The results are in...finally

[Ann Kendig]

This has been quite the day. I took Duke to Dayton, OH to MedVet for a check up and to talk to the doctor about the food trial that he has been on for his allergies. Sheba has followed the same diet as she has been scratchy and itchy too. This is how the day went:

During the drive to Dayton there was constant rain, sometimes very hard, lots of road construction around downtown Dayton and I had a killer headache. Due to the construction I was running a little late. I followed the map from Mapquest and it gave me the wrong directions. I drove around for a while looking for the building, couldn't find it so I called MedVet. They knew the directions were wrong but forgot to tell me. We arrive and I was probably 10 minutes late. Sheba jumps out of the back of the car, Duke refuses. He really hasn't done that before but I think the rain sitting on top of the black asphalt scared him for some reason. So, I lift the almost 70 lb. dog out of the back of the car. He's fighting me, kicking his legs and thrashing his head around. I set him down, he looks around, everything is cool and he isn't scared anymore.

We go into the building and get checked in. It was great as there was no one there and I didn't have to deal with the dogs wanting to greet every dog and person there. By then my head was pounding.

We go into the room with the Doctor. She asks how things went with the food trial. I tell her that the scratching has eased up some. She said there should be 40% difference in the scratching. I tell her there has maybe been a 20% difference. She examines Duke. Ears look a lot better than last time. Severe skin infection is gone too. (He has been on antibiotics and ear meds for a month straight.) I show her a lump on Duke's belly. It's kind of a pimple like thing that I just found yesterday. She says, "Hmmm, we need to take a look at that. It looks strange." I'm thinking it's something really bad. She examined the "contents" with a microscope and it turns out it was a cyst. She removed it and I just have to put a little neosporin on it. Whew! I had printed off a post that Karen (Karen & Jack) had posted about food allergies. I read it and made some notes on a piece of paper. I was ready to state my case as to why I didn't think this was just food allergies. (Last appointment she said that she could almost bet it was food related. She said it would be a waste of my money to do the allergy tests and we should wait.) She excused herself and said she would be right back. She came back in with 3 syringes. She injected the contents of each syringe under Duke's skin.....he had a very quick reaction to all 3. She suggested doing the allergy testing and I agreed. I have waited for this moment for months!!! I slipped my notes back into my pocket. Doc left the room and an assistant came in to break the news on the cost. (Doctor sends assistant in to do the dirty work!) Between $500.00 & $600.00 for starters. I had heard this before so I wasn't completely surprised. Now my shoulders started getting tight. They took Duke to sedate him and do the test. I turned off the light and closed my eyes.

Doctor came back into the room with a very groggy Duke. He immediately laid on the floor and whimpered. She showed me his side and I saw many raised areas. Yep, he has allergies!

Doctor says moderate to severe allergies. I wasn't surprised at all. She offers to take a quick look at Sheba..no charge. (I hoped she would do that!) She suggested that we stay on the same food for the next 6 weeks...don't change anything. Since Sheba's problems aren't as severe I opted to wait on

any testing on her. She doesn't get the ear infections or skin infections but she does scratch herself quite a bit, but nothing like Duke does. (Besides my pocketbook can't afford another $500-$600 dollars.) But, if she needs it done I'll do it!!!! Assistant comes in and shows me how to give a shot to a dog. Duke's allergy meds should arrive at my house by next Friday.

We go back out to the lobby and I stock up on some treats that the dogs are allowed to have while on the food trial. I also purchase some syringes. Cha Ching....$567.00! I whip out the credit card.

Duke is passed out on the floor. I picture dragging him as he lays there out to the car by his leash.

I share that thought with the girls behind the desk and they laugh.

I open the back of the car, Sheba jumps in. Duke puts one paw on the bumper and looks at me.

I know what he wants, I lift him in. He looks pitiful. The medicine they gave him to sedate him is still hitting him hard. We take off. It's still raining, hard. We hit rush hour traffic and the construction.

Duke is whining and so is Sheba. My head is still hurting and I have to remind myself to relax my shoulders. Uh oh, I really have to pee! I finally pull off at McDonalds not a moment too soon! I get something to drink and hop in the car. Something isn't right. I smell something.....Just as I suspected, Duke threw up all over the back of the car. He's laying in it and Sheba is walking in it.

I run in to McDonalds and grab a stack of napkins. I open the back of the car and start to clean up the mess. The rain is drenching me, the dogs, and the interior of the car. Duke won't stand up. I try to push him into a cleaner area and out of his vomit. Ugh!!! The only thing I accomplish is mopping some of it up with his furry body. He is a mess!!! I run back into the building and wash my hands. As I climb into the car I realize I can't crack the window open to get rid of the smell because it's raining hard. I still have an hours drive in front of me in a smelly car and I'm soaking wet.

