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A couple of years after I transitioned Rodrigo to a raw food diet, he had a setback with his health. He went from occasional loose stool and diarrhea to daily diarrhea and experiencing rapid weight loss. I was feeding my dogs a raw diet, everything had been great and then it wasn’t. And the usual diarrhea solutions (canned pumpkin, canned sweet potatoes, bentonite clay, Olewo carrots) weren't working.
Sound familiar?
The Raw Feeding Honeymoon Period
Often raw feeders, myself included, speak of how quickly our dogs’ health improves after switching to a raw food diet. We seem to forget the many times we switched to a new kibble and our dogs seemed to do better at first. So is raw that miraculous cure to health issues or is the diet change from a “bad” food causing the improvements?
The Honeymoon Period refers to a brief time when our dogs seem to thrive and improve and we’re so happy and relieved, convinced that raw was the answer all along. And then the dog’s health issues rebound big time and we freak the hell out. Some people return to kibble because obviously the raw is causing the problem.
Fresh food is always the right move and no one can convince me otherwise. But if we're switching our dogs to raw to escape a health issue, the new diet can only do so much in some cases. We still need to address the health issue (and possible damage done by a highly processed, high carb diet). In Rodrigo's case, I had to focus heavily on his gut health.
Sensitivities vs. Allergies with Dogs
Before I jump into the review, I want to explain the difference between sensitivities and allergies. We often use the terms interchangeably, but there is a big difference.
- With a Sensitivity (or an Intolerance), the gut reacts and this is when our dogs have gas, loose stool, or diarrhea.
- With an Allergy, the immune system reacts and that’s when we see hives, rashes, and itchy skin.
Rodrigo has several food sensitivities that result in digestive upset and he lives with environmental allergies that result in itchy paws.
Glacier Peak Holistics Sensitivity Testing Review
Out of all of our dogs, Rodrigo is the only one that has a list of issues with food and environment that cause me to make adjustments to diet. I’ve always wanted to have him tested but didn’t think it was worth the expense since I’m pretty confident about his list of triggers. However, my curiosity got the better of me and I purchased a test, swabbed his cheeks, and sent it back and awaited the results (which came quickly).
Glacier Peak Holistics provides a complete report that highlights the pet’s triggers. There were many things on the report that weren't surprising, and a few things that were eye-opening. For instance, Rodrigo has an intolerance for grains – yep, not surprised. Carrots, pine trees, and chicken eggs also land on this list of his sensitivities/allergens – shocker!
All in all, I found the results to be eye-opening, although overwhelming. I can understand the people who complain that their dog is allergic to everything after receiving this test. What kept me from being discouraged was a follow-up consultation with someone from Glacier Peak Holistics, who took the time to go over all of the results and answer my questions. The best part was that the rep followed up with me a week later with answers to follow up questions.
Pros of the Glacier Peak Holistics Sensitivity Test
What I appreciate about the test is that I now have a clear understanding of what is triggering my dog. One of the benefits of feeding a raw food diet is that I can control the ingredients in Rodrigo’s bowl. And while I'm confident in the diet I formulated for my dogs, this test highlighted many triggers for me to keep in mind when feeding him and when trying new foods.
Sensitivities Can Change Over Time
I also learned that adding an ingredient to my dogs' diet daily can result in a growing sensitivity over time. The good news is that the reaction may eventually decline or go away.
On Rodrigo’s test, he came back with a sensitivity to oysters and carrots. Two things could be happening here – these things were triggered with the test because they have been a large part of his diet. The oysters were a new part of his diet and the Olewo carrots were fed to stop the diarrhea. I didn't need to drop these from his diet – I was advised not to feed these daily.
No Need to Panic About Things We Can’t Change
I was bummed about seeing pine trees on the list. We live in the Pacific Northwest; with a dog that's allergic to pine trees. Wow. But no need to panic. because when it comes to things we can’t change, there are solutions.
Glacier Peak Holistics offers supplement recommendations to help boost our dogs’ immune system so that they can continue to live a healthy life. BUT THEY DON'T DO A SALES PITCH, FOLKS!!! Which I very much appreciated.
While I could order the GPH supplements for my dog, Rodrigo's test results came back with recommendations of general supplements allowing me to choose a brand that I like.
The test results, follow-up consultation, and lack of a sales pitch made test well worth the investment to me.
To order a test for your dog, visit Glacier Peak Holistics Today!
Cons of the Glacier Peak Holistics Sensitivity Test
This isn't really a “con,” it's more of an FYI if you choose to have this test.
There were some things that the test combined that I don’t think should be combined. For instance, chicken and eggs shouldn’t be on the same line. A dog can have a sensitivity to chicken and do well on chicken eggs. I feed pasture-raised, organic chicken eggs to my dogs just in case – they're doing great.
The test also combined pheasant and quail, which I think is incorrect. Rodrigo has trouble with chicken, turkey, and pheasant; however, he does great on duck and quail.
That being said, my dogs may not represent the majority. Either way, keep this in mind if you have your dog tested. If chicken and pheasant are highlighted, that may not mean that your dog can't have chicken eggs and quail.
To order a test for your dog, visit Glacier Peak Holistics Today!
Warning About Sensitivity Tests for Dogs
This year, I invested in a lot of tests for my dogs:
- my dogs go in for a wellness check and a complete blood panel annually
- I invested in nutrient blueprint testing for my dogs to gauge how they're doing on the diet I prepare
- I invested in microbiome testing for Rodrigo and Scout to get a peek at their gut health
- And I did sensitivity testing for Rodrigo.
As I've been writing up reviews for all of these tests, one thing came to mind that I want to address here. Please do not use any of these tests to diagnose your dog or in place of a veterinarian visit. If you're concerned about a health issue, speak to your veterinarian before investing in one of these tests. I say this because the results can make you panic. Your veterinarian can compare the results with the health history of your dog and help you take the proper steps. Or your veterinarian can make a recommendation that will make the test unnecessary. Keep your vet in the loop.
Don't have a veterinarian who will help you with these tests? My friend, Dr. Laurie Coger, offers holistic pet consultations. She has over 20 years of experience as a holistic veterinarian, graduated from Cornell University, and has decades of experience feeding a raw diet to dogs.
To order a test for your dog, visit Glacier Peak Holistics Today!
Rodrigo's Sensitivities List
The following is a condensed list of Rodrigo's sensitivities. I'm only including foods and other items that he would be exposed to…
- PROTEIN: goat, chicken, pheasant
- FISH: mackerel, pollock, shellfish
- LEGUMES: peanuts
- VEGETABLES: brussel sprouts, carrots
- GRAINS: the entire list was highlighted, including white and brown rice
- DAIRY: cheese, cottage cheese, whey, yogurt
- FRUIT: bananas, cranberries, dates, honeydew melon
- NUTS/SEEDS: almonds
- SPICES: coriander, nutmeg
- OTHER: casein, carob, gluten, malt, molasses, tapioca
To order a test for your dog, visit Glacier Peak Holistics Today!
Disclaimer: I WAS NOT compensated in any way for this review. I purchased the test from my own budget.
Thanks so much; I’ll get this fixed. I appreciate the heads up.
The link to the vet did not work. It took me to her page with an error of 404. Thanks.
Thank you for pointing this out. I added more links throughout the blog post to help others.
Well…there it is, right there at the very bottom…sorry. I was looking for the link at the top…my bad.
Didn’t see it until I my comment appeared.
You are usually RAWSOME about including links for things, but you never included a hyperlink for GP…I found them and I must say, the test is REALLY affordable! I am going to be taking advantage of this test for sure!
thank you so very much for being such an informative blogger!