Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello. I have a Shih Tzu with various allergies. She has had a wonderful specialist for 8 years. She is doing great. I have to give her a shot weekly with her allergy serum and she takes Hydroxyzine. She eats Natural Balance Limited Ingredients Venison food, canned. She does great with that. She reacts to chicken and beef, grains also. We give her fresh lamb with her food sometimes. She does great with lamb and salmon as well as venison. I give her some apple, carrots, sweet potato and banana for treats.

She gets break outs on her back, bacteria. Her specialist puts her on antibiotics. That is fine, but I am hoping to build her immune system to have this less often. She has this several times a year.

She is nine and a half years old. I am also interested in helping her to be very healthy for years to come.

My regular vet. sells antioxdents and fish oil/Vit.E caps. I bought both. Is there anything else we can do for her?

I have heard that Maitake D Mushroom drops are excellent for dogs. I take them daily for my immune system. Just wanting to see if that would be good for her and the dose she would need.

Thank you. Sally
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Sally & Trudy

If she is allergic to chicken and beef, I would suggest a homemade diet of lamb and lamb bones, fish oil, and a probiotic. For the allergies, and to strengthen her immune system, you might want to supplement her with Butterbur and colostrum.
The reason for the homemade diet is to be sure that there are no foreign antigens that might trigger her allergies. If you read the list of ingredients on the dog food package, you will find much more listed than simply lamb. The manufacturer can change the ingredients, the food is manufactured on the same machinery as other varieties, and each of the individual ingredients may have several unlisted components. If lamb is too expensive, and the dog has never shown a reaction to pork, you might try that meat, but only give it cooked.
In any case, your dog should not get any more vaccinations.

Thank you. Can you tell me more about Butterbur? I have heard it is good to prevent migraines. Also, please tell me about colostrum.

I did cook lamb, or salmon and veggies for her when the worse of the food recalls were happening. I added cruched egg shell, I was under the impression that was better than bonemeal. I was always worried about balance and enough vitamin and minerals.

It seemed to me that after she was back on her Nat. Balance, she had more energy. That is why I haven't cooked for her again. We do cook, but not that alone. I DO agree with your simple meat and bones for them, but it is a bit scary, I just have to get used to it again. I also know it is awful to rely on food companies to give them what they need and no extra stuff they do not need.

Is there a problem with dogs breaking teeth with bones? I have always had a fear of that after hearing from people about it. I know they come from wolves and they ate bones but I am not sure it is ok for my little dog and she is 9 1/2. I don't want a tooth to break.

You suggested she should not get more vaccinations. No more kennel cough either? I groom her at home and she is never boarded, but going to the vet, etc. I don't want her to get sick.

I do need to continue the allergy serum I give her and the Hydroxyzone, correct? She has done great on them. Before that, her symptoms were awful.

Can she still take the antioxident tablets and the fish oil/vit E capsules that we just bought for her?

Also, since heartworms are a big threat in the south, she should continue her Interceptor?

I wish I could find a holistic vet here. No luck so far. I thank you so much for your help. We want our little dog to live the longest and healthiest life possible.

One more thing. I have had two dogs years ago die of kidney failure. I gave sub Q fluid and they did ok for a while.

Is there ANYTHING we can do to prevent this? I was HOPING that canned food and fresh meat was helpful, lots of moisture. Please let me know how to keep her kidneys healthy.

Thank you so much. Sally

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Sally & Trudy

Butterbur is a good anti-allergen. Colostrum provides antibodies and works as an immune stimulant.
Dogs have broken teeth chewing on very dense bones. Most dogs lose interest in them once they have gotten the marrow out and pulled off all the soft tissue, but some are more persistent.
Vaccinations throw off the immune system and can lead to allergies, so it is better to avoid them. Besides, the kennel cough vaccine doesn't prevent kennel cough.
If needed, continue the allergy serum and hydroxyzine, but the only way to know if they are still needed is to try to wean the dog off of them.
Antioxidants, fish oil and vitamin E are certainly good.
Continue with heartworm preventative.
The best way to prevent kidney failure is with a good diet, avoiding kidney toxins, and to regularly feed some raw beef kidney or give Standard Process Renotrophin PMG.

Can you give me some dosages for the Butterbur and Colostrum for a 13 pound Shih Tzu?

I wonder why we are told to get the Kennel Cough vaccine? I thought it prevented at least some of the respiratory diseases.

What is Standard Process Renotrophin PMG. How much should I give?

Also, if Trudy is highly allergic to beef, I guess the kidney can't be given to her. Any lamb products I can use instead?

You mentioned not giving kidney toxins. You mean grapes, nuts, onions?

Are canned and fresh foods with lots of moisture like fresh meat good for the kidneys?

Thank you very much. I really appreciate your advice.
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Sally & Trudy

Butterbur and colostrum can be given at 1/2 capsule of each twice a day.
Give Renotropin PMG at 1 tablet twice a day.
If Your dog has allergies to beef, use lamb kidneys.
Grapes and raisins, and antifreeze, may harm the kidneys. Nuts do not.
Moisture is needed for proper kidney function, so she should get more water, not less.

Thank you so much. I know fresh lamb is best but when we don't have that, do you like AvoDerm Canned Lamb food? Here are the ingredients. I wish the rice was not there. I have heard a lot of dogs with allergies do well with it.

Lamb Broth, Lamb, Lamb Liver, Rice, Dried Egg Product, Peas, Carrots, Potatoes, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed, Guar Gum, Blueberries, Cranberries, Dried Kelp, Lecithin, Avocado Meal, Avocado Oil, Salt, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Potassium Chloride, Carrageenan, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride.
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Sally & Trudy

She doesn't need lamb; she just needs to avoid chicken and beef if she has allergies to them. I would prefer a dog food with less ingredients. You might try giving her cooked pork and seeing how she does with that. Do not feed her raw pork, including pork kidneys. In her case, use raw lamb kidneys or Renotrophin PMG.