The Allergy we thought we had nailed

      It seems like nowadays allergies are all around us.If its not the new and ever growing food allergies, it's the terrible pollen flying around this season. My car used to be a very neutral beige/champagne color now it alternates with that lovely yellow green pollen shade ;).As much as I would like to say that this was a post for seasonal allergies or an endorsement for Claritin or some OTC allergy medication it isn't. 

This post is actually a sad/funny story of how we thought we had adopted the most sensitive and allergic to food mutt ( I say that lovingly) in the world only to find out almost a year and several food brands later that she wasn't.... She just has a case of slow reactions or an insensitive booty! 

Gracie came to us last summer after being abandoned twice. After being left by her first owners on the side of the road when she was barely a month old. The family who took her in from in front of their house decided they wouldn't keep her any longer after she had tore up their backyard and eaten some plants. They were all done with her and ready to send her to the shelter. So before being taken to the humane society she was "offered" to us. At the time we were still sad about losing our beloved Momo at age 14 but knew our 1 year old Joey needed a companion desperately. The thought of her being taken to the humane society at about six months old, after our April tornadoes that displaced so many doggies around here made us worry about her future. We decided maybe it was a sign that we could save her!

Gracie  found her forever home in June 2011.

When we picked her up to bring her home, she was a scared little thing. Loud noises, gestures and even looks were enough to have her flopping over on her back giving up. She has never been crate trained or potty trained and had basically been an outside dog.

During her first few weeks here she was everything but graceful which made her name so ironic. Between stepping on everyone, being a klutz,playing with her new found brother having a few accidents in the computer room,eating my veggie garden, a pair of flops, and making a mess with her water bowl she gave us plenty to do.She tried to please us but we knew she wasn't the fastest learner. Regardless,she stole our hearts and made Joey so happy. You have never seen two dogs play so much!

One day out of nowhere she started having all these bumps along her bottom, belly and paws. She would itch so bad it wouldn't let her rest and we decided it must have been the food. Joey seemed unaffected so we thought it wasn't anything in the house. You might be thinking we were feeding some off brand food but we were actually feeding her Halo. Halo is one of those holistic natural foods that shouldn't have messed with her skin or tummy. We started our quest with different foods trying to identify what she was allergic to. In just a few weeks we were Single- handedly keeping the dog food business afloat ;). We Researched brands and formulas, ingredients and prices. We bought some Bill- Jack choosing a low grain formula, Blue Buffalo, Another Halo flavor, etc.For such a tomboy she was quite the princess when it came to food. No matter the brand, the bumps were there and at times worse.

I had decided she was allergic to beef, pea protein, lamb, salmon, corn and even chicken! The last brand we tried was NATURAL BALANCE Limited ingredient formula. Claiming to have just six ingredients mainly sweet potato and duck I NEEDED it to be the right one.

Lo and behold after a few days her bumps started getting better and shed go through the night without scratching. Soon after her fur became so soft and shiny it was like the princess within her started emerging and leaving the tomboy behind. We were so impressed that we switched Joey over to that food too. They have the softest fur and I call them my personal stuffed animals..so cuddly! 

Now that they are BFFs they share toys, beds,
blankies, treats and even their water bowl!

We thought we'd never have issues again until a few weeks ago when the bumps and the itching started all over again. I was shocked and knew it couldn't be the food. I was not ready to go down that path again!. For a few days I followed her every move to see if there was a plant or something she was doing outside that could be causing it. You know how sometimes answers are right in front of you and your completely miss them? Yea, been there and done that. While I searched the yard, Gracie would watch me attentively while she sat on the cement pad next to the ants! She sat there every day and she sure don't react to them. I don't understand why she doesn't move away!! It's like it doesn't bother her while they bite her but afterwards boy does she itch and suffer! I made her move and have gotten rid of the ants since, but if course now I know that THIS is what happened last year and that her sensitive food allergies were caused by her insensitive booty!!!

Talk about a failed allergy discovery! Oh well, at least now we know what it was and to keep our eye on where she sits. As for nailing something? I think we nailed it with the food, the limited ingredient formula has worked great for them, Every furry is different, what works for some might not work for others so I am not saying their food is the best thing since sliced bread ;). All I know is that itkeeps them at a healthy weight, with a nice shiny coat and of course extra cuddly! Of course the greatest of all is that Gracie stole our hearts and has completed our little family for almost a year now :)

Like Roger Caras said : Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ( These two sure make ours whole! ♥