Natural Remedies for Pet Allergies | Safe and Effective Relief

We have an 18 month of Blue English Staffordshire Terrier female dog – Matilda – currently desexed (but we are not breeding her)

From day 1 we only fed her home made food. Grass-fed, organic beef including liver & kidney, kangaroo meat, organic cold pressed coconut oil, organic garlic, organic raw egg yolks, etc. Her diet was perfect - and all raw. Unfortunately at about 4months old she started having ear troubles, and we battled with yeasty, gunky, infections for months. Itchy feet also an issue, on and off - varying degrees of infection at different times. No chemicals in the house, bare minimal vaccine schedule given to her. The most natural puppy around! Lots of raw meaty bones, and diatamaceous earth in food incase of fleas but she never had them.

We tried different ear flushes (ACV, rubbing alcohol, aloe vera) and (h202 3%) and (Mix of Acetic Acid & Boric Acid). Sometimes ears were better than other times.

We played around with diet and went on first elmination diet: all the same food but slow cooked instead of raw (holistic vet said she was a 'hot, damp' dog and this was coughing infections in ears and feet. Not much difference. Then a proper elimination of boiled white rice and cottage cheese. Some difference, varying results, never stopped though.

She was given different chinese herbs along our time at the first Holistic vet - the issue progressed worse with unbearable rubbing ears on floor / head shaking that she ended up having an operation - Video otoscopy with deep ear flush – Myringotomy (incision to ear drum). Aural hematoma drained and skin on ear flap sutured to prevent refilling. It was very sad. She was put on steroids (internal and topical) and antibiotics (internal and external) - not what we wanted but we had run out of time, the situation had got so out of hand and there was no other options.

Over the next few months the situation was all under control because of conventional drugs. This has bought us some time. She is now off these and we have time again to look at natural therapies.

Her current elimination diet is Horse meat and sweet potato. She has been on this for 6 months since that operation. In the past we sent off for saliva tests done in the USA by Dr Jean Dodd for food allergies a panel of 20 foods were taken and only three things showed up as a moderate reaction - these were soy, turkey & millet <-- we have never fed her any of these. This was at 8 months old, so we are having them re-done now to see if this has changed - also because some extra foods have been added to the panel. But hard to know if food is the reason.

The vets believe she has a combination of food & environmental allergies. She is currently seeing a different holistic vet who practices NAET - a natural allergy elimination technique. She has not improved so far, although her ears are still looking good, but as Spring approaches in Australia we are worried they will revert back like they did that time last year (and the only reason they cleared up is because of conventional medicine - so they *will* come back)

Current elimination diet: horse meat, sweet potato, brocolli. What we add to her food: Probiotic powder by Protexin, chinese herbs (Liu Jun Zi Wan, Si Miao San, Five Mushrooms) and we also give her a combination of flower essences. <-- this is current treatment from new holistic vet. She has holistic vets baffled - no one understands whats wrong with her. Conventional vets just want to keep her on antibiotics, antihistimines, steroids.

She is only 11kg, very small and muscular, so happy and fit and loves life - her issues do not affect her spirit! But we are so concerned, we do everything natural and still have so much problems - right now the biggest issue is that she incessintly licks/chews her paws all the time.

Tiny from birth (she was born last in the litter - a day later than the others, that is why she is so tiny! ) She is now 18 months old and we are about to come into "allergy season". I read everything Ted writes on here. Because her food is very wet and it's winter, she does not drink much water. I have been putting ? teaspoon of baking soda per half litre of water in her bowls around the house for the last week, but she barely drinks water. Could I put the baking soda in her wet food instead? She will drink raw organic coconut water, could I put the baking soda in that? I have started adding a teaspoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar to her food twice a day for the last week – I am just starting to look into the alkalizing issue as per Teds advice.

We stopped giving our dog coconut oil since the elimination diet. I would like to reintroduce but our holistic vet doing NAET has identified this as one of the things she disagrees with. We would like to add fish oil / flaxseed oil to her food, but on the saliva IGA allergy testing panel they tested for Salmon and she came back 'Weak Reaction' so we werent sure if we should. I agree she needs fats in her diet though. She used to have them, we would regularly give her raw sardines and coconut oil.

I have not tried the borax/peroxide remedy - as I always read this in relation to mange - should we be putting this on her paws? or washing her with this? To be honest we dont really wash her with anything, she enjoys the beach, she is short haired and never smells, we give her an occasional bath with filtered water and use a bit of diluted Dr Bronners Soap.. so this is something we can work on.

All feedback welcome, thanks in advance for your time!

Vertebral subluxation I had never heard of, nor did I know there were veterinary chiropractors, found one where I live and we are going for an appointment tomorrow, would be great to rule something like that out as an over-arching hinderance on her immune system.

