kibble suggestion

[Vicky loves Chachi]

Chachi is almost 6 months old and was started on Fromm surf and turf by the breeder when he started eating kibble.  We kept him on the Fromm but have recently took him off because the Vet thinks he may have a chicken and or fish allergy due to ear infection and some increased scratching.  We switched himm about two weeks ago to Wellness limited ingredient, lamb and oatmeal However I really want to keep him grain free.  I went to Rumsford pet store to see what they had.  The girl there suggested Acana but I noticed that the few different brands they had only one that was chicken and fish free.  She said since I could not give Chachi a variety with Acana that I should go with Natural Balance, as they have more of a chicken and fish and grain free variety.  I saw the list here that said Natural Balance is a questionable brand.  What I can give my little guy? 

[Tait & Finn]

I have given Finn Acana Ranchlands. It is chicken & grain free. Don't know about fish free. Finn LOVED it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Ranchlands does contain two kinds of fish. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Wellness Simple Solutions has a Turkey & Potato formula that might work. 

Zignature has three formulas that would work, but I would go with the Lamb formula, it has the best Omega 6:3 fatty acid ratio.

Canidae's Pure Land formula would be another good choice

Petcurean's Go! Sensitivity & Shine Duck or Turkey formulas might also work

[Vicky loves Chachi]

If a chicken allergy is suspected, would I  have to keep him away from all poultry? Also if he was "reacting" to salmon, would he need to stay away from all fish?  I'm really tempted to have an allergy test done to be sure but if the results of these test are as debatable as my own allergy test are then its not worth the money.  I understand that blood and skin test can be inaccurate.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

No, each protein is unique, and if there is an allergy, it is to one specific protein only, so if there was a chicken allergy, duck or turkey would not trigger an allergic response. A salmon allergy would not mean that other types of fish will also trigger a reaction. (There is such a thing as cross-reactivity, but it's not related to all poultry, all fish, etc.) Very ill dogs in my IBD group who cannot eat salmon do fine with tilapia, for example. Dogs with known allergies to chicken do fine with duck. The body can tell the difference. :)

There is no known test that is reliable for food allergies. Skin testing is not done for food allergies, and blood or saliva tests are notoriously unreliable and a waste of money. And Chachi is pretty young for allergy testing anyway.

It's questionable whether Chachi's issues have anything to do with food at all, but it doesn't hurt to try eliminating chicken and salmon and see if that helps. 

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

I feed my dogs Taste of the Wild, the lamb formula. it's a single protein food and grain free.
Also, a little more available , at least in my area, and a little less expensive than Acana.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You might also try giving Chachi a 500 mg evening primrose oil capsule (human supplement) once a day. Give as you would a pill, don't puncture. It may help with the itching. 

[Vicky loves Chachi]

Thank u all for your suggestions. I was able to get the Canidae and it looks like I can switch off between two flavors. Is having a variety very important? A friend of mine had a 5yr old dog and she says she have been giving him the same for the entire time.
I started it this morning and he did not eat much of the new kibble (I did 75/25). He had seemed to be doing less scratching but then this morning he was going at his ears and he actually yawned and moaned. This scratching does not go on all day, maybe a few times a day. Is that normal? I looked in his ears with otoscope ( I'm a nurse) and they looked fine. So frustrating trying to figure what's normal and not.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If diet is causing the itching, it is going to take 8-12 weeks to see a difference from a food change. 

I would strongly urge you to try the EPO supplements as well. It's a form of essential fatty acid (GLA) that is beneficial for skin & coat and can help with itching. 

Variety is important in anybody's diet. Many people rotate formulas from one bag to the next. Years ago, dogs were fed the same formula dog food for pretty much their whole lives, but newer research has show that there are benefits to providing variety.