Have any of you had your dog on allergy shots? How long did it take before you saw improvement? Did you have to keep them on maintenance meds like antihistamines and steroids in the meantime? Yes, I know every dog is different. Her allergy blood tests had a list 2 pages long of stuff she is supposed to be allergic to. I'm getting conflicting advice and it's making me a little crazy. Molly has been on shots since early November. No improvement whatsoever and we also radically altered her diet to fit the test results as well. Vet said it may take months, ok...........fine. We will do what we have to do. Friend who is an experienced vet tech in a different practice (not here) says they use a completely different brand of allergy test and their dogs usually see improvement by now. I don't care about the expense and aggravation of it all, I just feel bad for my miserably itchy little dog. :? Any experience you can share?
Is she getting a steroid shot? Molly is on the stuff where they take the dogs own blood, I can't remember the technical name for it, and make the shot with it.........it's supposed to build up their immmunity to whatever they are allegic to. My husband has become an expert at giving it!! We were giving her a shot every day for so long, then every other day, then every few days, then once a week, now we are up to every 10 days. We have this nice little written schedule we have to track.
i'm not sure what it is, but i know she only has to take her every few weeks now - there is no way in the world my Mom would even attempt to give her Princess a shot - it might cause pain:lol: Anyway, i'll talk to Mom this evening so i will find out.
Thanks!! And that is why DH is giving the shot.............I can't do it!!!! It's bad enough I have to hold her still for it. And you would be suprised how hard it is to hold a 22 pound dog perfectly still when they do NOT want you to, LOL. The first time we did it at home, I went outside and cried, LOL.
One of our previous dogs had allergies real bad,we had him tested and he was allergic to a long list of things.The allergy shots were specific for his allergies and were given on a schedule like yours.At first I tried to give them to him but eventually just drove him to the vet for it.I saw no improvement whatsoever,sorry! The only thing that worked for him instantaneously were the cortisone shots,which can come with eventual side effects.Dr.Mandoza at Stage Rd.used to say back then that one has to weigh it out,either comfortable pet with possible side effects later on from the cortisone or itchy dog :? Since a lot of dogs are prone to grain allergies we had the new one on a grain free diet from the start and so far so good... This link provides some suggestions: http://www.lucythewonderdog.com/food-allergies.htm
Yeah, that is where we are at. She is on buffalo and sweet potato dog food, NO GRAINS whatsoever. No table scraps, no nothing. Poor dog thinks she's being starved to death. We are trying the shots to eventually try to get her off the steroids for the side effects. It's definitly quality of life vs quantity at this point though. She is so pitiful the minute you take her off them. :cry:
My dog has BAD allergies to environmental stuff mostly. The only solution after years of failed treatments and several vets was Dr. Barzola at Clayton Animal Hospital who referred me to the NCSU Vet School. They've straightened out my Thunder...he's happy and healthy and not itchy...and now Dr. Barzola is maintaining the Rx's and bloodwork and checkups rather than having to continue at the vet school. Luckily I work almost across the street from the vet school, so the visits there weren't that big a deal. Good luck!!