I understand your stance on conventional medication - for me its a path I don't want to go down again until I have to because I truly believe that there must be an underlying issue. Immune system, gut flora, acid-rich environment, etc - and the itching is just the symptom. To treat the symptom is something I want to do, but not at the expense of not discovering the cause. Of course sometimes we have to turn to conventional medicine to buy us time though :) I hope I don't have to again, I will try -everything-!

I will have a think and look at records re: vaccination, it's got me thinking - although we went for the smallest vaccine schedule possible through our holistic vet that shares the same views as us, and in the future we are doing teeter tests instead of annual boosters

The yeast was certainly cleared (layer by layer) with the operation and conventional drugs that followed. Her ears currently look/smell great but my worry is that we haven't got to the root cause (or maybe we have, maybe the ears were in relation to a food allergy, and the reason they still look great is because she only eats horse/sweet potato now - maybe they wont turn gunky again as Spring comes) - but as she is still licking/biting her paws incessantly, it is clear there is still AN allergy present - whether it be food or environmental - and I believe the root cause is her immune system.

Thank you for posting the different solutions to use in layman's terms, I will now order the products needed and start this treatment topically - its such a shame its winter here, I worry about soaking her daily for her to drip dry, its cold here!!

What do you think about putting 1/4 teaspoon of bicarb in 500ml coconut water? She will drink the whole lot, loves the stuff. Water, not so much but its in there incase she does have some! In summer she will certainly drink more water once its hot!

Thanks again, really appreciate your time and effort :)

I also did some research awhile back and found out about when two blues are bred, skin conditions run rife - unfortunately my research came after the fact, only wish we had done it prior to choosing a breed but yes, the breeders certainly were going for looks (and money, blues sell for more) and not health, and we are paying the price now :) not that I would change anything, love our little girl more than anything! I feel like we were supposed to go through all this with her to prepare us for children in a few years haha. We have informed the breeder about all her allergies but they are not too interested which is a shame.

So this morning she had her appointment with the veterinary chiro, it went great, she did have some things to fix and straight away she is running straight! She never has, very interesting. He said he has no ideas if it will have an affect on her allergies but I'm so glad you mentioned it because its great to rule that out now and have her alligned properly :)

I have considered the thyroid - The place in California (Hemopet) where we sent off for the dog sensitivty food test (saliva - 20 panels of food) also does the Thyroid testing. I asked our holistic vet if she though it was worth us getting the test, and her words: "Don't think she is hypothyroid. The opposite condition, hyperthyroid dogs can be aggressive, lose weight, have vomiting, diarrhea, enlarged thyroid and drink a lot of water. It tends to be rare in dogs. I would be surprised if she had it."

I did my own research on common symptoms and would agree that Matilda has none of them. Would like your opinion on whether you still think its worth looking into though?

Our holistic vet who does NAET also does the AK - which is why we havent introduced coconut oil back into the diet, she confirmed that is doesn't work well with her at this stage, so we have kept it out. She goes over all the things we give to her on our monthly visits. I have an appointment this tuesday where I'll be taking along the new additions to her regime from the past few weeks: baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and Protexin probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus salvarius subspecies thermophilus. ) - once the borax and other things arrive (I ordered off the internet) i'll be able to take them on our next visit. So interested to hear what she says. I will do the research from the Great Dane ladys website prior to going so that I understand what you mean by the changing up of probiotic powders..

I have a spray bottle of 50/50 ACV/Water that I've been spraying on her feet after her runs, she licks it off immediately, but is this sufficient or is the white vinegar 1:10 water "soak" better? She spends her days going between the backyard and inside the house so I'll have to think of a good way to go about that.

You are so kind to give so much great advice :)

Now, the 1:10 white vinegar solution is merely a foot bath and not intended for a lengthy soak. If Matilda is allergic to grasses and grass pollens, then the simplest and most direct way to help remove the contact allergens is to bathe her. And since you don't want to have to bathe the entire dog 6 or more times a day, having her step into a dish tub of the vinegar solution and then walk onto a towel and then into the house sounds like a workable plan. JMHO.

And, because you are using a vet who practices NAET, try gathering some allergens to bring to the vet for allergy elimination. Go outside first thing in the morning and run a jar over the morning dew in the grass - get up as much dew as you can; this is the stuff that Matilda is reacting to, so bring in for elimination. If you have a yard full of dirt and no grass to collect dew, bring a sample of the soil in for testing. You should also set out a pan of distilled pure water and leave it out over night or for a few days if you have the time; pour this into a jar and bring this to the vet for elimination [the water will collect any airborne pollens et al].

