[Dailydrool] allergies

[DIERKER]

I have a basset with the worst allergies I've ever dealt with. They started when he was a year old or so. He would drag himself on the ground until he was bloody, and chew at his skin incessantly.  After an elimination diet didn't help at all, we did the bloodwork to be sent off for allergy testing. He is allergic to so many things, it's impossible to have a calm season. There are only two foods at my vet that he can eat, and thank goodness he loves them. We did the allergy shots for two years, but did not get results worth continuing them.  Finally we had to opt for very small maintenance doses of prednisone. It was a hard decision to go with a continued steroid, but he was so miserable and the vet thought this would be the best solution for him. He is five now, and we barely keep things under control in the summer. This summer wasn't quite so bad. I work for my vet and I saw a trend in a calmer allergy season. Probably because it was hot as blazes
 all summer. Nothing could grow.  I have to be very vigilant and the minute I see the itching increasing, either use the Benedryl or Hydroxyzine to try and calm it down. September, October and May seem to be consistently the worst for us. This being said, I had another dog 25 years ago that I took to a dermatologist who also did the skin testing. I don't know if they still do it, but he did the skin testing method with about 75 different things. There were tons of welts (including dust, hah, good luck on that one.) Anyway, we did the allergy injections with him and within two years we were able to stop and he didn't flare up again. So, like others have said, when they work it's great, but sometimes they don't. On the upside, at least you know from the testing what is causing the trouble so you can possibly avoid them.
Janet, Yogi, Carlie Jane, Dolly, Bunny, and Bernie, the very, very, very itchy doggy


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