As there is kelp in each of the foods in her current diet I’d want to check directly with each manufacturer as to how much iodine is in their own product before adding a supplemental dose.
My somewhat cautious approach is due to the high amounts of iodine in supplemental kelp tablets and the effects of excess iodine on the thyroid gland.
Reggie - have you had any blood tests done on your dog? I only ask because I read that thyroid disease can result in yeast overgrowth and of course it is also associated with weight problems - Itchy, Smelly Dog? Yeast Infection May Be the Problem… by Dr Karen Becker.
I’ve always found medicated baths to be really helpful in treating this kind of condition but for some reason bathing dogs is often frowned upon. Dr Becker doesn’t think so and advises bathing as needed.
Meg’s points about the breakdown of the currently fed products could be useful. I don’t have the figures but I have read that intolerance to chicken is not uncommon. If you want to do more work on determining if your dog has protein intolerance then it is easier using single protein food. So many raw products are multi protein but you should be able to find something that suits e.g. Natures Menu Venison and Blueberry.
Thank you for all the info.
The kelp I have been nervous of as I was aware there was some in the nutriment.
I do occasionally wash her feet in hibiscrub, but from reading the article, (what an interesting and informative article)it looks like I need to do that more regularly.
The food is a mystery - she was on Millie’s Wolfheart but always had the itchiness; she then had a urine infection and had an awful reaction to antibiotics - could hardly get up and walk, eased off once we stopped. This is when I started looking at raw as I wanted to help her be as healthy as she could be. She was great for the first 5 months on nutriment, but the ears are once again waxy and the paw nibbling has begun. I do wonder whether I should get a blood test done - she had some done at the end of last year after the antibiotic reaction; would any thyroid issues have shown up? I have already ordered some Dorset garlic tablets so will start her on those also. I’m now also considering home cooked meals for her - not confident enough to do the total raw.
Perhaps understandably we tend to blame food for this kind of problem. However, it may be genetic or immune related. It could even be environmental.
One of my dogs has a poor coat and used to have dermatitis of unknown origin. Like your dog, she easily gains weight. I’ve tried numerous foods, including raw with no discernible improvement although her skin problem is in remission on her current food and I am managing to control her weight. I had her tested several months ago and all was ok but I am really glad that I had the bloods done because now I know that it is just her nature and I need to manage these things. She had thyroid function and full screen for urea/electrolytes and liver function. Possibly your dog’s last blood test did not include thyroid so I would ask your vet about it.
From what I read on the subject, dogs excrete toxins via the skin so bathing with a suitable, gentle shampoo may be helpful. It will also help to eliminate pollen from the fur - a real issue at this time of year. I usually use Sebocalm shampoo because it is soapless and hydrates the skin.
Is there anything in the home that might be an irritant? It’s difficult to know but worth looking at. We use cushion type beds with cotton covers that can easily be removed. I wash them weekly. We also vaccuum every day and I have stopped using plug in air fresheners. Having said all that, I really don’t know for sure why my dog has stopped itching but I am sticking with her current dry food + some home cooked.
On the subject of home cooking, IMO it is a good way of feeding dogs but only if the owner is willing to do some research in order to get it balanced. Importantly, calcium in the correct amount needs to be added. Have a look at our section on home cooking - I have put quite a few links in there. Rodney Habib (Planet Paws) has some good videos on feeding dogs home cooked food.
Was your dog free of the itching for the first five months of being on nutriment until now? If so I would be inclined to think that it is season related. This is the time of year it generally starts in my dog and when I used to have to seek treatment at the vet, they said that it was fairly common in the warmer months. it may have just been coincidental that it stopped when you changed food.
I had wondered about that because 5 months takes us back to January and there is no pollen then. I have heard that Apoquel is helpful in such cases but the more common drug used is probably the antihistamine Piriton (Chlorpheniramine). I definitely would advise washing of paws every time he gets home from a walk. Very dilute Hibiscrub is ok or Tea Tree added to the rinse water. I can’t remember how many drops of Tea Tree but it won’t be many (check online). This essential oil is anti fungal - link.
Reggie if this is a sensitivity to an ingredient in her food it takes time to show. A food allergy will show straight away.
A sensitivity builds over time, so for example a particular ingredient which a dog is fed consistently over time.
Her blood would show thyroid issues if they had tested for the levels of TSH and T4 as well as T3 and Free T4 and Free T3.
Unfortunately, even when a dog has thyroid blood levels tested they usually only test TSH and T4 and will say that the levels of these is a sufficient marker. Yes, when the TSH is elevated sufficiently the result is usually obvious enough to indicate there may be an underactive thyroid issue. In which case medication may be appropriate.
However, dogs are only able to utilise Free T4 and Free T3 and so dogs who may have thyroid issues, yet their TSH and T4 levels are within an ‘expected’ range could slip through the net.
For this reason if you are going to ask for her thyroid function to be tested then I’d ask for an enhanced thyroid panel of tests of at least the levels of TSH, T4, T3, Free T3, Free T4 and also test for the antibody TgAA.
Slow but steady progress being made. We’re feeding 500g a day of Nutriment - the lowest fat they do, increasing exercise - she is losing albeit slowly (averaging about 200g per week) so we’ll just keep on this path for now. My vet was not in to ask about what was tested a few months back re thyroid so will find that out too. Food we may have to review to find other raw low fat.
Thank you very much for the feedback. Often weight loss is a slow process but maybe it is better that way. Hopefully it won’t be too long before your dog is back to normal weight.
That sounds like a good steady progress. Thanks for your update.