My Experience with Allergies--Updated

So, it's true, apparently, that dogs resemble their owners. Lila has food & seasonal allergies. (Labrador and Weimaraner? Who'da thunk?)

Symptoms she's had include what I call "gakking", redness around the eyes, paw pads, toes, armpits, and underside, and redness and swelling inside the ears. Primarily, it's the scratching and licking I notice. At its worst, she lost significant amounts of hair, had atrocious diarrhea, & scratched herself open in a few spots.

After about 3 years of trial and error (poor pup), it seems that the biggest issue for Lila is corn. However, there are many other common allergens: Dairy, Corn, Soy, Wheat, Eggs, Artificial Preservatives, Colors or Flavors, Beef, Pork, Chicken, etc.

The thing about allergies (whether it's me or Lila) is that exposure to one primary allergen can sensitize you to other less irritating allergens. Ones that you may, actually, be able to tolerate if you are no longer exposed to the primary allergen. So, whether your dog has food or environmental allergies, they probably interplay with each other. This interplay makes it difficult to tell if things are getting better, worse, or not changing as you try various solutions.

Here's what I wish someone had told me:

• Once you switch foods, allow 1-2 months to evaluate the effect. (Unless you see worsening. Then stop immediately!)
• There are a lot of allergy formula kibbles available, and many not significantly more costly than any other premium kibble.
• Choose the kibble with the minimum number of ingredients you can find/afford.
• Grains are often the primary culprit. I suspect rice the least, but I did just hear from a woman whose dog has rice allergy.
  
• Greenies, rawhides, edible nylabones, chew hooves, bones -- basically anything the dog would pass thru its digestive system need to be tested for allergy. This is best done after the dog is on a "safe" kibble. Don't give ANY of these items until you have a reliable diet.
• If your dog gets into the trash, grabs stuff from outside, etc., it can interfere with the results of your kibble testing.
• If you are fighting environmental allergies, you can help minimize exposure by washing the dog as frequently as you are able (every day is fine) with a soap-free shampoo like HyLyt. I dilute it with water before applying to the dog to avoid irritation. Be sure to rinse extremely thoroughly. Minimize scrubbing.
  

PIBBLES:

In addition to being prone to seasonal & other allergies, especially among the "rare" colors, you "people" are prone to a condition that can mimic allergies, but is distinguishable by your vet via "skin scrapes". This inherited condition leaves you vulnerable to demodex mites whose normal population on your skin inexplicably skyrockets at times of increased stress to the immune system, which can include emotional stress. These mites (somehow) make you itch like crazy and lose hair.

Responsible breeders do not EVER breed dogs with this condition. We all know how many responsible pibble breeders there are.

If you have some hair loss around the face & head, especially noticeable around the eyes, and with not so much redness when you haven't been scratching-- you should probably get checked for demodectic mange. Although this condition is related to the immune system, and therefore benefitted by good quality food, medical intervention is the best way to get you comfy, hairy, and itch-free.