# Allergies



## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

I recently had Tess tested for allergies and just got a call from the vet - she's severely allergic to chicken, pork, corn, mold, dust mites, 5 different trees, pollens and borderline for sweet potato, turkey & potatoes. YIKES!:faint:

She's okay for lamb, venison & rice.

I had already figured out the chicken and eliminated that from her diet by changing her to Wellness Whitefish & Sweet Potato. In the last two days she's stopped wanting much of that in the morning - takes a piece, drops it on the floor, sighs and lays down next to the bowl. In the evening, when she's really hungry, she's willing to eat it. Since she's borderline for the sweet potato, I need to get her off of it anyhow, so I guess the timing is good.

I've read through a number of threads....I'm not sure I'm ready for a raw diet and there aren't any stores in my area that sell Fromms. Wellness does have a brand called "Simple Solutions" that only has 5 ingredients - venison or duck + rice + flaxseed oil.... Has anyone had any experience with this? (The previous threads indicate a concern for the protien level but I think the majority of protien comes from animal, not plant.)

Because she's allergic to molds, trees, pollen & dust mites the vet is recommending allergy shots. Thoughts?


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

I'd try a duck based food with rice - I think Wellness has one. Also Eagle Pack Holistic Select has a duck and oatmeal that I like. It stopped my Maltese's allergies right away.


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## mugsy & me (Feb 3, 2008)

are allergies common with these little guys?

i notice mugsy has periods where he sneezes alot and at times his nose seems more wet than normal.

joe


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## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

i feed my dog wellness, chicken and sweet potatoe, he has a beef and i think wheat allergy. loves the food, they also make great treats. my vet told me that the smaller breeds tend to develope allergies like we do, i have benadryl, dont like to give it to him unless his is absolutely miserable. i keep his paws clean, vacumme the house all the time. etc.


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

My little man might have allergies, how did you do the test with the vet? My vet said the allergy test was a waste of money and the best way to find out was to restrict his diet, but it takes sooo long, and what if what we change it too is the bad one?


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Yikes! That is a lot to be allergic to. Poor Tess.  I didn't even know they could be tested. Good to know! I'd never heard of allergy shots for dogs! 

How about Instinct, from Nature's Variety? They have a duck version. Fromm's has a non-grain version, Surf and Turf I think it's called. Orijen has a fish version that is non-grain as well, but not sure what you can get where you are. It's made in Canada. 

Good luck, Jill !


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Jill in Mich said:


> Because she's allergic to molds, trees, pollen & dust mites the vet is recommending allergy shots. Thoughts?


Hi Jill:

I just went through several months with trying to figure out Lincoln's allergies as well. For food allergies, figuring out and removing the offending food from their diet is the solution.

For environmental allergies (which are apparently much more common), the vet told me that how they manage it long term really depends on what your dog is allergic to and how often they show symptoms. For example, if your dog has an allergy to something seasonal (lasting just a short time during the year), they may treat the outbreaks with a short, tapered course of Prednisone to help them get through that time period. The rest of the time, they would not be on it.

If your dog is allergic to something environmental year round (or something that you just cannot figure out what it is), then they may elect to do allergy shots at regular intervals rather than keep the dog on Prednisone (due to its strong side effects) for a longer period of time.

I guess it just depends. You might want to ask your vet what the other possible options are vs. allergy shots, and what the +s and -s of each option are.


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Thanks for the quick responses! I'll check out the various foods - there's so many foods out there, it's hard to know what's safe & what's just hype. I feel better knowing what all of you are using and trust your opinions. I'm finding that even foods like Eagle Pack Holistic Select's Duck & Oatmeal and Fromm's use chicken fat, so I'll just have to do my research. The vet told me to be careful of the treats also since most of those use chicken fat. I picked up a variety of the Wellness treats this weekend. She seems happy with those (in fact, I suspect that's why she's turning up her nose at her regular food - "Just give me those pricey treats - thank you very much!")

You're right Jane, I need to have a detailed discussion about options with the vet.

I wanted to try and figure out the allergies on my own (I was afraid I was overreacting, that they would do the tests, and tell me she was fine) but some days she just seems miserable, even when taking benadryl - you can see her pink feet in all of her pictures from licking and her eyes just drive her nuts.

The vet did a blood test that was sent out to a company for testing (I'll pick up another brochure with the company name, the next time I'm there.) The cost for the test was about $350. We'll have to do shots every 3-4 days for the initial stage to build her up. I'll have to take her in to the vet for these - could take up to 8 months - (cost of about $260 total for the initial stage) and then every 2-4 weeks for the rest of her life ($250 - $500 annually, depending on frequency). Ultimately I'll be able to give her the shots myself. 

The vet had told me I could also take her to a veterinarian dermatologist for allergy testing similar to what humans get with the pin pricks. That costs about $2,000 - $3,000 because they put them under general anethesia to do. (Made the $350 blood test sound pretty reasonable!)

I figure that compared to what others are going through with their pups right now...this is nothin'.

Thanks!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Jill in Mich said:


> but some days she just seems miserable, even when taking benadryl - you can see her pink feet in all of her pictures from licking and her eyes just drive her nuts.


