Lamb Dog Food

We got a wirehair Dachshund, Colonel Mustard, in November 2009 from the SPCA. He’s now a little over a year old. We feed him good food, California Natural Lamb and Rice small bites. Since we got him, he’s gotten sick three times: diarrhea and vomiting. The first time we took him to the vet and the fecal assay showed gastro-intestinal microflora were were in proper balance. They prescribed an antibiotic for 10 days with a Purina probiotic. He was fine afterward for about two weeks. Again, he got sick with explosive diarrhea. This time, the vet prescribed a 20 day antibiotic treatment combined with probiotics. He ended that treatment three days ago. Today I came home and found he had been sick again in his kennel.

We’ve decided to try switching his food to Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice small breed. I can’t think of anything else that could keep making him sick but his food. Maybe some allergy that hasn’t yet been identified, but who knows at this point. Our vet doesn’t seem to be terribly concerned and I’m afraid she will just prescribe another dose of antibiotics. I’d like to find what’s making the poor guy sick and nip it in the bud before this becomes a monthly "tradition".

Should I ask for an blood test for allergies? What are my options? Am I missing something?

I have a 4 1/2 month old female american bull dog–for the last several weeks she has been scratching- she has several red spots – one is on the side of her cheek that is scabing up where she scratched it-her stomach and the inside of her legs are broke out in as rash. we changed her food from chicken and rice(natural basic, I think) to lamb and rice thinking that was it for the past week-she seems to be getting worse-we bathe her in oatmeal shampoo. my husband thinks it could be the frontline–what do you think?
my vet is not open on weekend-we are retired and cannot afford another vet bill until we get paid–I just want to see what you think

My dogs (almost 2 and 9) were just not happy with their old food, even though it was pretty good quality, as dog foods go. They were throwing up even after a long time to acclimate to it. Now we’ve started them on either lamb and rice or chicken and rice (I don’t live at home, so I can’t check right now), which is supposed to generally irritate dogs less and is good quality. From what I’ve heard, they were fed a mixture of old and new and vomited many times. What should we do to prevent this? Should we change the ratio? We will see a vet if necessary, but I want to try fixing this without their help first.

Thanks!

My 10 month old GSD was on Solid Gold but then it got to the point where it was too much money for the bag. My dog now eats Diamond – Extreme Athlete chicken and rice formula. He loves it but I will stop feeding if its not good enough.

My 9 week old Siberian Husky is on Diamond Large Breed Puppy lamb and rice formula. She does have gases with that food.

So good enough? Or low quality, if so tell me high not so expensive dog foods. Not like solid gold because it was 60 bucks for 30 pounds.

I bought this yesterday- http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/dog-products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/4health-reg-small-bites-formula-for-adult-dogs-dog-food-35-lb–5149613 It’s inexpensive, but a good food.

They have chicken and rice flavor, and lamb and rice flavor, but their different prices?- http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/dog-products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/4health-reg-lamb-rice-formula-for-adult-dogs-dog-food-35-lb–5138492

http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/dog-products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/4health-reg-chicken-rice-formula-for-adult-dogs-dog-food-35-lb–6009468

Why the price differences on those?

I have been to three different vets and they all conclude it is staph. One did a skin scrape, the other checked visually, and the other skin scraped and gave her an injection to prevent fungus. One gave her antihistamines, antibiotics, and a shampoo (this was most effective). After her supply ran out, the bumps still were not gone (there were there less, but not completely gone) so we started again, and it seems worse now.

I adopted her from another family, and she showed no symptoms. She was six months old at the time, and a month after I adopted her she started showing signs. I switched her dog food from Purina to Iams to Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice. I’m thinking about switching her back to her original dog food to see if she is allergic to dog food, after that I plan on switching her to a lamb diet without corn, beef, pork, or chicken – things most dogs are allergic to.

However, I do not think it is a food allergy since her only symptoms are scratching, pustules around her neck and back, and watery eyes. She has no diarrhea, has one bowel movement a day, urinates normally, and is still her normal self.

I think it is a contact allergy and now I take her outside using a leash to control where she goes. I noticed that her staph got slightly better since she doesn’t go into the bushes anymore.

I plan on using a hypoallergenic detergent as well since I believe that month after i adopted her not only did I change her dog food but I changed the laundry detergent I use.

I have no more ideas on how to deal with this. The vets aren’t really listening and think that this is just common. The second vet said she was allergic to gnat bites and told me to put children’s bug off on her, and I did, but it did not help.

It is cold now – there are no bugs, and her staph is still here.

The vet visits have cost me over 0 and I’m so stressed out. I contact the previous owners, they have yet to get in touch with me.

She is also almost a year old – ten months now. A year in December. She is a Miniature Pinscher and she is not spayed. I do not want to get her spayed until her infection is completely gone.

I have visited numerous canine pyoderma sites to try and figure it out, and I think I know so much about staph I can probably diagnose another dog (just kidding). But I have read countless numbers of sites…

Does anyone have any other suggestions on what I can do to determine what she is allergic to?

again, her symptoms are:
itching
watery eyes
pustules
loss of fur around pustules
licking of the pustuled area

other than that, she is perfectly normal.

I pointed the watery eyes out to my vet and she said it was normal in her breed, but I don’t think so…
she is currently on antibiotics, medicated shampoo, and antihistamines for the itching.
No, I have not done bloodwork. I may try that actually. I am allergic to dust mites as well so I have dust mite covers on my bed and we do frequently vacuum and I dust a lot, I don’t use my air purifier anymore, but I could do that as well.

I will wait for some more possibilities because I am open to various ideas. But thank you for that information.

With dog food formulas…which is better

Chicken and rice
Or
Lamb and rice?

i have a 9 week old puppy. she is a girl. she is 1/8 dachshund and all the rest of her is chihuahua. she is VERY crazy, happy and hyper.
i am going to get purina pro plan.
which one should i get?

1. chicken and rice puppy formula
2. lamb and rice puppy formula
3. small breed puppy formula

thanks!
or should i get the toy puppy formula?

His muscles have seemed to stop working completely. It started out that he had a hunched back, and then he was fine for 30 seconds, and now what he’ll do is take a step, and he’ll fall right there. He tried to jump on the couch, and he only made his front paws, but he hit the couch backing, and just stopped, and he tried to get off, and he just crumbled right there.

It’s as if he can move his paws, and limbs, but they don’t support him. They supported him not even 20 minutes ago.

He’s a 8 y/o white Lab, eating Kirkland lamb, chicken, and rice dog food, and shares tap water with 2 other dogs.
The two others are a beagle, and a german shepard.
Don’t assume. It’s been going on for 20-30 minutes. I’ve googled everything I could think of, since vet isn’t an option.

I found this an waz wondering what the rating on Pedigree waz. I have been feeding it to my dogs and heard it’s bad for them!?

Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C

Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+

Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B

Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+

Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F

Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C

Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+

Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+

Canidae / Score 112 A+

Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+

Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F

Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B

Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A

Diamond Performance / Score 85 C

Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+

Dick Van Patten?Natural