Anyone ever use brewer's yeast? can't find info that steers me one way or the other. I've heard it's bad (left over from beer brewers) and heard it is good. Can anyone help? I'm asking b/c we have a 1.5 yo 86lb male GSD w/ horrible allergies. I feed BARF, with minimal supplements. I have tried everything, but he still needs steriod injection every 4-8 weeks. Just trying to help my big boy out.

Do you know what your dog is allergic to? Yeast can provide a decent protein source in addition to many B vitamins that are abundant. Yeast glycosylate proteins differently than either plants or animals. These differences could be problematic if the animal is already prone to food allergies.

I used brewers yeast for awhile and then stopped. Most everything I have heard about it is negative and many dogs can be allergic to it.

How long have you been feeding your dog BARF? Steriods will help in the short term but will only keep the cycle going. In fact they often help the 'disease' or problems to go deeper. As well, when initally changing your dogs diet you may actually see the symptoms get worse before better as the body is trying to detoxify itself. If you have been using steriods for long....it has a lot of detoxing to do.

You might also want to look at your meat sources. First eliminate the beef. Some dogs are allergic to it thanks to vaccines.

And that is another point. YOur dog should be getting ANY vaccines if you are having such a problem with allergies. THey are ONLY to be given to healthy animals.

Homeoapthy may also be a good choice. It has done wonders with some dogs and allergies. I have a dog that has had an ear infection for over 3 yrs. I finally went to homeopathy with her and finally they are better. However, it took over a year of homeopathy!!! Allergies are often not a quick fix.

Another thing you might want to do is add some pancreatic support (enzymes) to your dogs diet. In a book I have on allergies this can help a lot. (will help the dog get more out of its 'healthy' food...and thus boost the immune system). There is another product that can be very helpful at boosting the immune system but I don't know the name off hand. (have it at home).

I have a dog who has many allergies. She eats raw-and the allergies are much improved, but they will never go away.
I had allergies (very bad) as a kid. I got a good diet, and some fancy injections on a regular basis (I never appreciated these). I have them still-better now with exercise and such. When I drink beer, a yeast product, bad things can still happen. I do have a point, I'm getting there...
Anyhow, your subject is brewers yeast. Bakers (and their partners) will tell you they wash thoroughly before going home. If your dog is eating yeast in his food, it's in his mouth. Dogs, well, you know, they apply their tongues to their parts. I avoid yeast in their food. Dogs can get the crud too.
Sometimes, allergies are just not "curable", but merely "manageable". On the few occasions my bitch has become intolerable with the chewing and itching, I just ace her at bedtime. (I define "intolerable" as giving herself granulomas, btw) I have also given her regular human antihistimines(sp?). I think some allergic reactions become a neurosis developing from a habit, like ex-smokers that have to keep moving their fingers, even to where they get bloody hangnails.
That said, I don't know anything! I wish you luck with your boy and his allergies-it sucks to have them for sure!