The thyroid can show normal on tests yet still be out of wack in my experience. Not saying your vet is a quack or that sending a sample to Hemopet wouldn't be money well spent, just saying that tests are not perfect nor often sensitive to the ideal degree. You have an allergy dog so the thyroid should always be considered; it wouldn't hurt to bring some kelp to the vet and see if kelp/iodine is indicated for Matilda via AK.

My experience with clearing layers of yeast is that all probiotics are not identical. Some blends work better in the winter season while some blends tend to be more indicated in the summer season. Depending on how long the condition has gone on, starting the DDS with FOS, 1 capsule am and pm for 3 weeks wouldn't be amiss; DDS is the probiotic and the FOS helps the bacteria populate. Follow up next with Primadophillus for 3 weeks am and pm. And then finally follow up with PB8 for 2-3 weeks, same dosing program. While these are all probiotics with overlapping strains, they each bring something different to the table... Or the gut as it were. If you do not get any indications as to which probiotic to use from your vet, the above wouldn't steer you off course. Usually if its the right remedy you know right away - in a matter of days.

Good luck, and please keep me posted!

"can be used to help balance the PH of the skin:

   
• One 16 oz bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide [from the supermarket]
   
• 32 oz of filtered water [fill up the perxoide bottle twice and dump into larger jug]
   
• You have now made a 1% solution of hydrogen peroxide. Now add to that 1 cup Borax.

Shake it up, the solution SHOULD be grainy. Bathe and rinse the dog, and then plug up the tub and pour the solution over the dog. I use a small sponge to soak up the solution from the bottom of the tub and squeeze out over the dog - do this for 15 minutes, 30 minutes is better. The key is to not rinse, do not towel off, and to let the dog air dry"

So here in Australia, you can buy a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide in the pharmacy/supermarket and its $5 for 100ml. So 16oz=500ml ($25) and I read online that this stuff was full of fillers and wasn't pure, but anyways I could order online (ebay) a 500ml of pure 3% and have it delivered for $27. The solution above seems to use all 16oz(500ml) in the one go. Borax isn't sold in pharmacies/supermarkets over here anymore but found an 11kg tub online, delivered $60, so I'd assume a cup will only work out to about 50c - but still, for each time it to cost $25 I feel like I must have something wrong - either that or h202 is so much cheaper in USA.

The other option is that awhile back I purchased online a bottle of 35% Food Grade h2o2 - cant remember how much that cost but probably around $50 - so if I can dilute a small amount of this and still get the same affect that would probably be more cost effective? I haven't looked into the diluting calculations but just considered 3% v 35% I believe it would.

Anyways if you could clear this up for me I'd really appreciate it :)

I can buy 16oz of 3% hydrogen peroxide for 99 cents here in the USA, and the borax is $5. 50 a box - so super CHEAP on my end.

There are dilution forumlas all over this website, but this is a quick dilution chart:

http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/peroxide-dilution-chart.html

In a nutshell: To make a 3% solution from your 35% the dilution is 1:11 - so 1 part 35% add to that 11 parts water= 3% solution. Ted's remedy uses a 1% solution, so you would then take your 3% solution and dilute it even further by adding 2 parts water for every 1 part of your 3% solution.

Clear as mud?

If you search in the REMEDIES section under Hydrogen Peroxide and also Borax, sources are listed for how to purchase these ingredients in areas where they are not commonly sold.

Firstly, thank you so much for pointing me in the direction of the greatdanelady website as I have learnt a lot (was also saddened to hear of her recent passing). I have taken all recommendations from the Systemic Yeast article and ordered:

Kit# 30 + K9 Ear Solutions

Kit #34 - Skin and Coat Repair

Kit ParaBe-Gone PET WORMER

I am excited to start this regime as I really believe this is exactly what she is suffering from that is coming out in the form of allergies such as gunky ears and paw licking.

I have been making small batches of the Teds Mange treatment up. Just 1/2 teaspoon of 35% h2o2, diluted down to 1% and then adding some borax and just soaking in cotton wool and bathing her paws. Its the best I can do to keep it cheap and the rest of her coat is fine.

Since removing the sweet potato from her elimination diet last week and replacing with pearled barley as per suggstion from greatdanlady website we have noticed a remarkably less paw licking, so whether its to be attributed to the borax solultion or new diet, either way we are so pleased!

I have a question in regards to the fact we would like to get her nudered, but still have not yet. First, as recommended by our holistic doctor, we were waiting for her first cycle. Once that came we were going to get her fixed in between the two cycles, however that was the same time her ears got out of control and she underwent surgery for them. As we didn't want her going udner general anesthetic too close together, we waiting and 2 months ago she went on heat again. Now, next month is when we were hoping to go through with the procedure, but wanted your opinion on whether we do it or not while starting on this program to rid of the yeast. Whether we should start this AFTER she has been fixed, or before and put off her operation, or any advice would be really helpful!

