Quote Originally Posted by .sarah
No, we don't use plastic bowls. We use ceramic, and they are washed after every use. Thanks though.
If they are older ceramic where the pores are getting course instead of like fired new, they are in the same category as plastic. I highly recommend you switch to stainless steel bowls because they never deteriorate and hold in bacteria. Non stainless bowls are like a very worn cutting board. They look clean but if you look under a microscope you would cringe even after washing it!

My Golden boy, Dusty, has allergies. He was blood tested and came back confirmed to be allergic to 48 different environmental things, including Sugar Maple and Ash trees. Both of those trees make up the majority of the trees in our 3/4 acre back yard! In order for blood tests to be more accurate, the dog should be off all prednisone or topical cortizone creams and sprays for at least 6 weeks. As a precaution, I had him off all meds for the most accurate test possible. Since he was never itch free and was miserable unless there was snow on the ground, it took me almost 10 months before I could have him tested once I decided to go through with testing. When the ground was covered in snow was the only time he would be 100% clear.

Over the years, I learned a lot to try to help him. First, I bought a standing booster bath so I wouldn't have to bend down all the time to bath him. That was more for me than him! Then I would rinse him off everytime he came in from outside. I use a Melaluca Anti Fungal shampoo the vet prescribed (it's wonderful and 100% better than oatmeal shampoos I tried) and would use that every other day on his paws and under belly. Basically it was the areas that were exposed the most to the ground. Every week or so he gets a complete bath! I can smell when he needs a bath as he got an odor about him from the reaction to the outside allergens. This helped some but not completely.

I also switched him to Innova Evo dog food which is grain free. While it was never determined he was allergic to specific foods, he did much better on a grain free food. Innova Evo is the closest thing you can feed your dog without actually going to a raw diet. Both of these things helped him immensely and I continue to do them to this day although it didn't help 100%.

Since January, he gets bi-weekly allergy shots of a serum that was developed especially for him based on his allergy test results. It costs me about $140.00 every two or three months for the serum. While it is costly, this is the first time in his life that he has been in coat and not all torn up during this time of year! It is working and he is absolutely stunning now!

I originally intended to show Dusty in conformation but never could because of his skin and coat. It was always unpredictable when he would flare up. One day he would be fine and the next he was a mess. Now I believe I could put him in a ring and show very positively. I've given that dream up though with him as I would never use him as a stud dog and risk passing on the allergies to his off spring.

Depending on the results of your allergy test, don't hesitate to get him on a allergy shot routine if the vet recommends it. It was the best thing I ever did for my boy! Best of Luck to you both!