I have had to tighten the financial belt lately, which has meant I have had to buy a complete food that they are all doing ok on, (the raw source I had has dried up, plus I no longer have the indoor space or the out buildings at the teeny new house for an overflow freezer) but Kaiser is seemingly allergic to the gluten in the feed, his ears flare up every now and then, and get hot, which makes him scratch, and to exacerbate the problem, Sugar likes to groom him from top to toe, paying special attention to his ears!

I am looking at Burns or James wellbeloved specifically because they are gluten free, and only for Kaiser because it is mighty expensive, but in the meantime I wondered about the benefits of either probiotics or a live yoghurt, I know these are often used for digestive disorders, but I read on google about them also being used for yeast allergies of the skin and wondered if anyone has any suggestions.

I would dearly love them to have raw again for obvious reasons, but money is tight at the moment, so I have to be realistic.

I have had him at the vet today and they said there is no infection present.

Thanks

Kaiser is seemingly allergic to the gluten in the feed, his ears flare up every now and then, and get hot, which makes him scratch, and to exacerbate the problem, Sugar likes to groom him from top to toe, paying special attention to his ears!

You know that a "now and then" flare-up points away from a food that the dog is eating every day, right?

Gluten-free dog food is a good idea, though, IMO, and fairly easy to find (there are many).

I would not allow the other dog to introduce moisture to the dog's ears.


... in the meantime I wondered about the benefits of either probiotics or a live yoghurt, I know these are often used for digestive disorders, but I read on google about them also being used for yeast allergies of the skin and wondered if anyone has any suggestions.

You know that the living cultures in yogurt ARE probiotics, right? So you mean powdered probiotics as opposed to the probiotics in a yogurt-type food?

IMO, most dogs tolerate fermented dairy well (such as yogurt and kefir). (Fresh milk products are different.) I think that unsweetened, unflavored, live-culture (with many strains) yogurt is good food for dogs and is a good way add benefits to a kibble food.

With my allergic dog, I stir powdered probiotics into the good plain yogurt (such as Nancy's or Cascade, because both have several strains and many "bugs" of each strain).

Jarrow is one of the brands that ConsumerLab found was not guilty of false content claims. (MANY were found to be short on what they claimed to contain.) At the top of the test results I read were Jarrow Formulas Jarro-Dophilus, Advocare Probiotic Restore, and GNC Nature Brand Best Super Acidophilus.

Nature’s Secret Ultimate Probiotics, OTOH, tested at about 13% of what they claimed. And many others were similarly deceptive.

Even though some of them blamed storage time and claimed that "at time of manufacture" they did contain what they claimed .... who cares? I don't. I want to know what they contain when I buy them.

I start probiotics slowly and gradually because some individuals do seem to react with gas if they are introduced suddenly.

All JMO!

Yes sorry, I did mean powder probiotic! I will have a look at the certificate of analysis on the site of the company we use for supps and see what the specs are, I may put a link to it her tomorrow if you wouldn't mind giving it the once over??

I am riding Sugar's arse over the licking, she does it to the pointers too, but not as much as she does big boy, she sneaks it in if I am cooking or upstairs, but I am on it.

I will get some decent live yoghurt tomorrow and start him on that while deciding on the probiotic powder, I have read about the benefits of pre and probiotics being diminished in dry food because of the heating process, got some googling to do on that.

Thanks for the names you listed, will have a look at UK stockists for them.

" certificate of analysis on the site of the company we use for supps and see what the specs are ... "


As certified by an outside tester?

If it's a probiotic supplement, I won't know whether it lives up to its claims unless an outside party tests it.

I had never seen as big an industry-wide failure to live up to the label on any type of supplement in ConsumerLab tests before the probiotics article.

 Quote: tracey holden

I have read about the benefits of pre and probiotics being diminished in dry food because of the heating process ...

It's the probiotics that aren't going to make it through heat processes. (Prebiotics are mostly oligosaccharides and fermentable fiber.)

I read somewhere that Prozyme was a good inexpensive prebiotic. I don't have time right now to check that out, but I recall that the source was someone I thought was believable. (Pretty vague, I know .... )

I have used prozyme (enzyme supplement) before but a long time ago...when I used to puree veggies for my dog. The stuff worked, she gained weight and it helped her digest her food. I don't know if it would help with an allergy but can't hurt...just start slow.

Somebody mentioned probiotic helping yeast issues, yeast overgrowth...yep it does...as far as gluten intolerance it could help with the digestion therefore eliminating any bloating, gas discomfort...maybe the other allergic symptoms too I am not sure.

Probably a dumb question but any chance you are using different treats?

I have gluten intolerance (inability to digest) so I am on a grain free diet. Yesterday I ate a small sub homemade...only bread for months I felt like crap after eating it all day...today I have a headache and sinus drainage. I can relate to your dog! I am sure its a reaction to that. I'm going to go eat some plain yogurt.

Thanks Connie - I think I saw Prozyme on Amazon when I did a probiotic search, will check that out...

Hi Tresa

No to the treats, they don't get any thing other than tiny bits of dried liver for training purposes, the Boerboels do have a fairly noxious gas, but they had that particular cologne on occasion on raw and kibble, I put it down to them inhaling their food rather than chewing it! I have had to break the feeding down into two meals instead of one, and it has to be a couple of hours after exercise, bloat is my biggest bogey man...

Thank you both

" I think I saw Prozyme on Amazon when I did a probiotic search, will check that out..."



Prebiotic ..... I meant its prebiotic properties.


Ran across this last night, and was thinking that Prozyme sounded easier and cheaper than many choices.

http://www.petstyle.com/cats/health/health-benefits-prebiotics-and-probiotics-our-pets

So many excellent prebiotic food sources (for humans) don't really fit well into the diet of a dog in the desirable amounts, or are actually toxic to dogs. Of course there are safe manufactured ones, but again, as I recall (and I might be completely wrong), I think Prozyme is cheap and made of relatively simple components.

I should have added I take a human enzyme supplement when I eat indigestible stuff and it makes a huge difference digestively...I can't remember if it helps with the allergic/sinus stuff though. I would try the Prozyme anyway.

48 hours after eating that sub, my headache and sinus crap are gone. Amazing what bad food does.

Been frantically packing up trucks for a trade show so didn't get a look at the C of A file, but the raw probiotic we use in the blend is called Yea-Sac, ring any bells??

Had a quick chat with my Guvnor about it and he seemed to think this would help, I wouldn't have to pay for it so he doesn't have to 'sell' it to me as such, and while he is not bad as bosses go, he does have a tendency to be 'right' all the time and tbh I trust your judgement more