# Has anyone made a homemade diet (trail) for their dogs?



## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

Hi! I don't post often but I need some support/help?

My golden Hannah has horrible allergies...always has basicly. It seemed to get much much worse about a year ago. I'm not sure if its because I have a preschooler/toddler (hard to watch the tiny bits of food that fall) or if she just developed a new allergy to the food she was eating (solid gold wolf king).

But we went to a dermo and she had us do a veggie diet dog food. It worked ok but again she'd get a gold fish cracker here or there.

We went back on Thursday because she was in HORRIBLE shape  raw bloody, missing hair everywhere.

Anyway, she wants me to MAKE HER FOOD. Its pinto beans, sweet potatos, fruits and some veggies along with a high fat food such as avacodo. I mixed it together (as they suggested) and she wouldn't touch it. I don't blame her:yuck::yuck::yuck:

Has anyone else had to do this? I honestly don't think I can keep up. I have a 2 yr old, a 3 yr old and I just need the dog to be easier: I just need to find a DOG FOOD that she can eat. Cooking beans is for the birds.

I'm hoping to give it a month and maybe we can see about adding something else? White fish? IDK? :doh:


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

Yikes... in your situation I would definitely go to the vet and have an allergy panel run. Putting a dog on a vegetarian limited diet like that is such an extreme and I'm not sure its in the best interest of the dog. Find out exactly what she's allergic to and look for a food that will work. If you get the list and post it here, we can help.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I started feeding home-made with one of my dogs who was severely allegeric and it noticeably improved his health - I ended up switching to raw but as mentioned home made food almost got him there.

I used human grade food including veggies, garlic and meat; for awhile I used a lot of rabbit and venison. I just cut everything up and crock potted it on Sundays - my 2 crock pots are large enough so it fed 2 dogs for a whole week - I varied the stew based on what was available at market and what I found on the internet ..

Good luck


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

WOW! I think I'd want a second opinion.....perhaps at a vet school? And def an allergy panel run. I would be very suspect that the homemade diet suggested is not complete in all a dog needs. It evidently isn't doing the trick if she is in such rough shape. Please keep us posted on your progress.


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

I would LOVE a panel to be run. I'm assuming that is where they do blood work to determine what your dog is allergic to? But the two big dermos in houston won't do those. This is what their websites say about it...

"An important point to understand is that neither blood testing nor intradermal skin testing are useful for identifying allergy to foods. Although some companies offer blood tests for food allergy, we cannot promote their use. For the same reason, we do not offer skin testing for food allergy. Instead, we use specialized hypoallergenic diet trials containing novel or hydrolized ingredients."

" For food allergy, specialized hypoallergenic diet trials containing novel or hydrolyzed ingredients may be instituted. "

So I'm at a loss as to what to do? Texas A&M is near us and has the only vet school in Texas (?? I think??) and they refer to gulf coast because they are the "best". We are seeing someone else but the method to treating the allergies seems to be the same. One is just a tad bit closer drive for me so I went with that one. The vet is VERY nice.

She seems to think my dog may have a protien allergy? I just don't know if I agree with that. I don't know why but it seems so rare. I get doing a food trail but she is having me make the food now saying maybe its a preservative allergy?? 

I seriously just want to cry. I don't have time to make dog food and to be perfectly honest the whole thing is making me frustrated and mad. 

I just wnat to go to the store like a normal person and buy normal dog food. I've tried other "organic/natural/allergy" type of foods and it makes her skin red and before long shes back to ripping the hair out and chewing on herself.


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

AND i was wrong. Texas A&M will see her but they also say this about food testing...

"Currently skin testing or blood (serum) allergy testing is not recommended to support a diagnosis of food allergies since these tests have many false results."


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

If you think it's a protein allergy, you could always try the Honest Kitchen Preference and vary protein sources to see how she does. www.thehonestkitchen.com Many with allergies have found THK to be a good alternative.


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

Cooking your dog's food is very time consuming and it can be a challenge to make sure it's properly balanced. The Honest Kitchen product Penny & Maggie's mom mentioned would be a very convenient compromise for you. I have used the Honest Kitchen Preference in the past (when it was available in Canada!) and you just add your own meat to it. You could buy 5 lbs of ground beef, fry it up and refrigerate or freeze. It's been a year since I used the product but I believe for a meal for Pippa (70lbs) I would rehydrate 1/2 cup of HK and then add 1/2 - 1 cup of fried ground beef. The wonderful thing about the Honest Kitchen is you don't have to worry about supplements because everything is already in it. We are doing raw right now. She was a very yeasty dog with ear infections when we were on commercial kibble. She does best on a raw diet. 

