Allergies???

sillysally

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#1
Sally is pretty much allergic to life. We had her tested so have been able to eliminate trouble foods, but a lot of the air born allergens are impossible to control and this year has been the worst ever. We put her in a cone because she was scratching the heck out of her ears, but that doesn't stop her from scratched her torso, which is now covered in scabs. If we take the cone off at all she chews the living crap out if herself--she's had a few hotspots, including an especially pusy one on her tail.

She's on Benedryl, she's current on Frontline, we Capstar her whenever we spot a flea on her, she gets flax oil capsules (she's allergic to fish), and we recently starting giving both her and Jack Bug Off Garlic to hopefully repel fleas.

We finally broke down since she was so miserable and took her into the vet for a cortisone shot--I didn't want to but she has really been suffering. I thought of Atopia but have heard that its not good for dogs with a history of neoplasia and she's had a grade 2 mast cell tumor before.

Is there anything else we can do for her? Supplements? Medications?
 

Saeleofu

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#2
If you have already tested her, you should be able to get allergy injections. This is a serum that has a little bit of whatever she's allergic to in it, and you inject it under the skin in increasing amount to build up her tolerance. There is even an sublingual liquid you can do instead of shots, now. Most dogs do great on allergy injections. Usually, people don't test for allergies unless they plan to treat them with allergy serum.
 

*blackrose

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#3
If you have already tested her, you should be able to get allergy injections. This is a serum that has a little bit of whatever she's allergic to in it, and you inject it under the skin in increasing amount to build up her tolerance. There is even an sublingual liquid you can do instead of shots, now. Most dogs do great on allergy injections. Usually, people don't test for allergies unless they plan to treat them with allergy serum.
^ this.

I'm not sure about Atopica for her - that would be a question for your vet.

I do know that Gracie is on Temaril-P and does very well on it. It is an oral steroid, but if the option is self mutilation or a side effect from the steroids, I'd pick the steroids.

But the injections would be your best bet. My mom and I, unfortunately, can't afford the intradermal skin testing for Gracie right now.
 

Barb04

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#4
I've decided to try feeding Wellness Core Grain Free. Smkie on our board rescued a dog with severe skin problems; she began feeding the dog this food and slowly all cleared up. She now has all her dogs on this. One of my dogs has bad environmental allergies and is licking like crazy. I switched him over to this food about a week ago; I know it will take time to see results, but I do think he's not licking as much already.

My other friend's two dogs have environmental allergies. One of them she has to give Benedryl every other day to control it until the pollen subsides. She's been doing this for 2 years now. The pollen here in TN has just gotten worse over the past 2 years.
 

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