Allergies In Dogs (interesting Article From Dr Bruce Attached)

[FB Rescue_Adoption]

Hi There,

I'm interested to find out how many people worm their dogs every 3 months. My female Stafford - Stella suffers from seasonal allergies and to date has been on Advocate monthly for worm control etc. There is an article written by Dr Bruce (Vets All Natural) that talks about allergies in some pets being exacerbated by various treatments that we've come to accept as normal in the ongoing care of our animals. I've attached it below. He goes on to suggest worm control/flea control etc as a stand alone treatment if the problem arises. Although, this seems more of a reactive way to treat issues moreso than a proactive way - I'm thinking of trying to see if it makes a difference.

Do you guys all worm your dogs every 3 months? or use one of those all in one preparations such as Advocate or Revolution?

Hope all you guys with dogs that suffer allergies find the article interesting! :-)

Allergies_in_dogs_and_cats.doc

[MolassesLass]

I do 3 monthly - I avoid any of the all in one treatments, I don't trust big lots of mixed chemicals. I don't even get the HeartGard that has the intestinal wormer added.

[FB Rescue_Adoption]

sorry forgot to point out the context' to my question.

This is the part in the article towards the end of it that has got me thinking!!

3. When using parasite control, try to use products that only affect the parasite you are targeting. Eg, use a product that only kills fleas if you have a flea problem, or a product that only kills heartworm larvae, and not one that also kills intestinal worms.

For regular worming, consider having a faecal test done to see if there are worms present at large numbers (much like we do for horses and other stock animals) rather than just treating every 3 months. Pets can tolerate low numbers of worms naturally.

Thoughts?

[dancinbcs]

I suddenly had itchy dogs for two years but now believe that it was from the heartworm vaccine. The two dogs I have now never had allergies until the year that I first used the heartworm vaccine but I did not suspect that as the cause until the second year. The next year I changed back to Interceptor monthly for heartworm and intestinal worms and they are magically itch free again. I only treat for fleas as needed in the summer months with Frontline and never have any problems with it but did have one either react to Advantage or to the fleas he got a week after using it. I don't like the idea of the all in one treatments either.

With puppies I also worm and vaccinate at least a few days apart as I don't like bombarding them with different chemicals at the same time.

[Raelene]

I have two allergy dogs out of 5 - both came to me with allergies. I have wormed them three monthly with a worming pill but as we don't have fleas, have not had a need to use flea stuff. One is a blue brindle staffy, the other is a frenchie.

To my knowledge the staffy has had allergy issues since she was young. The contributing factor I could see in her is anxiety and possibly the breeding to get the blue colouring. I adopted her from the pound, though had contact with previous owner afterwards.

To my knowledge the frenchie has not had any spot-ons etc used either.

I'm sure a lot of chemicals used could influence the immune systems, though I doubt the reasons for mine being allergy pups would be attributed to these.

I have used advocate and had heartworm injections in my old staffy and to date she has never had an allergy.

I'm feeling that it is possible, but there are probably other underlying factors.

R

[Lab_Rat]

I suddenly had itchy dogs for two years but now believe that it was from the heartworm vaccine. The two dogs I have now never had allergies until the year that I first used the heartworm vaccine but I did not suspect that as the cause until the second year. The next year I changed back to Interceptor monthly for heartworm and intestinal worms and they are magically itch free again. I only treat for fleas as needed in the summer months with Frontline and never have any problems with it but did have one either react to Advantage or to the fleas he got a week after using it. I don't like the idea of the all in one treatments either.

With puppies I also worm and vaccinate at least a few days apart as I don't like bombarding them with different chemicals at the same time.

Wow - this interested me!!!!! I have only in the last 2 years (since my ridgie was old enough to have the vaccs) started to use the yearly Heartworm vaccination. I have noticed in the last few weeks that both dogs have started to be itchy Their diet has not changed, they dont have fleas, and I havent been able to come up with a solution! Maybe this could be my answer. I used the Heartguard chewables previously.

My girls dont get wormed regularly ( I dont use the all in one preparations anyway) - mostly because I forget, but also I cant see the point in dosing them with toxins that arent necessary. They dont get flea treatments either - I havent seen a flea on either of them, ever. They are not vaccinated for disease anymore either, they both had titre tests this year, at their vacc due date, and hopefully wont be vaccinated again in their life.