Thanks!

In an ideal world you would wait until the yeast situation was resolved before you stressed your dog with a spay surgery.

That said, being intact may be causing some of the issues she is experiencing as the shifting hormones from going in and out of heat are very stressful for some dogs [you just never know].

If your dog were having reproductive issues - goofy heat cycles, cystic ovary, etc. - then yes, wait until that is resolved as spaying will only cause the symptoms to manifest elsewhere in the body.

But given the health advantages that spaying provides [reduced chance of breast cancer, remove the chance of pymetra] if this were my pet, I would opt to spay now. What does your vet say? I would be inclined to follow the vet's advice and if the vet says wait it out then do keep exact records of when your dog starts her cycle and when she ends it as this info is important to have until the gets spayed.

If you are still seeing the doggy chiro, getting your dog adjusted after the spay surgery is a wise idea as when under anesthesia the dog is abnormally relaxed and when they wake up from this deep state of relaxation the bones don't always go back to the correct position! So its a good idea to get her adjusted after she has healed up from the sugery.

The anesthetic can do goofy things - your holistic vet may wish to prescribe bentonite clay or charcoal or some other detoxifier and liver support such as Milk Thistle. In addition to detoxing from the anesthetic, you may find her skin will become dry and flaky [this seems to happen to my dogs when they go under] so you may want to supplement with evening primrose oil or flaxseed oil or some such for a couple of weeks while the anesthetic works its way out of her system.

Just thought I would give you our current update and ask a few more questions if you don't mind!

So I read an article on the greatdanelady website which states to NEVER spay a female during any of her estrus period and as our pup is just 2 months from finishing her heat cycle I decided to cancel the appointment I had to go through with it last week. Her nipples are still slightly swollen and I want to ensure it really is in the middle of her cycles and not too close to the last one. We are on holiday for 2 weeks in the middle of October so dont want to do it too close to that so she's booked in for 31st October - its as close to the ideal world as we can get under the circumstances :) Once she's recovered we will certainly take her back to the doggy chiro, thanks for that great advice! I have purchased Milk Thistle and will do research on bentonite clay, charcoal & primrose oil (my holistic vet isn't up to speed on this stuff, I've been to two holistic vets, the dermatology ward and the advice you have given me and led me down the path of is the first time I've seen a noticeable change in her! )

So our order from 1st choice naturals arrived yesterday so we now have all the kits I mentioned about to start conquering the yeast. Are you familiar with the program on the greatdanelady website? I know you suggested an alternative protocol but I have purchased this kit and when I asked the company for some advice, I havent had a reply (the lady running the show now is understandably very overwhelmed since the passing of Linda)

So the protocol on the website is the following steps:

1) Thyroid test - 5 panel

2) Change diet

3) Herbal Wormer

4) Start Skin Recovery Kit #30

So yesterday we went to a regular vet who took her blood and is sending the blood serum off to USA for testing - so it is going to be a little while before we hear back on that. We have already changed her diet from sweet potato to pearl barley and my gut instinct is that is the reason for the huge improvement we've seen in her paw licking. The herbal wormer we now have, however the product (PBG-51) WILL kill heartworms and could be a problem if the dog is heartworm positive. Although it is very rare in our area, the vet from yesterday also has sent off to check that, and I wont get those results for another few days. My question is - do you think we can start immediately with the the skin recovery kit for yeast removal and then once we find out regarding the heartworm, we can treat that, and then once we get the results about the thyroid, we can deal with it (if its negative) - all vets I've spoken to believe there's no way she has thyroid issues but all the advice on the greatdanelady websites says to get this test done first, so I'm glad I'm doing it, best to just know.

Maybe you can help me with these questions I have, maybe not but worth an opinion :)

So the diet guidelines from greatdanelady are to feed meat + whole ground quality grains (oat, barley, millet). As I'm in Australia the recommended brands aren't available here so we make our own food.

So it says: Use a Holistic food with a quality whole ground grain such as oats, brown rice, barley, millet, quinoa, amaranth as the carbohydrate component. Contrary to what you read about grains being bad - whole ground, human grade grains are not bad to feed (as a carbohydrate component to a diet) even for yeast situations, because they have their fiber intact, which changes the glycemic index (rate of burn).

The confusion I'm having is that I'm using Pearled Barley - Pearled barley is produced from whole seeds that have been scoured to remove the seed hull and bran. An excellent choice for specialized obesity and diabetic pet diets due to its unique nutritional makeup, modest amounts of slowly digested starch and the soluble fiber ?glucan.

Does this mean I'm not feeding an acceptable grain? Because the fiber is not longer intact because its hulled? And if so do I ned to get hold of Cracked Barley? I would love your thoughts on this. I've googled until the cows come home and I just can't get a straight answer.

