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Originally Posted by meglaulanmar  These do this to me too. If you are allergic to things you are still exposed to in large amounts...like for humans who have a cat and get the cat shot... it will put you into anaphalactic shock. I have been there.... it is horrible. |
That's an over-generalisation. It MAY put you into anaphylactic shock, not will. That's not the case for all people. If you see an allergy/immunologist specialist who's very good at what he/she does, then there's a very small chance that you will have any problems. I had immunotherapy myself for over 6 years to a variety of allergens - animals, grasses, pollens, hair, dust... a whole heap of things - and never once had a problem.
(If you were undergoing immunotherapy for an allergy which puts you into anaphylactic shock then I'd seriously question the doctor. Imunotherapy does NOT cure anaphylactic allergies. At the moment nothing does, although it is expected that something will be on the market within 10 years.)
I too have suffered anaphylactic shock, too many times to count. In fact, the next time I go into it there's the chance that I could die as the last time was very, very scary. It's absolutely horrible.
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Originally Posted by jerrit1 Directly following her injection I took her outside to Potty when I turned around she was puking and fell over. she was very lathargic and was breathingk very shallow I immediatly grabbed her and called the emergency vet, She was there withing 15 minutes. They gave her oxygen and told me I could take her home. But when they gave her to me she was so cold. Which is so odd because her skin due to allergies was always very warm and "flared up" I left her because I thought it was a better idea (just in case) I was to pick her up at 7am the next morning. I got the call at 11:00 that she had stopped breathing and asked if I would like her emergency action taken. I said YES!!!! about 5 minutes later they called to say they got her back but the outlook was not good. I was on my way back up when they called and said she had passed.! I was given to adverse reaction medicine! : (
I am sure that this is rare, I just thought people should hear my story |
Thanks for sharing that with me, I know how horrible it must have been for you. By saying what I'm about to say I'm in no way wanting to offend you but as a number of people have said that they were interested in this, I don't want to deter them because of your story.
Immunology is a very effective way of controlling allergies but there are a number of things that should be first considered before going ahead with it. Here are a few:
*Antihistamines. When the body has an allergic reaction it releases histamine into the body. Antihistamines reduce or elmininate histamine. They're quite effective in controlling allergies. Dogs can handle a small dose of over the counter human antihistamines without any problems. (Note: check with your vet on this, in Australia "Claratyne" which is what we give to our Jack Russell as she's allergic to grass. Antihistamines may be enough to control whatever the allergic reaction is. It doesn't work in all cases but it is worth a try. Again, talk to your vet about which brand is best before going ahead with it.)
*Diet. Sometimes food can be the issue. Food chemicals play a major role in bodies, not only manufactured chemicals but also natural chemicals. Amines, salicylates, glutamate... For example tomatoes contain a high level of salicylates, salicylates are not good for some people with skin issues as they exacerbate the condition.
*Products. Some products may be causing havoc - ie if it's itchy skin then a sensitive skin laundry powder or shampoo will help with the problem.
*Home life. Some dogs may be allergic to mould spores, household cleaners... various things around the house. It's worth changing things around to see if that helps.
Also your situation was very different from what usually happens with immunotherapy. I'm sorry to say this, please don't be cranky, but when dealing with immunotherapy it's absolutely imperative to have an emergency kit available containing everything you need in the event that the dog goes into anaphylactic shock. Oxygen is not enough to help the reaction work its way through the system, fair enough it will help open the airways as they close when one goes into anaphylactic shock, but it also needs to be used in conjunction with antihistamines (to counteract the allergic reaction) and (in the case of humans, I'm not sure about dogs) adrenaline to speed up the system to make it work through the system faster. 15 minutes is way too long to wait before seeking treatment - that's why people who suffer from a severe allergy carry around an epi-pen so they can self-administer a shot of adrenaline to get the allergen working through their system as soon as possible.
I know you wanted people to hear your story but I just wanted to clear things up as the topic title is a little off-putting. I cannot emphasise enough that I didn't mean to upset you or make you feel bad, I just want others to know some of what I know. I'm sorry for the essay...
(Disclaimer: No, I'm not a vet. But I do know a lot on the topic. If anyone has any concerns over what I've had to say feel free to either reply in here or PM me.)