Both our previous kelpies died at a old age, from old age type diseases, but my first ridgy was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 9 and had a leg amputated.

I will be very interested to see how my current girl goes over the years, given that I wont vaccinate anymore, worming is an occasional event and now I have read a bit about the heartworm vacc., I will not be continuing with them either.

I think the more we learn about the chemicals we are sold to help our dogs health, the better off we all are - our dogs & us! It will be interesting to see over the next twenty years or so, with the decrease of yearly vaccinations, if our dogs are living longer with less incidence of disease. ( Sorry a bit OT there ;) )

Rat

[FB Rescue_Adoption]

yes, it's all very interesting! I've never had mine on any heartworm prevention simply due to my Vet not being able to tell me the last time he dealt with a heartworm case, due to the climate in Vic it's mostly too cold for heartworm larvae and eggs to hatch is what I was told so I thought good, one less batch of chemicals to bombard her system with!

[poodlefan]

I'd not agree with the notion that all these treatments are making dogs systems "sterile". I would agree that constant (and often unncecesarry) chemical assaults on dogs immune systems can suppress them, giving rise to allergies.

I don't treat for fleas unless my dogs have fleas. I don't vaccinate when I can titre and I give heartworm tablets, not the injection. I'm not a fan of spot treatments of any kind.

There are also breeds and colours of dogs that are more allergy prone. Maybe that means they don't tend to have wonderful immune systems in the first place.

[Nekhbet]

an allergy is actually an immune response to a normal part of the dogs environment. The body creates an immune attack on the offending compound instead of behaving normally.

look at the incidents of children with asthma and peanut/nut/food allergies. all immune hyperresponses.

[stormie]

I have an allergic dog, who was allergic since a puppy. I don't vaccinate him anymore, and give him a combined heartworm/monthly treatment. I only treat for fleas when I need to.

Personally, I think the major contributing factor to the high incidence of allergies, is the fact that allergic dogs keep being bred with. The dog who 'just gets itchy from couch grass' still has an allergy, and whilst it doesn't seem that bad, has the potential to pass it on to it's offspring, and potentially create ultra allergic offspring. Most commonly, allergies develop later in life and worsen as the they get older. It's easy to then point the finger at treatments, as they''ve usually been used often up to that point.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that a high percentage of the dog population, or in particular, those with owners who care enough to take their itchy dog to the vet and get an allergy diagnosis, probably treat worm/heartworm their dogs. So it's easy to point the finger at those things because it's something they all have in common. Unless you took the same dog, and never gave it those treatments, you could never really be sure it was those things that caused the problem.

I'm not saying this is wrong, but just that there's a whole lot more to allergies than meets the eye. I am all for minimal treatment.

[Lab_Rat]

I think I agree with you Stormie......that is if we're on the same page

I have this theory that because alot more people are buying properly bred, pedigreed dogs and have alot more interest in their wellbeing as well as more technology being available, that alot more diseases and allergies are being noticed.

But I also think/wonder if perhaps these dogs are getting comprimised immune systems because of the generations of well looked after, vaccinated and wormed animals (****THIS IS IN NO WAY A CRITICISM OF ETHICAL PURE BRED BREEDERS BY THE WAY- just an observation of mine!!!). Farm bred or accidental litters have in the past in my opinion not been the most well looked after animals in the way of worming and vaccinating, and in my experience (ie previous & current dogs) havent seemed to have had the problems pure breds have had. But I may be wrong, and am sure I will be told if I am ;) . Processed food may well be a contributer also.

Are there breeds that in general dont have incidences of allergies or cancers?? I find this topic very interesting as I have an allergic dog, had an allergic dog but also have a sibling with an auto immune disease.

Rat

[Elfin]

look at the incidents of children with asthma and peanut/nut/food allergies. all immune hyperresponses.

Could this be because the vaccination protocols for children have been dramatically increased in the last 20 years, overloading their immune systems?

Just a thought...

Edited July 17, 2009 by Elfin

[stormie]

look at the incidents of children with asthma and peanut/nut/food allergies. all immune hyperresponses.

Could this be because the vaccination protocols for children have been dramatically increased in the last 20 years, overloading their immune systems?