Also, as part of the yeast removal protocol - Oxy-Drops are given in water. As I may have mentioned to you before, as its currently winter here, (actually Spring but you wouldnt know it! ) our dog really just doesnt drink water. However, she would drink raw milk (kefir) or coconut water. The easiest option for me if the coconut water - its raw, organic, and nothing added - now I could putt he drops in there and be sure then that she was getting them instead of putting it in water and not knowing if she even touches it, HOWEVER I'm unsure if coconut water would feed the yeast, as the protocol also says no fruit for the first 2 weeks - again, thoughts?

Thankyou thankyou thankyou :)

"The confusion I'm having is that I'm using Pearled Barley... Does this mean I'm not feeding an acceptable grain? Because the fiber is not longer intact because its hulled? "

I too googled about and tried to find an answer to your question. What I found was that the nutrient information listed for barley - chock full of all kinds of good stuff! - is always for *pearled* barley; they don't list the nutrient value of whole barley - not that I could find anyway.

I say use what you already have on hand - sounds like you are getting results, kudos! - but do try to find barley groats or pot barley as the hulled [but not polished] barley will have more nutrients and fiber. Look into buying barley groats in bulk - should be cheaper and healthier in the long run.

As for question #2 - From the website, re: Ox-E drops:

"Give the pet 1 drop per 20 lbs. Of body weight “internally” twice daily. [ So 3 drops a. M. And p. M. For your beast. ] Add the drops to a little water and pour over food OR if you free feed you can add drops to a small amount of water and bring up into a syringe (no needle) or eye dropper and squirt along the outside of the pet's teeth line. Do not squirt the fluid directly down the throat as the pet could choke!! Do this twice a day."

The simplest way would be to add the drops to your raw food/home made food. If she turns her nose up, then you can mix with a little water and use a syringe to get it down - just tip her head back and pull her lip/flew out at the corner of her mouth and put the syringe there and gently depress the plunger; most dogs will just start swallowing. If she reacts like it tastes beyond foul, add more water. I have also used size #1 gelatin capsules - I buy the blanks at the pharmacy, but I have also taken capsules of acidophillus apart, sprinkled the power on the food and then reused the gel cap. Just take the drops and put it into the capsule and push it together again - and then hide it in a ball of raw meat, or whatever.

I'm curious as to why your dog doesn't drink water. What kind of water do you give her? Straight from the tap? Filtered? Bottled? If its tap water does it taste funny? Do you drink it and can you taste anything? I know that dogs fed a RAW diet tend to drink *less* because they get their water in the form of their raw food - but they still drink water from the bowl. So why is your dog such a limited drinker? Is your home made diet the consistency of soup? Or is there something about the water itself that deters her from drinking? Again, curious about this.

And again kudos for being persistent and working with all those vets! A good holistic vet understands that you are not only a client - but a potential teacher as well.

Thanks!

So the barley issue - thanks for your input - once I also looked it up from a different angle I realised pearled barley is the refined grain and not considered 'whole grain' so I have just ordered 5kg of organic unhulled barley - perfect, that should last us awhile!!

Ox-E drops - perfect, I understand now - I thought that I had to mix them with water only but that makes more sense. Although just to clarify, Matilda is only 26lbs so I'll give her 2 drops, AM & PM. Or maybe 2 drops AM & 1 drop PM as she's at the lower end of the next drop bracket.

I'm not too sure why Matilda doesn't drink much water! I think because she gets wet food morning and night when we're around, maybe we just dont see her drinking a bit throughout the day, but the waterbowls around the house never seem to lower too much as we are always refilling them - maybe thats why, maybe throughout the day when we're at work, she has a bit of a drink. She is only a small dog, and as soon as she runs in the house after a big exercise and is knackered she goes straight to slurp at her water. I know she drinks a lot more in summer when its hot but as its currently winter I just dont see her drinking much - she only gets reverse osmosis filtered water and it tastes great, we both drink it. She does drink water, just not enough for me to know that if I was putting 2 drops in her bowl, that it would end up in her system, as she doesnt drink a bowl of water a day. Does that make sense? I've never been too worried about it!

She is our world - I will never give up on her and I am feeling so positive about our current journey - all thanks to you!

