Allergy testing advice

[Shanthala Rajagopala]

Our dog, Berry Sweet, had started itching and some allergy symptoms last year. She went thro' one round of steroid treatment to help her a bit and then she was on zyrtec on and off. We ( vet and I ) thought to wait thro' the winter just in case if it is just seasonal. But lately, i have been noticed that she does itch and chew sometimes though not to the extent of pulling out her hair. I asked about the allergy testing and vet suggested blood testing. Reading a bit on this forum, I asked for skin patch testing. She has referred me to a vet dermotologist. So, i have to place a call and get an appt sometime...

So, I was wondering what should i look for in this appt? Anything that i should be asking? Any advice is appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Shanthala, we have a whole group devoted to this subject here on DK:

Atopic Dermatitis Support Group

Please join us. Most of us have dogs who are under a specialist's care and have already undergone the skin testing.

Your specialist will speak with you and explain the options; he or she will do an in-depth consultation. The skin testing will not be done on your first visit. It requires anesthetic and there will be pre-op instructions. I didn't really need a list of prepared questions, my questions came up in rersponse to what she was telling me.

We have some discussions in the AD Group which explain the whole procedure, and they will probably be very helpful for you. Skin testing is done when you are planning to use the immunotherapy treatment, which is one of only three options for treating this disease, and IMO, the best one. Jack has been on immunotherapy for two years, and he has not needed steroids the entire time. It is daunting and can be overhwelming at first, but just having your dog in the care of a specialist is so reassuring for most of us who are dealing with this. We have plenty of support for you here. It really helps to feel you are not alone in this.

[Shanthala Rajagopala]

Hi Karen, Thanks for the group info...I will join immediately. Is immunotherapy same as allergy shots? If so, i am considering putting her on allergy shots if it helps her in the long run. She is just 2 now... and i feel bad that she has to go thro' this for her life.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't like the term "allergy shots", because steroids and other drugs that treat allergy symptoms are sometimes given by injection, and people may think that's what is meant by "allergy shots". "Allergy shots" conjure up the image of drugs. But immunotherapy shots are not a drug-based therapy; immunotherapy involves giving the dog injections of a special antigen, or serum, that is specially formulated with the exact allergens that affect your dog. The idea is that introducing gradually larger amounts of these proteins will cause your dog's immune system to build up a tolerance to them and stop producing the histamine reactions which cause the itching and other symptoms. Here's a discussion that's also in the AD Support Group that explains it, with pictures of JD's testing site:

Jackdoodle's Skin Testing

I was pretty stunned when I was first told that JD had this disease and it was treatable but not curable. It took me a year to get up the courage to initiate the testing and start the treatments. "The rest of his life" is a hard phrase when it's connected to illness. But honestly, now it's second nature, and I feel so much better about his not being on the drugs all the time. Immunotherapy is the only treatment for this disease that doesn't involve the long-term use of drugs that can cause all kinds of helath problems and shorten that precious life.

Make that appointment. You can go from feeling bad for her to feeling glad that she ended up in the hands of such a loving owner who is willing to do what it takes to help her live a comfortable life.

[Shanthala Rajagopala]

Thanks Karen!!! I have got to read up a lot on this... I am completely ignorant on this since nobody in our family suffered from allergies. I will make an appt and take her as soon as possible.