Any Vet's out there? (Allergies)

phyl

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Any Vet's out there?

I had Corgan our Sieb Husky to the Vet about 3 months ago. Doc said he has allergies. He lost some hair inbetween his legs and he was in terrible pain.
He put him on "Prednisone". It worked! But now it's back again. I called and they said to start him on it again......Does this mean he will always have to take it?? Anyone have this problem? I really hate giving him this med. It makes him drink and eat alot. It can't be good for him. I'll have to take him back to the Doc. But thought I would get some input from some of you.....Phyl :confused:
 
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Hi Phyl,
Our dogs had 'allergies', so they say, and experienced hair loss..... we changed the dog food to a human grade quality and the allergies went away :)

This may not work for Corgan, but it is worth a try.

Chazhound
 
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If Corgan is sleeping on cedar bedding, or any type of potentially treated bedding, get him off of it. My Mom's Aussie suddenly started itching and pulling out his hair and his bedding was partially to blame. The cedar and other shavings are made from chemically treated lumber scraps. Great, huh?

If he isn't already, get him on a natural dog food made with human grade, ORGANIC ingredients. I can't stress the organic part enough. Most dog foods are made of unspeakable parts of animals that have been injected and fed with all sorts of chemical and hormonal enhancements. It's a recipe for toxic soup and undoubtedly is to blame in so much of the increase in allergic reactions our animals have. Chazhound uses Flint River for his dogs; I use Innova for mine. If you will go to the website for Natura Pet at www.naturapet.com and use the product wizard, it will help you choose the right food for Corgan. It allows you to compare everything from ALPO to Karma. It will not only let you compare food, it also tells you about each ingredient.

That may be the single most important thing you can do.

It might be very worthwhile to see if there is a holistic vet or one who uses alternative medicine in your area, or even a veterinary specialist. There is one near me, in Knoxville, who treated my big cat, Gonzo, after he was diagnosed with FIV. Since we were there regularly over the next year, I got to watch the long term progress of some of Dr. Swarthout's "allergy" patients and it was amazing. She only got the ones that the regular vets had given up on, and I will absolutely say that the woman is a healer. Dr. Swarthout told me once that one of the main reasons most vets didn't have much success treating "allergies" is because they haven't actually determined whether the condition is truly an allergy or is caused by a bacteria or fungus growing on or under the skin. A veterinary college can be a good resource, too.

You're absolutely right to be afraid of the prednisone. It is a steroid, and although it has great short term benefits, there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding long term use of steroids, or even short term over use, especially in veterinary application. We can tell our doctors when the side effects are getting bad, our pets can't, and by the time the effects are bad enough for us to see, it can be too late.

When did Corgan's reaction start? Was it sudden? What changed in his environment? Is it worse in the heat, and does it subside when the weather's cold, or is there no change? Does he spend a lot of time indoors with you? If so, his skin may be getting a bit dry, exacerbating the condition, especially if you have gas heat. I don't know if Huskies are like Malamutes, but I've been told the reason Malamutes don't have the typical "doggy" odor is because they don't have the oil glands in their skin that most breeds have; this makes them more susceptible to dry, irritated skin in home environments. If that is the case, perhaps a skin supporting supplement will help. Come to think of it, that's probably a good idea anyway!

Did your vet tell you what kind of allergies Corgan has? That's an important piece of information; what he's allergic to, is it a systemic allergy or a topical allergy? Did he swab any tissue samples of the affected areas for lab work?

I'll pull out some of my natural pet health books and see what they say, particularly on the subject of supplements to support skin health, and get back to you. Corgan looks like such a sweetheart, I just hate to think of the two of you having to endure this! It's no fun for either one of you.
 

phyl

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#4
I'm all ears

Renee750il said:
If Corgan is sleeping on cedar bedding, or any type of potentially treated bedding, get him off of it. My Mom's Aussie suddenly started itching and pulling out his hair and his bedding was partially to blame. The cedar and other shavings are made from chemically treated lumber scraps. Great, huh?

If he isn't already, get him on a natural dog food made with human grade, ORGANIC ingredients. I can't stress the organic part enough. Most dog foods are made of unspeakable parts of animals that have been injected and fed with all sorts of chemical and hormonal enhancements. It's a recipe for toxic soup and undoubtedly is to blame in so much of the increase in allergic reactions our animals have. Chazhound uses Flint River for his dogs; I use Innova for mine. If you will go to the website for Natura Pet at www.naturapet.com and use the product wizard, it will help you choose the right food for Corgan. It allows you to compare everything from ALPO to Karma. It will not only let you compare food, it also tells you about each ingredient.