Thanks again :)

We have started Matilda on the program that the greatdanelady recommends - supplementing with probiotics, digestive enzymes, ox-e drops, and tincture of black-leaf. However, as we are in Australia and they have to send the 'human' equivilent products due to import laws, and due to high rates of shipping, I have already realised I will have to make another order of the probiotics soon as they will run out after 45 days, and it is a 3 months (minimum program) - which is getting so expensive, therefore, I would like more information on your preference "to dose acidophillus, primadophillus, DDS with FOS and the like"

What you wrote earlier:

"My experience with clearing layers of yeast is that all probiotics are not identical. Some blends work better in the winter season while some blends tend to be more indicated in the summer season. Depending on how long the condition has gone on, starting the DDS with FOS, 1 capsule am and pm for 3 weeks wouldn't be amiss; DDS is the probiotic and the FOS helps the bacteria populate. Follow up next with Primadophillus for 3 weeks am and pm. And then finally follow up with PB8 for 2-3 weeks, same dosing program. While these are all probiotics with overlapping strains, they each bring something different to the table... Or the gut as it were. If you do not get any indications as to which probiotic to use from your vet, the above wouldn't steer you off course. Usually if its the right remedy you know right away - in a matter of days."

So, without much knowledge at all about probiotics I am trying to figure this out. The current probiotic she is on is:

http://www.nzymes.com/store/pc/articles.asp?article_id=50&type=&condition_id=&product_id=&panel=5

Does this fall into any of your above catagories? 'acidopholos' is in the description.. This one has 2. 1billion probiotic microorganisms per capsule so if I do change probiotics to one I can get within Australia and therefore keep shipping down, I would want it to be of this calibre.

The pro-biotic we have at home is Bio-Kult: this is cheaper and available in Australia

http://www.bio-kult.com/about-bio-kult/319/bio-kult

Also approx 2billion probiotic microorganisms per capsule, its description says it is a multi-strain so unsure what above this catagory falls in?

We also have another probiotic at home - its the powder we had Matilda on prior to starting this program -

http://www.animalhealthstore.com.au/protexin-multi-strain-probiotic.html

made by the same company as above but is the one for dogs. Protexin Green Label is an in feed formula containing 60 million CFU/gram. I'm unsure how many grams she was getting in her food but it was 2 small scoops, probably only 6-8 grabs so the calibre was no where enar as strong as the two above. Also multi-strain so not sure where that fits on.

I have googled DDS & FOS but am still confused about what I can buy to ensure its enough and works within this program. Also because I know I have candida and would love to do the same program on myself at some point I'd really love to figure this all out with your help! Thankyou!!

Oh! I forgot I also still have a bottle of Dr mercola's probiotic at home:

http://probiotics.mercola.com/probiotics.html

From reading the description is sounds like this is the DDS one, and has FOS?? From reading its 30 billion per capsule so sounding like a stand-out compared to the others.

The first probiotic combo you are currently giving to Matilda contains 4 specific strains of bacteria:

Lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacterium thermophilum, bifidobacterium longum, enterococcus faecium

The other probiotic combos you linked have many, many more - but they don't include the same 4 strains.

I think you should stay the course with the current therapy you are using for Matilda, so if the Nzymes are going to be too pricey, perhaps one of these formulas are available to you and more affordable:

This product has the 4 strains plus 1 additional strain of bacteria -

http://houndgatos.com/hgsprobioticblend-dogs.aspx

This is another option to consider:

http://www.davincilabs.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=200836060

I'm not saying that other formulas aren't good - but I think its important to stay on the current therapy until its finished. After that, hit the discount bin for your digestive probiotics and I say the more strains the merrier! I like switching them up so as to keep the strains constantly changing.

Now, YOU having candida - Ted's remedies are the best! https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/candida14.html#ted

We just got the 5 panel Thyroid test back and her Thyroid levels are excellent. The very high T3 and free T3 results likely reflect a tissue metabolic response to increased metabolic demand (from yeast infection?).

We will get the food panel results back shortly, but we are so happy to rule out any medical issue/damage and now focus solely on the yeast!

i have put revolution on them but they are scratching my one little guy has lost all her coat. he had more hair when he was born and basically no hair now, my dogs age range fron 15 1/2 to 5 yrs

can you use a hair dryer after you put the solution on them since they are long hair dogs and since I put revolution on them is this ok to do

I have a Shihtzu, that also had a bad yeast/allergy problem. After doing much research, I discovered that the vet, was actually making my baby worse! The steroids and antibiotics 'feed' the yeast. So, I stopped them completely. I ONLY feed raw meat now. Some vegetables contain sugars. So, I would stop, all, kibble.

After the tea tree shampoo. Rinse well. Mix, half white vinegar/half water and pour over your dog and allow to dry. You can also make this solution and put it in a spray bottle, to use daily on any areas that need it. It can also be used to clean the ears. I squirt half a syringe full, in both ears. Massage under the ear and then the dog will shake it's head. Wipe away any 'muck' with the same solution. Probiotics are needed to recover from the anti-biotics. A probiotic yogurt is a good option. I also, give half a clove of garlic every day. Once a week, I give 1 raw egg. And, once a week, I give a tin of tuna in oil, drained, to replace a meat meal. My dog is a 100% better, doing this. Think about what wolves eat? I also, only give filtered water to drink. Regards, Debbie. Brighton. UK.