My vet also told me that there are several different antihistamines you can try and that not all of them will work for your dog - you just have to try them because some of them won't work at all. Lincoln tried a doggie one and the Benadryl and did not respond to either.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Jill, California Naturals has a lamb and rice that has very limited ingredients-- (and no sweet potato) my boys loved the puppy version (but it gave them the runs)


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

I cant believe how much those tests cost!!
In terms of treats, I try to just stick to whatever food is in the dry food I am using, or people food as I like to call it. I think if you give them whatever protein base they are already eating without any processed stuff it should be ok, plus its cheaper than dog treats I think. For instance I give them cheddar cheese, which is like 2 bucks at trader joes, or duck from the Asian market and its like less than a dollar. They seem to like it and they are pretty picky too.


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

I just wantd comment about using natural ingredients though they might be the same ingredients in your dog's commercial kibble. 

I feed Benji and Lizzie Natural Balance Potato and Duck. I like the natural, homecooked food philosophy, and though Benji didn't have any issues eating homecooked duck and vegetables sprikled on the NB kibble, Lizzie perhaps doesn't tolerate it that well. I am dealing with Lizzie chewing on her left paw. I have kept her only on NB Potato and Duck kibble and treats now. Though her chewing hasn't completely stopped, it is comparitively less than when she was eating the fresh duck and potato.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

For those of you in Northern California, there is a dog allergy specialist in San Leandro. I believe they also charge about $300-$350 for the testing, but then you don't have to keep ruling out foods for months on end. It's faster, but you'll have to pay a bit for it.

Jill, it seems I keep hearing of more and more dogs with corn and chicken allergies. I'm sorry the list is so long, however, I'm glad you got answers to so many specific items at once. At least now you know what to avoid for her.


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

You're right Kimberly, it was worth paying the fee and getting all of the answers at once. I would have been really frustrated to spend months trying to go through all the various foods and still have her showing signs because of the environmental allergies.

What's really a shame is that this poor dog was used as a breeder for years by someone who didn't care about keeping the breed healthy. Now there are how many puppies out there with all of these allergies, knee problems, etc? I wonder if they were aware of her problems? I knew I might be getting into things like this with her, but I doubt most people who bought her pups did.


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

This is the first registered dog I've owned and don't know the protocol. Should I be notifying the AKC of Tess's health problems? Would they try to regulate breeding of her offspring?


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## anneks (Mar 13, 2007)

I use California Naturals for two of my dogs. I like that it has so few ingredients. If the Wellness in similar I bet it would be great too as it seems like such a great brand.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Jill in Mich said:


> This is the first registered dog I've owned and don't know the protocol. Should I be notifying the AKC of Tess's health problems? Would they try to regulate breeding of her offspring?


Great questions, Jill! I imagine those who bred Tess before didn't care that much about any potential health problems. 

Wow. That's a lot of money for a vet. derm. ! Maybe I should be pushing at least 1 of my 3 kids to go into vet. medecine!!! :wof: :crutch:


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## havaluv (Oct 15, 2007)

Hi Jill,

I haven't posted in a while as I've been re-locating back to Michigan from a 4 month stay in California. 

I'm home now and just catching up on the threads when I get the time. It caught my eye that you are in Royal Oak! I'm in West Bloomfield and my Ollie has allergies too. I'm curious about the testing you had done...we've been doing an elimination diet and don't really know where to go from here. He's much better now (on Natural Balance Duck and potato food...duck jerky for treats), but still takes Chorphenteramine antihistimine daily which helps. I'll be looking for specialists here so if you could PM me your vet who did the testing I'd reallly appreciate it! 

Anyway, it's good to see another Michigander on the board! I know I'm late, but welcome! :~) Maybe we could do a playdate sometime.


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

Yes I have heard of allergy testing for dogs and I think you are right dogs seem to be suffering from allergies more now than in the past ..
I can see Cosmo is very sensitive to certain pollens especially in the desert . His eyes get runny and he sneezes .. Somedays he seems more lethargic . When it is very windy it seems more acute ..

You might try Call of the Wild dog food I think they have one that is salmon based .. They have different formulas and I think you can find them on line .I know California naturals has a salmon and mackerel based dog food .. I gave ot to Cosmo when we were having feeding challenges .. 
I would try and stay away from the Prednisone if you can .. You get on a cycle and it is vert difficult to wean them off it .. It can be stressful on the dog's immune system as well . A lot of the older vets seem to feel it is the thing to do but in the long run I am not so sure ..
I know my son had to resort to its use with his cat when her symptons were acute and she was totally miserable and no one wants their little ones to suffer- that is obvious . I had to use it on occasion with my wirehair years ago as well but now I try to find acceptable alternative therapies that would work .. Hoever sometimes you have to do what you have to do .. You do not want them to be in acute distress and miserable ..
Pollen allergies can be very challenging .. 
I know you are going to think dodo- do-do but you might think about acupuncture - it works well for humans and pets as well .. It is amazing but the dogs and cats do seem to accept the needles and it does help .
There are two vets that do it in Marin . I do not know how accepted it is elsewhere - we have a reputation for being a little off beat .. and odd ..
I have heard about the shots too and that they do work once the correct titers are reached ...


