# What chews and treats for an allergic dog?



## msminnamouse (Jul 14, 2008)

Ginger, my standard poodle, is on an allergen diet. It's a fish and potato diet. Those are her sole sources of protein and carbohydrates (besides her joint supplements) and it's made a huge difference. She barely itches anymore. This is kibble and canned by the way, so she's getting the nutrition she needs.

But she loves rawhide and her teeth are beautiful because of it (and daily brushing), which means that I love that she loves it but she can't have beef because of her allergies. So what can I give her to chew on? I already know about sweet potato "rawhide" but can't figure out anything else. Meat jerky wouldn't work as a "chew" because it would only last at the most a minute. She can't have natural bones (like a leg bone for example) because she always vomits when she eats them and she also breaks off shards. And she doesn't gulp rawhide, by the way, so I feel that it's safe for her.

I've tried looking for kangaroo, fish, ostrich, lamb, and other kinds of rawhide and tendons but nobody makes any. I was able to find ONE sole source of kangaroo rawhide but they can't ship to the USA. 

Another thing that bothers me is that she's lost a little bit of weight because she hasn't been able to have all the treats that she used to. She had two whole huge cabinets of treats but can't eat them because of her allergies. She can't have the grain, milk or meat in them. I used to bake for her too but she can't have that anymore either. I can't figure out how to make treats w/o milk or flour.

Just a note: Her loss of weight is in fact due to the lack of treats. She just went to the vet a couple of weeks ago and checked out fine.

So I've been giving her baby carrots, pieces of clementines and things like that but it's not the same. All she can basically have is fruits and veggies. And fish and potatoes is any if around. 

So does anyone have any chews and treats product recommendations? The only real dog treat that she's getting right now is a Science Diet biscuit. 

Please keep in mind that she can't have chicken or beef, and probably can't have turkey and buffalo as well. I'd rather not give her pork. She can't have grains or dairy products, like cheese. And she doesn't eat raw meat.

Thanks for any help.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Have you been to this site? I haven't shopped there but have read it has good stuff. There are lamb, kangaroo and several types of fish treats and I didn't look at everything.
http://http://www.bestbullysticks.com/

I have shopped at sitstay quite a few times, they seem to have stuff I want I guess. All has always been fine. Happy customer and good stuff. They have lamb pizzle sticks and ostrich tendons! Anyway, more shopping.
http://www.sitstay.com/dog/supplies/servlet/HomePageView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001


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## msminnamouse (Jul 14, 2008)

Yes, I've found bestbullysticks and was disappointed they didn't have rawhide. They had so many other things!! I have to look through their treats, I looked through all of their chews already. 

I don't think I'm going to be ordering any... pizzles... You know what those are, right?

I'm all for _quality_ by-products like intestinal lining and cartilage for easily absorbed glucosamine and chondroitin but pizzles just don't sound like something I'd like to give Ginger. Or even look at!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

I was interested to see that lamb pizzle, really would be good for companies to use any 'pizzles' for dog treats as many people think they are really good treats. Stinky but long lasting and dogs like them. My dogs adore them, haven't had any for ages though. I think ears, hooves and tracheas are creepier to feed myself. And Max's raw chicken feet, eeeew.


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## deege39 (Dec 29, 2008)

My Donatello currently chews on a hoof, and the leg of a lamb- Minus the joint. Those two "bones" have lasted the longest. I was going through bone after bone, he'd splinter everything he got his mouth on and would choke/gag himself, so I called it quits. But the hoof and the leg of a lamb he's had for two months.

Every couple weeks or so he gets a rawhide wrap thing that lasts him a few days... Everyone saws that rawhide is bad for your dog, but I make sure it's not a part of his everyday diet, and he's been fine thus far.

Donatello is allergic to corn, anything corn, so his treats are corn free as well. I just read the label on anything I look forward to buying him, if it has anything corn in it I put it back.


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## Zora (May 1, 2008)

In my opinion, rawhide is not that good of a treat... It's not digestible, there samonelle problems associated and it is not good for teeth. My dog has allergies and is on a special diet, but i still give her bullystcks, and she's fine with them, in fact she loves them. Of course it depends what your dog is allegic to, if your dog is allergic to beef it might not be the best choice. 

If your uncomfortable bullystick, how about bones they're great for teeth and cheap, if you have a good butcher


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## msminnamouse (Jul 14, 2008)

Rawhide *is* digestible. Companies say that it's not just so you'll buy their special non-rawhide products. You can't believe everything that you hear.

Rawhide is just dried skin. The hide of a cow is separated into two layers. The outer layer is tough and is used for leather. The inner layer is softer and more tender and that's what rawhide is. 

If your dog doesn't chew and/or swallows chunks, then rawhide is not a good choice. Ginger chews everything carefully and doesn't gulp stuff down so rawhide is safe for her. Also, what doesn't have a chance of salmonella associated with it? Even things as healthy as fresh veggies and nuts are being recalled recently. I only bought rawhide that was from the USA or Brazil. 

It looks like the closest thing I can find is the ostrich tendons, thanks for recommending them. I'm going to be ordering some. I think I'm also going to try to locate a source of fresh venison, goat, lamb, kangaroo and other "exotic" hides so I can try my hand at making her rawhide. I'm surprised they don't make it from any other animal.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

Just want to chime in on the treats here. I believe Natural Balance makes some treats for allergic dogs. They have a list of them here, including a fish and sweet potato one, but also things like duck and venison. http://www.naturalbalance.net/dogformulas/treats.html

Wellness has venison treats, as well as venison & salmon treats... they are grain-free jerky. http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog_wellness_treats_pure_rewards.html

Also check out Grizzly Salmon Nutreats. The ingredients are: wild salmon, naturally hydrolized salmon protein, salmon bone powder, salmon oil, smoked wild salmon, alfafa powder, procin gelatin, deep sea kelp, mixed natural tocopherols, rosemary extract. They are WONDERFUL treats, most dogs will go absolutely nuts for them and the ingredients are great. http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Grizzly-Salmon-NuTreats/117006.aspx

I don't know if you can get Fish4Dogs, it's a really popular brand around here. http://www.fish4dogs.com/c/Dog_Treats.htm

Do you know what she's allergic to, or do you just know she thrives on fish and potato?


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## msminnamouse (Jul 14, 2008)

> Do you know what she's allergic to, or do you just know she thrives on fish and potato?


I'm pretty sure it's chicken since that was the protein in her food. But I'm not positive. She's stopped licking her paws around 99% so she's not itchy anymore. 

Vets recommend at least a few months on an allergen free diet but she's showing such a vast improvement so quickly that I'm now trying cheese. So I'm going to be giving her cheese a few times a day for this week and keep an eye on itchiness. If no itchiness develops, then cheese passes. So basically I'm going to be trying things like this. She's fine on veggies and fruits but it's dairy, grains and meat that have to be tested. 

By the way, thanks for those links! She's had some of those salmon things before and loved them. My parents brought them back from their Alaskan cruise for her.


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