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03-10-2010, 02:36 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 14
| For those of you who have had blood panels done for allergies... ..can you tell me what lab performed the test, what it tested for, and about how much it cost? With the exception of carrots, celery, and blueberries, Ruby has been on a rabbit and potato canned food prescribed by her dermatologist for almost 12 weeks with only the sliiiightest bit of improvement and she's even been on an antihistamine for over 2 months now. I'm seriously considering asking for an allergy blood panel to be done even though her dermatologist said they are generally not very accurate (50:50) or reproducible. Before I ask her to do it anyway, can you offer any suggestions as to what type or which lab performed the tests for your babies, what the test included, and how much it cost? I found Bio-Medical Services - Allergy Testing - Canine, Feline and Equine which seems to be a good option, but I want to make sure I get as much info as I can before persuading her dermatologist for one...on the other hand, if you agree with her that these tests are generally a waste of money, please also let me know. Thank you! |
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03-10-2010, 07:15 PM | #2 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| I think that's the one I heard good things about, but imo it is pretty much a waste of money. Ellie has allergies (food for sure and maybe environmental). I would not put money into it. Her nutritionist doesn't go with this type of testing either the last I knew. She is one of the most well known in the country. Looked at very highly... Elimination diet is the way to go. Were these ingredients novel to her? Who is guessing food allergies? It is very likely something else.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
03-10-2010, 08:48 PM | #3 | |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 14
| Quote:
When I first took her to a dermatologist in mid-December, they checked for flea bites, did skin scrapings to check for fungal infections, and said that they wanted to "rule out the easy ones". She was then put on Clindamycin (antibiotics) for inflamed areas of her skin and Mometamax for the yeast infection in her ear. They started her on canned Rabbit & potato as well since she's so young (6mo at the time) and I've only ever fed her Honest Kitchen Embark, Blue Buffalo Chicken/Rice for Puppy, and cooked ground turkey. After a month without improvements, she was prescribed Clemastine (anti-histamine). I know the plan was to start her on a dietary trial/elimination diet once her itchiness reduced but it's been 2 months now of anti-histamine and I can't really say there's a noticeable improvement...although I guess she hasn't lost any more hair so that's good. Here's a quick outline of what she's currently on: * Canned Rabbit & Potato by Royal Canin (sometimes mixed in with plain boiled rabbit) * Carrots, Celery, Blueberries * 1 tablet/1.34mg Clemastine (anti-histamine) per day - she is 6lbs * Mometamax every 10 days (to control/prevent yeast infection in her ears) * Bath every 1-3 weeks with some combination of HyLyt shampoo, Virbac Epi-Soothe cream rinse (prescribed by general vet), EQyss Micro-Tek shampoo, and EQyss Mega-Tek Rebuilder (for her balding back legs). * Revolution every 2 weeks (just in case it's fleas) * She does not have any redness or infections in her skin, but around 3 weeks after a bath, small dandruff-looking flakes appear near her scalp. At this point, I agree with you that it doesn't seem like her allergy is food-related, which is a relief actually. But if it isn't food, then is my only option to pay for the blood test? Are there any other way to figure out environmental sensitivities? Thanks again for any advice you can give me (and sorry for this novel I'm writing). I was pretty optimistic when I found a recommended dermatologist for her but after 3 months without results and almost $1000, I'm hesitant to just keep scheduling follow-up appointments without finding out more info on my own and being prepared to make some suggestions. | |
03-10-2010, 09:18 PM | #4 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Is it possible to post pics of any areas that she is losing hair? I am just about cluless when it comes to derm pics, but I think maybe some other YT'ers could take a look Have you tried Atopica? This would be for envir allergies. If it works, then you pretty much have your answer. Not the healthiest drug in the world, but a very good choice. You could do the bloodwork. Personally I'd try the drug first. A bit backwards I suppose, but that's what I'd do. It sounds like rabbit and potato were novel to her when you started the 12 week diet, so that really makes me think it's not food. But I don't have a list of all the ingredients in that food in front of me. If antihistamines aren't doing much good after 2 or 3 weeks, I don't see a reason to keep giving them (unless they are helping slightly). You can try steroids and they may work, but that is really covering up the problem.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
03-11-2010, 04:40 PM | #5 | ||
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 14
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I agree, being on antihistamines for 2 months straight seems excessive, especially when it doesn't seem to improving the situation. | ||
03-11-2010, 07:14 PM | #6 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Atopica works for envir., not food. So if it takes care of the problem, it isn't food. Now where in the world is Ann when we need her. Gong to PM somebody for you.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
03-12-2010, 09:38 AM | #7 | |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 11,073
| Quote:
just saw you are going to derm PERFECT that is where you want to be and remember food is only 10% of the time allergy and 90% of the time it is environmental and antihistamines usually do not work in dogs but zyrtec is one they have seen more success with Last edited by dwerten; 03-12-2010 at 09:40 AM. | |
03-12-2010, 09:43 AM | #8 | |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 11,073
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03-12-2010, 09:46 AM | #9 |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 11,073