One other thing I should mention, foods that Pippa seemed to be allergic to in kibble form (i.e., I suspected a chicken and grain allergy) she can eat fine in raw or home cooked form. I know others on this board have experienced the same thing. Good luck.


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

Thats really strange that some dogs can have food at home but not in kibble form. I wonder why??


I found a vet here that will send off a blood panel of all forms of allergens. (food and environmental) for about 300. I can get further testing on food for another 150. Not bad at all considering that I've spent God knows what at numerous vets/foods.


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## The_Artful_Dodger (Mar 26, 2009)

I've never heard of recommending a diet like that, but I don't know what else you've tried so far. They ussually try introducing a food with novel ingredients - like Kangaroo and Oatmeal diets. Have you tried Hill's z/d? (I think its super expensive). 

Hopefully, once you find out what she is allergic to then you will be able to find a good food for her.


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

We have done a veggie only diet. (royal canin)

But its hard to keep every crumb off the floor with little ones at home. My girls would give her a cracker or leave a banana out. I'm going to keep trying the veggie diet for now and stay super super strict on the girls and Hannah with human food (ie using dog gates to keep her away until everything is cleaned up etc). Hopefully it works. I just don't think I can do this homemade stuff...especially just beans and veggies etc. That just sucks! If she does ok on it then I'll add one protein at a time until we know what we're doing. If it gets worse then I'll take her to that other vet for some blood work. I am just SO OVER dealing with this.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

What I would suggest, before the testing, is to try an elimination diet of raw food. If you can, find a company or source that does whole, ground animals (in Canada it'd be Urban Carnivore, not sure what there is in the states). Something like elk, or llama, and NOTHING else for a month, other than the basic supplements after the first few weeks if things are going well. Unless she's been on one and it hasn't worked of course.

I know of a few extreme cases that ended up being only able to eat one meat source (one was elk, one was ostrich), tests didn't show anything and it was a matter of try that or put the dog down. 

Just my two cents, before you try expensive testing that may or may not show much...

Lana


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

Our allergist/dermatologist doesn't think the blood panel is accurate either. 

We had to do an elimination diet with one of ours but we were given a list of commercial foods with single protein sources that we were able to try. We were also given a list of toys and stuff that needed to be picked up (rawhide, pigs ears, obviously any natural animal chew, but others we didn't think of -- a lot of nylabones have a chicken flavoring injected, so those went too).

Unless you've tried single protein sourced foods already, the making of food seems a bit extreme. I can sympathize because there is no way I'd be able to make food for my crew -- let alone make sure they were getting the balanced nutrients they need.

I'd look for a second opinion. We were able to find what worked through trial and error. I know half the normal vets I speak to don't think the blood test results are very reliable, but if you were out of options, I'd probably try to find a vet to run the test just to give you a starting point. 

I'm sorry you're going through this. I know how frustrating it can be and hope you find some answers soon!


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

If she did fine on the RC Vegetarian and only broke out when your kids gave her food or left it out, I don't see why you don't stick with that food and be super strict with the kids' food (as you suggested you were going to do in your last post). No food, homemade or otherwise, is going to "cure" her and if she has issues with "people" foods she's always going to have those issues if the kids feed her/leave food out.

Having said that, I'm not usually a fan of vegetarian diets for dogs, but I *am* a fan of using what works.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I am so very sorry for you and Hannah. I know how frustrating allergies are. My Gunner has lost his hair and 15 pounds twice. First from a kibble and the second time from a holistic treat. I still don't know what it is he is allergic too but at least we have a kibble he can eat and I pray it never changes!
Good Luck to you. I would go with what you know works.
Could you add the refried beans to the vegetarian food you know she can eat?


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## BeckyB (Jan 21, 2008)

Why would you feed a veggie only diet to a carnivore?
Feed raw meat, bones and organs and your dog is sure to improve.
Join the rawfeeding and raw chat yahoo groups and you will learn alot about feeding your carnivore.

I have goldens and one of them had horrible allergies, he chewed all his hair off his chest and belly and started having seizures at 2 yo. he was having about 2 seizures a week when we switched to raw.

Hes been on raw for a couple years now.... no more allergies, no more seizures. He has a nice full shiny coat.
All my dogs are fed prey model raw or "frankenprey" 80% meat,10% bone,10% organ, raw, no cooking necessary.

I urge you to do your own research, for you dogs sake.
Also, dogs in this condition should not be vaccinated. 

good luck to you


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## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

You might want to take a look at this food. Several formulas, and all you need is water basically to make it. Its also great for traveling etc and an 8 pound bag of this stuff makes the same as like 54 pounds of food. 
http://www.sojos.com/ 
Another one is K9 Cravings. http://www.k-9kraving.com/ And this one is the only USDA inspected and approved raw diet.


