17 week old Westie

Question
My 17 week old, 10 lb. Westie has food allergies.  We tried Benadryl-25 mg. twice a day, but it may have given him diarrhea.  Our Vet said to try to hold out till he's 6 months old and then use Hill's z/d diet.  I would rather not wait that long and maybe use another food instead.  Is there a preparation available for puppies?  Are there any recipes I can try?
Thanks!
Anne Marie

Answer
I can't suggest any recipes.  It is just too difficult to do your own dog's diet.  Why is the vet waiting on the Science Z/D?  Puppies do fine on adult chow.  At the worst, it only slows growth.  It is common to switch large breeds to it just for that reason.  Have you tried a bland recovery diet with him?

If a dog is having trouble keeping anything down or continuing diarrhea try this out of the manual I have from a large, knowledgeable dog guide school.

Bland recovery diet for dogs.

3 parts cooked rice, one part boiled hamburger or chicken, or cottage cheese. I think you can substitute boiled potatoes for the rice. Once in an emergency, we bought a plain baked potato from Wendy's.

This is meant for short time settling a dog's digestive tract. It is not the complete and balanced diet they need long term. I have seen it work.