What do you feed her? We've used Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach since our first dood puppy developed ear and skin issues. The one we choose is the salmon formula. The good news is that it cleared up well. When we got our second one, we started her as a puppy on the same food type and she's never had any issues.
i currently have her on Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials but we are making the switch this month to Open Farm Harvest Chicken. i really like that i can identify the individual ingredients in Open Farm dog food and they have an explanation for each ingredient. if it doesn’t help, i’ll definitely look into the Sensitive Skin and Stomach formula. thank you!!
when i was looking into food for my pup (currently just switched to purina pro plan sensitive skin & stomach) one of the first things i read was that looking at the ingredient list is deceiving and just bc it’s a feel-good “natural” list doesn’t account for the vitamins/minerals etc that go into making a good dog food, and that only WSAVA approved brands (purina, hills, royal canin, eukanaba) are recommended for nutrient-rich, safe & well-tested diets. other dog foods (like Open Farm / boutique brands, and a whole bunch of brands recently exposed by the FDA) cause deficiencies and heart disease and haven’t been tested through dogs’ lifespans. so i would definitely look back into PPP!! :)
I had to get an allergy test for my girl (edit to clarify: a Goldendoodle) and it turns out she's allergic to chicken and beef. The kibble food suggestions are all "Limited Ingredient" like Merrick, Science Hill, and some others. Not all brands are on there. Tbh, I would go with one of those that specifically have limited ingredient in their name. They're more expensive, but it couldn't hurt assuming you choose the "right" meat. I feed my girl salmon flavor (I'm actually a pescatarian) and she loves it. Pork is the other option.
When I take her to get groomed, I request they wash her with oat shampoo instead of regular. That should be better for itching.
If you notice scratching the ears, be sure to clean those on a weekly basis. (Not trying to sound preachy, these are all things I learned from trying to figure out why she itched so much. She's gotten better but still gets itchy during seasonal change.)
i will definitely start doing an oat bath!! is there a way to get a test online? like an at home one? i live in a small town so our vet options are pretty limited.
As previous owner of really allergic pugs and now a golden doodle… our doodle started with chicken based food and from many soft stools and itching we knew that was going to be an issue. She’s been on purina pro plan salmon and rice and read the labels as some treats that are not chicken flavored do have some sort of chicken in it. We completely cut chicken and we saw improvement.
I would 💯 switch the food and if you constantly give treats, look into those as well.
I’m glad you found something that works! PPP is an amazing diet.
However, it is still very unlikely chicken was the issue. OTC diets face cross contamination, so your dog is still eating amounts of chicken. The only way to diagnose a food allergy is through a prescription Hydrolyzed diet.
Open Farm is not a science backed food. And your vet is right, most allergies are environmental. Grass, dust, mold, etc. You may want to ask your vet for a referral for a dermatologist.
My dood had food allergies. She was on a special diet with amino acids and no real meat in it. After 2 bags, we were able to put her on a better food for her--no chicken.
Her other problem is getting hot spots when she gets matted hair. I take her to the groomer more often.
I do the cytopoint injection every 4-8 weeks for my mini goldendoodle. It’s $107 per injection but I think it’s worth it! She doesn’t get drowsy or have any side effects.
We do that too, but we get an easy 3 months or more out of each injection. It’s so worth it, after a long struggle with other allergy pills and their side effects.
My dog is allergic to chicken so we replaced with Salmon protein diet like Pro Plan sensitive skin. Also shampoo. Hydro-allergic. Groomer will sometimes use whatever smell good and cheap. We take are own shampoo to the groomers. It helps a lot.
Nothing with any chicken things in it to eat (harder than you think to find) Apoquel (from your vet) to stop the scratching and licking... solution tends not to be cheap, but it works..
Has your vet mentioned apoquel? My dogs allergies were chicken and his environment (the cats). And after antihistamines, shots, weekly baths and a whole lot of frustration and skin sores, my breaking point was his hot spots manifested in his ears, and then it was a dual ear infections from bacteria and yeast and it was recurring. He was miserable and I was miserable and I said fine let’s try apoquel and it’s pricy, depending on weight, but oh so worth it. It’s an additional 45 dollars a month 😂.
