Hi Just wanted to post this message incase it might help someone else with itchy dogs.
I have posted here many times, regarding my two dogs with allergies. They were both allergy tested back in August, both came back positive to foods and environmental allergies.

After a change in diet, (new food one they had not eated before) they still itched, had to be put on steroids back in november.

My youngest still itched with the steroids, could not understand why, my vet  was puzzled, his only environmental allergy was for ash trees, so we thought in the winter months he would stop itching NOT so.

On wednesday I joined a new site, and came across a message saying that dogs with beef allergies should not be given glucosamine (as it has hidden beef in it) Barney has a major problem with beef and cows milk.

He is on Glucosamine/msm complex I contacted H&B by e.mail and telephone and got two conflicting answers, one said the source was crab shells, and it contained bovine (which is not mentioned on the label)
a source of beef. The reply by e.mail says it does not contain beef, That the Glucosamine/chondroitin contains beef, I am still waiting for this to be confirmed;;;

The only other medication Barney has been on for a long time is antihistamines I decided to phone the manufacturer, just to check that they did not contain  beef or cows milk, and low and behold, it contains lactose from cowsmilk;;;;

My Vet prescribed these , I went to see her today, and she was shocked that , they contained , the two things that Barney is highly allergic to.

I have learned a lesson trust NO one, call the manufacturer, regarding everything you are putting into your dogs mouths, I did not realise that medications had so many hidden ingredients that are not listed on the labels, so was my vet.
I am hoping and praying that this is the answer to Barney's continued itchy skin, only time will tell, the vet said it should take a month before we see any difference.

Does anyone know if giving a small amount of a IgE food ie  cow's milk in the form of lactose, over a long peroid of time would cause him to still itch.
Is thome still on the site, she helped me back in the summer, and was the one who suggested testing, and also informed me that gelatine capsules contained beef.
regards eleanor
p.s. does anyone know of a antihistamine that does not contain lactose ?

eleanor, just to say that you can now buy a vegetarian form of Glucosamine from www.Zipvit.co.uk  apparently the only form of Glucosamine available for vegetarians, priced at £5.95 for 90 caps, strength 750mg. Best wishes Sue x

Vegetarian?  I always understand it was derived from sea food.  I'm not allergic to sea food but the two occasions that I have taken Glucosamine I had to give up due to nausea.

Yes Isobel, Glucosamine is originally from the product of shellfish, but now has been developed for vegetarians from a corn based fermentation process, especially for vegetarians.  Sue

I'm having trouble navigating the Zipvit site I see it advertised and a product number but I cannot find it in the product desriptions I'm just concerned that their idea of vegetarian is "nowt that looks over a gate" rather than "nowt with a face on't" :)

Isabel
I have been to their Factory shop today and got their latest brochure, perhaps if you request their brochure it might be helpful. Must admit I cannot get my head around their website, but on page 5 of their booklet, it does state about Glucosamine for vegetarians and not being shellfished based. Any doubts e-mail them, Veronica is the owners name.  Sue :)

Vegetarian Glucosamine Sulphate - 750mg HCl - This exciting new product is a non animal derived Glucosamine, due to being sourced from a corn base that undergoes a special fermentation process, and is the only non-shellfish Glucosamine that is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Traditional Glucosamine is sulphate based and is bound by potassium slat (2KCl). The result is that per gram, only 60% is pure Glucosamine. The new vegetarian product is the Hydrochloride (HCl) form of Glucosamine and as a result contains more pure Glucosamine per gram than the 2KCl product. To be precise, the vegetarian Glucosamine HCl, per gram gives 83% pure Glucosamine and as an added bonus, the tablet size is smaller and therefore easier to swallow

Thanks very much, SashaKameo, I hope you didn't have to type all that out :)
I may well give that a go and see if I can tolerate it better, although I am slightly concerned that all the research supporting the effectiveness in relieving joint pain may not apply to this, different, form of Glucosamine but probably worth a try none the less.

Hi Isabel, no, I didn't type it out, just copied & pasted it off the website ;) you can also get emu oil caps for healthy joints, and pure emu oil to rub into joints. They also produce a liquid to drink called Joint Genie, which is 1500mg Glucosamine per 10ml, and contains fruit juice for flavouring. I get on better, looking through their booklet it seems easier than their website. Best wishes Sue :)

Hi I am a newcomer but have been reading your posts re joint pain. I was told by a man from the north of England that they swear by something called Dog Oil for joint probs - his mother will use nothing else on her arthritic knees. The origin of this is for use in rubbing greyhound joints after they have been racing. I have tried it on my feet and hands - does seem to work especially on my feet, not so achey and also all the hard skin now flakes away and does not biuld up.
You can get this in H&B for £1.85 a pot - worth a go for aches and pains and also itching. It is petroleum jelly and rape seed oil acording to the label - no additives at all.

Give it a go. Flower

Hi Flower, thanks for your information will try it on my feet, they are always achey (terrible hard skin too) Welcome to Champdogs. Best wishes Sue x