allergy sufferers feed? Any recommendations are welcome. I need to hear what you think or please share experiences. I wonder how often allergies afflict our breed.


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Hi!

Tess has serious allergies but after a year we've determined they are environmental, not food. Like Lilly, she has chronic ear infections. 

How does your vet know Lilly has food allergies? I spent the money to have the blood test done for allergies that my regular vet offered - wasn't worth the money (around $200). I've now spent the last year taking Tess to a veterinarian allergist who did, among other things, the skin prick test (also probably not worth the money - around $2,500). (The allergist said the blood test is not very accurate and neither the blood test nor skin prick test can determine food allergies.)

Basically, to determine if Tess had food allergies we had to do an elimination diet. The intent was to have her on ostrich, oatmeal and peas for about 4 months and then to start introducing foods, very slowly, one at a time, to determine what, if anything, she was allergic to. 

Tess was losing too much weight because she didn't like my cooking (she refused to eat the oatmeal and peas) so we switched her to the Science Diet Ultra Z/D - I fed her the kibble and canned. The vet did not recommend keeping her on this diet permanently (because it's not well balanced) but it wasn't harmful for the 8 months she was on it.

Determining what your dog is allergic to is a very frustrating process and just as frustrating is finding a solution. 

Good Luck!


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

I haven't updated it in a while, but here's a thread I started on Tess' experience with alleriges: http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=8558


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## Gableshavs (Jun 19, 2007)

Thank you Jill, that's very helpful. As I read more of your thread I really appreciate the amount of information in that thread. It's a tremendous resource and I thank you again for taking the time to post all that information.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Paula, did the vet say what foods the dog is allergic to? 
Have you thought about trying raw? Grain free might be helpful. Mine are all on Natures Variety raw and so far so good!
Good luck, allergies are such a bitch!


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

We did the elimination diet with Roscoe. He is allergic to chicken, turkey, duck...basically all fowl. After we eliminated that stuff from his diet, his allergies cleared up (takes about 5 weeks), and his tear staining also never came back. Don't know if that was a side effect of his allergies or what, but hey, it's gone so I'm happy.


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## Gableshavs (Jun 19, 2007)

I have been feeding chicken, no longer he just told me to give her another meat and keep trying so now I feed lamb


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

Gableshavs said:


> I have been feeding chicken, no longer he just told me to give her another meat and keep trying so now I feed lamb


Our vet told us that the most common dog protein allergy is to chicken. When I told our breeder, she agreed, and said that she has had a few Havs with chicken allergies!


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

We had a lab with chicken allergies.


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