That may be the single most important thing you can do.

It might be very worthwhile to see if there is a holistic vet or one who uses alternative medicine in your area, or even a veterinary specialist. There is one near me, in Knoxville, who treated my big cat, Gonzo, after he was diagnosed with FIV. Since we were there regularly over the next year, I got to watch the long term progress of some of Dr. Swarthout's "allergy" patients and it was amazing. She only got the ones that the regular vets had given up on, and I will absolutely say that the woman is a healer. Dr. Swarthout told me once that one of the main reasons most vets didn't have much success treating "allergies" is because they haven't actually determined whether the condition is truly an allergy or is caused by a bacteria or fungus growing on or under the skin. A veterinary college can be a good resource, too.

You're absolutely right to be afraid of the prednisone. It is a steroid, and although it has great short term benefits, there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding long term use of steroids, or even short term over use, especially in veterinary application. We can tell our doctors when the side effects are getting bad, our pets can't, and by the time the effects are bad enough for us to see, it can be too late.

When did Corgan's reaction start? Was it sudden? What changed in his environment? Is it worse in the heat, and does it subside when the weather's cold, or is there no change? Does he spend a lot of time indoors with you? If so, his skin may be getting a bit dry, exacerbating the condition, especially if you have gas heat. I don't know if Huskies are like Malamutes, but I've been told the reason Malamutes don't have the typical "doggy" odor is because they don't have the oil glands in their skin that most breeds have; this makes them more susceptible to dry, irritated skin in home environments. If that is the case, perhaps a skin supporting supplement will help. Come to think of it, that's probably a good idea anyway!

Did your vet tell you what kind of allergies Corgan has? That's an important piece of information; what he's allergic to, is it a systemic allergy or a topical allergy? Did he swab any tissue samples of the affected areas for lab work?

I'll pull out some of my natural pet health books and see what they say, particularly on the subject of supplements to support skin health, and get back to you. Corgan looks like such a sweetheart, I just hate to think of the two of you having to endure this! It's no fun for either one of you.
Renee.....You have given me so many tips....I will try a few different things. Corgan does not eat well. Very fussy. I think the chicken and rice has to go....I will look into the better food for him. Thank you.....PS.....I will also question the vet more this time Phyl
 

phyl

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#5
chazhound said:
Hi Phyl,
Our dogs had 'allergies', so they say, and experienced hair loss..... we changed the dog food to a human grade quality and the allergies went away :)

This may not work for Corgan, but it is worth a try.

Chazhound[/QUOTE
I will try it. Corgan is a very bad eater. He eats chicken and rice. The vet told me to give him a "flintstone Vitamin" every day. I will start him on some dry food....much better for him. I think you may have a point. Do you know of any kind of cream I can put on it?? Thanks....Phyl :confused:
 

phyl

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Renee750il said:
If Corgan is sleeping on cedar bedding, or any type of potentially treated bedding, get him off of it. My Mom's Aussie suddenly started itching and pulling out his hair and his bedding was partially to blame. The cedar and other shavings are made from chemically treated lumber scraps. Great, huh?

If he isn't already, get him on a natural dog food made with human grade, ORGANIC ingredients. I can't stress the organic part enough. Most dog foods are made of unspeakable parts of animals that have been injected and fed with all sorts of chemical and hormonal enhancements. It's a recipe for toxic soup and undoubtedly is to blame in so much of the increase in allergic reactions our animals have. Chazhound uses Flint River for his dogs; I use Innova for mine. If you will go to the website for Natura Pet at www.naturapet.com and use the product wizard, it will help you choose the right food for Corgan. It allows you to compare everything from ALPO to Karma. It will not only let you compare food, it also tells you about each ingredient.

That may be the single most important thing you can do.

It might be very worthwhile to see if there is a holistic vet or one who uses alternative medicine in your area, or even a veterinary specialist. There is one near me, in Knoxville, who treated my big cat, Gonzo, after he was diagnosed with FIV. Since we were there regularly over the next year, I got to watch the long term progress of some of Dr. Swarthout's "allergy" patients and it was amazing. She only got the ones that the regular vets had given up on, and I will absolutely say that the woman is a healer. Dr. Swarthout told me once that one of the main reasons most vets didn't have much success treating "allergies" is because they haven't actually determined whether the condition is truly an allergy or is caused by a bacteria or fungus growing on or under the skin. A veterinary college can be a good resource, too.

