Seriously, this is ridiculous and I feel like I am living in an episode of The Twilight Zone. I have been gluten free for just over three years now after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease so essentially I have kept a diet completely free of all wheat, rye, spelt, MSG, gluten, and just recently began eating oats-certified GF of course-and loving them. I know, none of this is especially interesting, I'm getting there, I'm getting there-you needed this background information! Well my dog, as many of you know sheds like a MoFo...and for those of you who don't know, it's bad y'all. My mom calls him a walking christmas tree because he sheds like a real tree sheds needles. You can tell where he has been by the trail of fur he leaves behind. She was talking with one of her friends about him and they suggested I add fish oil to his diet.
Me, being me, started Googling about dog food brands, shedding, etc. until I found a brand of food that they sell at the local tree-hugger-pet-friendly-we-carry-a-little-bit-of-everything-store which I have never been to because I didn't know they sold pet food (their front sign is misleading, and they have furniture in the window, so really, not all my fault.) Off I went with my list in hand, ready to get food until I got to the isle. Holy overwhelming. I stood there like a kid asked to read Mandarin in front of the school until the dog food guy came over to my rescue. He was super helpful and we talked about his shedding issue, what I had found online, etc. Here is a paraphrased conversation that followed:
Me: Well he sheds a lot. Like, a whole lot and brushing doesn't seem to help.
DFG: What breed is he? Is he supposed to shed?
Me: A terrier mutt. Nothing that should shed like he does.
DFG: Does he scratch a lot?
Me: Yeah, I mean not constantly but he scratches.
DFG: Is his belly always really pink. Not like pale pink, but really pink?
Me: Um, yes.
DFG: Does he sneeze often?
Me: Um, yes. (feeling slightly creeped out that the DFG has got to be spying on my house)
DFG: It sounds like he has allergies.
Me: Allergies? What kind of allergies?
DFG: Most likely to his food. Odds are he's allergic to corn...and probably wheat...but definitely corn. It's actually very common in dogs, and changing his food should help a lot.
[end conversation]
Now, I inappropriately started laughing, which just made me look like an ass but I couldn't help it. No worries, I explained it to DFG and he laughed too. My dog is allergic to his food. Specifically he is allergic to corn and (probably) wheat. I told my roommate this when I got home, she also inappropriately laughed and said, "Could your dog be any more perfect for you?" I called my mom and she too laughed inappropriately. I overheard her tell my dad-who is apparently the only person I know with a heart because he didn't laugh and said, "Poor little guy!"
So now we are trying out two samples-it will come down to Lamb and Rice or Venison and Sweet Potato...stay tuned to the riveting ending of this story, hopefully with less shedding, sneezing and scratching!
11 comments:
Awww- Jersay and RiverDAwG--- too dang cute, you two should work the talk show circuit together...so sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet together~!
My two dogs are also allergic to everything under the sun. They eat corn and wheat free foods or my female dogs gets digestive problems and my male dog rips himself to pieces because of his itchiness. It took a lot of trial and error to find a food that worked for both of them.
Good luck!
I have a dog with allergies too. We feed our girls a brand called Eagle Pack. We use the Holistic Select fish and potatoes blend. I don't know what you feed your dog now, so Eagle Pack may seem expensive, or may not depending on what you feed now. But since it contains much less filler than most other brands of food, you feed less food, so in the end the cost turns out to be a wash.
I've also fed my dogs Wellness brand, but they reformulated and it became too rich for one of my dogs.
Also, watch the dog treats. We buy a couple of different brands; Mother Nature, and Old Mother Hubbard. Also if you have a 3 Dog Bakery nearby they have a lot of treats which are okay for dogs with allergies.
Good luck.
Shea-we totally should, I mean you have seen how adorable he is on camera (I'm not bias or anything)!
Rutibegga-I'm glad it's not just me dealing with this. I had gained a little complex that somehow because I'm allergic to everything I had rubbed off on him. Completely insane I know, but true.
Zoe-We (and by we I mean me and the mouse in my pocket) are trying out Natural Balance. He only eats the crunchy carrot treats that are wheat and allergen free (I bought those because I touch them and I'm allergic) even before I realized he had food issues.
Holy crap... I never thought of that! That could be what is wrong with our min pins!
Some dogs don't do well on food from grass-fed animals. Venison and salmon are good choices. For some reason, my Lab can eat socks, underwear, etc. with no problem, but had belly problems with chicken and rice! After a few years of venison food, I introduced the farmstead line from Nature's Recipe, with great results.
I have a dog with very dry skin, and I've found that massaging safflower oil into her skin during a bath, then rinsing, does a better job than her prescription fish oil supplements. (Safflower oil is odorless.)
For treats, I just started making my own. It's fun, and the dogs love them!
Sabrae-I had no idea either!
A-What do you use to make your own treats?
Surprise - flour, veggies/fruits/beans, and a little olive oil. There are some doggie treat recipes out there, but they all call for too many ingredients than I have in my pantry. I love baking, but don't like most baked goods myself, so baking for my dogs seemed like a good idea. I've made wheat-free treats for friends with allergic dogs, too - just visit the gluten-free aisle.
Allison
Post a Comment