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

From the raw diets I've seen (so far) they aren't single protein sources. The ones I've seen are 95% rabbit/chicken etc. but still have things like chicken eggs in them etc. I think I'm going to try and introduce one source at a time until we find something that works. 

I am tempted to try a strange (isn't there a better word LOL) source like kangaroo or whatever and see how she does on that. 

I'm just so sad that her skin gets so bad 

Thank you SOO much for all the support.

And I was very sad to put her on a veggie diet but its better than the bloody mess she was.


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## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

Never did a dog in veggie diet and not sure if its even a balenced one. Dogs are carnovious by nature.


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## MyCodyBoy (Sep 27, 2008)

I know you got a lot of good advice. Did you try to get a second opinion?
I do not agree with a veggie diet for a dog. I hate to be so blunt, but if you continue that diet your dog wont do well. They need meat and I am shocked a vet would suggest that would be your first way to go, to me that would be the extrem last resort.

Kangaroo would be a wonderfull option for your dog. I know our vet carries a dried Kangaroo kibble for dogs with sever allergies and he told me all the dogs who have gone on it have done well. 

I would slowly get her on to a raw meat diet. Just buy some ground chicken or turkey and slwoly add that to her diet to see how she does. But if she is having issues on the veggie diet already your best bet is just to get her off of it a.s.a.p.

Did the vet not reccomend steroids? I am not a huge advicate on giving them regularly but the steroids would help a great deal with skin conditions until you can get the food issue settled. Once she is doing well on a food then you can slwoly take her off the steroids.

My cat had horrible skin problems when he was younger. He was on steroids for a while and also on a hypo allergenic food. He would scratch his head raw till it bled if he wasn't on the steroids. He didn't need to be on them long though and he can not(at 11 years old) eat anything without issues.

My Golden has sensativities as well and he is on a Raw diet. If you have any questions please message me, I will be happy to answer anything to help you get onto a raw diet.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

The reason so many vets won't do blood and skin allergy tests is that they're shown over and over to be very inaccurate when used in controlled studies.

Elimination diets, however, work well to identify allergens. They are difficult to implement, particularly when you're having trouble keeping the dog away from food scraps, but they can identify the allergens very reliably. It doesn't matter if the food is raw or not. Personally, I don't typically give my dogs raw meat or think it's a terribly good idea.

I'd switch the dog to a single, rare protein (lamb, kangroo, fish, whatever). I wouldn't feed dog food in the interim. You want the dog consuming one or two things and that's it (home cooked lamb and rice, for example). If the allergies subside, then you know for sure what isn't an allergen and can start adding from there.

But before all that, I'd have a full thyroid panel run. I'm surprised nobody has suggested it. Food sensitivity, particularly when this extreme, often has a hypothyroid problem at its root.

There also could be a staph or fungal infection in the skin and all this dietary craziness is for naught. I'd spend some time at a vet school starting the whole diagnostic process from scratch.


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

Having a full thyroid panel run is a very good suggestion. My friend just had one run on her golden that had terrible skin problems and the thyroid panel showed the dog had hypothyroidism. Her dog has been on thyroid medication and his skin condition has greatly improved.


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## ButtersPeople (May 11, 2010)

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/categories.aspx?pet=dog&cat=3

don't know if you've tried this product line yet or not

thyroid panel and skin scrapings for bacterial/fungal infection seem like a sensible thing to do at this point to as mentioned above


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

tippykayak said:


> The reason so many vets won't do blood and skin allergy tests is that they're shown over and over to be very inaccurate when used in controlled studies.
> 
> Elimination diets, however, work well to identify allergens. They are difficult to implement, particularly when you're having trouble keeping the dog away from food scraps, but they can identify the allergens very reliably. It doesn't matter if the food is raw or not. Personally, I don't typically give my dogs raw meat or think it's a terribly good idea.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks. I'll ask about the thyroid test and see what she thinks about doing it. Hopefully she'll want to try it.


I'm at a loss of what to do to be honest. Googling is only making me more confused. 

Should I try to feed her brown rice and a protein until we find one that works? Or stick with this veggie dog food and add a protein to that??


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

ButtersPeople said:


> http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/categories.aspx?pet=dog&cat=3
> 
> don't know if you've tried this product line yet or not
> 
> thyroid panel and skin scrapings for bacterial/fungal infection seem like a sensible thing to do at this point to as mentioned above


I have heard of this and I'm tempted to try it out. Thanks. Although we tried a fish/sweet potato recipe once and it didn't work on her either. Within ONE day of eating it her skin got red and itchy.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

hannah&allie said:


> Thanks. I'll ask about the thyroid test and see what she thinks about doing it. Hopefully she'll want to try it.
> 
> 
> I'm at a loss of what to do to be honest. Googling is only making me more confused.
> ...


