There is no cure for allergies, and that is why they can be so frustrating to both humans and animals. Your pet’s allergic organ is their skin and that is why you see them having chronic recurrent itchy skin and ear infections. I see so many frustrated owners battling with allergies in their own pets every single day in my clinic. Unfortunately, in Florida the allergens are unavoidable.

Pets with allergic dermatitis basically have 4 types of allergies that show up as itchy skin and ears: they include Flea Allergic Dermatitis (FAD), Food Allergies, Contact Allergies, and Atopic Dermatitis (inhaled allergens inside and outside your home).  Many people go through several types of therapies with their pets to provide them with some relief. Most people have tried anti-histamines such as Benadryl/Hydroxyzine and medicated shampoos and sprays for pets that are less affected. For pets that have more significant itching and secondary infections, many times they will be prescribed corticosteroids (prednisone pills or a steroid injection) and an antibiotic by their Vet. That will manage the flare up when the root of the problem has not been addressed, however the allergy and symptoms will recur at some point in time. Also, your pet cannot be on corticosteroids long term due to deleterious effects on internal organs.

When trying to rule out allergies, flea allergies are easiest to target. Giving your pets oral flea preventatives can be a way to rule out that option before exploring other possible allergies that are more difficult to pinpoint.

Ruling out food allergies can only be done with a veterinarian-prescribed prescription diet and it requires commitment from the owner to feed their pet ONLY that food for 8 weeks or longer.  Spending more money on an expensive grain free, or limited ingredient over-the-counter(OTC) diets is not sufficient enough to eliminate a food allergy.  Actually, only less than 1% of all pets are allergic to grains.

Atopic Dermatitis, or inhaled allergens both outside and inside your home, is the hardest to treat and manage. Many clients even give up on their pets since they have such severe, chronic symptoms and secondary infections. We do have a blood allergy panel which will help determine what your pet is allergic to. The goal of this test is to gain more information for avoidance of specific allergens and to start a series of desensitization drops or shots (like allergy shots kids can get) and over time the body’s immune system is supposed to react less. There are other long term treatments like Atopica which is not a corticosteroid, (it is an immunomodulatory drug) to help reduce allergies but it can be very expensive especially for any pet that is not a toy breed.

There is a new option called Apoquel to treat allergies and it is not a corticosteroid, anti-histamine, or an immunomodulatory drug. It can be used long term without the side effects of steroids and will usually start working within the first week. We carry this product in our clinics and recommend it to patients after doing a thorough examination. Please don’t give up on your itchy, miserable pet if they have been suffering with allergies for years as there is now another option. Please make an appointment with us to discuss all options for you and your pet.