Just a thought...

possibly... but, I have environmental allergies (animals, pollens etc) and had limited vaccinations as a baby and even today. My half sister has hayfever too, as do other people on my dads side, so in my case, I'm sure its genetic.

[pebbles]

I haven't done any vacs. after the first 3, never use any regular flea treatments, don't do heartworm, worm only after a sample is tested by the Vet. so maybe once in 2/3 years (worm babies till 6 mths) and never had a dog of any breed with any allergies in 50+years so maybe there's something to it?

[neatz]

look at the incidents of children with asthma and peanut/nut/food allergies. all immune hyperresponses.

Could this be because the vaccination protocols for children have been dramatically increased in the last 20 years, overloading their immune systems?

Just a thought... :D

I sometimes wonder if people that use those 99.9% anti-bacterial, anti-viral etc cleaning solutions on their floors, as washing liquid for their hands/dishes, as soap etc... are being overly paranoid about their kids getting sick so avoid exposing them to bacteria/germs/virus and then when finally they are in contact with this their body just can't cope in a normal way.

[neatz]

I have an allergic dog, who was allergic since a puppy. I don't vaccinate him anymore, and give him a combined heartworm/monthly treatment. I only treat for fleas when I need to.

Personally, I think the major contributing factor to the high incidence of allergies, is the fact that allergic dogs keep being bred with. The dog who 'just gets itchy from couch grass' still has an allergy, and whilst it doesn't seem that bad, has the potential to pass it on to it's offspring, and potentially create ultra allergic offspring. Most commonly, allergies develop later in life and worsen as the they get older. It's easy to then point the finger at treatments, as they''ve usually been used often up to that point.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that a high percentage of the dog population, or in particular, those with owners who care enough to take their itchy dog to the vet and get an allergy diagnosis, probably treat worm/heartworm their dogs. So it's easy to point the finger at those things because it's something they all have in common. Unless you took the same dog, and never gave it those treatments, you could never really be sure it was those things that caused the problem.

I'm not saying this is wrong, but just that there's a whole lot more to allergies than meets the eye. I am all for minimal treatment.

I agree.

I have also noticed at my clinic that itching seems to be very common in specific breeds. Don't see how you could link that to worming etc. You would expect to see it spread evenly across the varying breeds presuming they are all on similar vacc, flea,worming treatment.

Having said that I avoid any product that I don't feel is essential for the well being of my dogs. I don't treat for fleas and don't combine treatments if I can avoid it.

[FB Rescue_Adoption]

I agree that it is to do with genetics also, Stella suffers allergies but Max has no problem whatsoever, both are from the same bitch but different stud dogs. I know another lady who also purchased a pup from Stella's litter and hers also suffers allergies so I've always thought there was something in the genetics of the male dog that has flowed through to the litter, the funny thing about her allergies is that she seems to be allergic to so many things!! Which is why I take interest in everything I find on the subject.

Last year we went away for a holiday, brought her with us to some remote bush location, as soon as we arrived - Stella was bitten by some insect and went into Anaphylactic shock!! We were lucky that we found someone in the area who had a vet's number on hand and were able to get her there quickly - she seems to have such violent reactions to things from time to time and it drives me nuts!

Anyway, she is on low dose cortisone as we speak! That time of year again!

[CP*]

I do worm every 3 months (Canex). But i go bushwalking most days and my dogs are constantly eating roo and rabbit poo on our walks. Otherwise I doubt I would bother unless they show signs. I only flea them if they show signs of fleas.

I also read recently that all the disinfectants we are using on our floors could also be impacting on our dogs and cats as they walk on the floor and then lick their paws. We can't win.

[Staranais]

the funny thing about her allergies is that she seems to be allergic to so many things!! Which is why I take interest in everything I find on the subject.

That's not unusual, dogs that are allergic to one thing are at higher risk of being allergic to other things.

Genetics is certainly a key factor as far as allergies go, and some breeds are certainly predisposed to different allergies.

It's an interesting theory he's got about the parasites & diet, but I'll refrain from judging until I've seen some actual studies done. In science, lots of things that sound plausible turn out to be barking up the wrong tree. His suggestions sound sensible though, and unlikely to cause harm even if his theory is wrong.