| usually if they have allergies they have a combination food, flea, and environmental and atopica will only prevent environmental so if dog is still itching while on atopica then food is also a problem but usually they have all 3 very rarely they have just food so the only way to know if food is to do a 12 week elimination diet which sounds like you are doing with the rabbit food but you CANNOT give anything but that food for 12 weeks or you will not know what is going on so you have to be very strict and treat with that food as well if you need to treat. The dog cannot have had that protein or carb ever to rule out food allergy. |
03-12-2010, 09:49 AM | #10 | |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 11,073
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03-12-2010, 09:59 AM | #11 | |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
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sounds like your dog had a staph infection as my dog has staph now and we are using clindamycin as well for a second round how old is your dog and has her thyroid been tested as dogs with skin issues need to have a full thyroid panel and loss of hair is a sign of hypothyroidism and my dog with allergies is also hypothyroid as well so it is very common and that is one of the first thing they need to check along with food elimination diet. It is a full 6 panel thyroid test allergies start from age 6 mos to 3 years of age so how old is your dog? ear infections are a clear sign there is food allergy going on and I would not give sugary foods like carrots, blueberries, etc as sugar keeps yeast and bacteria alive so the fact that the dog has ear issues that is a clear sign of food allergy along with environmental yikes revolution every 2 weeks i was told at most every 3 weeks and it is also used to rule out scabies mite as well - do you see fleas on her? are you in a flea area? she should be bathed weekly with allergies to keep pollen etc off and if she has staph occuring chlorhexedine duoxo is a great shampoo and not as drying as benzoyl but benzoyl is good to as others on here have had success with it the scalp drying again leads me to be food related as dd has no issues on head and head is usually demodex or food allergy related and they scraped for demodex already so probably not that I disagree i think it is food related is well as the ears are your source of food allergy - my dog has never had ear issues in 6 years not one infection and on food elimination diet of pinto beans and white potato she still itched so hers is mostly environmental but she is still on limited ingredient diet my guess is your dog has both and in 12 weeks you should see improvement on food diet but you have to ditch the carrots, blueberries too sugary | |
03-12-2010, 10:03 AM | #12 |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 11,073
| my dog has lost her hair on back and neck but my friends allergy dog has no hair on her legs they call her chicken legs for that reason --dd has alot of hair on legs but every dog is different so could be grass related so when you bring her in from outside wash her legs or have a pan and put water in it place her in it and use a towel and dry her paws off real well allergies are very frustrating so hang in there, take lots of notes and make one change at a time |
03-12-2010, 10:06 AM | #13 |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 11,073
| are you cooking the rabbit and potato? If not best to cook a food elimination diet as no other factors in food. If potato is it white or sweet as white is sugary and i believe people who have diabetes can have sweet potato but not white as sugar content is much more in white potato and again sugar is bad for dogs with yeast in ears issue and there are debates on this whether sugar in food contributes to yeast and bacteria issues in dogs but it makes alot of sense since yeast and bacteria live in sugar so when you get probiotics which i use for my allergy dog there is fos in it and fos is the sugar that keeps the acidopholus and biffidus active. |
03-14-2010, 12:25 PM | #14 | ||||||||||
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 14
| Wow thank you, dwerten! Sorry for the delay in my reply as this much information took a bit of time to digest! Quote:
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I will sometimes put a whole rabbit in the slow cooker with only water and then shred it along with any organs to mix into her canned food. I have also made baked sweet potato for her before...the only reason why I don't cook 100% of her food is because I feel like I'm not giving her a complete diet with all the vitamins and supplements she needs, especially since she is still so young. What do you think? Lastly, I bought dust mite covers for my mattress and bedding before Christmas (since she sleeps in bed with me) and have someone scheduled to come out and clean the air ducts in my house tomorrow ($1100!) just to make sure she's not breathing in the common indoor allergens. I'm really crossing my fingers that the air duct cleaning will make a visible difference... I know this is a long process but it's hard to watch her scratch so much. Thank goodness for this forum and all the support! | ||||||||||
03-14-2010, 12:40 PM | #15 |
BANNED! Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 11,073
| here is varl Home GREER Greer: In touch. Within reach. could not find hecka but if i do it i will be doing VARL my dd is in doors as well on wee wee pads - sad zyrtec is for humans as many human meds are used in dogs but consult dermatologist on that 12 weeks will not be harmful to minimize ingredients and home cook - you can give a baby multivitamin from whole foods as derm had us do that but i opted not to as i wanted to be very limited and see if food yep dd was 6 mos right after all her shots spun out of control the ear thing yeah i would not use drugs as preventative as she can become immune to antibiotics and meds so i would only use if necessary so discuss with vet make sure no oatmeal in those shampoos as i believe epi soothe has oatmeal and oatmeal can make them itchy as i use hypoallergenic and oatmeal can be drying - i like dr bronners mild unscented baby shampoo it has all organic ingredients and nothing allergy related if she is only indoors i really would not do flea meds if you ruled out flea issue and sarcoptic mange with revolution as that is one more chemical agitating her system we use costco perfume and dye free soap to wash everything in, clean with vinegar and water, have oreck purifiers in two rooms she is in and hypoallergenic filters in both ac units Last edited by dwerten; 03-14-2010 at 12:43 PM. |
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