Dobes on Allergy Shots - Page 2

akutenshi79 · 09-04-2008, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmilyB

You have to have the steroids as an option, has your dog been on those? It provides relief, just not so good for the long term, plus they gain weight, lose hair, etc. It's still a way to cope while struggling through the shot regimen.

Well, we had him on steroids last year. He had the full list of side effects. Loki also has hypothyroidism. That's what we first thought is causing all the itchyness and the dry thin coat and the lethargy and the.....

When he first got the Soloxine he got better within 10 days, but it also was January. He was completely symptom free until end of June. That's when everything started all over again. His thyroid is stable though.
I just don't want to give him the steroids on top of everything but I certainly keep this option open.

EmilyB · 09-05-2008, 02:15 AM

I bet the thyroid does throw a kink into the mix. It's something I've not had to deal with (yet).

akutenshi79 · 10-07-2008, 10:02 PM

So I thought I would give an update on Loki. A lot has happened.

The allergy test came back as followed:
Lambs quarter 3
Golden Rod 3
Russian thistle 4
Yellow dock 4
Maple 2
Red cedar 3
Mulberry 2
P. Rye 2
Bahia grass 1
June grass 3
Johnson grass 4
Cat dander 1
Human dander 2 (my favorite

)
D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae both 3 (dust mites)
Cockroach 3
Flea 2

We started the immunization about 2 weeks ago. Loki is not doing very well. He has blisters, sores, puritus, severe yeast infections on feet.....He gets his feet washed every night (Maleseb shampoo) and I apply a gentamycine/topical corticosteroid mixture before bedtime.
Needless to say, he is not a happy puppy.
In the meantime we are looking into our options for the treatment of secondary bacterial and yeast infections (cyclosporin, ....)

I'll keep you posted on the progress

akutenshi79 · 10-07-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmilyB

I bet the thyroid does throw a kink into the mix. It's something I've not had to deal with (yet).

I think so too. I am not sure if he is true hypothyroidic or if the low T4 levels come from the allergies. The only way to find out is to get his allergies under control

dobes4us · 10-07-2008, 10:53 PM

akutenshi79 - did they do any food levels?

EmilyB · 10-08-2008, 01:57 AM

You should still have him on dexameth and some antibiotics, right? Until things kick in, and then slowly wean him off that.

I think when I had the allergy tests done, it pretty much excluded food allergy when things came in at a 3 or 4....

**doberkim** · 10-08-2008, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobes4us

akutenshi79 - did they do any food levels?

the only way to truly test for a food allergy is to do a food trial. blood or intradermal testing for food allergies is about as reliable as guessing

dobes4us · 10-08-2008, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doberkim

the only way to truly test for a food allergy is to do a food trial. blood or intradermal testing for food allergies is about as reliable as guessing

If the food part is like guessing are we sure the regional allergen tests are correct (weeds, trees, grasses...)?

**doberkim** · 10-08-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobes4us

If the food part is like guessing are we sure the regional allergen tests are correct (weeds, trees, grasses...)?

Yes, the bodies reaction to the tests is provable and reliable. The blood and allergy testing for food is simply not reliable in dogs and cats, it has been scientifically proven. The most reliable way to test for these, as any dermatologist will tell you, is via a food trial/elimination diet.

akutenshi79 · 10-12-2008, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobes4us

akutenshi79 - did they do any food levels?

No, they did not test for food allergies. That is a separate test panel.