Meet Ezio
Dog: Ezio (pronounced Etseo, named after the Assassin’s Creed character set in ancient Italy)
Breed: Siberian Husky
Age: 4 years old (5 in June)
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When Kara Robinson’s Siberian Husky, Ezio, started showing symptoms that didn’t fit any neat diagnosis, she did what every great dog owner does: she refused to accept “we’re not sure” as a final answer. What followed was years of research, vet visits, dead ends, and eventually a discovery that changed everything. Not in a clinic, but in the bowl.
Dog: Ezio (pronounced Etseo, named after the Assassin’s Creed character set in ancient Italy)
Breed: Siberian Husky
Age: 4 years old (5 in June)
Ezio was Kara’s first dog, and her first husky. From around six months to a year old, he started developing crusty lesions around his eyes and mouth, intense itching, and what Kara could only describe as a dog who didn’t look like himself anymore. She turned to the one place she trusted: her vet.
What followed was a frustrating cycle that many dog owners will recognise. Topical creams were offered. Tests were run. Ezio was examined repeatedly. But nothing quite landed. The lesions persisted. The itching was so severe he’d scratch his eyes and mouth until they bled.
“At this point he was struggling with lethargy and lack of appetite,” Kara recalls. “He had low tolerance for interactions, stopped engaging in play with his sister, and was very sluggish on his walks. You could visibly see his ribcage.”
Alongside the skin issues, he was dealing with recurring ear infections, digestive upset, loud stomach noises, interrupted sleep, and periods of disinterest in his food. He was making himself sick in the garden daily. His weight was hard to maintain.
Ezio wasn’t thriving. He was barely coping.
Kara isn’t someone who accepts the first answer she’s given. Unsatisfied with what was being offered, she started digging into husky-specific health conditions, breed communities, owner forums, and nutritional research.
It was through this research that she first came across Zinc-Responsive Dermatosis (ZRD), a condition seen in northern breeds including Siberian Huskies, where the dog’s body struggles to absorb zinc efficiently, leading to skin lesions, crusty patches, and chronic irritation. The description matched Ezio exactly.
When she raised this with her vet, she was dismissed. The practice didn’t recognise ZRD as a diagnosis. Undeterred, she sought out a specialist zinc supplement through a husky-specific supplier. Within a month, his eyelid lesions had cleared.
The vets hadn’t spotted it. Kara had.
“At this point he was struggling with lethargy and lack of appetite. He had low tolerance for interactions, stopped engaging in play with his sister, and was very sluggish on his walks. You could visibly see his ribcage.”
It was around this time, in early 2023, that Kara also switched Ezio onto ProDog’s raw dog food. She’d been looking for a food that was nutritious with transparent labelling and suited to a dog with clear sensitivities.
“There was so much information on the ProDog website,” she says. “The blogs, the advice, the breakdown of ingredients. I didn’t need to look anywhere else. Since my first order I have never looked back.”
Within three to four weeks of switching him fully onto ProDog, Kara noticed significant improvements. The recurring skin issues settled. The ear infections stopped. The digestive upset eased, the gas and stomach noises reduced, and he stopped making himself sick in the garden. His sleep improved. His weight stabilised and his interest in food returned.
“Now his coat is shiny, he’s at a perfect weight and full of energy,” Kara says. “No more noisy squiggles and needing to run to the garden.”
What Kara didn’t know yet was that the grain-free raw diet she’d chosen for Ezio was already doing something important. She just hadn’t connected the dots yet.
Things were improving. Then in June 2023, Ezio had his first serious episode. The family had been visiting relatives, and Ezio was given a bowl of conventional biscuits, instead of his usual raw food. Shortly afterwards, he experienced what appeared to be a seizure.
“We initially thought it was seizures,” Kara says, “but after extensive testing and blood work, vets are not convinced it was representative of epilepsy.”
What followed was more testing, more dead ends, and more of Kara doing her own research. She stumbled across a condition previously associated with Border Terriers, dug deeper, and found something that resonated: Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome (CECS), a poorly understood condition with emerging links to gluten sensitivity and specific protein triggers.