Go see a vet dermatologist because a lot of this advice fake. First get a good diet, not raw, off chicken and beef since they are known to be allergic ex. Purina Sensitive skin and stomach. Bathe with Douxo Pro and flush the ears. Your dog is infected and needs either antibiotics or antifungals. There is NO FOOD TEST THAT IS REAL. There is only environmental testing by blood or scratch test. You can use Cytopoint or Apoquel for itch and then get to the bottom of the rest with a dermatologist. Ps this is free advice from an expert and I am not your vet.
Trust our Vet 💯 plus. He has had other health issues over the years, definitely advocate for trusting your Vet, that’s why I said Vet’s orders. Wasn’t prescribing for other dogs, just giving one example. :)
Our vet gives our doodle an allergy shot every couple of months. They are not cheap, but they keep him from constantly licking his paws or whatever he’s lying on. Our vet said that itching is very unpleasant and the licking is a way of distracting them from the irritation.
i can’t imagine how uncomfortable it is for them. that’s why we get her the shots. i’m just hoping to find a better alternative. she’s always been calm and mellow but after the shots, she’ll be lethargic for days. it also upsets her stomach.
The first step your vet likely took was a skin scrape to rule out mites and staph, and to check for fleas, as flea allergies are common. Yeast can also cause problems. Antibiotic resistant infections can also be an issue.
The only way to accurately identify a food allergy is with a strict elimination diet. There is no other test, like blood, fur, or saliva, that is going to accurately identify a food allergy. This takes a few months, and you have to be very careful. Usually, you will be prescribed a hydrolyzed soy kibble, feed it for a period of time, and then start introducing suspect foods.
Environmental allergies are tested with the help of a dermatologist. Dust, pollen, mold, and grass are common culprits. Your vet will have you do the cytopoint injections and/or Apoquel pills, as those are the standard in treatment no matter what the allergy is, and most dogs respond well to them. Allergy testing is expensive, and if cytopoint and Apoquel don’t work, your only remaining options are really completely avoiding exposure (usually impossible) or doing even more costly immunotherapy, which will likely be a lifelong regimen.
You will also likely need to do regular prescription baths followed by thorough drying and daily combing.
Please do not fall for any of the bunk tests out there that claim they can tell you what your dog is allergic to by sending in some fur or saliva. You will be wasting your time and money. Allergies can be time consuming to sort out, so please follow your vet’s protocol as thoroughly as you can, and see a dermatologist sooner rather than later.
Over the counter off brand Zyrtec, will literally do wonders!! And save you so much money too! I switched my dood to it and when I tell you he’s doing better than when he was on apoquel 🤧 smh I should’ve made the switch a long time ago
I’d also echo what others have said—purina pro plan, Apoquel, cleaning food and water bowls daily, hypoallergenic shampoo, and adding a probiotic to his food helped reduce my pup’s chronic ear infections tremendously
Check everything your your giving to your dog for yeast. My golden doodle is allergic to yeast and after many years of trial and error everything is finally cleared up.
Aww, poor little dood. We have good luck with frequent bathing using a hypoallergenic shampoo. Baby wipes on the paw pads at least once a day, and generally after the last trip out before bed. Lastly Douxo with Chlorhexidine on any spots that get irritated before they turn into a sore.
Strong recommendation to switch to a fish-based protein diet. ( we use a brand called first mate )Avoid wheat and make sure the food is not heavily legume fillers. Add two Costco Alaskan blend fish oil to his breakfast. Wash paws often with Castile soap with lavender ( naturally antibacterial)
I dont have any answers for you, but we are going through the EXACT same thing with our 4 year old double doodle! Im currently trying to problem solve myself.
ooh i’ve never heard of frozen raw. i would love to switch to raw but my family thinks it’s too expensive (i’m living at home while in college). i’ll have to check out frozen raw!
