Doodle Allergies

[Theresa & Duncan]

So I may be late to the party, but I think Duncan may have allergies. This is only his second summer alive, but it's the first time we've really noticed the symptoms that some folks have posted here. A while back, (maybe eight months ago?) I noticed that he had some red spots in his groin area. They were mostly small with the largest being about the size of a dime, probably smaller and they were obviously itchy. I took him to see the vet who told me that it could be allergies But was not very definitive. He prescribed prednisone, which I hated giving to Duncan based on the reaction he had (lethargic, tired, peeing like a horse, etc.). Everything cleared up though, and he didn't really have any problems afterwards.

That is until the last month or so. The red spots are back, along with other symptoms like licking his paws, shaking his head, and scratching more than he used to. He is treated for fleas and we have checked him just to make sure no buggers have jumped on. After reading several posts on DK, I started giving him a 1000 mg capsule of EPO a day and 1 Benadryl at night before bed. I also put vetericyn on the "rash" twice a day.

All this has helped some and most of the spots have crusted over (except the ones he continues to lick). He's still itchy though and licks a lot (mostly at night).

I know many of our doodles suffer from allergies, so I am looking some advice on where to start, and info on the ways to treat allergies. I really want to keep prednisone out of the loop if I can. Maybe I could adjust the dose of EPO? I did a search to find allergy specie discussion but really only found bits and pieces. I am sure these discussions exist though, so if you know of any feel free to post the link in lieu of (or in addition to) a comment :)

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

you need Karen...I am sure she will give her usual good advice shortly! 

[Theresa & Duncan]

Thanks Lori :). I got the info about the EPO from Karen's posts in the food group as well. I don't distrust my vet, but I feel like I'll get more real world advice here. Plus to be honest I figured we wouldn't have to worry about it since he was t symptomatic last season :-/

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Allergies take time to develop. In order to have an allergic reaction to something, the immune system has to have been previously exposed to it and formed antibodies to that substance, which is why you didn't see them the first summer.  

There's a lot of info in the Health Group. Bendaryl is not your best choice of antihistamine; most of our dogs do better with Zyrtec, Claritin, or one of the other second generation antihistamines that don't cause drowsiness. However, the dosages are different for some of them than the human dosage. 

There are things you can do to treat mild symptoms; fatty acids, antihistamines, anti-itch sprays & baths, wiping them down when they come in from outdoors, brushing them often, washing their bedding frequently and keeping the house as dust-free as possible, changing your furnace filter often...but allergies are a disease of the immune system, and they usually get worse as the dog gets older. They can be managed but not cured, and the treatment options are very limited. You either use drugs to suppress the immune response and the inflammation, or you do skin testing to determine the exact allergens and then do immunotherapy shots to desensitize the dog to the allergens. Obviously the latter is the preferred way to go, but it's not easy. The skin testing must be done by a veterinary dermatologist under anesthetic, and then the induction phase of the immunotherapy requires giving a shot every other day for the first month. 

You do sometimes have to use prednisone for flares. It sounds like Duncan was on too high a dose or the vet gave him the wrong type of steroid. Some cause more side effects than others. 

Blood tests are worthless and cost almost as much as the skin testing does, so don't fall for that. And of course, it's unrelated to food, or it wouldn't be seasonal. Grain free foods with a good Omega 3 content and a low Omega 6:3 ratio can help, but that's about it as far as what food can do for Atopy.

General practice vets, like primary care doctors, are not experts in allergies and do not usually have information on the latest or most effective ways to treat them. So your best bet if your dog is having symptoms is to consult a dermatology specialist. 

It's the beginning of ragweed season in many areas, the worst time of year for those who suffer from Atopy, so it makes sense that Duncan is having allergy symptoms now. 

