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Help! Sudden Onset of Symptoms in Dog - Food Allergy Suspected (Farmers Dog Food)- your thoughts?

4.8K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  manndfox  
#1 ·
Hi everyone,
I'm at a bit of a loss and hoping someone might have some similar experiences to share. My dog has been experiencing some concerning symptoms for the past few weeks, and I'm starting to wonder if a recent food switch might be the culprit.
Here's what's been happening:
  • Food Change: I switched his food to Farmer's Dog about 2 months ago.
  • Symptoms (3-4 weeks):
    • Droopy jaw
    • Red, irritated eyes
    • Ear infection (both ears) - initially suspected nerve damage
    • Increased thirst and appetite (prednisone treatment)
    • Difficulty drinking due to droopy jaw (increased stress)
    • Recent paw licking and sneezing
  • We've seen three vets so far, with no definitive diagnosis. After reading some comments on another post, I'm wondering if these symptoms could be related to food allergies.
Has anyone else had a similar experience with their dog developing allergies to a new food? Specifically, has anyone had issues with Farmer's Dog?

Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!
  • My dog was recently on prednisone for a week, but we had to stop due to increased appetite, thirst, and difficulty drinking.
  • He's currently on antibiotics for the ear infection.
  • The new VET is recommending to put him back on prednisone again if his current treatment does not help.
  • he's currently taking antiinflammatory medication and antibiotic for 7 days he's on his 4th day, and I can see a bit of improvement already but not as much.
Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Thank you , he’s still has red eyes and itching, they gave him allergy medicine and nothing. He got better but he has not fully recover yet.
They can’t seem to find the issue.
Although he started actually with an ear infection, he had some Fox tails! or something like that in the ear, after the third visit to a different vet, he discovered that they were removed. He was taken antibiotics.
I will try the fish diet as well, I’m getting the feeling that he’s being allergic to something in the food or possibly chicken. I wish there was a better way of knowing what he could be allergic to.. He still can’t close his mouth all the way, and his eyes are always red.
Thank you so much for your feedback!
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Many if not most food allergies that dogs have, seem to be to chicken, so if the food you are giving him has chicken in it, you could try switching to a food with no chicken. It may have nothing to do with that, but that will do no harm and may possibly help.
Yes, it does have chicken
And because he was having acid reflex because of the anabiotic, so I was told to give him chicken .. so it’s been almost 2 months now. He’s doing better but not fully recovered. I feel like he’s got something, but can’t really for sure detect in the testing of what could be wrong.
They just want to prescribe him prednisone, which is driving him crazy
We had to stop after a week.
I don’t think it was helping him either.
Thank you for your feedback!!
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
I second the advice to change back to the food you were giving previously.
Hello, I would, but that food was the one fresh pet and he was having issues with his stomach and having mushy poop all the time… and that’s why I decided to change it to healthier diet and he gained a lot of weight with that food..
But it’s on the list also to change again and see how he does putting him back with his old diet. it’s the fresh pet wet food from the fridge that they saw at target or pet stores
I don’t think is very healthy, I was told it’s more like fast food for dogs..
But thank you for the advice appreciate it!