Hello
I am a new member to 'champdogs'...by default I am now the proud owner of a 4 yr old Border Terrier, a sweet a dog you couldn't wish for. I have for many years always had rescue dogs, which by and large tend to be mixed breeds. This little dog has the most awful tummy skin condition... plus he smells of what I thought was yeast but it isn't quite that sort of smell? It is distressing to him and me frankly. After many many visits and skin tests done by my vet, we know he has an allergy (hate that word!!) to chicken, beef and corn..as a result he is on  Hills Prescription dried food and Z/D tinned food. Nothing seems to work, Ive tried Meen Oil, every known sensitive skin oils and medicines and shampoos available, again without success. He was put on steroids which I do not really like, that wasn't having any effect either, so I stopped giving before he had any side effects. Help..has anyone else had such a difficult case?

You may find that the food is the problem.  Although the chicken in z/d is hydrolyzed and in theory shouldn't aggravate an allergy, I have known it happen in a particularly sensitive dog.

You'd be better off either trying him on food that doesn't have any of his triggers in it, or switching him onto raw feeding so you can completely control what he has.  That would be my preference, especially as chicken is found in so many foods (often as poultry fat rather than actual meat, and that's enough to set my allergics off).

I would suggest the raw feeding too. It is well known that a natural raw diet can help remedy various allergies, smelly dogs, teeth and gum problems, over excited dogs and temperaments too.
As mentioned, you will be in total control of what is in his diet, and know exactly what you have given him.
Variety is essential, and include raw bones and various offal types too.

Do some research into feeding a raw diet, it is very easy and NOT a problem as some like to make it, change over can be quiet quick.

Have a look at "Natures Menu" frozen meats and complete meals, their Country Hunter products are very good. (all clean and no blood)

Prescription diets are frequently loaded with cheap fillers many of which can cause allergies themselves. And many of the products that are suggested by our vets, you can be sure they are selling  themselves too !

Some little books that are easy reading and easy to understand may help you. Look on Amazon for "Honeys Natural Feeding for Dogs" and "Works Wonders" by Tom Lonsdale. Used books are like new, sometimes from 1p each

We have several (unrelated, and with different owners) border terriers on the books at work who are very allergic dogs. They've all been blood tested for allergies with different results. One owner tried the personalisedallergy vaccine but it made no difference. After several years of trying different diets, different meds, boots and daily washing to remove pollens all the dogs that have been tried with Apoquel have shown a marked improvement. If you haven't tried that yet I would certainly give it a go.

Grain (gluten) free biscuits and grain (gluten) free dog or cat food, depending on what your dog prefers, and only grain free treats! My Westy had a very bad skin condition for years, recently I decided enough was enough and put her on a strict grain free diet, her skin improved after three days and after a week she was cured!!!! Avoid red meats also, they don't help skin conditions!!
There are several Grain Free pet foods available. These foods are very cheap compared to vets bills, drugs and shampoos etc.
Remember grain (gluten) is in every dog/cat food unless specified GRAIN FREE!
Regards
Karl Prust

while grain free  food is better for dogs I wish allergies were as easy as just feeding a grain free food and avoiding red meat  . Many allergies are more than just food if u are to find which food it is but its often environmental as well .I am pleased it worked for your dog though

Furriefriends is absolutely right. It is extremely rarely as simple as cutting out grain and red meat.

A lot of people's dogs have found relief with Stinky Stuff- this is neem based which you've tried but I would still say worth a go.

Food wise it is indeed best to avoid grain, poultry and beef.

Trying raw would certainly be an idea. Ideally a novel protein then introducing other proteins later on.

Might be worth contacting a company such as nutriment and/or Millie's wolfheart for advice.

You could also see an holistic vet.

I would also be wiping the dog's tummy and legs down after a walk with warm water. Allergies were explained to me as kind of 'building blocks', so the dog can be a little intolerant to something but symptoms don't show until something else puts them over that threshold. So I would recommend helping with environmental allergens by wiping down after walks.

You might try using one of the commercially made fish and potato diets?   Or make this up yourself using coley and mashed potato.   Commercially made food (Arden Grange do one called Sensitive) does contain all the extras yur dog might benefit from however.   If you go raw, please make sure you feed a properly balanced diet - which is why for the most part, I've never gone down that road.  I just don't feel confident enough to know I'm giving all that's needed.

Hi, we have a 22 month old male border terrier who has an extremely sensitive tummy - we have discovered through trial and error that he is intolerant to grains. We buy natures menu free flow mince and their fruit and vegetable chunks. Make meals up using a mix of these two as well as chicken wings which he loves. We had a westie before the border, he had bad skin on and between his paws, licked them till he was raw. We discovered a product called Dermacton which you can buy on line, all natural products, they do a shampoo bar and a cream to rub on. Used this on our Westie, great product, cleared his skin up in a matter of days, the jar of cream lasted years, any time he had a flare up I just used it again for a week and he was sorted. Even our vet asked to see the product because he was so impressed with our dogs improvement. Might be worth a try for your border - good luck.

Hi please have a look at www.holisticremediesuk.co.uk
Hair sameple £35 then they send you a list of things that's going to be allergic to.
Great price and worth a shot.
My old boy has suffered for a few years until I found out about these.
Good luck.

Careful with the hair tests although it's cheap I have known two samples.from the same dog to get different answered at the same time
With my own the results were ridiculous amd turned out to be false when we finally sorted out what were.the problem substances