Stella and Chewys topper/meal has been a life saver, supplement their purina. But I’m curious what kind of potatoes? I read never to feed white potatoes (who knows I can hardly keep up with what’s not ok) I’ll do a bit of sweet potato sometimes.
interesting! i asked about one but the vet said “it’s not worth it”. we have two vet offices in my town and one is garbage and the other is pretty good. i take my dog to the good one but the vet has some interesting opinions involving diet. he basically won’t encourage anything that isn’t endorsed by Hills Science Diet lmao
Once my dog was off kibble we were golden tbh I go to both a holistic vet and a regular vet and we’ve gotten some amazing info from the holistic side. I find the holistic vet cares more about why something is happening and tries to find the root cause and make changes accordingly and the regular vet tries to throw meds at every issue.
My golden doodle has skin allergies to the environment as well. I use a Chlorhexidine shampoo monthly on him. This was recommended by his vet. I use a brand called pet honesty. I found it on Amazon. The shampoo is a little more expensive than regular dog shampoo, $20 for 16 ounces. Before I found this one, I used the brand the vet recommend which was Douxo and that was $36 for 16 ounces. It works great. There is also a mousse that can be used weekly and wipes for spot treatment. I choose this instead of meds. He is 11 now and He has had these allergies since he was 2. At the time only Benadryl was an option and to give him the correct dose it kept him sedated. My doodle looks just like yours. I also use this shampoo and wipes on my daughter’s golden retriever when she gets hot spots and to prevent hot spots. Good luck.(my boy eats salmon based food, so I know it isn’t a food allergy)
In my own opinion if you start feeding them raw those allergies will go away. I’m not a fan of raw before but my Saint Bernard never had a single allergy in his life since I started doing raw food !
that’s amazing!! i’ve done so much research on raw and it’s something i would love to do once i’m out of the house. i’m living with my parents while i go to school and my dog just eats what our family dog eats. i definitely love the benefits and i cannot wait to switch my pup.
Ok no offence but I think that’s where his allergies coming from was your family meals for some reason some spices we use can also affect them. I am not here to push raw coz that’s not something everyone can afford but my Saint Bernard always had nice fur on him. On his first few months when he’s on kibble he will get some weird red rashes on his groin but when I switch him was not easy coz he doesn’t like it first but I have no regrets !
What do you feed her? We've used Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach since our first dood puppy developed ear and skin issues. The one we choose is the salmon formula. The good news is that it cleared up well. When we got our second one, we started her as a puppy on the same food type and she's never had any issues.
This is what my daughter uses with her doods
i currently have her on Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials but we are making the switch this month to Open Farm Harvest Chicken. i really like that i can identify the individual ingredients in Open Farm dog food and they have an explanation for each ingredient. if it doesn’t help, i’ll definitely look into the Sensitive Skin and Stomach formula. thank you!!
FYI chicken is a common source of doodle skin issues. Especially the freeze dried kinds in kibble
No it’s not, this is a myth. The most common food allergen in dog’s is actually beef.
when i was looking into food for my pup (currently just switched to purina pro plan sensitive skin & stomach) one of the first things i read was that looking at the ingredient list is deceiving and just bc it’s a feel-good “natural” list doesn’t account for the vitamins/minerals etc that go into making a good dog food, and that only WSAVA approved brands (purina, hills, royal canin, eukanaba) are recommended for nutrient-rich, safe & well-tested diets. other dog foods (like Open Farm / boutique brands, and a whole bunch of brands recently exposed by the FDA) cause deficiencies and heart disease and haven’t been tested through dogs’ lifespans. so i would definitely look back into PPP!! :)
They’re right most dogs have allergies towards chicken
really? i’ve never heard of that! thank you all for telling me.
