seasonal pet allergies

[nodilberthere]

My dog gets awful skin allergies every September. About the first week of September every year, it starts. In a matter of a few days, he'll lick all the fur off his paws and belly and becomes extremely uncomfortable. This started four years ago. That first year, it got so bad that we almost lost him, in a few days, he had chewed almost to the bone and was very infected. He ended up wearing a cone for months, while we tried to figure out what was wrong.

Now it was late November. And after many many different meds, lots of vet visits and almost losing him, the allergist said: Well, we do have a medication, but it's very expensive. I don't know whether or not you want to try it." So I said, how much is it? And she replied, about 35 per box, each box lasts 3 weeks..... What? You must be kidding me, I thought. You have something in your arsenal that you haven't told me about, and it's only 35 bucks??? I'LL TAKE IT!!!!! (I would have paid 3000 bucks for it if that's what it cost)

It's called Atopica. It is amazing stuff. I know it saved his life. He still gets the allergies every September, but now as soon as we see the first paw lick starting, we start the Atopica. He'll usually take it for about 6 weeks, or two rounds, and he's done. After about a day, his licking is dramatically reduced and we can remove the cone.

I've recommended this to a few other people and everyone has had success with it. I had to order it ahead, as the vet doesn't keep it stocked. When I picked up the pills, I asked why they don't use it more, and they said because of the high cost of it. Because my dog is small, he takes less, and it his usage is only seasonal. But if he was bigger and it cost more and he had to take it all the time, then we'd still use it.

I hope maybe this will help someone else's dog who has allergies. I thought to put this on here because we just started our Atopica round yesterday, so my buddy is cone-bound for a few days.

 

[kkddbb]

great post! thanks for this info. i never heard of such a thing until just now, good to know. thanks again and good luck with your buddy

 

[nodilberthere]

I'm happy to report that, after three days of Atopica, he's back on the job! (you can see the missing fur on his drivers-side front paw.)

 

[audreyf]

My dog gets awful skin allergies every September. About the first week of September every year, it starts. In a matter of a few days, he'll lick all the fur off his paws and belly and becomes extremely uncomfortable. This started four years ago. That first year, it got so bad that we almost lost him, in a few days, he had chewed almost to the bone and was very infected. He ended up wearing a cone for months, while we tried to figure out what was wrong.

Now it was late November. And after many many different meds, lots of vet visits and almost losing him, the allergist said: Well, we do have a medication, but it's very expensive. I don't know whether or not you want to try it." So I said, how much is it? And she replied, about 35 per box, each box lasts 3 weeks..... What? You must be kidding me, I thought. You have something in your arsenal that you haven't told me about, and it's only 35 bucks??? I'LL TAKE IT!!!!! (I would have paid 3000 bucks for it if that's what it cost)


It's called Atopica. It is amazing stuff. I know it saved his life. He still gets the allergies every September, but now as soon as we see the first paw lick starting, we start the Atopica. He'll usually take it for about 6 weeks, or two rounds, and he's done. After about a day, his licking is dramatically reduced and we can remove the cone.

I've recommended this to a few other people and everyone has had success with it. I had to order it ahead, as the vet doesn't keep it stocked. When I picked up the pills, I asked why they don't use it more, and they said because of the high cost of it. Because my dog is small, he takes less, and it his usage is only seasonal. But if he was bigger and it cost more and he had to take it all the time, then we'd still use it.

I hope maybe this will help someone else's dog who has allergies. I thought to put this on here because we just started our Atopica round yesterday, so my buddy is cone-bound for a few days.

Such great advice. Need to get some for my Dobe. where do you order yours?

 

[Gidget]

Glad that works so well!

You might also want to look into this dog food for dogs with sensitive skin and allergies.

Nature's Recipe Healthy Skin Dry Vegetarian Dog Food | NextDayPets.com

Don't be put off by the fact that it is vegetarian because you can add your own meat scraps to it if you like. My dog has been on it for supper along with sweet potato. For breakfast she has grass fed beef that is ground especially for dogs. Not very expensive - no corn fed to the animals so less tendency for allergy.

Here she is

Good luck and thanks for sharing!!

G

 

[Gidget]

I'm happy to report that, after three days of Atopica, he's back on the job! (you can see the missing fur on his drivers-side front paw.)

WHAT a cutie pie!!!!!!!!!!!

G

 

[seagrovegirl]

My Gracie, a Tibetan Terrier has skin allergies and it started last week, again. When I started using Comfortis, about a year a and a half ago, for fleas I noticed she stopped itching. Maybe she is just allergic to fleas, but nothing else worked on her.

 

[Smiling JOe]

If your dog goes outside, and you are living in NW FL, it is possible that your dog is allergic to our Fall flowers which are blooming everywhere in September and October. I'm not sure if honey is good for dogs, but I use Barrett Honey (made in the Pt Washington State Forests), found at For the Health of It, in the Fall to build up my own resistance to those pollens of the wildflowers. There is no one else making local honey to my knowledge.

 

[nodilberthere]

Such great advice. Need to get some for my Dobe. where do you order yours?

I get it at my Vet's office. They usually have to order it in, and it takes 2 business days to get. Russell is 13 pounds and he takes one 25 mg pill/day.

My sister also uses it for her llasa apso on a permanent basis. Louie licks everything until his tongue is raw and he has no fur. He does this all year round though, so it isn't seasonal.

She spent tons of money for him, testing, special foods, vitamins, meds -- and then finally listenend to me and asked to try the Atopica and his licking was under control in a matter of days.

I was told that it is probably due to mold spores in the fall grass from the leaves on the trees falling and mulching in the grass, the summer flowers dying off and rotting, and spreading pollen. Whatever it is, it's always September and lasts until our first frost which could be any day now. And in a few weeks, everything green will be brown and dead, except for some mums and pansies, and we'll be off the Atopica for another year.

 

[Lady D]

I get it at my Vet's office. They usually have to order it in, and it takes 2 business days to get. Russell is 13 pounds and he takes one 25 mg pill/day.

My sister also uses it for her llasa apso on a permanent basis. Louie licks everything until his tongue is raw and he has no fur. He does this all year round though, so it isn't seasonal.

She spent tons of money for him, testing, special foods, vitamins, meds -- and then finally listenend to me and asked to try the Atopica and his licking was under control in a matter of days.

I was told that it is probably due to mold spores in the fall grass from the leaves on the trees falling and mulching in the grass, the summer flowers dying off and rotting, and spreading pollen. Whatever it is, it's always September and lasts until our first frost which could be any day now. And in a few weeks, everything green will be brown and dead, except for some mums and pansies, and we'll be off the Atopica for another year.

I need to take my son's dog back to our vet we used with our dogs, he is a Shih Tzu and is constantly licking his back left leg to the point now where it is really red and is sore to the touch. He has been to the vet already twice for his allergies, he received a cortizone shot back the end of July, obviously not much help. He chews the base of his tail and licks it until very red, it is scabbed over. He gets over the counter Loratadine 10mg when needed, I have been giving him one several days this week, have liquid children's Benadryl for him but I cannot get him to cooperate to take it, the pills are easier to get down him, I use hydrocortizone spray on him from the pet store, I'm afraid he is going to end up like your dog. His usually starts right at the start of spring and continues until up into the fall, I do not think the grass around here helps things obviously. I may get a appointment and take him back to my vet this week and ask about the Atopica. I hate to see him suffer.