You're absolutely right to be afraid of the prednisone. It is a steroid, and although it has great short term benefits, there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding long term use of steroids, or even short term over use, especially in veterinary application. We can tell our doctors when the side effects are getting bad, our pets can't, and by the time the effects are bad enough for us to see, it can be too late.

When did Corgan's reaction start? Was it sudden? What changed in his environment? Is it worse in the heat, and does it subside when the weather's cold, or is there no change? Does he spend a lot of time indoors with you? If so, his skin may be getting a bit dry, exacerbating the condition, especially if you have gas heat. I don't know if Huskies are like Malamutes, but I've been told the reason Malamutes don't have the typical "doggy" odor is because they don't have the oil glands in their skin that most breeds have; this makes them more susceptible to dry, irritated skin in home environments. If that is the case, perhaps a skin supporting supplement will help. Come to think of it, that's probably a good idea anyway!

Did your vet tell you what kind of allergies Corgan has? That's an important piece of information; what he's allergic to, is it a systemic allergy or a topical allergy? Did he swab any tissue samples of the affected areas for lab work?

I'll pull out some of my natural pet health books and see what they say, particularly on the subject of supplements to support skin health, and get back to you. Corgan looks like such a sweetheart, I just hate to think of the two of you having to endure this! It's no fun for either one of you.
Renee.....what is a skin supporting supplement? Do you mean a topical cream? The doc did not test him for anything....just said he had an allergy in his ears and that it was all connected. He shakes his head when it starts. No ordor though. My other dog Lady had an odor with ear mites. Who know....I'm new at all this stuff. Phyl :confused:
 
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By skin supporting supplement I mean a food and vitamin supplement that is especially beneficial for the skin. When it's quiet tomorrow I'm going to sit down and go through some of my books to check to see just what is recommended. The first thing that comes to mind is vitamin E and C and some of the B vitamins, and I know there are others, but I want to check.

I'd steer clear of any creams or oils on the skin for now, though, because if it is being caused by a bacteria or fungus the cream or oil could just provide a better growth medium and make it worse.

You're probably right on target about getting him off the chicken. It's so full of hormones and chemicals it's scary. I try not to think too much about it when I fix chicken for dinner! My dogs have better quality food than is available to me! That might be a new diet fad - the Innova Dog Food Diet - six small meals a day with a cup of green tea. JUST KIDDING!

Back to serious stuff: Here is a link you'll want to go to and read the material: http://www.filadog.com/candida_albicans.htm#candida albicans

It's a very informative article that addresses a very common and overlooked cause of skin problems and offers some real solutions.
 

phyl

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Renee750il said:
By skin supporting supplement I mean a food and vitamin supplement that is especially beneficial for the skin. When it's quiet tomorrow I'm going to sit down and go through some of my books to check to see just what is recommended. The first thing that comes to mind is vitamin E and C and some of the B vitamins, and I know there are others, but I want to check.

I'd steer clear of any creams or oils on the skin for now, though, because if it is being caused by a bacteria or fungus the cream or oil could just provide a better growth medium and make it worse.

You're probably right on target about getting him off the chicken. It's so full of hormones and chemicals it's scary. I try not to think too much about it when I fix chicken for dinner! My dogs have better quality food than is available to me! That might be a new diet fad - the Innova Dog Food Diet - six small meals a day with a cup of green tea. JUST KIDDING!

Back to serious stuff: Here is a link you'll want to go to and read the material: http://www.filadog.com/candida_albicans.htm#candida albicans

It's a very informative article that addresses a very common and overlooked cause of skin problems and offers some real solutions.
Thank you....you have been a great help....Phyl
 
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#9
A FLINTSTONE VITAMIN! He's humoring you. There are vitamins formulated for dogs, and there are pet vitamins formulated for specific needs that would actually do Corgan some good. Their also full of synthetics - not something any dog, let alone one with an unidentified skin reaction, needs in his system.

Veterinary science has progressed so far now that there is no need for a young dog to suffer with skin problems. Prednisone is a quick fix, not a long term solution. I hate the idea of you and Corgan having to suffer through this. It's terrible. I've had to muddle through with aging dogs who developed skin problems for one reason or another back when all you got told around here was "it's allergies" or "use Sulfodene" and it's supremely frustrating. Now I use a vet who keeps up on new developments and does lab work when there's a problem that needs a specific answer. He's still an old fashioned vet; loving the animals and taking time to get to know them and play with them, but he also makes sure his patients have the benefit of new knowledge and techniques. It was hard to leave our old vet; he's a wonderful person and we really love him as a person, but it just came down to whether or not the dogs (and cat) were getting the kind of care they needed to live healthy lives. This is not to tell you to change vets, but sometimes you have to consider what's best for your animals, and after all, isn't that what a vet is obligated to consider?

