"I am sharing my story about Elmo in the hope that it will help others who have experienced similar frustrations in caring for dogs with severe immune system problems.

Elmo was a street dog.  We rescued him at 3 months of age.  He is now nearly 3 years old.  He is a mix of Great Dane and Rhodesian Ridgeback.  Within 2 weeks of bringing Elmo home, he was diagnosed with puppy mange.  He was treated for the mange, for 6 months, with traditional medicines, by our veterinarian. When Elmo was about 9 months old he began to limp and was diagnosed with acute elbow dysplasia in both front legs.  He continued to suffer from skin disorders that manifested as red sores between his toes, on his groin area and in his ears.  He was diagnosed with a severe case of immune disorder and chronic yeast infection.  Elmo had always been given wholesome, high-end dog food.  His environment is clean; he lives a relatively stress-free life in a rural area with plenty of room for fresh air, running and exercise.  He was treated, at first, with Prednisone, then antibiotics.  We switched back and forth between the two treatments in addition to topical ear treatments for almost one and one-half years.  Nothing seemed to change the situation.  We tried various food combinations (all commercial products) but nothing made any difference.  No supplements, no food changes, no amount of bathing, no amount of medication…Elmo was an itching, licking, scratching machine!

In August 2006 Elmo was tested for allergies.  Voila! He’s allergic to just about every type of grass there is.  Great, we live on a ranch in South Western Washington covered by about 150 acres of a zillion types of grasses!  We immediately began to give Elmo allergy shots.  We were told it could take up to 6 months for them to become effective “if” they would even work at all.

Then life changed.   In September, 2006, I met Susan Davis.  That meeting changed Elmo’s life.  I read Susan’s website and had a consultation with her by telephone.  After carefully considering Elmo’s history and case information Susan suggested a regime of supplements and dietary changes. 

We have stayed with Susan’s advice over the last 45 days.  She was straightforward and honest about the fact that it would take time to see results.  I can honestly testify at this date, October 19, 2006, that Elmo is “itch” free.  All symptoms are gone in terms of itching, redness and sores.  In addition to the supplements that Susan suggested, we switched Elmo to the B.A.R.F. diet.  He does receive a minimal amount of kibble however and we have chosen to use the Natural Balance brand.  I will say that it takes patience, dedication and time however to implement not only a strict routine of supplements but the B.A.R.F. diet as well.  Today we are looking at a healthy, high energy, happy dog.  We know that nothing, outside of surgery, will repair the elbow dysplasia, but at least we know that Elmo is now as healthy as he can be under the circumstances.  We feel we owe a serious level of gratitude to Susan Davis for her thoughtful concern and the professional attention she has given to us.  Thanks Susan! "

Myrna and Elmo, Washington State




Sister Loves Krainz
Chronic Dog Skin Problems

"Hi, My name is Sister Loves.  For many years, I had the worst skin problems.  I would itch my face and pull all my whiskers off.  I had a terrible odor even though my mommy kept me really clean.  I was tired and miserable from scratching, scratching, scratching.  My mommy took me over and over again to the veterinarian and I was even on a special allergy diet--but still I kept scratching.  One day my Mommy went to VCA Arroyo Animal Hospital and found out about Susan Davis and Dr. Gordon's holistic health program.  They took a whole new perspective and developed a holistic plan for me.  Instead of always having to take antibiotics and prednisone, we tried a variety of more natural approaches.  In addition, they were able to finally discover one of the biggest problems I had which was contributing to my allergies.   Turns out I had some trouble digesting my food and had excess stomach acid which was making me lick and feel very itchy.  Susan Davis found just the right natural supplement for me and my tummy problems started to improve right away.  It took patience and several visits to really see the improvements but I am happy to say that now I am like a new dog.  I am feeling so much better and want to encourage people not to give up.  Resolving chronic skin problems takes time. My mommy was really dedicated and by working with Susan Davis and Dr. Gordon, we finally got results after so many years.  Woof Woof!"


      Maddy Hopper



"I scheduled a nutrition consultation with Susan Davis because my Australian Shepherd, Maddy had a dull coat and a recurring chewing issue on her tail.  I had already been to several veterinarians and had tried some of the recommended products but had seen little improvement.  Susan and I worked together to improve Maddy's diet and explored some of the possible reasons for her coat issues including allergies and yeast.  At first, Maddy did not improve but Susan was willing to work closely with me and I am finally seeing some nice results.  We have consistently been using the Omega Synergy, some other Ask Ariel  supplements and changed to the natural fish and potato diet.  I am happy to say that Maddy's coat is now velvety soft and has a magnificent sheen.  Everywhere I go, people ask me what I give Maddy because her coat is so beautiful.  We are still working on the final touches on the tail chewing, but we have come such a long way in just a few months.  It is so nice to know that there is hope for dogs with chronic skin problems."

Stacey Hopper
Laguna Niguel, CA