Yep, We were told to use 1 lb ground pork with 2 1/2 pounds boiled potatoes. We would buy 4 lbs. ground pork @ Walmart and cook it till not pink then mix with 10 lbs cooked potatoes. This way we could cook enough ahead of time to store in frig. One batch would last about 5 days. Once we got use to doing it, it was really not a problem and our Rocky absolutely loved it.

Yep, We were told to use 1 lb ground pork with 2 1/2 pounds boiled potatoes. We would buy 4 lbs. ground pork @ Walmart and cook it till not pink then mix with 10 lbs cooked potatoes. This way we could cook enough ahead of time to store in frig. One batch would last about 5 days. Once we got use to doing it, it was really not a problem and our Rocky absolutely loved it.

I am interested in this for 1 of our boys.

I am interested in this for 1 of our boys.

After having a bulldog with allergies, sometimes it is necessary to go the allergy testing route. A lot of allergies are environmental. Our dog did not have a food allergy, but was allergic to grasses, pollens etc. I would not have known that unless I did the testing. Certain times of the year caused more breakouts. for example, he was good during the colder months, but come spring and summer is when we had the most problems. And sometimes traveling to different areas where there were different pollens caused problems. He was a client of a dermatologist his entire life and was closely monitored having blood work done on a regular basis. He did extremely well and for the most part his coat looked beautiful. Even though his were not food related we also kept him on an allergy type diet. He loved the food and did very well on it. It was the duck and potato.
I wish you much success and hope that the diet you have your dog on continues to work for you.

After having a bulldog with allergies, sometimes it is necessary to go the allergy testing route. A lot of allergies are environmental. Our dog did not have a food allergy, but was allergic to grasses, pollens etc. I would not have known that unless I did the testing. Certain times of the year caused more breakouts. for example, he was good during the colder months, but come spring and summer is when we had the most problems. And sometimes traveling to different areas where there were different pollens caused problems. He was a client of a dermatologist his entire life and was closely monitored having blood work done on a regular basis. He did extremely well and for the most part his coat looked beautiful. Even though his were not food related we also kept him on an allergy type diet. He loved the food and did very well on it. It was the duck and potato.
I wish you much success and hope that the diet you have your dog on continues to work for you.

It surely pays to educate ones self in basic medicine to understand what is 'normal and typical' for a problem, and what is NOT. Prednisone is a wonderful drug and it has brought relief to many animals and humans with certain conditions, but it can also be a 'lazy fix' by some vets to just pacify a client and send the dog on its way...too sad!!!

It surely pays to educate ones self in basic medicine to understand what is 'normal and typical' for a problem, and what is NOT. Prednisone is a wonderful drug and it has brought relief to many animals and humans with certain conditions, but it can also be a 'lazy fix' by some vets to just pacify a client and send the dog on its way...too sad!!!

I would rather not post them on the forum. Email me at mgall27@comcast.net if you would like me to send some to you.

I took photos of Spotty's skin as his condition progressed so I could see how he was improving--or not. He had two very bad bouts of this.

I would rather not post them on the forum. Email me at mgall27@comcast.net if you would like me to send some to you.

I took photos of Spotty's skin as his condition progressed so I could see how he was improving--or not. He had two very bad bouts of this.

Cushings symptoms brought on by too much pred is called iatrogenic Cushings. Meaning that if you withdraw the prednisone, the symptoms go away--although if calcinosis has developed, it will take weeks to months for the skin to heal.

A bulldog in my neighborhood recently developed a skin problem that looked exactly like Spotty's, plus the classic Cushings pot belly. Her owner told me she had been taking prednisone for allergies.

The bully had visited the vet for her skin problem, and what did the vet do? He increased the prednisone. I printed out some calcinosis cutis info and gave it to the owner.

Cushings symptoms brought on by too much pred is called iatrogenic Cushings. Meaning that if you withdraw the prednisone, the symptoms go away--although if calcinosis has developed, it will take weeks to months for the skin to heal.

A bulldog in my neighborhood recently developed a skin problem that looked exactly like Spotty's, plus the classic Cushings pot belly. Her owner told me she had been taking prednisone for allergies.

The bully had visited the vet for her skin problem, and what did the vet do? He increased the prednisone. I printed out some calcinosis cutis info and gave it to the owner.