She brought this to her vet. They were uncertain but open. Video evidence of episodes was recorded and reviewed. Testing ruled out epilepsy, tumours, and other neurological conditions. A pattern was emerging: episodes appeared linked to gluten and certain proteins in Ezio’s diet.
It was then, in November 2025, that Ezio was placed on a strict elimination diet. He was already on a raw food diet but this didn’t exclude the occasional biscuit treat. Gluten and chicken were removed and Ezio was only fed Venison. By week nine of the elimination diet, he had not had a single episode.
Kara has since moved to an independent vet practice that has taken the time to properly engage with her research and Ezio’s history. Video evidence has been submitted to a neurologist and the family are currently awaiting review. CECS remains officially undiagnosed at this stage, but the dietary approach is working. Ezio is now coming up to five months episode-free.
“I have been advised in the meantime to continue following CECS guidance as it is working,” Kara says.
Looking back, Kara can see that ProDog was central to Ezio’s progress from the very beginning, even before she understood why.
“I would say ProDog was a very big factor in managing his symptoms as it took him away from grain and gluten before I even suspected CECS,” she says. “Without ProDog I would have really struggled to find him a suitable, nutritious diet that best fit Ezio’s limitations.”
ProDog’s range of novel proteins gave Kara the flexibility and transparency she needed. Ezio is now eating venison, wild boar, duck, and rabbit, with more proteins to be introduced gradually over time. Every recipe is clearly labelled, grain-free, and free from the common triggers that had been driving his symptoms.
The natural treat range has become part of his routine too.
“I also recently started using their natural dog treat range, which is also fantastic,” Kara says. “I’m mostly drawn to the fact that they’re all natural with no added ingredients, so I feel safe giving them to Ezio without worrying about triggering an episode. He gets very excited to see the box arrive.”
The shift in Ezio has been visible and measurable. For Kara, it has been emotional too.
He’s back to pulling her across the fields. He’s engaging with his sister Niah, enjoying hikes and light running, and back to his crazy dog park days. He’ll still take his time with new dogs, standing off before feeling confident to engage, but that’s Ezio’s personality, not his pain.
“You can tell in his eyes that he is happy and healthy,” Kara says. “When he is feeling unwell they look very dull and sad. Now they’re bright again.”
He’s fond of Benson and Bailey, two senior golden retrievers who were the only dogs he could comfortably walk alongside during his worst days. He’s back to being a menace in the best possible way.
Kara’s view is clear: when a dog’s behaviour changes, look at their health first.
“He is calmer and interacts with other dogs now. He obviously feels better about himself. People need to look at health initially when behaviour changes.”
“Transitioning to raw novel proteins, which are clean, and grain-free can be a highly effective strategy in these cases, as it allows for tighter control over ingredients while reducing unnecessary additives that may exacerbate symptoms. Introducing truly novel proteins, those the dog has not previously been exposed to, gives us a clearer understanding if food triggers are the issue.”
Alison Frost, Lead Canine Nutritionist
Ezio’s journey is ongoing. Kara continues to introduce new proteins carefully, always watching, always learning. She has been looking at ProDog’s Repel flea, tick and worm supplement as a natural option for flea and worm prevention, keeping everything as clean and considered as possible.
She advocates for one thing above all else: trust your instincts, do your research, and don’t stop until you find what works for your dog.
“Having Ezio has made me look outside the box,” she says.
“I have been feeding Ezio ProDog for around 2 years now and honestly, I’ve never had a single problem. Their food has always been fantastic and compared to other raw brands that I have trialled my dogs with, they have always preferred ProDog.”
If your dog is showing signs of food sensitivity, digestive upset, or you’re exploring an elimination diet, ProDog’s novel protein range offers clean, limited-ingredient options with complete transparency on every recipe.
Every protein is clearly listed. No hidden fillers. No gluten. No compromise.
Not sure where to start? Our nutrition team offers free guidance and can help you build a feeding plan suited to your dog’s individual needs.
Ezio’s story is shared with the kind permission of Kara Robinson. The conditions referenced in this article, Zinc-Responsive Dermatosis (ZRD) and suspected Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome (CECS), are being managed under veterinary supervision. CECS remains unconfirmed pending specialist neurological review. If your dog is displaying similar symptoms, always consult your vet in the first instance.
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