My dog has itchy skin, shedding, and tummy issues. What food to try?

I recommend to ask your veterinarian this question. A true food allergy generally requires a special diet (this is generally a prescription food and I always recommend one with a hydrolyzed protein). Dietary intolerance may just need a diet that is formulated for sensitive stomachs. I recommend the Royal Canin or Purina ProPlan. Your vet will be able to guide you as to which type of food to try. I hope this helps.

I'm sorry to hear Winston is having these issues! A good first step is to schedule a vet visit for him to rule out any underlying conditions that could be causing his symptoms in addition to food. Your vet can also work with you on a food trial if it is suspected that a certain ingredient is the cause for the problem. For general sensitive stomach/skin, Science Diet has a formulation that addresses both. You want to make sure to gradually change the diet over a period of 7-9 days to avoid additional stomach upset, gradually adding in more of the new food. It can also take up to two months for a food trial to see results.

Chronic skin lesions could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Sammy wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. If a hydrolyzed diet was not used, I would switch to a food such as Hills Z/D or Royal Canin Ultamino and feed for 4-6 weeks. If there is no improvement, you may need to consider drug therapy such as cytopoint, apoquel, atopica, etc. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello! I would recommend feeding a formulated hypoallergenic diet. The allergenic proteins in these foods are broken down into smaller molecules that can serve nutritional purposes but not stimulate the allergic part of the immune system. Royal Canin, Purina, and Hill's are three brands that I know of that make truly hypoallergenic foods. Make sure that when you buy this food, you don't use the same dog food container- if so, all the old allergens from the previous kibble in the container will get on the new food. Be sure to wash the food and water bowls during the diet change as well. Exposure to food allergens can cause skin irritation for 8 weeks after eating it. If Oliver's skin problems are more due to food allergies than environmental allergies (like pollens and grasses), he will need to eat only the hypoallergenic diet for a full 8 weeks with no outside table scraps or treats to truly start seeing the change in his skin. Hopefully by 12 weeks, he will have vast improvement. I recommend taking once a week pictures and notes and monitoring progress over time- it really helps to see how far you have come when the process takes a long time! I hope this answer is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! :)

A food elimination trial should last a minimum of 6-8 weeks feeding one food exclusively, no other treats or foods. Afterwards, the condition should be reassessed. If this is the case with two different diets containing a novel protein/carb combo and still no improvement, then a consultation and exam with a veterinary dermatologist may be your next step. If Samson is licking or chewing excessively, an e-collar (cone) should be used. Consider an essential fatty acid supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, to promote healthy skin and coat. If allergies are the underlying cause, they can be frustrating to diagnose, but once you determine specific allergens then management may be easier.

Poor Dee! Without knowing her full, extensive history it is very difficult to know what has been tried so far but my most common recommendations are: a hydrolyzed diet trial such as royal canin hypoallergenic followed by royal canin skin care if no improvement after 6-8weeks; blood testing to identify allergies and possible immunotherapy injections if identified and not able to avoid; apoquel allergy tablets, acupuncture and chiropractic care for nerve irritation; regular flea and mite prevention even if negative (bravecto every 3months or nexguard monthly); splash or allermyl shampoo