I have been asked by someone that is concerned her dog may have Calcinosis if I have any photos of my Rocky when he had this condition. Unfortunately I don't, but I am guessing that someone on this forum might. If so, perhaps you could post them as it might be helpful to others.

I have been asked by someone that is concerned her dog may have Calcinosis if I have any photos of my Rocky when he had this condition. Unfortunately I don't, but I am guessing that someone on this forum might. If so, perhaps you could post them as it might be helpful to others.

we weened him off pred and changed food to Nb Duck & Patato and after a month or so he looked like a new bulldog.



http://www.zazzle.com/desertsunbulldogs/gifts

we weened him off pred and changed food to Nb Duck & Patato and after a month or so he looked like a new bulldog.



http://www.zazzle.com/desertsunbulldogs/gifts

Yes, you are all correct. We were told that Rocky's calcifications were a result of his body's reaction to long term prednisone use. He was then weened off Prednisone which actually had both positive and negative results. Positive - No more Cushings, Negative - He didn't seem quite as active and "happy" without it.
The consult from the Canine Dermatologist occured a bit after diagnosis of calcification complication from prednisone. She felt that Rocky still had other allergy issues beyond the Cushings and that the pork & potato diet would eliminate other allergy symptoms.
We did learn from this experience. We know that prednisone can be very beneficial when used for short periods but we will not ever have our new Bulldog puppy Harley take it for extended periods.


Harley-4 months

Yes, you are all correct. We were told that Rocky's calcifications were a result of his body's reaction to long term prednisone use. He was then weened off Prednisone which actually had both positive and negative results. Positive - No more Cushings, Negative - He didn't seem quite as active and "happy" without it.
The consult from the Canine Dermatologist occured a bit after diagnosis of calcification complication from prednisone. She felt that Rocky still had other allergy issues beyond the Cushings and that the pork & potato diet would eliminate other allergy symptoms.
We did learn from this experience. We know that prednisone can be very beneficial when used for short periods but we will not ever have our new Bulldog puppy Harley take it for extended periods.


Harley-4 months

If so, it may have been caused by the prednisone rather than any food allergy.

My bulldog, Spotty, developed this after taking prednisone for many months to control auto-immune disease. It is a truly terrible skin condition that starts off looking like a hot spot, then spreads as the calcifications ulcerate and break through the skin.

Calcinosis cutis is seen in dogs with Cushing's Disease, which causes the body to produce too much cortisol. Long-term prednisone use also can create this effect.

I am glad that the change of diet helped Rocky. Did he stay on the prednisone or go off it?

If so, it may have been caused by the prednisone rather than any food allergy.

My bulldog, Spotty, developed this after taking prednisone for many months to control auto-immune disease. It is a truly terrible skin condition that starts off looking like a hot spot, then spreads as the calcifications ulcerate and break through the skin.

Calcinosis cutis is seen in dogs with Cushing's Disease, which causes the body to produce too much cortisol. Long-term prednisone use also can create this effect.

I am glad that the change of diet helped Rocky. Did he stay on the prednisone or go off it?

I see that after determining the dog had some food allergy, you went with a single protein source (ground pork)and a non-grain starch (potato) which is quite similar to the regimen that many here have tried, or have been recommended to consider. I believe that anytime one suspects a food allergy (coat/skin problems not attributed to other causes)you should try one-source of protein and one grain, or no grains, in lieu of going the more expensive and sometimes inconclusive route of allergy-testing. There are such a variety of dog food products available in the US, not just grain-free but with different sources of protein (meat, fowl, fish) that a dog should not suffer with this problem for long! Thanks again for sharing your experiences.

I see that after determining the dog had some food allergy, you went with a single protein source (ground pork)and a non-grain starch (potato) which is quite similar to the regimen that many here have tried, or have been recommended to consider. I believe that anytime one suspects a food allergy (coat/skin problems not attributed to other causes)you should try one-source of protein and one grain, or no grains, in lieu of going the more expensive and sometimes inconclusive route of allergy-testing. There are such a variety of dog food products available in the US, not just grain-free but with different sources of protein (meat, fowl, fish) that a dog should not suffer with this problem for long! Thanks again for sharing your experiences.