Bought DVP Natural Balance Potato & Duck..

[Lyn]

I'm in the process of making the switch now. I started out with 2 cups of Canidae and 1 cup of the Potato & Duck. We are now up to 1 1/2 cups of each. So far so good. Poop is still a bit soft.. but nowhere near as nasty as before. The nice thing about this food is that they also make Potato & Duck treats. So I can still give him something when he's being a good boy.

Bubba was getting to the point where he didn't want to eat the Canidae. And I had to coax him to eat it. After eating he was going on a scratching rampage. Which let me to believe he definitely has an allergy to the Canidae. But there are so many possible allergens in the Canidae (chicken, turkey, lamb, fish plus the grains) I just couldn't figure out which one.

Alot of people are really high on this food for allergy prone dogs.. so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it. If it doesn't I can always switch to something else yet again...  I'm suppose to give it 6 weeks after I've made the complete switch unless his scratching and licking gets worse. So crossing my fingers this food works.

[jabear]

DVP is a great food. Bear was on it when we brought him home and he did very well...great stools and happy skin. Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

[Aggghgmom]

My Harley (4 year old Flat Coated Retriever) eats the Natures Balance Duck And Potatoe and seems to do well with it; his trainer/boarder told us about it as he had dry and itchy skin.  I hope it works for you as well.

And I must say that picture is ADORABLE!!!  What a sweetie!!!

[tonyc]

hope it helps.... hotspots/allergies can be so devastating to a dog's lifestyle..

i went 'food browsing' at my local Pet Supplies Plus this wknd. They took out the Karms food, and got new 'Merrick' as well as 'Newman's Own' brands.. so many "cool" choices, so lil dog mouths to feed...

[Lyn]

Just an update. Bubba is still itchy! He's only been eating the Duck & Potato for a few weeks though. But at least his stools are normal now.

Just a few minutes ago he was dragging his face on the carpet...  I know I need to give this food at least 6 weeks. So I'm hoping it works and he will stop itching.

[DixieSugarBear]

Poor Bubba, that photo makes you just want to kiss his itchey face. I am glad that the change is making his poop better, we are still working on that for Sugar Bear.

Lisa

[Lyn]

I think I figured out why his face is itchy. It's those beef bones I've been giving him!!! Everytime he's finished chewing on one he drags his face on the carpet. I wonder if THOSE bones are the reason he's itching.. not his food. 

I never thought of a beef allergy.. UGH and we buy those bones for him every week.  I'm going to pick up a large kong. Rawhide he can't have because he rips them apart and eats them dry. Stuffed toys he shreds. So I stopped buying them. I'm running out of options..

Any other idea for things I can give him to chew?

[shangrila]

Any other idea for things I can give him to chew?

Kongs and nylabones are good. I also highly suggest http://www.mammothpet.com/ Their tire toys are awesome!

How does bubba do with pig ears or bully sticks?

[newflvr]

I just got an email from Cowboy's breeder suggesting that I try "Transfer Factor" for Chester who's been having itching/scratching problems and also Wysong Back to Basics which doesn't have a lot of the grains that can cause problems.  I'm going to give it a go as soon as I can get it sent here (CA).  It seems it's mostly available on the East Coast.....

[Lyn]

shangrila, I haven't tried the pigs ears or bully sticks. Bubba is a hard chewer so unless it's a solid bone it's gone in minutes.

We tried a tire toy called Tirebiter. It was suppose to be 'chew proof'. But Bubba shredded it and I caught him eating it.  He can also chew apart those nylabones. He's a destructive little man. LOL Thank god he doesn't chew anything but "his" things.

The DVP is doing some good though. It must be easy on the belly since he's not having loose stool anymore and he's not gassy either now.

I also also switched detergent for Bubba's blankets. No difference there with the itchyness.

[Lyn]

shangrila, Those are the tire toys that Bubba shredded. I just checked the link you posted. I have to take a pic of what's left of his 'tirebiter' LOL

[Lyn]

Here's Bubba's TireBiter. LMAO

[tonyc]

kong. definitely go w/ a kong, or a kong-LIKE toy. they're muchos dineros (and we only have ONE for both dogs). or... something like a big tennis ball... anything nylon/pvc based w/ hollow insides can be obliterated in a tow.

beef allergies is actually extremely common... as it's one of the top sources of animal protein used throughout the decades by major doggie kibble companies...

[beehessman]

I work at a vet clinic/hospital and the one vet swears by the duck and potato...but he tells our clients that if they do a feeding trial with the food it has to be for six weeks and they can have NOTHING but the food....no treats, no other bones...nothin g to eat but  the food otherwise it ruins the trial and they'll never know what's really causing the problem.  I used to think this was a bit extreme but  we adopted a Cane Corso in July and I've been having trouble with him. He was on regular science diet..then i switched him to pedigree( i know what was i thinking) it was  disasterous! Now he's on the SD sensitive stomach but he's still licking his feet to the point of getting a "lick granulosis"...and he's gained 15pounds since july...any suggestions?

thanks liz

[sgoehner]

I have been doing some research and I am glad that I came across this topic.  My beagle Maggie has been doing a lot of scratching and her stool as been runny also, we thought maybe she got bit by something, butthe vet said no, it might be her food, so she put her on Science Diet I/D.  I have been looking for something a little more healthy and I have heard good things about the potato and duck, so I am going to give those a try,