Itchy nose after dinner

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Hi all!

So a little background on Loki who is almost 2 now. Not sure if any of this is relevant but here goes... He came home from the breeder on Fromm Family Large Breed Puppy Gold (the one with grains). My vet at his 16week check up told me he had never heard of Fromm and told me I should switch to Purina Pro Plan because it was probably a much better food so I did (this is all prior to finding DK obviously). He was on the pro plan for large breeds with chicken and rice- I think for about a month and it was clear his tummy did not like it so the vet suggested that I try Science Diet for large breed puppies, not sure what the flavor was because that one was even worse so we didn't even make it through a bag. Then someone at pet co told me those brands were not so great and I should try  Blue Buffalo for Large Breed puppies, I think it was the grain free chicken and rice (chicken something). He did well on that but it just made him have many silent but deadly farts which I have now learned are part of a adjustment period. At this point Loki was around 8 or 9 months and I found DK and the Food Group and switched him back to the Fromm Family Large Breed Puppy with healthy grains as I knew this worked for him before and was on the recommended list. I know I technically don't need to feed large breed, but at that point I just wanted a food that worked for him so I could stop messing with his tummy. 

So sorry that is soon long! Fast forward to now and Loki was transitioned to the Fromm Family Large Breed Adult Gold (the healthy grains) around 1 year (so 9 months ago). I have noticed in the past two weeks every time he eats he is scratching his nose like crazy! Pawing at it, and will even shove his nose at a persons hand looking for a little help with the scratching- cute as can be but, I don't want to see him with such a itchy nose! No other part of him is itchy (paws, butt, ears) and he only will itch after eating his dinner. Typically I feed him 2 cups in the morning and then 2 1/4 cups more for dinner. He is 1yr and 9months old and weighs around 90lbs. His last vet check was this past month for his heart worm test and the vet agrees that he is at a healthy weight. 

What should I do? Should I switch him to a different food? Grain Free, or one without Chicken or a limited ingredient diet? I was planning on switching Moose from his puppy food within the next few months or so, so if I need to switch Loki to something different my plan would be to maybe just switch Moose to the different food if it worked for him as well.  I plan on calling the vet and getting him a appointment if it continues or if you guys think its needed. That isn't the first thing I'm jumping to though because other than a few minutes after meals with the scratching, he's perfectly normal and fine. He still loves eating his food too. 

Thanks so much guys! Sorry this was such long post!

Jess, Loki, Moose

[Patty, Jesse & Bodee]

A little 'food for thought' (pun intended ;-)

After eating, my doodles (Jesse = always & Bodee = occasionally) leave the kitchen, and head for a nice stretch of carpeting to rub their snouts around, in what looks like a pleasurable cleaning transfer of any leftover shmear of food.  They don't seem to do it, if/when it's straight dry food (for the record, Orijen Regional), but nearly always when there's a little 'wet' mixed in, which is most of the time... (to satisfy "my" need for delicious variety).  Of course, they take their furry faces and really do some extra bowl licking, even once it's all eaten, so clearly there's got to be some yummy remaining residue perceivable to them at the very least around their mouths.  What I've taken to doing, is wetting a paper towel.. and in a napkin like fashion, giving a wipe to the furry snout area.  They still sometimes do the rug roll about, but not as religiously as without the napkin swipes.  And it helps me not wonder about what might be fermenting in the depths of my carpet's pile.

Also, I've had the opportunity (having a fox den behind my house for decades) to see foxes do a similar act after eating.  When mom brings home a kill, to share with the kits, after they eat she cleans their mouths.  Often, I see the adult(s) do what my doodles do, but on the grass.  I know, particularly when the kits are really young, and the family can't relocate as freely, it's important to 'not' attract predators to the den.  Wouldn't be the conscious reasoning for our dogs, but maybe just an instinctual response(?).   

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Interesting points. Maybe Loki is tapping into his inner wild animal? lol He does eat dry food only but maybe its been getting stuck in his fur. I do leave the boys much more shaggy in the winter because of the bitter cold so I will have to pay more attention to that!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Clancy rubs along the wall of our stair landing - sometimes his face, sometimes his whole side.  Ned has has worn mustache  on his right side until it is much shorter.  It has been a few months now and we have checked his teeth, mouth etc. and . . .  nothing.  Our groomer 'evens' it up a bit when he is groomed. Both are just oddities of my guys.

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Thanks so cute! I love the pics of them too!

[BG and Gavin]

Generally after eating Gavin wipes his face, sneezes a couple time, snorts and then is full of the knick and ready to go!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

So sorry you had such poor advice from your Vet. Mine aren't much more educated on Fromm either, but they do respect my wishes and not even mention Science Diet that they sell in the office.  My breeder sent both mine home with Fromm and I changed to equally good 4 star foods during the first 5 years, just out of ease of purchasing, until I started with Chewy a few years ago and they carry Fromm, so ease of purchasing got a whole lot easier. They love any food though, but if I wanted them to have a good food that they were not too fond of, I would keep making it a little more tempting as you have done, until it proved problematic for me or them. A little yogurt or cottage cheese is a good thing, and I add it more times than not just for the nutritional value and a little variety.  Like I said, they love any food but they have always gotten really good foods.

As for the nose itchiness, Murphy has always wiped, smeared, rubbed and otherwise snorted after meals and I never thought anything of it.  Bella never does. So who knows.  I do take their food out of the bag and put it in an air tight container, wash that out before refilling, as even that might breed mites I assume, and their bowls are put in the dishwasher several times a week.  I wouldn't worry unless he starts rubbing and itching so much that he causes an abrasion or hot spot. Then it's time to think of something to help stop it.