Scratchings-and-Sniffings

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It's Allergy Season Again Posted: 24 Mar 2010 06:52 AM PDT This time last year I was miserable. Runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, headache, you name it. Allergy sufferers know what I'm talking about. And don't even get me started on all the OTC and even prescription meds that are supposed to help. Unless your allergies are minor, drugs are pretty worthless. Unless you want to go to sleep.  Dogs, and to a certain extent cats, deal with allergies, too. Unlike us though, dogs and cats usually react to allergies by scratching. While we sneeze, they lick, bite, chew, scratch and rub. Chronic ear infections are also common with allergic dogs, as is licking the pads of the feet.   It really doesn't matter whether the allergy is to pollen, mold, carpet or food, itching is the most common sign of allergy in dogs. Of course there are many other causes of itching and they all have to be ruled out before a diagnosis of allergy can be made.   Once other causes of itching, or pruritis, are ruled out diagnosing allergy can be a time consuming process. In the end though, accurate diagnosis is far and away the best best way to deal with allergy. Unless you can determine the particular thing or things causing your dog's allergy symptoms, treatment is symptomatic only. And the various symptomatic treatment options we have for pets are no better than those we have for ourselves. For a good description of allergy testing and diagnosis see a post I did over on the PurinaCare blog.   Unfortunately, some Vets rely on corticosteroid therapy as their main treatment option. While steroids do have their place in allergy treatment, as do anti histamines and ointments, unless your dog has only minor or seasonal problems, steroids should not be the only option. Prolonged steroid use can have serious side effects too.   For my money the best treatment plan for serious allergy is hyposensitization. Also called immunotherapy or allergy "shots", hyposensitization treats the problem directly and can allow your pet to live in the world with those things causing his allergies. I, for instance, no longer shudder at the sight of a pollen laden Juniper tree.   Immunotherapy requires and accurate diagnosis because the injections are made up of the specific allergens causing your dog's symptoms. During the hyposensitization process small concentrations of of the allergens are injected sub cutaneously over a period of time. The concentration of allergen in the injection is gradually increase over time until a maintenance dose is achieved. The frequency of injection declines with time and a maintenance dose may only be needed monthly. Some animals may need allergy shots for a few years and some may need them for life.   The idea is to allow the dog's immune system the opportunity to develop defense mechanisms against the offending allergen so they no longer suffer from the effects of the allergic reaction.   There is a small chance of a serious reaction to the allergy shot. For this reason most Veterinarians like to give the first couple of shots at the vet clinic. In most cases you can take over from there and give the sub cutaneous injections at home. I give my own injections.   In most cases it takes 4 to 6 months to achieve hyposensitization. During this time you will probably need to manage allergy symptomatically with steroids and antihistamines. Successful therapy is achieved when you can cut out these medications and witness significant resolution of clinical signs.   That's vet speak for your dog stops scratching.

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