As you obviously know, because you started this thread, information is your best weapon. I'm not REALLY crazy, it's just not in my nature to leave questions unanswered; guess that's why I ended up being a legal investigator/researcher! (lol)I really will do some research. And I won't send you a bill (LOL)!

Later, Renee
 
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#10
Very Very Informative information Renee!
I can sure tell you are a research professional :)

Thanks much for sharing this information. Allergies always is a mistery to even the pros.

Chazhound
 
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Here are links to excellent articles dealing with allergies with REAL information from a woman whose research has impressed me greatly. This lady knows her stuff! The amount of good information she's made available is truly amazing. I'd also like to encourage you to go to her home page and read a bit about her and her credentials. I was impressed, and I'm not easy!

http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/allergies.htm
http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/feed_program_for_allergies.htm

Chazhound, your comparison of allergies to a mystery is perfect, and, like all good mysteries, it's a matter of following the clues! Fortunately, the pros now have ways of getting to the real clues that weren't available before, even ten years ago - if they'll use them.
 
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Manda0304

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phyl said:
I had Corgan our Sieb Husky to the Vet about 3 months ago. Doc said he has allergies. He lost some hair inbetween his legs and he was in terrible pain.
He put him on "Prednisone". It worked! But now it's back again. I called and they said to start him on it again......Does this mean he will always have to take it?? Anyone have this problem? I really hate giving him this med. It makes him drink and eat alot. It can't be good for him. I'll have to take him back to the Doc. But thought I would get some input from some of you.....Phyl :confused:
undefined
Do you have any other animals? :) please reply thanks
Manda
 

ch21526

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HELP - dog is allergic to cedar and it's all over

Yikes - I just bought a new townhouse and the previous owners used cedar saw dust as the main ingredient for the mulch for their dog. My dog is VERY allergic. I have shoveled out all the visible cedar chips/saw dust but my dog is still reacting. Anyone know how I can neutralize the oil? I have tried flushing out the yard with lots of water and topped with river rock and fresh mulch but it isn't working.

Thanks.
 
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You may have to strip the topsoil and replace it in the area where the cedar was. You'll also need to get all the residue off your dog's skin. You might use a good quality shampoo that's made to strip residue off your hair, just make sure to put a good coat conditioner on your dog afterward. You might want to think about shampooing your carpet indoors, too, since the previous owners probably let their dog in and some of the residue might still be in the carpet.
 

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I have 2 dogs with extreme allergies.

The one was on predizone and it caused tumors. I can't stress enough to becareful with this medicine.

We have changed foods. I have them on Turkey and Barley. So far so good.

I give them Salmon oil and vitamin E also.

The one is allergic to Dandelions...not good when she runs in the fields.
 

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what about cortisone? My cat lost all hair on her legs due to allergies. My vet wanted to do extensive testing..I suggested cortisone. One shot did the trick. She was fine within one week. Don't know if same is true for dogs..but I'd try it.
 
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Prednisone is a steroid, as is cortisone. They both have essentially the same side effects, which are horrible. Neither one should be used except in emergencies for quick relief until a long term solution can be instituted. They are both just "quick fixes" and won't solve the problem.

Canidae is a dog food that I have heard has extraordinarily good effects on dogs with allergies. The same company makes feed for cats called Felidae. It might be worth a try.

It's very common for older animals to develop allergies to fleas as well, so that's always a good place to start looking for relief. Sometimes, just the bites from one or two fleas can irritate their skin to the point that it becomes inflamed and painful and hair falls out. It's difficult to keep any animal completely flea-free, especially if your pet spends any time at all outdoors. Fleas will hitch a ride into your home on your legs and clothes, too!
 
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#19
As a groomer I deal with dogs that have allergies every week. I have a couple of recomendations. Temporary relief can be found with a dose of Benydryl. Make sure it doesnt have tylonal in it. Dosage is equivilant to a childs wieght. You hould pretty much know what your dogs wieght is if he hass been to the vet lately.
The other thing is local honey. Just put a tbls on your dogs food every day and it works like an allergy shot. The bees collect pollen from all the plants in the area and the honey will help build antiboties to the pollen. I swear it WORKS!!!!
I hope this helps.
Bec
 
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Great advice, WireVis Lady, especially about the honey. An old man who keeps bees told me that years ago when I got hit with some annoying allergies from living here.

The dosage on the benadryl, according to my vet, is 1 mg per pound of bodyweight in dogs. I've always started with 1/2 mg per pound and have never had to give more.
 

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