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Hmmmm, acupuncture.... I hadn't thought about that but it's definitely worth looking into. I agree Cosmosmom, finding a natural solution would be optimal. I've changed her over to Wysong Lamb & Rice and that is helping but hasn't eliminated her scratching and paw chewing. I'm concerned about drugs possibly shortening her life. I'll do the shots if I have to since I know she's suffering right now but if there are other options....


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## havaluv (Oct 15, 2007)

I agree about the prednisone. It does shorten their lives and has many repercussions. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but I think it is worth trying more than one antihistimine before resorting to prednisone. I tried one that didn't work, but the chlorphentirimine (sp?) seems to really help and the vet said it is extremely safe and he can take it forever if necessary. It's also cheap if you DON'T get it from the vet. I had safeway order it for me and it was only 9.99 for 1000. (he takes about 2/3 a pill twice a day) The vet charged me $20 for about 20 pills so it's worth getting from a regular pharmacy! 

Also, it took almost about 6 weeks for Ollie to really improve after switching off a chicken based dog food so you have to be patient. :frusty: I know it's so incredibly frustrating! I'm so sorry Tess has this problem too, but selfishly glad that you are nearby and we can perhaps help each other!


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## MollyP (Dec 26, 2007)

Hi Everyone:

We are new to the forum but our 8 year old Havanese, Molly, has allergies and asthma. She is allergic to beef so we feed her an brand called ID from the vet of lamb/rice. She also takes both Chlorpheniramine and Aminophylline daily but she seems to becoming refractory to them as of late. This leads to a new thread but does anyone else's Havanese suffer from the Ockham's Syndrome and how are you treating the varied symptoms? I am very concerned for Molly and her longevity as well as quality of life. 
MollyP

P.S. I will post this last question as a new thread.


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

I found this on pet education regarding blood tests for allergies.



> Blood Testing: Many owners and veterinarians attempt to look to other tests to diagnose food allergies. Blood tests such as the RAST test or the ELISA test can be performed to screen for food allergies. In addition, intradermal skin testing could also be performed. Despite the fact that these tests are routinely performed and used as a diagnostic aid, there is no evidence that blood tests are accurate for the diagnosis of food allergies. Veterinary dermatologists insist that there is no merit in these tests whatsoever in the diagnosis of food allergies. The only way to accurately diagnose food allergies is with a food trial as detailed above. While the intradermal skin testing is excellent for diagnosing atopy (inhalant allergies) it is ineffective for food allergies. While the ELISA and to a lesser extent the RAST test can be used to help in the diagnosis of atopy, they have no benefit in diagnosing food allergies. In our review of all the current books and articles on veterinary dermatology and allergies, we could not find a single dermatologist that endorsed anything other than the food trial as an effective diagnostic aid. If you want to diagnose and treat food allergies you must do a food trial.


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Thanks for the info Daniel,

I think what the blood test has done for me is to at least give me a starting point. I had already figured out that Tess was allergic to chicken but was disheartened to see her still itching (oh, if only it was that easy!) The blood tests also identified pork, corn, potatoes & sweet potatoes. It would have taken me forever to go through the full list of foods. I think knowing those things (or at least suspecting) and changing Tess over to a lamb/venison & rice diet saved me a ton of time and frustration. The article does make me wonder if I should also be doing the interdermal skin testing for the environmental allergies.

Shelly, thanks for mentioning it took quite a while for Ollie to stop reacting to the chicken based diet - patience is not one of my virtues! Thanks also for the name of the drugs Ollie is on. I'm going to take them with me on my next vet visit.

Jill


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

BTW when switching foods due to allergies, the recommened length of time for the trial is at least 16-21 weeks. Most dogs do not start to get better till around that time. Patience is key.


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

> The blood tests also identified pork, corn, potatoes & sweet potatoes. It would have taken me forever to go through the full list of foods.


I just wouldn't want you to rule out soemthing based on a test that may not be accurate. Although there aren't that many dog foods with pork so it's not a big deal. Everything I read indicated that the only true and best way is to do a food elimination test each one for at least 16 weeks.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

*Prednisone*

Lincoln went on a 4 wk short course (tapered) of Prednisone when we were combatting his allergies in October. My understanding, from the vet, is that in the old days, they'd put a dog on daily Prednisone for the rest of their lives to manage the allergy symptoms. It is a very effective drug but can have serious side effects. Now, they use it for short periods of time, tapering the dose off so the dog's body can adjust when going off of it. If your dog has year-round constant allergies, allergy shots are another alternative. I believe even if your dog has to go on a longer course, they would only take the Pred every other day (not every day).

I was very worried about the Pred for Lincoln, which is why my vet and I got into this discussion about it. I guess because of how it was misused/overused in the past, it has gotten a bad rap. And it is important to use it exactly as prescribed and follow the tapering schedule. But it was a lifesaver for us.


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