my 2 yr old boxer suffers from allergies. whats the best way to help?

[e-castle]

i havn't been told she has allergies by a vet they keep putting it down to mites but from wat i'v read about dog allergies she has all the symptoms. to name a few cronic ear infections red eyes hives constantly scratching and biting til she gets blood spots and scabs. i'v tried changing her food would organic dog food be any better? wat should i use for her skin is there a special shampoo or cream i can get from a petshop? please help me find a solution as i feel guilty i can't help her suffering!!

[Apacapacas]

Change her dog food to one that is meat based instead of grain based. Check the ingredients label on the food you're giving her now. If corn is the first ingredient and wheat, wheat gluten, or soy are among the top 5 ingredients, your dog is probably allergic to these grains, just as many humans are. Try Eagle Natural Pack Holistic, Royal Canin, Innova, Evo, or some other meat based dog food. You can check "meat based dog food" in google (without the quotes) to get to the various websites. Meat based dog food is more expensive than grain based dog food, but it is a thousand times better for dogs.

good luck!

[rhonda c]

Try Hills canine Z/D . It is a prescribed food so you need to talk with your vet . If you stick with that for 6 weeks and nothing else and your dog gets better then you know its a food allergy.

[pixie2321]

Instead of buying the prescription dog food and shelling out all that cash before even knowing if its an alllergy, have a blood panel done. This will tell you exactly what your dog is allergic to, and avoid the extra costs of all those weeks of dog food, meanwhile your dog is still suffering. I recently went through this exact same thing with my dog, and the best think you can possibly do is get it addressed ASAP. You dont want to be spending that kind of money on Science Diet Prescription ( which isnt the best food by any means) when you could know exactly what she's allergic to, and get it out of her diet.. A blood panel is going to cost less generally than
two months worth of prescription dog food..

By the by.. If your vet hasnt suggested doing a blood panel at this point, I would be looking for a new one.

[Rosalie]

The top food allergens are beef, wheat, chicken, corn, soy and dairy.

But it does sound as if your dog's problem is a contact allergy.

If he has contact allergies, as well (pollen, dust, mold), you can rinse him down every day with just tepid water. This will remove the stuff, so he not only doesn't have it on his skin, but he also won't be inhaling it.

Is your dog on high dose fish oil therapy? That can take down quite a bit of the inflammation. The only reason you might not be able to use it would be concerns about pancreatitis, if your dog had a history if that, but otherwise - it can be a miracle! The Tufts dermatologist who literally wrote the book has used it very successfully on guys like yours.

Good luck - I hope some of this helps!

[Tommysgirl]

poor baby! my dog had horrible allergies, so i called my vet and he said children's benadryl.

[ashleymegan01]

My boxer had the same problems. My vet advised me to give her Benadryl and I also changed her food to Royal Canin. They make dog food formulated for specefic breeds.

[peachez]

ask your vet about benedryl. normally just one or a half of one will work.

[boxers_are_great]

Welcome to the wonderful world of boxers.

Allergies in boxers are so common. Take a breath and relax. We are here to help you.

First thing i would do is change her food to a single protein source. You can try Canidae lamb and rice formula. Or many other good quality no grain foods out there.

For the ears, clean them out every other day for 2 weeks with a vinegar water solution, then clean them every other day with just water and vinegar mixture once a week. You need to be consistant about the cleanings.

Does she have any fleas? If so this could be a huge trigger. Try adding a couple sprinkles of garlic powder to her food once or twice a day.

There is an all natural shampoo out there for dogs. Is a soap free shampoo. It is called Buddy Wash. It's put out by cloud star and most grooming places carry it or can get it. A boxer should never be bathed more then 3-4 times a year. boxers have no natural odor to them and washing them more often will strip their fur of natural oils causing their skin to dry and and get an odor.

You need to take a look at what cleaning products your using. I am finding that boxers are allergic to alot of them. I clean vinegar mostly. It doesn't smell the best but it is a natural antibacterial. You may need to change cleaners and laundry soaps in order to clear this up.

Take you dog back to your vet and ask for a blood panel for allergies. If the vet doesn't want to do this then please find a new vet.

Best of luck and please do not hesitate to email me directly if you need to.

[jnetcrum]

You probably need to try Hills Prescription Diet dog food.