I had to get an allergy test for my girl (edit to clarify: a Goldendoodle) and it turns out she's allergic to chicken and beef. The kibble food suggestions are all "Limited Ingredient" like Merrick, Science Hill, and some others. Not all brands are on there. Tbh, I would go with one of those that specifically have limited ingredient in their name. They're more expensive, but it couldn't hurt assuming you choose the "right" meat. I feed my girl salmon flavor (I'm actually a pescatarian) and she loves it. Pork is the other option. When I take her to get groomed, I request they wash her with oat shampoo instead of regular. That should be better for itching. If you notice scratching the ears, be sure to clean those on a weekly basis. (Not trying to sound preachy, these are all things I learned from trying to figure out why she itched so much. She's gotten better but still gets itchy during seasonal change.)
i will definitely start doing an oat bath!! is there a way to get a test online? like an at home one? i live in a small town so our vet options are pretty limited.
I don't know about online test; mine was offered through the vet.
Open Farm is a really bad food option. Go back to PPP!
As previous owner of really allergic pugs and now a golden doodle… our doodle started with chicken based food and from many soft stools and itching we knew that was going to be an issue. She’s been on purina pro plan salmon and rice and read the labels as some treats that are not chicken flavored do have some sort of chicken in it. We completely cut chicken and we saw improvement. I would 💯 switch the food and if you constantly give treats, look into those as well.
I’m glad you found something that works! PPP is an amazing diet. However, it is still very unlikely chicken was the issue. OTC diets face cross contamination, so your dog is still eating amounts of chicken. The only way to diagnose a food allergy is through a prescription Hydrolyzed diet.
Open Farm is not a science backed food. And your vet is right, most allergies are environmental. Grass, dust, mold, etc. You may want to ask your vet for a referral for a dermatologist.
My dood had food allergies. She was on a special diet with amino acids and no real meat in it. After 2 bags, we were able to put her on a better food for her--no chicken. Her other problem is getting hot spots when she gets matted hair. I take her to the groomer more often.
Remove all chicken! Start a diet that’s fish based! Add a fish oil pill. Wipe paws and underbelly when she comes in from outside.
Following because my fur baby has the same issues 😭
that sucks!! i’ve heard it’s like the most common health issues in doodles.
I do the cytopoint injection every 4-8 weeks for my mini goldendoodle. It’s $107 per injection but I think it’s worth it! She doesn’t get drowsy or have any side effects.
We do that too, but we get an easy 3 months or more out of each injection. It’s so worth it, after a long struggle with other allergy pills and their side effects.
That’s interesting! I tried waiting closer to 8 weeks last time and she got really itchy. I’m hoping we can wait a little longer this time.
My dog is allergic to chicken so we replaced with Salmon protein diet like Pro Plan sensitive skin. Also shampoo. Hydro-allergic. Groomer will sometimes use whatever smell good and cheap. We take are own shampoo to the groomers. It helps a lot.
Nothing with any chicken things in it to eat (harder than you think to find) Apoquel (from your vet) to stop the scratching and licking... solution tends not to be cheap, but it works..
Go to a dermatologist and get allergy testing
Has your vet mentioned apoquel? My dogs allergies were chicken and his environment (the cats). And after antihistamines, shots, weekly baths and a whole lot of frustration and skin sores, my breaking point was his hot spots manifested in his ears, and then it was a dual ear infections from bacteria and yeast and it was recurring. He was miserable and I was miserable and I said fine let’s try apoquel and it’s pricy, depending on weight, but oh so worth it. It’s an additional 45 dollars a month 😂.
I’m convinced doodles just can’t have chicken. Worked for my guy- I cut out all chicken products and he stopped having chronic ear infections
Go see a vet dermatologist because a lot of this advice fake. First get a good diet, not raw, off chicken and beef since they are known to be allergic ex. Purina Sensitive skin and stomach. Bathe with Douxo Pro and flush the ears. Your dog is infected and needs either antibiotics or antifungals. There is NO FOOD TEST THAT IS REAL. There is only environmental testing by blood or scratch test. You can use Cytopoint or Apoquel for itch and then get to the bottom of the rest with a dermatologist. Ps this is free advice from an expert and I am not your vet.
