Atopic dermatitis

[AlwaysSleepy1]

my 3 year old white staff X has suffered skin allergies since the age of 6 months (getting progressively worse over time). repeated ear infections, chewing paws and scratching head/ears/mouth/neck. She has had countless medicine, allergy treatments (can't remember the name but the injections of pollen that she was borderline allergic to), a wonder injection at 180 a pop (monthly!!), special diet for (hydrolised protein that gave her the runs) she also gets constant thrust infections.

We have spent thousands trying to resolve this (thank God for insurance) including seeing a dermatologist. I think she has some seasonal allegories but also a good allergy. have tried grain free, prescription diet, sensitive and currently use Tails.com.

Her itching is still probably a 4/10 even with her ears treated, her bathed, etc (it was so bad at one point every time she moved she tried to scratch hetself) so I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has tried anything a bit different and had some success? she's only left for 1-2 hours a day but has.to be left with a cone on and she's.still scratch her neck and chew her paws.. any ideas anyone?! :(

There is no one golden bullet for all atopic dogs. 70% of dogs see some improvement with anyone of the treatments, but there are some dogs who need everything in the story season so cytopoint, immunotherapy, apoquel and steroids all at once and still are only just controlled.

Poor dog, that sounds pretty miserable for her

What worked for our dog (just) after many consultations and full allergy screening was dealing with internal/external and environmental triggers as turned out to be allergic to dust mites, mites in dry food, pollen, and various plants:

• freezing dry food to kill any mites;
• Piriton twice a day, three times on days with high pollen count,
• low dose steroid every third day in non-peak allergy season, every other day in peak allergy seasons - cuts down ear infections
• regular hoovering and dusting of whole house, car etc with cloth that doesn't spread dust, washing dog bedding twice a week because of dust mites
• removal of all dust gathering things, so no cushions, no furniture with fabric coverings, no carpets, no fluffy rugs - again dust mites
• dog cushions with anti-dust-mite covers under standard covers
• any human bedding similarly cleaned, also dust-mite-covers under pillowcases with cases positioned so no open ends
• no bedding with feathers only hypoallergenic duvets/pillows as dog came into contact with them
• removal of all flowers/plants that are known to trigger allergies as

per Allergy UK website

• no flowers or pollen-producing plants in the house
• regular ear cleaning at vets
• no fans that can spread dust through air
• no wheat or other allergens in foods
• no walks on grass or in parks or near any form of blossom unless immediately washed down afterwards, no walks on days with high pollen count so games indoors instead
• twice weekly bath with baby shampoo and then Malaseb on areas that tended to be most itchy
• no shoes in the house so no allergens introduced from outside
• changed clothes if outside/out of house as soon as we got back

All of this stopped sneezing, itching, hot spots completely and cut down ear infections to yearly when steroid dose interrupted for vaccinations. But was an absolute nightmare to maintain. If we failed to do these things, or put off doing any of these things, then the sneezing and/or itching started up again, followed by ear infections then skin infections. Have met people who also used alternative remedies such as Colloidal Silver (?) but have not tried it personally.

No real answers just an itch in solidarity as we've got a greyhound with a pollen allergy - she's had her paws raw repeatedly, and now has bald elbows and a bald arse from bits she can get at. At least she's a greyhound so if you can prevent her licking her body raw for long enough to go to sleep and she'll be upside down letting her damned paws heal for a good few hours.

Her sister is similarly affected from what I gather (they came into rescue as a pair hence us having contact with her sister's owner).