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Originally Posted by dwerten  well first off the vet did it backwards  food elimination is first but 10% of the time it is food. I have gone through the same thing since my girl was 6 mos - allergies start from the time they are 6 mos to 3 years. If it is back half of dog then usually flea allergy so do you ever see fleas? My girl could not tolerate atopica either but were you giving it with a little food? I am going to pull a link i wrote a bunch of info for you to read
first off chicken is the worst protein you can feed for an allergy dog so i would first start with transitioning off a chicken food to natural balance venison and sweet potato - have you ever fed her venison? Was she spayed before or after this all started? What changed right before this all started if you think back?
Also whenever a dog has skin issues you always want a full thyroid panel done to rule out hypothyroid as it runs in this breed.
I notice you have her cut down short and i keep a longer coat as the coat protects the skin from pollen getting on it and i keep mine in a tshirt too to keep pollens from skin as double protection.
My friend lives in new jersey and she is having a time of it with her dog as well
Allergies are the worst as 90% of the time it is environmental and if so your only options are hyposensitization shots, atopica or steroids - you can minimize the itching with minimal ingredient diets and some supplements like coconut oil and probiotics help but it is tough if environmental. If it is winter there and she is still itching it can be either food related or mold allergy as there are no pollens there now or fleas.
What shampoo are you using as sometimes the chemicals in vet shampoos can aggravate them so i tend to go with a mild hypoallergenic shampoo instead.
I totally get your frustration as i have an allergy dog too and it is heart breaking
also you may want to get a dermatologist in your area as we see one and it helps as they are very good with skin and allergy issues and it saves in the long run and they tend to be more conservative in treatment with steroids and meds than a normal vet on this topic |
thank you for the reply
.. I have a LOT to read through in other threads to fully grasp what I'm up against but as far as the flea that was one of the first things I thought up and immediately put her on Frontline which she's BEEN taking .. we washed her bedding in very hot soapy water and we don't have ANY rugs in the house .. plus we've just recently moved within the last few months and the allergies symptoms have not gotten any better
we have tried the Natural Balance with her but she refuses to eat it .. she would rather starve than eat it
.. I'm hoping to find some sort of miracle but I know miracles don't exist when it comes to something like this .. there could be soo many things bothering her that it just blows my mind .. we've cut down on her walking and she's washed every few days (as per the vet) .. also something I want to mention .. after a few days of not getting a bath and NOT going out she has an odor .. like a while back she used to get scabs that would heal but still sometimes she has a smell on her that always seems to be strange .. I've read on other sites that it would be something to do with her sweat glands .. I can't remember what they called it but it was something with the sweat glands that caused her to be itchy and actually let off a slight odor .. I'm trying to figure this out but there's just soo many variables that could effect this .. the only positive is that she has never lost her appetite .. she's playful .. has her toys all over the house .. LOVES her chew foods which keeps those teeth nice and pretty and she's just a lovable dog that will lick you to death if given the change .. it's only this allergy thing that makes me cry because I want her to have the best possible life .. I've owned a few other dogs before Molly and each time I get a new one I kick myself wondering why I do this to myself lol .. I get SOO attached and it's a heartbreak when something is wrong ..
thanks again for all of the replies .. any other suggestions would be amazing .. I'm going to read more into the answers and hopefully see the vet soon for SOME kind of testing .. thanks again, it means the world to Molly and I