Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Beware of the Chicken (to those who have dogs and eat chicken)

Hindi's nose sniffing at the camera on the drive to the vet


I'm sharing this story just in case:
(i) your dog has similar symptoms and you don't know what's causing it
(ii) you have a dog and you're feeding him/her a chicken-based dog food

For a long time my dog Hindi has had very itchy skin, causing her to constantly scratch. This results in her skin bleeding in the aggravated areas and her hair being lost in patches. It looks like mange, but it's not. The vet tested her for mites. Negative. It turned out to be an allergy. She (vet) put her on a course of steroids (twice). Both times it helped relieve her discomfort and the hair grew back, but once the course is over ... back to square one.

Yesterday I took her to another vet nearby to seek an alternative to steroids, which (as this vet said) make the issue worse after each course. She said her dog had had the same thing and is now looking and feeling great. Hindi received three injections - one for worms, one antibiotic and one was vitamins. I have to bathe her twice a week for about a month (the vet told me to use Head & Shoulders Shampoo, but the people in the pet store gave me "Neeles" sulphur shampoo for dogs, cats and horses). After the bath, I wash her down with a solution of Ecotraz 125 and allow it to dry naturally. Once dry, I then rub her down with a cream called Endovet Cream. I've also changed her diet to Lamb & Rice dog food.

Many (not all) dogs are allergic to dog food that has chicken in it. It is advisable for them to eat dog food with lamb or beef. The adverse reaction to chicken is as a result of the hormones and chemicals being used to 'grow' chickens. So whether or not the dog is allergic, best to give him/her beef or lamb-based food.

Imagine what eating this chicken is also doing to humans. Another reason to be vegetarian or vegan.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That is a great reason to be vegan or vegetarian. After I read a "tell-all" book about the pet food industry written by a naturopathic vet, I switched my cats to organic cat food and started reading labels very carefully, even on those products. I also switched my rats to a different food, since the most common brand has a toxic preservative in it.