If it's truly an allergy, you should see symptoms reduce dramatically within a few days of switching away from the allergen. However, only 10% of atopia in dogs (generalized itching due to an allergen) is caused by a food allergy. Much more common are allergies to fleas and other environmental factors.

I'd hit the vet school. Your dog has a unique, complicated problem, and your vet has told you to do something that does not seem to be indicated in traditional veterinary literature. Instead of listening to people like me with dubious qualifications, get access to a team of diagnostic vets at the university.

You may find this all has a root cause that's easily taken care of (like the thyroid).

If you're asking what I'd do instead of getting a team of real vets, I'd switch the dog to homemade boiled fish and rice for a week and see if symptoms went away. If they didn't, I'd probably assume it wasn't the food at all. If they did, I'd swap out the fish for chicken for a week and see if the allergies came back. Working through that kind of process, I'd isolate some safe foods and hopefully some major allergens.

Under no circumstances would I cook my dog a vegetarian hodgepodge.


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

tippykayak said:


> If it's truly an allergy, you should see symptoms reduce dramatically within a few days of switching away from the allergen. However, only 10% of atopia in dogs (generalized itching due to an allergen) is caused by a food allergy. Much more common are allergies to fleas and other environmental factors.
> 
> I'd hit the vet school. Your dog has a unique, complicated problem, and your vet has told you to do something that does not seem to be indicated in traditional veterinary literature. Instead of listening to people like me with dubious qualifications, get access to a team of diagnostic vets at the university.
> 
> ...


Thanks! Maybe I'll call Texas A&M and see what they think/say. I'm pretty uncomfortable with her being on a homemade diet of pinto beans. It just isn't normal. 

In the mean time I might go ahead and switch her to rice/fish first. Shes on a lot of drugs at the moment to clear up her skin condition too. I wish I trusted someone. I don't


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

hannah&allie said:


> Thanks! Maybe I'll call Texas A&M and see what they think/say. I'm pretty uncomfortable with her being on a homemade diet of pinto beans. It just isn't normal.
> 
> In the mean time I might go ahead and switch her to rice/fish first. Shes on a lot of drugs at the moment to clear up her skin condition too. I wish I trusted someone. I don't


Call Texas A&M for sure. You'll feel silly if you delay and then when you finally go, you find out they can cure her permanently with a handful of easy changes or meds.

There are a number of people on this board whose dogs have had mysterious problems that were cleared right up by the diagnostic team at a vet school.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I highly recommend VARL's Liquid Gold allergy test. It will test for both food and environmental allergies. You can google VARL and email them and they will be able to tell you vets in your area that use their services. My dog is on a restricted diet and allergy shots every three weeks that are based on the results of that test, and it has made a world of difference for him!


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

tippykayak said:


> If it's truly an allergy, you should see symptoms reduce dramatically within a few days of switching away from the allergen. However, only 10% of atopia in dogs (generalized itching due to an allergen) is caused by a food allergy. Much more common are allergies to fleas and other environmental factors.


Sorry, typo there. I meant atopy, not atopia.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Can you join a raw feeder's list in your area? They might have a supplier or source for ground foods that are single source - or talk to the stores and ask them if they can order in JUST ground chicken or something. Even a butcher shop may be able to do something like turkey or fish with bone, you never know. 

Hope she does better soon, can't be fun!

Lana


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## Hannah25 (Jul 7, 2009)

Well I tried a duck and potato forumla and within two feedings her skin got pink and she started chewing her feet 

We are going to stay on the veggie diet for a little bit to clear up her skin and then I think we'll move fwd with the vet school dermo. 

I hate that everything is so hard on her. I will probably look into that blood panel as well. Can't hurt anything.


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## MyCodyBoy (Sep 27, 2008)

dod you look into getting the blood panel done? It shouldn't costy more than $200 depending on where you live. The results may be the answer to her problems. Good luck, it is not easy to see them suffer.


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## diana_D (Jan 27, 2008)

I believe a veggie diet is not fit for a dog. 

Try raw diet for a while. I never had problems with my girl, but I switched her on raw because I strongly believe it is the best diet possible. Now I only regret I did not switch her earlier. But I was afraid of germs...And I know many are reluctant to feed raw for this particular reason. Feeding raw is not rocket science as some want people to believe  

Start with small steps and add variety a lot later. This way you can see reaction, if this is the case. But I suspect the kibble to be the culprit. 

My best regards to you and I hope you find a way to help your dog.


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