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mdkel

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Hey guys, anyone else using Alpha Spirit dry dog food??

I'm trying it with zappa, my 7 month pup, for now everything's fine, but it seems the little guy is getting very ithcy and is shedding a lot... any thoughts??
 
Alpha Spirit dry dog food is a good brand but for my old dog he had sensitive skin so we used the royal canin dog food for sensitive skin.... But if your really worried I would go to the vet
 
I understand Alpha Spirit has no grain; grain being a common problem with itching. Has the vet taken any skin scrapes?
 
Skin scrapes?? no. vet's here are very very rudimentar. no skin grapes, no fecal analysis, no dna testing, no immune tests, nothing. simple blood analysis , palpation, and clinic history, nothing more, and they know almost nothing of doog foods :(
it's very hard to have a super healthy dog here, vet's know very little.
 
mdkel said:
Skin scrapes?? no. vet's here are very very rudimentar. no skin grapes, no fecal analysis, no dna testing, no immune tests, nothing. simple blood analysis , palpation, and clinic history, nothing more, and they know almost nothing of doog foods :(
it's very hard to have a super healthy dog here, vet's know very little.
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I worked as a vet and they should do a skin scrape, and a faecal analysis if they don't I would demand one because it could be worse than just some ichy skin...
 
Sorry, I didn't remember where you are from. A skin scrape shows the presence /concentration of mites that may be causing the irritation but that's just for info, if your vet hasn't done this or can't do it, it's academic anyway. There are a number of things you could use to ease the irritation but without knowing the cause, you won't get to the root of the issue. Are there any other signs? Is the shedding all over or in patches?

Of course it could still be food related if you have only just changed over; it could take a few weeks to rid his system of allergens.
 
Maybe this just isn’t the right food for him yet? But like @JoanneF said he’s not been on it long.

Sorry you’re going through this with Zappa it must be very frustrating!
 
he did
JoanneF said:
Sorry, I didn't remember where you are from. A skin scrape shows the presence /concentration of mites that may be causing the irritation but that's just for info, if your vet hasn't done this or can't do it, it's academic anyway. There are a number of things you could use to ease the irritation but without knowing the cause, you won't get to the root of the issue. Are there any other signs? Is the shedding all over or in patches?

Of course it could still be food related if you have only just changed over; it could take a few weeks to rid his system of allergens.
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first of all, thanks :) he has no patches, just shedding all over, beautiful "hair" though, but no sign of getting bald patches.
As for the itchiness, it's weird. it's not always on the same spot, no marks, no red spots, no nothing. he's playing,, and suddenlyy stops to chew his paw, or to scratch himself a little in "distress". this happenned before and then stopped, now he's at it again. oh, and he tries to byte one of his front paw pads, the one further back that almost doesnt touch the ground, not ON his feet, a little above it.

Josie, thanks, once again. I do not know if it is "the food", I just started giving it to him, 80grper day (transitioning still). but maybe it is.... damn, this is being difficult :D

Maybe I'm being too careful?
 
Until you have been using the food for a few weeks you won't know if it's helping or not. You could try massaging some coconut oil into his skin. This has many advantages. It strengthens your bond, soothes his skin, is harmless or even beneficial if he licks it, it moisturises your hands and it smells gorgeous!
 
ok, I'm going to try it. as for the biting himslef/chewing, any ideas?
 
You could ask your vet for something to relieve the itching until you think the new food will take effect, then it would be a case of stopping the anti itch to see if it HAD been food related. But if he starts itching again you would be back to square one until you find the cause. If it is allergy related an antihistamine would help; so if he still itched while giving that you could rule out allergies. Although I'm not crazy about medicating 'just to see' like that. I would use the coconut oil for a few days first to see if it helps, keep him on grain free for at least 8 weeks, and then if he still itches look at other causes not related to grain, like demodex mites (skin scrape) or other allergens.
 
hmmm....
ok, I'll start with the oil firstt and se from there, he has a lot of white little things , like dandruff on his hair, maybe that's why he itches?

Oh, another question, how do I dog proof my plants? this little guy loves to chew on dirt from plants lol
 
For outdoor plants, I would fence them off, fence him off, or use a harness and lead. For indoor plants, lift them high! Sorry if that sounds like oversimplifying it, but some plants are toxic to dogs so I wouldn't take chances. Puppies explore with their mouths so he will outgrow it.
 
Hey Josie.

Sorry from not being here more often (looking for work, etc).

Zappa is doing great (for now :p). He just got neuttered (8 days ago) , and is recovering very well and very fast. Te little guy is very very pain resistant haha

I had a bump with alpha spirit (one of the bags came with some weird little strings inside the food), but they were great and immediatly sent me a new, bigger, bag, and sent my bag to a laboratory. Very good Firm.

Zappa's being his normal self :D always playing and running (should've called him bolt or something haha).

For now I'm having a little problem with him, as he picks up a lot of stuff from the ground (yuck!!) and from my plants too (I'm still trying to figure out how to isolate the plants dirt from him hehe).
 
Thanks for your reply @mdkel and no need to apologise! :)

Glad he's doing well though. Don't forget to send us photo's when you can! :D

Ah yes, everything is a potential edible source phase!
 
Josie, when will the "potential edible source phase" stop?? :D :D :D any idea? how was it with your buddy??
 
Oh it was a long long time ago @mdkel as he’s 10 now!!

I think we used distraction techniques.

My next door neighbor has a Labrador puppy who chews and she uses chilli flakes to stop him (she did try mustard but he likes that) maybe a little taste of that my son stop him!
 
Well I tryed Lemon juice, peppers, and vinegar. He doesn't like it, but he chews with an ugly face anyway :D :D
 
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