Q: My dog was diagnosed with hepatitis in Feb. I have been cooking chicken and rice for him and recently started him on canidae. He also has been biting his feet due to allergies? Is the dream coat something that might help this? Would HALO be good for his liver failure? I am leery starting any new food, but your product seems to be a positive idea for Quinny.
He is a 6 yr old rotty lab who is a big mush!
Thanks much..
Cheryl
A: Hi Cheryl:
Allergies are a very common cause of foot biting in dogs (especially this time of year). However, just to make sure we aren’t overlooking anything in Quinny, I would also recommend you ask your veterinarian about “Hepatocutaneous Syndrome”. Although uncommon, it is a condition that affects the feet and skin in dogs with hepatitis and other significant liver or endocrine diseases. Sometimes the earliest signs we see are foot biting and itching. There are specific treatments that we recommend for Hepatocutaneous Syndrome that wouldn’t be the same as allergy treatment…so just ask your vet to be complete.
The Halo Dream Coat is a blend of 6 cold-pressed virgin oils that provides an excellent spectrum of essential fatty acids. Fatty acids have proven beneficial in many cases of allergies as well as other inflammatory conditions (such as hepatitis, kidney inflammation, intestinal inflammation, arthritis, etc). It is likely that Quinny may benefit from fatty acid supplementation for several reasons.
Please review my article Supplements for Skin and Coat: How to Achieve a Dream Coat in Your Pet for more information on fatty acids and Dream Coat.
Halo dog foods are natural foods that lack synthetic chemicals, artificial dyes or preservatives. Almost all chemicals that dogs eat must be metabolized or broken down by the liver, so I definitely recommend a natural or balanced home-cooked diet for dogs with liver problems.
Hope this helps. Good luck with Quinny.
Dr. Donna Spector
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