[Vinniedoggy]

I have a yorkie who has severe skin allergies. We adopted Alex this past summer, and he was quite the little mess. He had previously been diagnosed as having numerous environmental allergies to several types of mold, trees, and grasses. His current therapy consists of a 1/2 Zyrtec once every evening, Atopica (the doggy version of cyclosporin, which is an immunosuppressant commonly used for organ transplant recipients), and allergy shots (with the aim of desensitizing him to the things he is allergic to). He is followed by a canine allergist, as well as our general vets.

My understanding (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) is that dogs can have food allergies or environmental allergies. Usually, a vet will first prescribe a food elimination diet to see if it is something in the dog's diet causing the allergies. Symptoms of food allergies can include tummy troubles as well as itchy skin, watery eyes, and itchy paws. If food allergies are eliminated, a medication like Zyrtec can sometimes be used if the allergies are mild to moderate. However, if that doesn't work, the next step is generally allergy testing and possibly desensitization therapy via allergy shots.

What are your dog's symptoms?