Immunotherapy For Allergies

[Mas1981]

Just looking for some experinces of people with dogs who have allergies who have done the desensitization, has it worked for your dog? How long did it take to start showing any improvement. Also for someone who cannot afford to pay for it right now what other options are there which could be successful?

[Ptolomy]

Yes we have gone down the immunotherapy route - well we are 3+ years in and it has been a huge success. Getting off the injections seems to be more of an art rather than a science though.

[sas]

Didn't work for us, no change at all. We were on it for over a year.

Other options: Would have to speak with your Derm, we're constantly doing elimination but said dog also lives on Cortisone now for quality of life.

Edited May 27, 2010 by sas

[Monah]

Sorry, re costs, I've found this treatment MUCh cheaper than the creams, meds, shampoos, vet visits, ear drops etc etc. that we were on before the vacc. The initial tests were $400, the first 3 vacc mixes where you get stronger and stronger were about $600 and this lasted about 4 months (dont quote me, I'm trying to remember ) then the end vacc was $350 and this lasts about 10 to 12 months. I was paying up to $300 a week for everything else at one stage for around 6 months while we tried everything )and many tests sent to USA) to fix my dog's issues. Her ears were badly affected and she has giant!! canals so several surulan etc. per week were used, plus meds etc. It was a nightmare and she got fed up with having her poor ears touched

Best thing I've ever done was to have a vacc made up .

[Monah]

sorry, I posted that in the wrong topic, but it is still sort off relevent.

I have done it and it has been great for us, very positive experience. The trouble is you do not know until you try whether it will work or not. By the time I went to a dermatologist we had tried diet elimination for months, meds, everything possible, ended up after all that, that diet was NOTHING to do with it I could have saved so much stress, money, time and discomfort for the dog if I had just has allergy tests straight away

Hope it all works out for youxxx

our vacc worked within the first couple of months, huge improvement.

[Dogs4Fun]

I have done it with two dogs, one of which was allergic to small number of agents, and the other to a large number.

Both reponded very well. Both dogs were on treatment for several years - about 4 years for one dog and 5 for the other. They had occasional anithistamines while on the injections but have never had steroids.

One dog has now passed, but was off the injections for the last 2-3 years of his life and did not have any recurrence.

The other dog is still with us, and has been off the injections now for 5 years and has never had any recurrence.

We did move states while the dogs were on the injections, and it is likely that that shifted us away from some of the local allergens they were initially exposured to, and this may have helped us get them to a state that they were medication free, however, the living dog is the one who is allergic to the world, including chitin (all insects including ants and cockroaches) and most household moulds, so I doubt we have eliminated his allergen load.

[Mas1981]

Sorry, :D re costs, I've found this treatment MUCh cheaper than the creams, meds, shampoos, vet visits, ear drops etc etc. that we were on before the vacc. The initial tests were $400, the first 3 vacc mixes where you get stronger and stronger were about $600 and this lasted about 4 months (dont quote me, I'm trying to remember ) then the end vacc was $350 and this lasts about 10 to 12 months. I was paying up to $300 a week for everything else at one stage for around 6 months while we tried everything )and many tests sent to USA) to fix my dog's issues. Her ears were badly affected and she has giant!! canals so several surulan etc. per week were used, plus meds etc. It was a nightmare and she got fed up with having her poor ears touched

Best thing I've ever done was to have a vacc made up .

I think you are right it is much cheaper than just trying everything else and I think we will do it as soon as we have saved our coins :D

[k9katz]

GSD female, did the "spot" test ( Spectrum Labs in USA) which is a blood test so far less invasive. Came back positve to 23 items and borderline to 6. She has been on the injections for 2 yrs and 8 months now and they have been a huge success. She has to have 2 a month to cover all the allergens and no it isnt cheap but its a small price to pay to see her happy and hairy! Its very interesting to read Dogs4Fun post re taking the dogs off the program, we tried to space the injections out a little, only got up to 5 days extra and did notice that she was not so great so I dont think I will ever be able to get her off them, she is 9 now.

Good luck with your dog:)