Hello Golden lovers!
Miley, one of the pups from a Wednesday Friendsday feature, is having some allergy issues and she needs your help! Her mom Jen wants to know if anyone else is having the same problems with their dog. Please read about the allergy issues Miley is having below, and comment on this post if you have had the same experience or have any advice for her. Thanks for your help!
Here’s what Jen wrote me:
Miley started itching about 6-7 months ago. Our normal Vet gave her a steroid injection and started her on Benadryl daily. This resolved her itching for about 2 months until one day we ran out of Benadryl and couldn’t get to the store. In that one day her allergies caught up to her and we could never get it under control again with just Benadryl (or any other antihistamine available over the counter). The Vet was reluctant to do another steroid injection due to the side effects of excessive steroid use.
This is when we took her to the Dermatologist. She had itched herself so badly that she had the red, pimple type bumps on her tummy (his was a Staph infection on her skin that was treated with antibiotics). The itching and licking had gotten so extreme that she was bleeding between her paws, under her armpits and on her belly.
The dermatologist started her on a low allergen diet to rule out a food allergy. For 6 weeks all she was allowed to eat was Rabbit and Potato (brutally painful for Miley who was accustomed to treats and bones on a regular basis).
She has now finished the diet and a food allergy has been ruled out because she is still extremely itchy. Miley was also treated for parasites with an antibiotic to rule out a parasite allergy. So now we are left with environmental allergies…
My question, and point in rambling on, is…Has anyone ever had their dog allergy tested? If so I’d love to hear from someone who has. I’m wondering if it is worth it? Not only from a financial aspect but also from the results aspect. Has anyone been successful in pinpointing an actual allergen in the environment and treating for this specific allergen?
It sounds like the allergy testing and desensitizing is a long drawn out process (sometimes 1-2 years to actually see results). Are long term steroids a better option? I’ve heard that the steroids have horrible long term consequences…
We want to make the most informed decision possible and do what is right for Miley so any input is appreciated!
