Winston's allergy test is done: He is allergic to...

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

...Kitties, Dust mites, feathers (my duvet) and the yeast that grows between his paws and in his ears when they get infected from all the chewing/scratching (viscious circle).***Update - forgot to Add Pigweed ?!?! What the heck is pigweed???

Here are some pics of his test patch and him in his Bluesfestival Volunteer t-shirt :o) He may not look happy, but he does look super cute and it keeps him from licking his 'patch'.

He's quite irritable from the testing and is snapping at Sophie a bit. I really wish the vet would have sedated him or at least given him some valium. Anyway, what's done is done, and we have a plan for treatment. His bacterial infections (ears, paws and skin) haven't improved despite the two week course of antibiotics he was on earlier this month. She suspects he's become immune to the antibiotics he's been getting. She's doing cultures to learn more about the bacteria. I'm not quite sure I understand this part but she says the cultures she's taken will tell her what kind of antibiotics are going to be most effective for him. She did send me home with drops for his ears and instructions to clean them out with a vinegar and water solution before putting in the drops. On the car ride home I was thinking about how when I went on a yeast free diet I was told to avoid vinegar as it is fermented with yeast. I am thinking that washing his yeasty infected ears with vinegar might not be so great....

I'm to take photos of the patch where the skin test was done in case there are any delayed reactions. That way we can be 100% sure to cover everything in the immunotherapy treatment, which will cost about $700 and she says is 75% affective. So basically, it better work!!

The visit cost me $850 plus a $200 speeding ticket :( but I'm so glad to have taken this step and can now move forward with treating him. Could have done without that darn ticket though.

One more thing, the vet remarked on how well informed I am and was surprised by some of the questions I was asking-I even stumped her once. I have only Karen and the rest of DK to thank for that! Thanks everyone for all your support, and mostly thank you Karen for guiding me through this process! I don't know what I would have done without you!!!

Ok, I'm going to take Sophie to the park, she needs to burn some energy and Winston needs a rest.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Well... at least Winston is on his way to recovery hopefully... poor doodle :(

[F, Calla & Luca]

Cultures and sensitivity tests show which antibiotics are likely to be effective. The bacteria are grown and then grown again with discs containing different antibiotics on the agar plate. The ones which inhibit the growth the most are the best candidates for use.

Also, I wouldn't think the vinegar is a problem at all. The yeasts are on most of us and the point is to avoid conditions that promote their growth. That's what acidifying the ear with vinegar or other things does.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

thanks! I knew you'd have those answers!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

F beat me to it.

If vinegar promoted yeast in any way, it wouldn't be recommended and effective for ...shall we say, feminine hygiene purposes?  

I'm a little surprised that Winnie didn't test positive to any pollens, but that's good, I think. It means you can open the windows in nice weather and don't have to run your A/C when the weather is beautiful like I do. Or worry about having the dogs out in the woods, fields, etc at certain times of year. The feathers are an easy fix; get rid of the comforter and get the polyester-filled kind. I don't think you mean your duvet, that would be the cover, and that should work just fine with a synthetic comforter inside it instead of the feather comforter. Do you have feather pillows? But once he's on a maintenance dose of his antigens, that should take care of it anyway. It works great for JD's dust mite allergies. I have been told that the immunotherapy is least effective when there are severe or multiple mold allergies, and it doesn't sound like that's Winston's problem. I am very optimistic about Winnie's immunotherapy being successful and I hope you are too!

JD did have a delayed reaction to the testing, so I'm glad you were prewarned about that. I wasn't, and we eneded up in the emergency clinic at 4 a.m. New Year's Day. Hope Winnie doesn't have any reactions.

I am so glad this part is behind you and now you can move forward with getting some relief for Winston!

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Karen, how are the results for the immunotherapy at 75% different than a humans?  My daughter is in immunotherapy for allergies (dust mites, all 5 trees she was tested for, grass, pollen, ragweed, cats and dogs).  I was told the success rate is approximately 90% as long as you are completely consistent in receiving the injections every 5 to 10 days.......  I am curious more than anything.  She is going to go approximately 9 months weekly and then possibly only twice monthly and then monthly... I wonder why it would only be 75% for Winston.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The success rate for immunotherapy in dogs in general is 75%, not just for Winston. Whether any individual dog will be in the majority or the minority depends on a lot of factors, including their particular allergens.

I was told that the success rate is actually higher in dogs than in humans over time. I was told that immunotherapy for inhalant allergies in humans starts out at the same success rate as for dogs, but that for one third of those who have initial success, it's short lived and stops helping after some period of time. I don't really know much about it in humans, though.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Ha! of course, i should have thought of the vinegar thing.:o)

I forgot to add that he is allergic to pigweed. No idea what that is.. I was surprised too about the pollens. I thought for sure... but I do know that his former owners had two cats, and I didn't get the impression they were very clean people so the dust and the cats combined with the yeast infections that were never treated would explain why he was in such bad shape when  I first got him.

I have other blankets I can use so the feather comforter goes away for now. the pillows I'm not sure about but will check.

I do feel optomistic! so glad I did this!

[F, Calla & Luca]

here is what Wikipedia says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigweed

This one looks familiar so I guess it's common:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthus_palmeri

Anyway not much you can do about these kinds of weeds.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

if it is popular in southwest USA, how on earth did it end up being something Winnie was exposed to?? weird.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's just one species, the Amaranthus. I suspect the ones that Winston is allergic to are the ones in the Chenopod family. JD is allergic to Lamb's Quarters, which are Chenopods:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenopodium_album

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Knowing what you're dealing with and having a treatment plan really make a difference. I'm glad you did it, too.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Sherri...for the pillows you can buy at Bed,Bath & Beyond or mail order the pillow covers for bed bugs and mites.  They are specifically for people with allergies.  My daughter has them on all of her pillows.  They also have bed mattress covers for the same thing.  Something to think about to help cut down on mites!