Basset Hound ear infections & food allergies

Chronic ear infections in Basset Hounds are actually a classic sign that something in the diet is driving inflammation — dairy is a common culprit, though it's worth knowing that true food allergies are less common than intolerances, and the symptoms can look identical. The most reliable way to pinpoint the trigger is an elimination diet using a novel or hydrolysed protein source — something your dog has never eaten before. To point you in the right direction: how old is your Basset, what symptoms are you seeing beyond the ears, and have you already tried an elimination diet or spoken to a vet about it?

That combination — recurring ear infections, itchy paws, and digestive upset — is a really consistent picture for a food intolerance, and chicken is actually one of the most common triggers, not just dairy. The problem with a lot of mainstream foods is that chicken turns up everywhere, even in foods not primarily labelled as chicken. Before I suggest anything, has Biscuit ever been fed duck, venison, or fish as a main protein? Knowing what he hasn't eaten regularly helps identify what counts as a genuinely novel protein for his elimination trial.

A few weeks of salmon a year ago is probably fine — it's unlikely to have sensitised him. But duck is your cleanest option here, and that's exactly what I'd go with. My recommendation is Canagan Grain-Free Free-Run Duck for Dogs. It's a high-meat, grain-free dry food with duck as the single dominant protein, no dairy derivatives, no chicken, and no common allergen fillers like wheat or soy. Canagan is well-regarded for ingredient quality — the named meat content is genuinely high, not padded out with derivatives. For an elimination trial to be meaningful you need to stick to one novel protein exclusively for 8–12 weeks, no treats with other proteins, no flavoured chews. If Biscuit's ears and paws settle down in that window, you'll have a strong signal that chicken or dairy was the driver. It's also worth looping your vet in so they can track the ear infections alongside the dietary change — if the infections clear up between vet visits during the trial, that's useful clinical information for them too.

Yes — transition slowly over about 10 days, mixing increasing amounts of the Canagan in with his old food. I know that slightly muddies the elimination trial in the very short term, but switching too fast with a dog who already has a gurgly stomach will just cause loose stools and make it harder to read any signals. Once he's fully transitioned, from that point your 8–12 week clock starts. Keep a simple note on your phone of any ear flare-ups, paw licking, or stomach issues — even just a line every few days. It makes it much easier to see whether there's a genuine trend.

Good luck with Biscuit — he sounds like he's been putting up with this for a while, so it's worth being thorough. If after a full 8–12 week trial on the duck food the symptoms haven't shifted, it's worth going back to the vet and asking specifically about a referral for a dermatology or allergy workup, or discussing a hydrolysed protein food as a next step. But duck is a solid place to start.