Allergies & Ear Problems

[stormie]

I have one freak telling me I'm killing my dog because he's on Cortisone.....it's either that or Heaven....I choose what is best for my dog.....if I could have him off Cortisone and at the Derm I'd be there!

That's it hey. The thing is, our dogs don't worry if they're on cortisone like we do.

For me personally, I'd rather Orbit live a shortened, but healthy, happy and relatively symptom free life of say 5 years on cortisone, then live a miserable, itchy, uncomfortable life of 10 years. I just enjoy every day I have with him and glad he's not ripping himself apart and up all night crying cause he's so damn itchy!

[Staff'n'Toller]

2tollers - I think my greater concern would be the 'pressure' that I would feel if the dermatologist prescribed medications where other professionals are suggesting I steer clear. So many Vets are so fast at and frequently prescribing AB's and Cortisone for all manner of things (even when they don't know what it is that they are treating) that I think I've learnt (sometimes the hard way) not to trust that advice. But the part of me that is responsible for carrying guilt would be betwixt and between to ignore that advice. I think those reading will understand where I am coming from (I hope). IE What to do? Who to listen to? It might seem a bit like "stick head in sand" approach, but I think it is more that I need to KISS and not have the clarity of my thinking turn into a head spin.

Specialists don't treat off the bat with cortisone otherwise they can't tell how good any of the other treatments are since cortisone masks it.

If a Derm Vet thinks it's allergy in origin you are given an elimination diet (by agreement) and a time is made for sedation and allergy testing. If he shows positive for allergies then it's straight to desensitisation injections (I'm making a gross generalisation here) that's basically how it goes.

I don't know, obviously, the myriad of symptoms and causes you have discussed with the naturopath and exactly how long you have been treating it but I strongly feel that you need to make a firm date about when enough's enough.

I can see where you're coming from but I think perhaps your apprehension is a bit unreasonable and once you get there you'll realise that consultation with Specialists is a team approach. People wouldn't talk about how much they adore Charles Kuntz on here if it wasn't!

With cancer care in dogs and other ailments it can be hit and miss and weighing up quality of life but when the gold standard allergy treatment for humans is also available to dogs -and very successfull for the most part- I would be going for it.

Edited January 5, 2010 by Staff'n'Toller

[Erny]

Guys, I really appreciate your views and the fact that you're taking the time to try to help me. Please know that.

There are some things I'd like to clear up and that I'm mentioning in response to a few different comments from a few different posts.

You've obviously guessed I don't like using chemicals if I don't have to. Of course, none of us do. My hesitation is heightened because Mandela's brother had same symptoms - his owners went the AB's and Cortisone route and it didn't make any difference. In fact, I think with him the hives kept returning on a faster cycle than Mandela's do. Maybe that was just him. I don't know.

Mandela is not an unhappy, miserable dog. Sure - at the worst of it, it is obviously not comfortable and I do have the issue with the putting on weight and him going off food. I'm not ignoring that and I hope no-one thinks that I am. But the cycle of hives and food issues would be roughly 4 weeks (in amongst that time there are days when appetite is good). Then he can go for 6 or 7 months looking and feeling fine, with no appetite or hive issues. What's happening now has occurred twice in total. It has not been his whole life. He larks around both at the parks we go to and also at home.

I realise that I would not be forced by the Dermotologist to go onto medication. But I know that it would only give me something else to toss and turn about, wondering if I'm doing the right or wrong thing either way I decide. I am momentarily in avoidance of that. For the 'indecision' reason and also practicality.

I am very much certain this bout of hives are on the way out. They appear smaller and I think a number have receded. He is more itchy with this latest batch of hives, but he is not incessantly itchy and he seems to be less itchy still over this last 24 hour period. (When he does get more itchy, the Calendula tea washes help to ease that.) If that's the case (as has been in the past) and they disappear altogether ........ and if they don't return (that's the hopeful side of things) then I'd have only spent the money on the Dermatologist for nothing. And if I did go ahead and follow through with whatever meds are suggested by the Dermatologist, I'd be doing that for nothing too.

I am not turning my back on the idea of a Dermatologist consult. Nor am I turning my back on the idea that meds might be required. But given that I think this 'cycle' of him being symptomatic might have run its course (and hey, what if it is that the homeopathic and naturopathic meds have helped?) then what is the harm in waiting?

It is still not all plain sailing just yet - that I know. But I've considered the suggestions here and I really do appreciate them. I'd like to give what I'm doing a chance because if this can right it (and the AB's and Cortisone for his bother did not) then I've done everything for his system to correct itself without me potentially upsetting the apple cart with the administration of chemicals. If what I'm doing does not right it, then the Dermatologist remains a route that I can address given that I would have tried much of most else (to my knowledge).

If the only reason for going to see a Dermatologist right now was that Mandela's misery and quality of life needs addressing, then I don't think it is as urgent as some might be thinking, because he is happy and he is lively.

Edited January 5, 2010 by Erny

[2tollers]

I hear you Erny. It's a LONG slow process sorting out all this stuff. I know that from dealing with my son's allergies.

I only mentioned the derm testing interfering with your current path of treatment to make sure I was on the right track. I agree with you that you should focus on the treatments you're using at the moment and see if you get results. If, at some stage later on, Mandela has a flare up, then it might be worth looking at visiting Derm Vet. Using that knowledge with Naturopathic treatments could be good?

Human doctors do push the cortisone thing but over the past few years they seem to be coming around to more "prevention" rather than treating the problem. My vet from yonks ago said that they weren't too worried about treating dogs with cortisone because they outlived the worst of the symptoms.

