Hello everyone, after numerous vet visits and lots of trial and error I have found out that my pup is allergic to chicken and turkey. I have fed him 75% Acana dry kibble and 25% raw food since he was brought home(7months old now). As through all of the information I have collected chicken seems to be a pretty large portion of raw feeding. Thus far I have fed goat, duck, beef, bison, raw meaty bones from each animal, and a few other meats that I can't seem to think of right now. So how can I feed a complete diet all while excluding chicken? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Aric.

Hi, Aric,

(1) What test(s) indicated allergies to turkey and chicken? Blood tests, or a strict elimination diet?

This is a crucial question before moving forward, because there are so many people still relying on tests that are now known to be unreliable and loaded with false positives.

Was the testing done with a derm vet or allergy specialist, or a GP vet?


(2) It's not easy to feed a homemade raw diet without poultry or rabbit. This is because so many readily available meats don't have many (if any) digestible bones.

It can be done, such as by using THK with raw add-ins or by supplementing the appropriate calcium. HOWEVER, a growing pup isn't a dog I would experiment with. There is very little wiggle room as far as calcium goes (both the total calcium and the calcium-phosphorus ratio) when you're feeding a growing pup whose bones and teeth are developing.



This is what a balanced raw diet needs to look like: http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=32656&page=1#366439

You can see how crucial those RMBs are.



How do you feel about using a commercial ALS raw diet (one that comes with an ingredient list and guaranteed analysis) made from something other than turkey or chicken?


All these comments in (2) presuppose that the allergy findings are legitimate. Have you read any of the threads here about food allergies? Was there a food trial done (also called an elimination diet)? If not, please note that:

QUOTE:
"There is no evidence that blood tests are accurate for the diagnosis of food allergies. Veterinary dermatologists insist that there is no merit in these tests whatsoever in the diagnosis of food allergies. The only way to accurately diagnose food allergies is with a food trial as detailed above. While the intradermal skin testing is excellent for diagnosing atopy (inhalant allergies) it is ineffective for food allergies. While specialized blood tests can be used to help in the diagnosis of atopy, they have no benefit in diagnosing food allergies. In our review of all the current books and articles on veterinary dermatology and allergies, we could not find a single dermatologist that endorsed anything other than the food trial as an effective diagnostic aid. If you want to diagnose and treat food allergies you must do a food trial."

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2111&aid=143

(This information is repeated on every authoritative vet site and in the small animal derm books.)

Duck is on your list of tolerated foods.

If you are truly unable to feed chicken or turkey (I have the same questions and doubts as Connie) duck remains an option. Duck necks are widely available and cheap.

Rabbit would be another choice, but expensive. (Quail? Goose? Squab? Lamb?)

A large dog can consume pork necks and some ribs as RMB. Some mutton and goat bones would also do. There are no consumable bones to speak of in beef or bison.

To do this long term, you need to figure out what your sources if RMB will be and build the diet from that. Chicken and turkey are common for most raw feeders because they meet the criteria of being entirely consumable by most dogs, they are widely available, and it's cheap.

Also --are you looking to feed a total raw diet, or will you continue feeding 75% kibble? That does color this a bit.

 Quote: Tracy Collins

Also --are you looking to feed a total raw diet, or will you continue feeding 75% kibble? That does color this a bit.

Yep, was going to mention that you shouldn't feed kibble and raw together - even hours apart is dangerous.

We did an elimination diet, he cleared up quickly when the chicken was removed. However the last hot spot did not go away until after the turkey was removed from the diet. I have my doubts about the turkey as he was fine on it when he was younger, perhaps the hot spot just so happened to go away around the same time. I went to the gp vet. I do question her credibility with allergies as she seemed as uninformed as myself and kept referring to a book. I wish to fully convert him to raw.I have fed rabbit which he was fine on.

As far as I know dont food allergies also cause digestive upset? As his stools stayed consistent throughout the elimination process.

What were the symptoms that prompted the elimination diet? And when you removed chicken, the symptoms went away? Where there ever any digestion/poop issues, or something else, like itching?

During what time of year did you note the symptoms, and when did the symptoms go away? (I'm wondering about a seasonal atopy).

Sorry to be so full of questions. But I think you've found the right place for answers. Stick with us.

I appreciate the questions shows you all care enough to find out more.
The symptoms were itchy red ears and hot spots. Yes when chicken was removed within 72 hours ears looked better, less itching. two of three hot spots went away, then vet recommended removing turkey, I obliged however 24 hours after removal of turkey third hot spot started to go away rapidly. Perhaps it had nothing to do with the turkey being removed. the symptoms first occured in December and went away quickly after chicken was removed.

Up until december he was being fed other sources of raw, rabbit, duck, turkey ect and was doing great