Basic Facts About Allergies in Dogs

All About Allergies: Jackdoodle's Test Results

[Theresa & Duncan]

Karen,
Thank you for taking the time to read and reply. I have some questions for you (mostly about the fatty acids), but I'll read the links first to see what info is there. I actually read the post about Jackdoodle's allergy test last night, that was the first time I heard of dermatology specialist for dogs. There are so many things to consider, so maybe will see if we can find one in this area for a consultation. Again, thank you for all the great info.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I was lucky in that my regular vet referred me to the dermatologist very early on. The immunotherapy has been very successful for JD. 

Evening primrose oil is mainly GLA (gammalinoleic acid) which is a form of Omega 6 fatty acid that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. It works best in conjunction with antihistamines. The other beneficial fatty acids you want are the Omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, both of which are found in fish. The Omega 3s from plant sources ( i.e. flax seed) are not effective for itching in dogs.

In dog foods, you want an Omega 6:3 ratio below 5:1. The closer to 2:1 it gets, the better. 

[Theresa & Duncan]

So do you combine the EPO and fish oil, or is it best to choose one? Duncan's symptoms (for now at least) are mild enough to were we can try a combination if the suggestions above and see if they help. The Zyrtec/Clariton.. You just use the regular over the counter stuff (with modified dose)? I remember someone posting a table in the food group about dosing which looked really helpful. It's good to know that steroids aren't the Devil (or at least they don't have to be if prescribed right) and are an option for when he is really uncomfortable. As I sit here with my bed shaking (Duncan is laying with us and doing his nightly paw licking return) its good to know that there some things that will give him relief.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You can use both the EPO and the fish oil, or just the EPO, especially if the food you are feeding has a good Omegas 3 content. The fish oil is more likely to cause loose stools, it did with JD so I use only the EPO.  

Claritin works best for JD, but every dog is different. He gets three 10 mg tablets once per day. I buy the generic (loratidine). You can use the generic human version of Zyrtec, too. 

The danger with the paw licking is that they end up with a moist dermatitis, which is what some people call hot spots, and they can easily infect themselves. Buy a good anti-itch cortisone spray for his feet. There are lotions like Resi-KetoChlor that you can use on the paws also. 

[Theresa & Duncan]

I feed him Nature's Variety Instict, so grain free. It says Omega 6 Fatty Acids (min): 3.61%
*Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min): 0.69%... Not sure what that is in terms of the ratios above but doesn't seem like a lot? I can look for a spray for his feet for sure, and I'm guessing they make something nontoxic in case he licks at it. Thankfully he doesn't do it a lot, just right before bed for some reason. I see what you mean about the dosing being different. I just asked my husband, and he takes one 10 mg tablet of Claritin a day and is good to go. Sounds like JD needs more then that, poor pup. Does he seem to be doing well with the treatment he is getting now?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You would never know he had allergies. :)

I'm disappointed in the Omega 6:3 ratio of the Instinct, it's slightly more than 5:1. One reason JD's dermatologist recommended Orijen for him is the fatty acid ratio, which is almost 2:1. 

But don't switch foods if Duncan is doing well with it. I would just try giving him a human fish oil softgel capsule each day since there probably isn't much if any Omega 3 from fish in his food. NatureMade has their mini Omega 3 fish oil softgels which are a smaller size than most fish oil capsules and widely available. Don't puncture the capsules. (Or the EPO either). Some dogs will eat them if you just hide them in their food bowls, especially if they get any wet foods, but otherwise, give it as you would a pill.  

[Theresa & Duncan]

Ha! No need to puncture pills in this house. A bit of peanut butter and the pill magically disappears :). I actually have some omega 3 capsules from our last vet visit but stopped them once I started the EPO. I'll try combining the two just do he's getting that nutrient. I'm really glad JD is doing well with his allergies, especially after reading how overwhelming it was in the beginning!

[Theresa & Duncan]

Karen,

Duncan has actually been doing a lot better since we switched to an air-tight food container and followed some of the other steps I read about in one of your posts about storage mites. I just wanted to share the update and say thanks :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm so glad. So many doodles are having trouble with allergies right now, it's good to hear about one who's doing better. Thanks for updating us.

Storage mites are a very common allergen, in kids and dogs. JD tested high positive for them. I had never even heard of them before his allergy tests.