question:
My maggie was diagnosed about a year ago with allergies to just about everything (dandelion, lamb's quarter, yelloe dock, plantain, walnut, orchard, human dander, D. pteronyssinus, Alternaria, phoma, stemphylium, aureobasidium, rice, lamb). My vet recommended allergy shots, which we did, but Maggie grew to be afraid of the needle and it began to be a really sad thing to have to do each night. We now have her on a diet of cooked Millet and raw ground turkey. We also give her a round of silicia each month for 2 days.
What can you suggest we feed her?
Since on the millet and ground turkey, her allergies have gotten a little better, but she does "chew" on her paws and she also tends to lick her "private area" a lot. When she is really itchy we apply gold bond.
Please help, we love our sweet Maggie and we just want her to feel good all the time :)
Thank you so much for your help.
Kate and Jeff B.
answer:
Dear Kate and Jeff -
I am sorry to hear that your Maggie seems to be constantly itchy. Allergies and their subsequent problems are a very frustrating condition for vets and owners. It is a condition with many different possible treatment regimens. Not one seems to work in every case, so often we need to try a variety of things until we see what works best for that particular animal.
There are many types of allergies, and it sounds like Maggie has multiple categories of allergies all at the same time. I break them down into three main categories: (1) insect bites (mainly fleas); (2) inhaled allergens, like hay fever in people (called atopy); and (3) food allergies. An allergic animal may be allergic only in one category, a combination of two, or all three.
In my neck of the woods ( California ), flea allergies (or other insect bites) seem to be the most common problem. If you live in an area where fleas are common, even if you don’t see them on Maggie, I would make sure she is on regular flea control. Ask your vet what works best in your area. I usually recommend a topical such as Advantage or Frontline and a monthly flea 'birth control' pill called Program.
The pattern you describe, however, is more typical of food allergies and/or hay fever (atopy). For food allergies, once we know what she is sensitive to, we can try to avoid those foods. Food allergies are diagnosed by doing an elimination diet trial, which sounds like what you are trying for with her diet. Turkey is not my first choice as a protein source. I usually start with a commercial diet designed to be hypoallergenic or diets which contain rare meats and carbohydrates such as duck and potato; fish and potato; or venison and rice. You can also home cook an elimination diet. These diets must be fed for at least eight weeks, and they may get no other foods at all during that time. That is very important as even a flavored monthly deworming pill or treat can ruin the trial. Once you have noted improvement in her itching, start reintroducing old types of foods and note when she starts to get itchier. You should then be able to find a diet without those components. Be aware that some dogs simply cannot tolerate commercial diets.
In atopy, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to avoid exposure to environmental allergens (like pollens) so we try to desensitize the patient using the allergy shots you have already tried. Once a maintenance level has been reached, the shots are usually given every week to two weeks, not every night. The needle is so tiny I am surprised it was bothering her. (She must be a sensitive girl!) Since that did not work for you, I would try symptomatic treatment for this component of her allergies. Anti-histamines (such as Benadryl or Tavist-D) often give a great deal of relief and are quite safe to use long term. You may have to experiment with a few different types to see what works best for her. Fatty acid supplements are also helpful and work synergistically with anti-histamines. Topical treatments are also available in the form of sprays, creams, and liquids. Various shampoos and conditioners (look for ones which contain oatmeal) can have a soothing effect on the skin.
As a last resort, I have used a very low dose of steroids in uncontrollable animals. This is absolutely a last resort because long-term steroid therapy can have lasting poor effects on Maggie's health.
Finally, please be aware that there are specialists out there in the veterinary field who work with skin problems only. A veterinary dermatologist (they are board certified specialists) may be available in your area to help work with you and your regular vet to help ease Maggie's itching.
Ann O'Brien, DVM
Goleta , CA