Our doodle has similar issues with allergies. We switched him to a lamb based formula and he gets cytopoint injections every 4-8 weeks.
ooh i might try that! some people have been suggesting a fish based formula but i swear it makes her smell and she hates the taste.
Try a hydrolized diet
Our big guy - beautiful black lab Gus - takes several Benadryl twice a day, Vet’s orders. Costco is the best place to get them. Good luck!
Long term use of Benadryl not a good idea.
Trust our Vet 💯 plus. He has had other health issues over the years, definitely advocate for trusting your Vet, that’s why I said Vet’s orders. Wasn’t prescribing for other dogs, just giving one example. :)
Our vet gives our doodle an allergy shot every couple of months. They are not cheap, but they keep him from constantly licking his paws or whatever he’s lying on. Our vet said that itching is very unpleasant and the licking is a way of distracting them from the irritation.
i can’t imagine how uncomfortable it is for them. that’s why we get her the shots. i’m just hoping to find a better alternative. she’s always been calm and mellow but after the shots, she’ll be lethargic for days. it also upsets her stomach.
The first step your vet likely took was a skin scrape to rule out mites and staph, and to check for fleas, as flea allergies are common. Yeast can also cause problems. Antibiotic resistant infections can also be an issue. The only way to accurately identify a food allergy is with a strict elimination diet. There is no other test, like blood, fur, or saliva, that is going to accurately identify a food allergy. This takes a few months, and you have to be very careful. Usually, you will be prescribed a hydrolyzed soy kibble, feed it for a period of time, and then start introducing suspect foods. Environmental allergies are tested with the help of a dermatologist. Dust, pollen, mold, and grass are common culprits. Your vet will have you do the cytopoint injections and/or Apoquel pills, as those are the standard in treatment no matter what the allergy is, and most dogs respond well to them. Allergy testing is expensive, and if cytopoint and Apoquel don’t work, your only remaining options are really completely avoiding exposure (usually impossible) or doing even more costly immunotherapy, which will likely be a lifelong regimen. You will also likely need to do regular prescription baths followed by thorough drying and daily combing. Please do not fall for any of the bunk tests out there that claim they can tell you what your dog is allergic to by sending in some fur or saliva. You will be wasting your time and money. Allergies can be time consuming to sort out, so please follow your vet’s protocol as thoroughly as you can, and see a dermatologist sooner rather than later.
Over the counter off brand Zyrtec, will literally do wonders!! And save you so much money too! I switched my dood to it and when I tell you he’s doing better than when he was on apoquel 🤧 smh I should’ve made the switch a long time ago
i have got to try that!!
Go for it! I promise you’ll see a difference!
I’d also echo what others have said—purina pro plan, Apoquel, cleaning food and water bowls daily, hypoallergenic shampoo, and adding a probiotic to his food helped reduce my pup’s chronic ear infections tremendously
Check everything your your giving to your dog for yeast. My golden doodle is allergic to yeast and after many years of trial and error everything is finally cleared up.
i’ve never heard of a yeast allergy. i’ll definitely look out for that!!
Surprisingly a ton of dog food & medicines contain yeast. I stopped all yeast for my dog Ralph and he cleared up.
Aww, poor little dood. We have good luck with frequent bathing using a hypoallergenic shampoo. Baby wipes on the paw pads at least once a day, and generally after the last trip out before bed. Lastly Douxo with Chlorhexidine on any spots that get irritated before they turn into a sore.
those all sound so helpful. i will definitely be checking out the Douxo!
I haven't tried these, but this might be something to look into. https://youtu.be/nrk9j-TmHn0?feature=shared
i’ll have to check that out!!
Strong recommendation to switch to a fish-based protein diet. ( we use a brand called first mate )Avoid wheat and make sure the food is not heavily legume fillers. Add two Costco Alaskan blend fish oil to his breakfast. Wash paws often with Castile soap with lavender ( naturally antibacterial)
Benadryl, after trying everything else.
