Best food for dog with sensitive skin

[Copperpot]

Anyone got any recommendations? There's so many to choose from.

Have changed his food to one with less protein but he is still itchy. Flea treatment etc all up to date.

 

[s4sugar]

It won't be the amount of protein but which protein or a specific cereal.
You have to find what is triggering the itchyness.

 

[jennyg]

Skinners do a hypoallergenic food.

 

[Copperpot]

He's on skinners maintenance now. So basically trial and error. Will get a small bag of each and start then

 

[NeverSayNever]

raw diet - natural instinct is a good product to start with, ready prepared in a handy tub

 

[s4sugar]

Skinners maintenance is not a hypoallergenic food. You need to try the Field & Trial versions - duck & rice or salmon & rice.

 

[Copperpot]

That's what he had before the Skinners maintenance, duck and rice. I changed off that.

We used to feed raw before we got him, perhaps will go back to that.

 

[s4sugar]

Raw is fine once you sort if a specific protein is a problem - often chicken which is the basis of many raw diets.
Naturediet can work well.

 

[Copperpot]

Yes I have used nature diet and another one that came in a rectangular plastic tub. Both were to encourage fussy eaters and worked well.

I wonder if dogs can have an allergen test the same as us. Would save the whole trial as error thing.

 

[s4sugar]

Allergen tests are very expensive. Easier to try exclusion diets.

 

[Copperpot]

Ok thanks for the advice. How long into a new diet would you expect to see change out of interest?

 

[Rebels]

James well beloved has improved our itchy dog no end. Adding cod liver oil also helped.

 

[Umbongo]

If you can afford it I would suggest an allergen test. I have met a few dogs with skin conditions, itchy skin etc. I know a few that are actually allergic to storage mites which rules out all dried foods. And also many are allergic to many chicken & rice diets, and have moved on to salmon & potato type flavours.

If you want to try an exclusion diet then I would probably try a hypoallergenic food, fish & potato food or move onto raw.

What flea treatment do you use? My dog was very itchy for a long time despite using frontline. Found out he was allergic to flea bites (would chew himself raw on occasion). Moved onto advocate and he has been fine ever since.

 

[s4sugar]

I usually start with minced lamb cooked with potato. Two weeks is plenty to see any effect but you have to remove all other foods & treats.

 

[Copperpot]

I use advocate as does fleas and worms in one hit.

Yes he will miss his treats :0

But cooked lamb should make up for that

Will also try fish and potato too.

Will speak to my vet and find out how much an allergen test is out of interest.

Many thanks for all the great suggestions!

 

[Emma27]

I have tried every food under the sun with my Jack Russell who has a bad skin allergy, including raw, to no avail.

He has had steriods, shampoos, creams & lotions from the vet and nothing has had any effect for long.

A friend suggested I try goats milk, build it up a little at a time until he was on a mug a day and he has never looked back! It's fab stuff! I was buying it from the supermarket first until I discovered my local feed merchant can get frozen un-pasturised pint bags from his supplier of raw meat and he is much better again from using the un-pasturised milk as opposed to shop bought stuff.

It's worth a try as no chemicals (was my reasoning anyway) but as I said, if you do try it then introduce it gradually.