You can try 1 capsule 2-3 times a day with food.

My computer is glitching up right now and my internet is about to konk out, else I would do this search for you - but you can search the site for Ted's replies in the allergy and mange sections as he does mention use of evening primrose for dry skin.

Good luck!

For a dog that size I would start off with the human dosage as indicated on the bottle.

I also started him on a RAW diet of venison, hardboiled egges, organic brown rice, and organic yogurt. He's like a different dog. I can't believe what has happened to him. He doesn't smell anymore, he doesn't itch, his ears aren't bothering him. When I bathe him - which is down from 2 x per week to once every 2 weeks - he doesn't have that nasty crusty black stuff on him. I'd recommend a raw diet to anyone. Just be careful of what you put in it. Stay away from anything starchy. I use organic brown rice so as to not put any gluten in his system. It's amazing.

Good luck, and Merry Christmas to all!!!

Carol Ann

How do you prepare it and how much do you feed the dog, mine is a shepard with allergies, she weighs around 70 lbs

Try googling 'bones and raw food' or 'raw food diet for dogs' - you will find many hits.

Dr Richard Pitcairn DVM wrote an excellent book on caring and feeding your pets naturally and now my allergy/yeast prone dog is happily living symptom free! I urge all pet owners to consider this way of feeding.

I hope some of you can share experience & wisdom. I have taken in a severely allergic dog to board and although I am a certified herbalist and have many years in kennels, I would appreciate feedback on this situation :-). This is the tropics, so pathogens live year round.

1st: 1/2 pitbull & 1/2 lab; 85 lbs; current food: 4-Health Lamb & Rice Puppy - there are 3 young dogs boarding with me and they all get this. His owner said he was doing okay until finances forced them to a lower quality food - they just got him back up on 4-H 3 weeks ago.

Additionals: MAJOR recent flea infestation. Owners treated environment with orange oil, neem and diatomaceous earth (DE). Got fleas knocked back [yes, they wormed for tapeworms] and he is now out of that environment boarding here. I insisted they clear that up before the dogs got here yesterday, 10/19.

Now: I think maybe DE irritation, so rinsed his poor eyes with simple saline solution [sensitive eyes] and homeopathic similisan [sp?] Dogs eyes are a mess - yellow pus, so today I upgraded to veterinary Tri-antibiotic-optic just to knock out an obvious infection. Keep in mind, staph is endemic here everywhere. Poor big baby rubs his face and rolls in grass to relieve itching - we think there may be additional allergies to grass!

Hot spots on skin, some open sores, both treated topically with witch hazel w/aloe and goldenseal.

I have initiated an experiment with owners permission:

Liver: burdock. Kidneys: cranberry and cornsilk. Skin: Bioastin and fish oil. This to try and clear his liver and kidneys and support his skin. Next step milk thistle. TRYING TO KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Any additional ideas?

Mahalo - Thank you

I have a golden retriever that had severe allergies that came about when he was 2. He was thought to have various disorders like Cushings and Addisons but the tests proved he didn't and no matter what we did he was getting worse to the point where he could no longer move and wouldn't eat.

I found a book called "The Holistic Guide to A Healthy Dog" by Wendy Volhard and followed the instructions for a cleansing diet to rid my dogs body of toxins and allergies.

He was COMPLETELY better within 12 hours. Running around like a puppy, normal stools etc. I proceeded with the natural diet that is outlined in the book and he has led an amazing life since. When people see him walking down the street they ask how old my "puppy" is. The transformation is remarkable. He is now 8 and his only vet trips in the last five years have been to weigh in and make sure I am balancing his vitamins properly.

I highly recommend this book even if a dog doesn't have issues but just to give it back the life dogs are meant to live.

The diet takes a while for humans to get used to... A bit more work than we are accustomed, but it's worth it!

Also in the appendix are herbal, holistic, mineral and vitamin remedies for all kinds of ailments and issues. You may find it very interesting as well because of what you do for a living.

Take care and good luck!

Alison

Between me and my mother, we have spent THOUSANDS of dollars on her but how can you not. She has to be comfortable. We've been in Idaho since April and I've probably spent 3 thousand dollars on vet visits, medicine and cultures because nothing seems to be working. The last culture indicated she had a bacteria that was resistant to all traditional anti-biotics because she had been on them so many times that they don't work any more.

She is now on Chloramphenical oral and topical (which is so bad for humans that I have to wear gloves when handeling it. Very scary) Atopica, Fluconazole, Temeral P, topical steroids for her feet because she chews and eye stuff for the goop, AND NOTHING IS WORKING. She has pustules which the doctor said was common with Atopic Dermitis and her belly skin is turning black with darker patches, which he said was due to age, but maybe not. I have to stop this madness for both of us. I am going to change her food again and her treats because they have oats. I'll give her Coconut Oil and use Ted's solution to bath her and use the ACV for the eyes and feet. I cannot see her this way and it's making me crazy.

