Posting this in the hopes that it's helpful to others---allergic doodle

[Nugget's Family]

I just read Anne's post about her day with allergy testing for her dood yesterday. We were starting the process for having the same thing done with Nugget. I know that there has been a lot of allergy info posted on DK already (We have benefited from it all....esp the help of Karen and Jack) but I thought our Nugget story may help another doodle and his/her owner.

At 2.5 years old last summer, our ALD, Nugget began scratching....scratching like she really meant it. Up to that point, she never shed, but we were finding clumps of her hair everywhere. She was chewing her feet, chewing the front of her legs, scratching her ears and had scratched the top of her head so violently that she broke open her skin, bled and the wound got infected. Our regular vet treated her with an anti-inflammatory, prednisone and an antibiotic. Nugget basically lived that way from August-October. The treatment helped a great deal and she was once again a happy doodle....but a happy doodle on a lot of meds. Our regular vet told us that she would recommend allergy testing for Nugget. There was a specialist (allergy/derm vet) at a nearby animal hospital who is very good. But, we'd have to wait until all of the steroids, antihistamines, etc. got out of her system before the testing could be done. So, since Nugget was doing well (we had also begun supplementing her breakfast/dinner with 500mgs of EPO which really seemed to help) and the cold weather was on it's way and we had to wait for her system to get back to "normal". I think we were also hoping that last summer would be a weird little blip on the radar of her life and that the "itchies" wouldn't start again. Well, our hopes were dashed when the weather started to warm-up here a few weeks ago and she started itching again. We made an appt with the specialist. That appt was yesterday. We (I asked my husband to take the morning off from work to join me so that we could both hear the same message) were very impressed by the doc and her staff. Nugget loved them! She didn't love so much being there, but she loved them. They took skin scrapings, did a physical exam, asked us tons of questions, took blood and then, diagnosed Nugget with atopic dermatitis. (Very common in Labs, they say.) The vet recommended skin testing which we scheduled for next Tues. We will drop Nug off :( at 9:00 AM and pick her up betw 3-4 PM. They told us a couple of times "no breakfast" that morning.....after reading Anne's story, maybe now I know why! They will test her for 62 allergens and will go through the same testing that Anne posted the pics for. They will send us home with "custom" serum for Nug that we will inject once every three days for a while then once a week for about 12-18 months.

They also diagnosed her with a yeast infection in her ears, but not her feet which surprised them a little. They sent us home with drops for her ears.

So, if you're wondering: Our costs: Yesterday's consultation and tests: $378. Tuesday's allergy testing will be between $910-1,448 (depending upon how much she's allergic to....they've prepped us for thinking that she's allergic to a lot.) and then the serum will be $248 twice a year. Thanks to others on DK, we were prepared for this and we're OK....in a little sticker shock....but OK. I mean really, what else can we do? We've got to go forward with this. If Nugget has a better summer this year and isn't miserable it will improve the quality of all of our lives: Hers because she's more comfortable, of course and ours because we won't be so worried about her. And, if the treatment works as they are very confident it will, we'll be free and clear from all of this in just a little bit of time.

Thanks for reading. I will post again once we get the results on Tuesday. FYI....Nugget is fast asleep on the couch on the other side of the room not terribly worried about anything at the moment! It's a rainy, cold day here in our little slice of paradise and she's just as happy as a clam to be inside listening to the sounds of the house curled-up on her couch.

Have a great weekend!

Susan

[Nugget's Family]

BTW----the doc did say that she really felt Nugget's allergies had nothing to do with diet....raw or otherwise. (As I said in another post....Nugget eats raw.) But, that's when she said, if none of the inhalant tests are conclusive, they'll explore other possibilities.

Thanks!

[Nugget's Family]

Thanks for all of the kind words...

FYI....on the raw diet: Nugget eats a raw diet and has since she was weaned. We buy a commercially prepared raw blend for dogs. Other than her skin stuff, she is incredibly healthy so I think the raw diet has worked for her. However, the doc did say that if Nugget doesn't show-up with any inhalant allergies, they may need to explore the food angle. We'll see!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Does pet insurance cover any of this? Charli likes to scratch her jaw (almost since day one so the warm and cold weather doesn't change it) - not raw, not where she has lost any hair but enough that I am always looking for something. Doesn't chew or scratch anywhere else.
But - just in case, I am asking.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Minga, atopic dermatitis has nothing at all to do with food, raw or otherwise. I know your advice is well-meaning, but this is the kind of advice I got when my doodle was first diagnosed, and to be very honest, perpetuating the idea that grains cause skin allergies, or that raw food helps cure allergies does more harm than good for those of us who are dealing with this very serious and incurable disease. It often causes desperate owners to delay getting effective treatment and extends the suffering of the dogs. Nugget is under the care of a board certified veterinary dermatology specialist, as is Ann's dog and mine. There is no doubt that if any kind of feeding method or food would help our dogs, their specialists would have recommended it.
There is a lot of information here on Doodle Kisses on both environmental and food allergies and their causes and treatments, all of it presented froma fact-based perspective. In the Food Group and the Health & Medical group, we have some good information on these issues.
Orijen is a great food, the best one out there, but it won't do a thing to help atopic dermatitis other than the fact that for dogs whose allergens include storage mites, it is the safest choice. Jack's specialist recommended it to me.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I agree with Karen - Nugget is very lucky to have you. You are a wonderful doodle mama. I have been saying this phrase to a few DK members this week - the lengths financially and emotionally you go through to help your doods - that is commendable!

[Minga & Malu & Costa]

Feeding a raw diet can sometimes be the answer for dogs with skin allergies. Here is a link to a great company that provides a powder supplement that you add the meat to yourself and the powder has the vitamins and extra stuff your dog needs. If this is too costly for you to feed your Doodle, you can try a great grain-free food made by Orijen. http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/adult.aspx

http://www.knowbetterpetfood.com/better_in_the_raw_for_dogs

Many times the skin allergies are associated with the grains found in most commercial diets, so upgrading to a higher quality grain free food can get rid of that!

Hope this helps!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Nugget is so lucky to have you. You are doing everything you can to help her have a long and comfortable life. I know it's hard to believe, but there are people who abandon their dogs rather than do what you and Ann are doing for them. Jack's specialist thinks this is one reason he was relinquished.
I will be thinking of you both and hoping the testing goes well. Have a wonderful weekend, and relax; you are finally going to get some answers and some help for Nugget!