Comments on Your Dog's Itchy Skin Update: Still #1 Dog Sickness

Hi, Dr Will!
Reading Lynn's post brought another Allergy Culprit to mind--most "grocery store grade" commercial Pet Foods! They are chock full of dyes, preservatives, toxic chemicals and excitotoxins like MSG (by whatever name they call it!), that they can cause allergies by themselves, or exacerbate vaccine-induced allergies. Even if it weren't for all the toxins in them, most contain grain products, that dogs and especially cats, are just not designed to digest. They would need either multiple-compartment stomachs, like ruminants, or impossibly long, convoluted intestines, like horses, and a whole different set of digestive enzymes to boot, in order to digest those grains. So the incompletely digested grain proteins can penetrate the villi of their carnivores' intestines, get into the bloodstream, and cause all kinds of allergic havoc! I favor grain-free foods myself...wish I could afford raw!

I love reading articles that affirm what I believe. I have 2 rescue goldens, one was from a puppy mill, sold in a pet store, came into rescue at 1 yr old. Returned to rescue 2x as aggressive, separation anxiety as in chewing doors, so I adopted her and promised her that she would always be with me. I sent blood and saliva to Dr Dodds, found out what foods she is sensitive to and she has a borderline thyroid. I cycle her foods between Honest Kitchen, Sojos, NRG, and raw beef, rabbit, pork, raw beef bones, sardines, salmon, eggs. I have learned so much from her, with training she is not "reactive" anymore, we do agility together. I take her to a Holistic vet who adjusts her and does accupuncture and chinese herbs. She is the picture of glowing health and energy, still has some fear issues but we avoid the triggers as best I can. Her titers are very high so NO vacinations! I've changed cleaning products to organic too. This has been a 5 year process and I don't give up, I will always read and educate myself and anyone else who will listen!!!!

I have not vaccinated my 13 year old mixed breed/mutt since her puppy shots. I do tigers every year during her annual exam. I recently brought her for a check up to a new vet because we moved. He told me if he didnt know she was 13 he would have guessed 6 or 7 - she has beautiful teeth, great muscle mass, etc. he then proceeded to give me his report which recommended the following: stop feeding real food, start vaccinating, use Frontline & Heartworm Preventstive. Really? Isn't THAT why she looks & acts 6, and has never been sick a day in her life? I am ALWAYS made to feel like a bad pet-parent.
Now, my other dog also a mixed mutt, an adult rescue around 12 years, gets Rabies every 3 years because he has had a bite and I fear he could be taken away if ever he was to have another. I rescued him 6 years ago so i do t mnow his food, vaccine, and medication history, but he is prone to tumors and skin tags. Interesting huh?
Thank you for your great articles and for validating what I know to be true. I wish I had a vet who agreed with me on this stuff. It's very frustrating.