Wet food for yeast and environmental allergies

[Jude19]

I wonder whether anyone can recommend a wet food, tinned or pouches that would help my 9 year old boy with his itchiness and yeasty ears. He has itched from 12 weeks old, has no sores or inflammation and has been on Apoquel for most of his life.I am happy to keep him on the apoquel and also to return to his immunotherapy jabs I was giving him monthly but wonder whether a change of diet might help and prevent the need for Apoquel. His current diet is Scrumbles, grain free salmon wet and Wellness cold pressed ocean fish kibble grain free, but I have been reading that the grain free might possibly cause a heart condition and as he has been on this diet for some time would consider a change. There is so much info online and I realize that kibble carbs are bad for yeast but don't mind mixing the 2 if I can find anything better. He will eat anything so no worries there.

[Joules]

Watson is on Arden Grange white fish and potato sensitive - wet and dry food. It has helped his itchiness a lot (he is also a yeasty boy) but not totally erradicated it. Tried lots of different things - apoquel worked, but not good to be on long term. It's so frustrating! 

[Jude19]

Thanks for this, Jaffa was on puppy Arden Grange fish and potato when I had him but as he grew up I changed as read that carbs are no good for itchy dog with yeast. It's such a struggle, he's scooting more than ever and I'm back on Apoquel although my vet says he rarely sees a dog with problems on Apoquel ! but I read of many online.

[Joules]

Have you had his blood tested?  I have just had Watson done and it turns out he is allergic to house dust mites! 

It may be a food thing too, as he has improved with the AG food, but I now have to be more conscientious about getting rid of dust around him. I also have a spray called Allergone which somehow coats the dust and stops it being an irritant.  Definitely worth trying to find out if it is an environmental cause if you can. 

I am not keen on the long term use of Apoquel if I can avoid it, as I understand it can have an effect on immunity. 

[Jude19]

Yes we had an allergy test some years ago and he is allergic to dust mites, storage mites, grasses, beech trees, dandelions and much more. My vet said food allergy testing is not very accurate and he could also be allergic to several foods so I never had that done. I have just ordered his immunotherapy again which seems to help him with paw nibbling and ears ( i give monthly jabs ). Vet said not to buy big bags of kibble due to dust mites once bag is opened, but surely any size bag is opened daily although I do keep it in an air tight container.

As it is an environmental issue I think immunotherapy is the best option as he is obviously out and off lead in woods most days,but as you say his immune system is being shut down due to Apoquel. My vet said a few years ago that with the monthly jabs many dogs no longer need to stop the itch but it has never completely gone and I feel sorry for him scratching although it isn't constantly.

Thanks for the allergone advice, I will look into that.My vet has recommended a mouse to put on his feet before walks to save washing his feet after every walk.

[Joules]

The room where Watson sleeps is mostly hard surfaces and I have machine washable rugs in there, so I have given it a good vacuum and washed the rugs. Will see if that helps. Will start using the Allergone spray too - I got it from Viovet, no prescription and about 20 quid.

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Nextmune-Pets-Relief-Allergone-Spray/c165638/?sct_t=1777887663&sct_q=allergone+for+dogs&sct_r=1&_gl=1*p0pwt*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQzMjQ0NjE4Ni4xNzc3ODg3NjUx*_ga_SD5JPQHQX2*czE3Nzc4ODc2NTAkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzc4ODc2NjMkajQ3JGwwJGgxOTkwODM3MjUxJGRJcWtBajdvS05QNzZZR2FIb0ZiRWxkNXJNS1RoYkRhZ2RR*_ga_HKDSCBGSM2*czE3Nzc4ODc2NTEkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzc4ODc2NjMkajQ4JGwwJGgwJGR3Rkw0Y2x2cVkyeXZjdl9aUG9RQ2FCQjBDWV9LSW4tOEx3*_ga_XXXXX*czE3Nzc4ODc2NTEkbzEkZzAkdDE3Nzc4ODc2NjMkajQ4JGwwJGgyNzYyMjY4NzMkZEhhVXdaY3F2dndUeWNUcEUtZ3JYTmI4T1ZVRWltSXl0OFE.*_ga_4Q99T69EK4*czE3Nzc4ODc2NTEkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzc4ODc2NjMkajQ4JGwwJGgwJGRxd2RvNHRod0lyLW5DQ3BUZVdsekdfTnUxQUhQb01KUkRB

You can't test for food allergies, so the only route is an elimination diet. I tried that and it is a proper faff and I really haven't got conclusive results although the fish diet suits him better and he is somewhat less itchy.  You have to feed a novel protein for about 5-6 weeks with nothing else - we tried ostrich, insect protein and finally the white fish one. It's a proper pain, but some people do find a great solution fairly easily.

If he is allergic to dust mites, I would definitely try to address that too. He's allergic to a lot though, so it's tricky, but maybe you can eliminate some of his irritants at home at least.  Watson was only allergic to dust mites - and bee venom, but that could be because he has been stung at some point (not that I'm aware of that)