I'll keep you posted. Just started today.

Thanks for all the postings. We love our animals and need to keep them comfortable.

I am also trying 2 tablespoons of ___ APV with the mother mixed with rain water in a spray and in her drinking water. The vet thought it was a grass alergy but she is hardly ever outside. She gets regular sun baths on our back verandah but as I said she sticks close to me. I hope all this sees an improvement in her will let you know. And thank you all for your comments.

This spring it came back in Full force and was worse than the yr before. My poor little guy was suffering so much. I spent many times crying and trying to comfort him. Put him back on high protein, bennadryl, oatmeal shampoos,omega oil, sprays etc..

He was losing hair and licked his armpits raw and red, little bumps all over. I had to cone him to stop him from more damage. I was looking for something to help other than the costly vet visits I did last yr. Used your advise:

2cups 3% hydrogen peroxide, 4cups warm water, 3Tbs of borax, found in grocery store

Gave him a oatmeal bath, partially toweled dried him and put on rinse. Sponged on face.. away frm eyes, took him for a walk to air dry. TWO days later noticed a big change. Redness down and itching faded. Have done this three times now and he is a different dog.His hair is already starting to grow back!

I did have to take him to vet b/c he started itching ears again, but his bumps were almost gone. Vet gave him antibiotic and prednisone (gave him 2doses and stopped, don't like it) b/c of staph infection on skin. I continued with his rinse once a week.

He is so much better I KNOW this helped him. Thank you Thank you Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

- For her ears, i have been cleaning her ears with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, just pouring some in there and letting it foam. I rub the excess off with a cotton ball and clean off wax with a q-tip. I then add the mixture of 50/50 H20 and ACV into the ear and wipe off with cotton ball. She does not like this very much. Face and ears turn very red and keeps shaking her head to remove the ACV. Walks around the whole house shaking and scathing her ear until it stops burning. One ear is all better, and the other is coming along very well, after a week of treatment. I will keep doing the same for both ears until both ears are healed. She only goes crazy now ith the one ear.

- For her eyes I rub ACV at the back of her neck, just soak a cotton ball with ACV and rub. It clears the eyes of redness after a few minutes, but did not go away totally. So also started using Collodiol Silver, I add a couple drops per eyes twice times a day. Since this does not burn, she stays pretty still for that. I will keep on until its gone.

- For the Skin Yeast Infection, I have been giving her a bath with the ACV / Water Mixture baths and soaking her feet in White Distilled Vinegar during the baths. Then I would follow-up with the Head & Shoulders shampoo that the Vet recommended for her dry flaky skin.

- For her breath I just started adding 8% food grade Hydrogen Peroxide to her water. I see if that works.

- I also give her 2 tablets of a probiotic Acidophilus that was recommended on EC in other post. I crush into a powder and mix in 1 tablespoon of plain natural lowfat yogurt. She really doesnt like it very much. I have to force her to eat it. She also wont drink her water when I add 1 tablespoon of ACV to it. But she does lick it off her face during baths.

- She was slowly weened off the Chicken and Beef packets in sauces and now only eats an all natural / holistic brand of food. She drinks lots of water sans the ACV.

Everything was looking very good until i noticed these red spots appear on her belly last night during her belly rub. I quickly rubbed ACV all over her belly and a few hours later the redness was all gone. Today after her bath, while dyring her hair I noticed all these small red bumps all over her back and belly again. I stopped drying her hair and began rubbing just ACV all over her skin with cotton balls until she was practically soaked with it. I then blow dried her without rinsing. I am not sure what all these red bumps mean and if I should be alarmed? does she have something contagious to humans or is it her allergies flaring up. I must say that yesturday my 9 yr old daughter did give her two chewy chicken drumstick flavored doggie snacks that Mondo loves. Actually the only thing she gets excited for. We had stopped giving her these snacks for the past three weeks. and today before Mondo's bath I did giver her two more snacks. I didnt really think much about it until now. Could this be an allergic reaction to the snack or is this something more serious? She doesnt scratch very much, licks her paws everytime she comes back in from her walks or stepping on the grass. Sleeps a lot. Eats her holistic food thruout the day until its gone. No hair loss. Ive been searching the web for info before taking her back to the vet. I don't think its Mange as there is no hair loss, no excessive scratching and chewing. Do you have any advice as to what should be the next step for her if the ACV does not work because I am seriously considering returning her back to the shelter. I think that i may be in for more then I bargained for with Mondo.

Thanking you in advance for any advice you may have for me. Thankx!!