My 1 year old gsd is biting /licking her butt, occasionally has incontenince, and has diarrhea (sometimes snotty) about every 2 weeks. She's on a fish based kibble diet as my other dog has very bad allergies to chicken and beef. Please help

Updated On August 9th, 2017

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 65 lbs

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Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

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If Gemma was previously diagnosed with food allergies, then they don't seem to be better yet. What you are describing would definitely fit with a food allergy, so I'll give some comments about how I would address this problem. First, it can take several weeks for the allergy to go away after a diet change. So, if it's been less than six weeks after the diet was switched, then you'll need to wait a little longer before you know if it worked or not. Food allergies are due to certain proteins and they are usually animal proteins (beef, pork, dairy, etc.). To find the actual protein Gemma was allergic to, you must have done an elimination trial. If there was not an elimination trial done, then you would be only guessing at the source of the allergies. One way I often bypass the elimination trial is by recommending a hydrolysed protein diet such as Hill's i/d. In these diets, the proteins are broken down, so there is minimal chance of them causing an allergy. This would have to be prescribed by a veterinarian though. In the meantime, you may consider starting a diet trial to see if that helps to relieve the problems Gemma is having. Here is a link to a good article that explains how to do the diet: http://communityvet.net/2010/03/diy-elimination-diet-for-the-dog-an-cat/ Keep in mind that your diet trial will cease to work if she is getting any treats or table scraps. Make sure that there is no possibility of this happening - especially if there are kids in the house. As always, it's always best to do these things in consultation with your vet. They can also ensure that nothing else is responsible for the diarrhea. I hope this helps and Gemma feels better soon.

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