Meghan & Buster's Page

You can do the skin testing after their first birthday. The skin testing is the only accurate test, dn't let anyone talk you into blood or saliva tests. Thanks for the nice comments!

This is the reason you need a veterinary dermatologist. The general practice vets can't be experts in every specialty, and keep up with the current treatment protocols for every disease. Your primary care doctor would refer you to a dermatologist if you had a severe skin disease, and the GP vets should be doing that too. Atopy is a disease of the immune system which can be managed but not cured, and it needs a good treatment plan. The steroids can cause a lot of damage to the liver, GI, tract, etc., so it's important to find a treatment plan that can keep the allergies under control enough that steroids are not necessary more than once or twice a year at most. There are also topical steroids that can sometimes be used for Atopy, which have lower side effects.

 The dermatology specialists never recommend Benadryl, which is a Class I antihistamine and has been shown to be ineffective in treating Atopy. The specialists recommend Class II antihistamines such as Zyrtec and Claritin, they are much more effective. Also, research has shown that combining antihistamines with certain Omega 3 &6 fatty acids enhance the effects of both and helps a lot with Atopy. The GP vets don't know that. Evening Primrose Oil is a form of Omega 6 fatty acid, gammalinoleic acid, which has been shown in double-blind clinical research studies to help with Atopic Dermatitis, especially when used in conjunction with Class II antihistamines.

Jack takes loratidine (Claritin), three 10 mg tablets once a day; the dosages on the antihistamines are different for dogs than people. He gets one EPO capsule per day and two when he's flaring. He can have up to three a day but they tend to give him loose stools. You have to play with the dosage to find what works best for your dog.

I strongly urge you to consult with a specialist. I had a GSD foster with Atopy who ended up having to be put down nine months after he was adopted because his allergies got so bad, he was trying to tear off his own foot. There are newer treatment protocols that would have helped him now. Good luck and keep me posted.

Hi Meghan,

German Shepherds are the number one breed affected by Atopic Dermatitis. Your best bet is to find a veterinary dermatology specialist who can help you find the right treatment plan for Freedom. Here's a link to the ACVD website specialist locator: https://www.acvd.org/locator/locator.asp

Yes, I would say Buster is a standard.  It is my understanding anything over 45 lbs is considered a standard.  Buster is going to be a big handsome doodle. I think they say they are not full grown until at least 1 1/2 yrs.  I will be watching him through Doodle Kisses, to see how he is progressing.  Charlie weighs 39, but with his coat he looks like a chunky monkey!  LOL.     

Your Buster is very cute.  Charlie is 1 yr 8 mos, and is a medium size ALD.  He weighs 39 lbs.  Before Charlie, we had a wonderful black standard poodle and he was huge.  Now that we are retired, we decided to get something smaller.  Easier to travel with.  We go to Cave Creek AZ every Jan and Feb.  Looking forward to seeing you on Doodle Kisses.