I have a black Scottie,he scratches his back constantly, Could he be alergic to wheat in his food? If so what?

Question

I would like to know some of tje product names, that are wheat free.

Answer 1

before switching foods there are a few things I would try. First I would check for fleas, mites, etc. and treat the dog if I found anything. Next I would give the dog a bath with a good pet shampoo. While he is drying from the bath, wash his bedding. Something there might be causing his itching. If all that fails, it could be a food allergy. If it is a food allergy, he could be allergic to any of the ingredients in his food. The first three ingredients I would avoid in his food are corn, soy and wheat. I don't know what brands are available in your area so I would send you to a feed store or a pet store and have you read the ingredients on the bags. One last thing I always recommend is not going to Petsmart or any of the big chains. Go to a locally owned independent store. Support local merchants.
One additional thought- If everything else fails, the vet could give the dog a steroid shot to relieve the itching. This would be a one time thing to relieve the symptoms so he will stop scratching while things heal.

Answer 2

My dog is allergic to corn. I go to the local feed shop, where they have horse supplies and stuff. Thats where I find the best foods. I buy a big bag to save a couple bucks. Just go shopping, anywhere but the grocery store. All that grocery store stuff is garbage. Corn and wheat are the cheapest fillers, so guess what's in those cheap dog foods?

Answer 3

He could be having a reaction to lots of things not just wheat. You might consider taking him to the Vet for evaluation, and see if that isn't a bacteria growing on the skin. My female pug has that now, and has special vet prescribed medicine for bathing her. She is getting better and better now and it is a huge change. I made the mistake of buying several different types of dog anti-itch stuff over several months...All that did was create more itching, and redness, and cost me lots of money for what didn't work. Good Luck I am sure your dog is just miserable.

Answer 4

It could have fleas, or it could have allergies....to food or environmental things. You should see your VET and they can help you figure it out!!!!!

For food allergies, it is not always wheat. It can be the protein or any grains. See your vet!!!

Answer 5

Low-quality foods have many ingredients that can be possible allergens to dogs (wheat, corn, dyes, preservatives, etc.).

Some dogs can even be allergic to certain meats, which are found in both high and low quality foods.

If you suspect your dog has allergies, a couple foods that are made for dogs with sensitive systems or allergies are:
* California Natural - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/california-natural.asp
* Wellness Simple - http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/dog_wellness_simple_food_solutions_index.html

And there are some foods that are entirely grain-free:
* EVO - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp
* Instinct - http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1465
* Orijen - http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/orijen/
* Solid Gold (select varieties) - http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
* Taste of the Wild - http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/
* Timberwolf Organics (select varieties) - http://timberwolforganics.com/
* Wellness Core - http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/dog_wellness_grain_index.html

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Read the ingredients on the food you buy. Go with a high quality dog food.

Here is my "short list" of rules when I am looking at dog ingredients:
1) When I chose a dog food, I chose one high meat content. I want to see preferably at least 2-3 out of the top 5 ingredients be meat or meat meal (first ingredient must be!).
2) I want to see higher quality grains, such as barley, brown rice, and oatmeal, instead of seeing wheat and corn. Or an alternative starch/carbohydrate such as potatoes or sweet potatoes.
3) I don't want to see any byproducts.
4) I don't want to see a lot of fillers.
5) I don't want to see preservatives that are believed to be carcinogens (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin).
6) I don't want to see artificial colorings such as the Red, Blue, and Yellow dyes.
7) I don't want to see added sugars (sugar, corn syrup).
8) I don't want to see mystery meats (meats identified only as "meat" or "poultry".)

Here is an article about byproducts:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=ingrd

And an article on what ingredients to avoid:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

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Some GOOD foods are :
* Artemis - http://www.artemiscompany.com/
* California Natural - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/california-natural.asp
* Canidae - http://www.canidae.com/
* Chicken Soup - http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/
* EVO - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp
* Fromm - http://www.frommfamily.com/
* Innova - http://www.naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp
* Merrick - http://www.merrickpetcare.com/
* Nature's Variety - http://www.naturesvariety.com/
* Orijen - http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/orijen/
* Solid Gold - http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
* Taste of the Wild - http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/
* Timberwolf Organics - http://timberwolforganics.com/
* Wellness - http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/

Or check this website for good foods: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
(I recommend only feeding foods rated 4, 5, or 6 stars. Anything 3 stars or less, I would stay away from.)

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Stay away from grocery stores brands. They are low-quality foods chalk full of fillers, preservatives, dyes, etc.. (Grocery store foods are those like Beneful, Old Roy, Alpo, Pedigree, etc.)

Beware "premium" foods. "Premium" does not mean good nutritionally, and is not a nutritionally high quality food. It has the same types of ingredients as grocery store foods, just a bit better quality of those not-so-good ingredients. (Premium foods are those like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc..)

Another thing to be wary of: A lot of vets will recommend what they sell in their office. They get profit from the brands they keep on their shelves, that's why they push it. Truth is, vet schools don't focus a lot on nutrition. It's not saying that a vet is a bad vet because he recommends those foods, a lot of vets just are told "this is good food", so they pass the message along without proper nutrition knowledge. Also, some dog food brands (like Hills) support vet schools, so vets have heard of it from the time they start college, which makes them think it's good as well.

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Higher quality food may seem more expensive at first, but it evens out. The higher quality the food, the less fillers eaten (and therefore the less poop comes out the other end). Your dog eats more to try to get the nutrition it needs, and most of the food just passes right on through. Also, it will make your animals healthier, so you save money on vet bills in the long run.

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"Big box" petstores like Petco and Petsmart rarely have quality foods. (I do believe that PetCo sells "Solid Gold" and "Natural Balance" brands and Petsmart sells "Blue Buffallo", which are all quality foods, but most of the foods aren't.)

Also, grocery stores and Walmart aren't good places to buy food either.

Your best bets for getting quality dog food are:
- small, locally owned petstores
- dog boutiques
- farm supply stores

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When switching foods, do it gradually. I do this over about a two week timespan:
25% food A, 75% food B
50% food A, 50% food B
75% food A, 25% food B
100% food A
.

Answer 6

probably the shampoo

take him to the vet

Answer 7

More likely he has fleas or something like that.