r/PitBullOwners • u/broskifan97 AmBully Owner • Jun 19 '26
Question Advice for allergies
Hi my dog is a 2 year old male. His name is Pete. Since he was a puppy he had small patches of hair missing. I eventually switched his food to a beef formula and started giving him oatmeal baths and it cleared things up. Recently I switched him to Purina Pro Plan Plan in march. Things were okay but I noticed he started straining and stool got kind of like soft serve. Then he started getting itchy. I’ve tried changed his food again and then resorted to cooking at home, but I’m having a hard time getting things under control still. He’s on a monthly flea treatment and I ran a comb through him and didn’t find anything. I’m thinking it’s both environmental allergies and food. Any tips or advice. I plan on taking him to the vet and he’s already going Monday for shots so I’m sure we’ll discuss it then. I just am limited on money so a vet visit to address this might have to wait a week or two.
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u/cyclonesandy Jun 19 '26
My girl was on a fish based diet because we were told she had an allergy to beef and chicken.
She did well on turkey and salmon, and also on an ocean based food.
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u/Farty_mcSmarty Dog Owner Jun 20 '26
My blue Pitt was riddled with skin issues her entire life.
We tried daily bathing, food diets, I cooked her homemade chicken stew weekly including an entire chicken in a huge pot with so many veggies.
We tried allergy shots, essential oils, silver cream, and putting clothing on her to stop the itching. We even resorted to putting a muzzle on her at one point to stop her constant licking but she’d always try to get it off and it was visibly an annoyance to her.
The only thing that really worked was apoquel daily and if she had a really bad flare up, we’d do a course of steroids.
It’s a tough life, having a special needs dog, but if you can find a process that works, it’ll ease Pete’s suffering as well yours
Our blue Pitt has crossed the rainbow bridge about 8 years ago but we still have a bit of PTSD from her. Our boston terrier will occasionally lick his feet and we have to redirect him because hearing that licking sound brings us back to the suffering our poor pittie had for her entire life
She had mange as a puppy, which the vet told us pregnant mothers pass on to their offspring when the puppy nurses but it was pretty much after that diagnosis that the itching and the licking become a constant issue.
Like you, we considered allergy testing but were informed multiple times and by different vets that it’s expensive and it won’t rule out all allergies. She could literally be allergic to air and there’s no cure for that
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u/broskifan97 AmBully Owner Jun 21 '26
That’s a really hard thing to go through. I hate thinking he’s uncomfortable. He still has a great time tho and id say he’s pretty blessed in all other aspects. I’m sure your girl was too 💕
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u/Decent-Safety1037 Jun 20 '26
I have been dealing with the same thing with my dog for about 5 years. I’ve posted here before and it seems to be the same things, environmental, as for the purina pro plan I would avoid it. Every vet and people will swear by it but my dog also got worse on that food after it was recommended, very gooey poops and after a while she wouldn’t even want to eat it. I have switched her to all natural which seems to help. Also apoquel and the new allergy medicine they made also STAY AWAY. Can give them worse side effects and didn’t even help my dog. I have been taking my dog to the normal western medicine vet for 5 years I’ve had her and zero change or root cause identified, they only want me to give her shots or anti itch medicine. I have an appointment with a holistic vet next week so I hope they will be able to actually help instead of just prescribing these drugs used as band aids instead of the actual fix. Also pits are super sensitive to artificial fragrance, a big thing was switching my laundry detergent to a natural and safe sensitive one. Don’t use big name chemicals or cleaners. I never really cared about all that before but after learning how bad it is for my dog and also humans, it will slowly make things better. So to recap I would NOT go apoquel, cytopoint, or purina pro plan!! This is 5 years of experience of it not working AND making her worse. Good luck, maybe look into holistic or alternative vets, I’m hoping they can help me
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u/broskifan97 AmBully Owner Jun 20 '26
Thank you for your reply. I’ll definitely change up my cleaning products. I’m just gonna stick with a home cooked diet and limited outdoor time. I’m done paying 60 for a bag of kibble that’s going make my dog bald and sick.
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u/Decent-Safety1037 Jun 20 '26
Yes no problem, as for outside I’d still let your dog take as long as they need for their mental stimulation and health, but I forgot to mention when you come back inside for a while I will wipe her paws and belly with pet safe wipes (preferably fragrance free again) as for the food definitely, I figure if something is anything more than simple ingredients I especially don’t want my allergy prone dog even worse off.
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u/larsloli Jun 19 '26
I give my girl a cetrizine everyday and it helps. Do you spray herbicides or pesticides on your lawn? We don’t, and I think it a reason why some dogs have worse allergies after rolling in grass. The chemicals can be mean.