We get home, I help Duke out. They both go potty and we go into the house. Duke lays down on the blanket on the kitchen floor. There is no way he's getting a bath tonight! I'm not going to lift him into the tub and try to make him stand up when all he wants to do is lay down and sleep. My head is feeling a little better by this point. Sheba has had her bath. The rain turned into blowing snow. We probably have an inch of snow so far. Tomorrow I get to climb into the back of the car with my Little Green Machine and shampoo the back of the car. There was no way I was going to do it in the rain or snow. Duke will get his bath tomorrow. I guess he sleeps in the kitchen tonight, sorry Duke. Did I mention he threw up in my husband's car???

Here are the results of Duke's allergy test and a few pictures:

The yellow columns are what he is most allergic to:

The picture isn't the greatest as I took it with my cell phone. Areas above and below the black dots are where you may be able to see some swelling (kinda looks yellowish in the picture). This was taken a little while after the test so some of the areas where he had a reaction (raised area) have gotten better and the swelling is subsiding.

Here he is passed out.

Not to worry, he can still sport his "Rock Star look" as my husband calls it.

Sweet dreams Duke! Hopefully you're on your way to feeling better!!!

[Lisa Consiglio]

OMG I hope your dog is feeling better soon!!!

[Ann Kendig]

Again, thanks everyone! It is great to have so many wonderful, caring and supportive people on this site!

[Martha & Cooper]

Ann, sounds like you had quite the day in Dayton. So sorry to hear that Duke is going through all this. I haven't checked out the Doodle Romp in Loveland yet because we have plans to be away so much in April, but will look into in as soon as all of our other plans are finalized. I haven't heard of MedVet, I'll have to look them up!

[Anna and Achilles]

Oh my gosh what a day, It sounds like you are headed in the right direction. My love to poor Duke and you. I hope the green machine worked well. Let us know how it is all going.

[GBK]

Awww, poor baby, glad you are getting some kind of diagnosis though! Sounds like a tough day, tomorrow will be a better one :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The relief of getting a diagnosis is so helpful in itself. At last, you can stop guessing and second-guessing, and feeling like it is something you are doing or not doing that's causing the problems. From here out, it will be better.
And we will be with you every step of the way.

[Ann Kendig]

Thanks everyone for your sweet comments! Duke is feeling much better today is back to his old self.
I am relieved that there is now an answer for Duke. It was so frustrating going to the vet and hearing he was to young to have allergies, or I should make sure I administer his monthly flea application...Grrrr (Vet thought maybe I wasn't giving Duke his monthly flea application and that Duke was probably suffering from a reaction to flea bites. I have ALWAYS used flea prevention...and bought it from him!!!) I finally bypassed his recommendations for treating Duke and sought out a specialist. Duke was born 3/15/09 and he came to live with us 5/22/09. He had problems from day one! He was already getting treated with steroids in June 2009. Sometimes it seems he scratches all day and he will wake me up at night with his non stop scratching. Many times I have laid on the floor with him at night and tried to distract him from scratching and licking. When I describe Duke's itching to someone I compare it to a human having a bad case of poison ivy.... all of their life! I hope and pray that in time his medication will help him. Doctor says it could take months on the medicine before we see improvement, and that Duke will probably have more ear and skin infections.

Thank you Karen for all of your help and support! It's great to hear that Jack has had 14 months without steroids prescription drugs. You take wonderful care of him! He's so lucky to have you as his mom!!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I so sorry you had such a tough time.Poor you and poor Duke. The dog dander is interesting but allergy tests are not 100% accurate, I think. It's also possible to have a skin test come up positive and not show symptoms ordinarily of that particular allergy. And if dog allergies to trees are like humans, it's only a few week season and you're done. Newer antihistamines for people in the last number of years have made a huge difference for people and maybe that will filter down to dogs.

[Michele Barton]

Oh Ann, what an ordeal! There's nothing worse than driving in the rain with a screaming headache. I had no idea you were having such problems with Duke. I'm getting ready to go down that same road with Gus, he's been referred to a dermatologist for his constant ear infections. I'm glad to see that they teach you how to give the shots yourself; I was concerned about this because the closest dermatologist to me is a 2 hour drive. I had no idea that dogs can be allergic to dog dander. I'm glad I have insurance. Here's to Duke's feeling much better!

[Barb, Murphy, Emmet, & Hudson]

Wow Ann what a day!! At least you finally have some answers! Give that handsome boy a big hug from all of us=) Good luck with his bath.....