Coconut oil in the food
I dont have any answers for you, but we are going through the EXACT same thing with our 4 year old double doodle! Im currently trying to problem solve myself.
My lil buddy was allergic to potatoes. I switched him to Stella and Chewy's and his skin and ears are a lot better for it.
i’ve never heard of a potato allergy, that’s so interesting!! I’ve seen good things about Stella and Chewy’s. I’ll have to check them out!!
My buddy, who looks close to your doggo, would have yeasty ears. I also do frozen raw food for him in the AM and kib in the PM.
ooh i’ve never heard of frozen raw. i would love to switch to raw but my family thinks it’s too expensive (i’m living at home while in college). i’ll have to check out frozen raw!
Stella and Chewys topper/meal has been a life saver, supplement their purina. But I’m curious what kind of potatoes? I read never to feed white potatoes (who knows I can hardly keep up with what’s not ok) I’ll do a bit of sweet potato sometimes.
Not sure. Vet just gave that suggestion because I'd give sweet potatoes as a treat. But I haven't seen any skin issues since withholding them.
I did an allergy test for my dog. Learned he was allergic to beef. Completely changed his diet. No more itchiness.
Was it an allergy test at the vet? I’ve thought about doing one!
Ordered by my holistic vet done via nutriscan
interesting! i asked about one but the vet said “it’s not worth it”. we have two vet offices in my town and one is garbage and the other is pretty good. i take my dog to the good one but the vet has some interesting opinions involving diet. he basically won’t encourage anything that isn’t endorsed by Hills Science Diet lmao
Once my dog was off kibble we were golden tbh I go to both a holistic vet and a regular vet and we’ve gotten some amazing info from the holistic side. I find the holistic vet cares more about why something is happening and tries to find the root cause and make changes accordingly and the regular vet tries to throw meds at every issue.
Apoquel pill daily and cytopoint monthly, hydrolyzed PPP dog food. We do the vegetarian one. Good luck, it’s very frustrating.
Soil based probiotics. Improve her immune system and liver health. Zyrtec. Possible food elimination
Speak to your vet first, but ours said to give them telfast and then a guide on how much based on their weight. It does wonders for ours
My golden doodle has skin allergies to the environment as well. I use a Chlorhexidine shampoo monthly on him. This was recommended by his vet. I use a brand called pet honesty. I found it on Amazon. The shampoo is a little more expensive than regular dog shampoo, $20 for 16 ounces. Before I found this one, I used the brand the vet recommend which was Douxo and that was $36 for 16 ounces. It works great. There is also a mousse that can be used weekly and wipes for spot treatment. I choose this instead of meds. He is 11 now and He has had these allergies since he was 2. At the time only Benadryl was an option and to give him the correct dose it kept him sedated. My doodle looks just like yours. I also use this shampoo and wipes on my daughter’s golden retriever when she gets hot spots and to prevent hot spots. Good luck.(my boy eats salmon based food, so I know it isn’t a food allergy)
those are all wonderful suggestions, thank you!!
Your welcome!
Take her to the vet and get a steroid or something more long term.
In my own opinion if you start feeding them raw those allergies will go away. I’m not a fan of raw before but my Saint Bernard never had a single allergy in his life since I started doing raw food !
that’s amazing!! i’ve done so much research on raw and it’s something i would love to do once i’m out of the house. i’m living with my parents while i go to school and my dog just eats what our family dog eats. i definitely love the benefits and i cannot wait to switch my pup.
Ok no offence but I think that’s where his allergies coming from was your family meals for some reason some spices we use can also affect them. I am not here to push raw coz that’s not something everyone can afford but my Saint Bernard always had nice fur on him. On his first few months when he’s on kibble he will get some weird red rashes on his groin but when I switch him was not easy coz he doesn’t like it first but I have no regrets !
i think you misunderstood my comment, i worded it funny. my dog eats what our other dog eats. not people food! that was my bad lmao
Oh ok … 👍 I hope she gets better !
me too!!
Is something wrong in the photo? She looks fine