You have to find a balance and do whatever you think is best for your dog and for yourself.

Hey Staff'n'Toller, Do they go straight to desensitisation injections after positive reactions? I might book my son in there.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Hey Staff'n'Toller, Do they go straight to desensitisation injections after positive reactions? I might book my son in there.

I think if the owner is in agreement then yes, I'm pretty sure your son would get seen much sooner and possibly get a higher level of care.

I'm always telling my boss if I ever cut myself badly enough to need stitches I'm NOT going to the hospital I am coming down to see him, he does better stitching than any human doctor I've seen.

[Erny]

I hear you Erny. It's a LONG slow process sorting out all this stuff. I know that from dealing with my son's allergies.

I only mentioned the derm testing interfering with your current path of treatment to make sure I was on the right track. I agree with you that you should focus on the treatments you're using at the moment and see if you get results. If, at some stage later on, Mandela has a flare up, then it might be worth looking at visiting Derm Vet. Using that knowledge with Naturopathic treatments could be good?

Thank you 2tollers. I didn't want anyone feeling as thought their suggestions were being rejected out of hand. They very much aren't and the great thing is that I do have the Dermatologist route to travel down if it turns out that he has another flare up.

I don't know how complex your son's allergies are, but I have had success through the Advanced Allergy Clinic (they have one in most States I think). Of all things, I had become allergic to dogs and my difficulty was that there were times when I couldn't see for the tears that would blur my vision. Not to mention that it was a dang sight interruptive having to stop every 15 seconds to blow your nose, when you were in the midst of training someone's dog for them and that the skin around my nose would end up red raw and sore (not to mention not a pretty sight). My allergy was considered, by the specialist, to not be servere enough to warrant desensitisation. The symptoms weren't so much taken into account as my skin test results were and for that, for some reason, it was not a huge reaction. I was given cortisone based nasal spray, but this resulted in giving me some pretty big nose bleeds, not to mention that it didn't help the allergy.

I visited the Advanced Allergy Clinic and had their non-invasive treatment (which was actually quite pleasant, and I asked them to keep going ) and from that point on my allergy symptoms were no longer triggered by dogs.

Edited January 5, 2010 by Erny

[mita]

She also gets recurring ear infections which my vet says is linked to the allergies. I have been cleaning her ears out with diluted malaseb but this doesn't seem to prevent the infections. I have been recommended by my lab breeder to try Epi-Otic in her ears instead because unlike the Malaseb, it apparently has a drying agent to stop the ear canal from staying moist?!? Keeping in mind I need something that i can use even while the ears are red/sore, so preferably not too irritating.

My tibbie girl has a tendency to chronic yeast infections in her ears. The vet prescribes Dermotic drops for them. Only this morning, the vet changed that to Epi-Otic.

I also owned this girl's grandmother & she was prone to skin allergies like your little one. And the flaps of her ears would get quite red. The vet used to tell me to gently rub some Epi-Otic over them as well as applying the drops into the ear.

Do you give your girl antihistamines? The vet used to tell us to give her Polaramine (from the chemist) when her allergies flared up. Tho' I've heard that there are now 2nd generation antihistamines.

By the way, as well as the ears, double-check your girl's anal glands. The vet told us that anal gland reactions can be linked with allergies, too.

Our present vet believes diet can help. And it certainly did with our tibs. No beef products....& keep away from food containing cereals. Definitely no preservatives & artificial colours.

[Luft]

I've been reading the thread with interest. I have had a bitch that has had constant ear problems, spent hundreds having her ears cleaned out. The last visit the upstart vet, had a go at me because she has narrow ear canals, told me how I would need to have her operated on and that she would be deaf. She told me in no uncertain terms that it would be cruel of me to not have it operated on.

I visited breeders in Sweden last year and they gave me a number of home remedies. However I was unable to find some of the ingredients readily available. Anyway to cut a long story short a long term breeder told me to go home fill up the ears with Metho until they were overflowing and continue everyday until they cleared up. She then said just to continue in her weekly bath.

Guess what - beautiful clean infection clear ears. What I had battled with for 3 years and spent hundreds of dollars on, has been fixed up on the few dollars for a bottle of Metho!!! I now put in all my dogs ears at each bath.

I suspect that the ear problems are certainly associated with the skin problems, but certainly worth a go for anyone that has problems with ears.

[elsa]

I have a girl with an allergy to beef and preservatives. I feed her a fresh food diet (usually Chicken Mince) and I have recently found Nutrience not to affect her. I have to be careful not to buy anything with grains in it, as grains are heating to the skin and inflame the situation. Her ears and inside her pads also flare up when she is bad. Of all the ear stuff, I have found Canaural Composite to be the best with a fast action. I have tried Dermotic and it had very little effect. Canaural can also be applied to the itchy/swollen areas on her skin and feet, although due to the cost of it, I use that as a last resort. Otherwise I use Aloveen Conditioner. It gives pretty quick relief and keeps the area moist so it doesn't go all dry and horrible. It is terribly frustrating trying to find a fix and with you not knowing for sure what is the cause, it must make it harder. There are anti histamines you can get for dogs, and I was using these for a while with good results. I got them from a Chiropractor/Vet in Qld. It seems its a matter of lifetime maintenance. Good luck and I hope you find some relief for your dog soon. You feel so helpless watching them scratch and not know how to help.

[elsa]

Have just been reading a post on page 3 of Health/Nutrition/Grooming. It is titled Mylanta for external use. Looks interesting and may help give your dog some relief