Question for allergy dog owners

No I wasn't. I wasn't aware of any derm vets in our area and since the Purdue Small Animal Hospital is less than five miles away it's fairly common for vets in our area to refer clients there when they need a service required by a specialist. For example; when our cat broke his hind leg and our regular vet couldn't reset it he referred us to Purdue; they found that our cat had a tumor in his bone which had caused the leg to break and made the bone too weak to reset. They amputated his leg and he is still doing fine six years later. I can not tell you if a teaching hospital could do more than the specialist you're seeing. Purdue requires a referral from a veterinarian in order to see an animal .If UC Davis has the same policy you'll have to get a referral from your vet; perhaps you could ask the specialist you're seeing if she thinks it would be a good idea to refer Sassy to UC Davis since she should know if they could do more than she's done.

Cathy -- please don't feel like "about all that's left" is holistic. The right holistic vet, particularly using the right modality is like "DAY DAWNED BRIGHT AND FRESH!!!" It's not a 'poor alternative' -- it's the thing that can WORK.

Anyone who knows me personally would be surprised that I hadn't gone this route first.  Born & raised a mile from the beach in So. California, I grew up with the "all natural" approach.  I think if this had been about me, I'd have done it sooner, but it's about this darn dog I love, and I don't want to mess up.  Western medicine really can't help anymore at this point and I fear that continuing with the drugs is going to end up causing some more serious problem. I decided to pick up the Clavamox but I'm not going to start it yet.  I want to finish the Doxycline and Simplicef before adding anything.  Derm vets admitted this was just something they thought might help, but agreed it wasn't good to give all 3, but weren't sure which one should be stopped *sigh*.

I really am going to call the Integrative Vet Clinic on Monday Callie.  Doing nothing is soooo very hard for me and I have absolutely no reason to wait any longer.  I hope to post one day soon about the amazing, positive changes we're seeing with Sassy [].

I hope to post one day soon about the amazing, positive changes we're seeing with Sassy .

 
I hope so too Cathy. I really hope the holistic approach helps Sassy.

Cathy; I remember a thread where you mentioned using something for Sassy's ears called Oti-Calm ( I hope that's the right name). Could you please tell me if it helps and where you get it? Jessie's ears have been itching the last few days and I'm giving her antihistamines but since they're the only thing bothering her I'd rather use a topical instead of antihistamines. Thanks.

There are a BUNCH of Oriental herbs that are super good for skin infections -- yes, they are herbal antibiotics.  The oriental stuff is way stronger, to be honest, than our herbs (as in European or American herbs). 
 
When you are there, BE SURE to ask the vet which points they are doing for the allergy stuff -- you can do, AT HOME, accu-pressure, which is where you take the tip of your finger and stimulate (just with a tiny rubbing circle) that same point the vet stimulated with a needle.  It can prolong and enhance the treatment between acupuncture sessions. 
 
If you haven't already -- get Cheryl Schwartz' book "Four Paws Five Directions" -- it can help you max that appointment by helping you understand the basics and giving you better questions to ask.  She also gives diagrams  --
 
Often Dr. D will show me either anatomically ("bring your fingers up that bone to _____________, and then feel that little dip right *there* -- THAT is where you rub!") OR sometimes  you can 'mark a spot' by a particular marking on your dog (*grin* NOT on a buffy coat cocker tho *grin* -- it's ALL tan!!) and I tell ya -- it really helps to feel like you're doing something pro-active "in the meantime".
 
(Do I have a reputation for being a nag yet?? *grin*)

Janice - Yes, I do use the Oti Calm and have had the best luck with it and believe me, I've tried most everything (other than the blue power stuff - but I generally do this inside and have cream colored carpet).  I've ordered it from 1-800-petmeds and petcarerx.com.  I order from petcarerx.com a LOT though and they have great customer service.  I hope Jessie's ear's don't flare up badly.  I know how awful that can be.  Sassy's right ear was actually bothering her the last few days and I used the Oti Calm yesterday and it looks much better. 

Callie - you're nagging just enough, and I can always use a nudge.  Sassy is looking pretty good - probably 90% better, but this is when I get into trouble cause I take a deep breath and then sit back - until the next problem.  When I picked up the Clavamox, I chatted with the pharmacist (it's Walgreens, but they know more about Sassy than they do about me []).  She looked up all the different antibiotics and after talking to her, I'm definitely not starting the Clavamox.  She said it could butt up against the Simplicef but should be fine with the Doxycyline.  Well I think the Simplicef has been the most helpful and the vet said "yeah, we probably don't want her taking all 3, so stop the Doxycyline".  So - too much confusion and I'm not taking any chances or tipping the scale right now.  I really hope the holistic vet clinic is open tomorrow so I can make an appt.  I'm off tomorrow & Tues. but my husband has to work a 24 hr shift as an EMT and then gets off at 7 AM Tues. and has been asked to work with the fire dept for the 4th of July [X(]...so, I'll have lots of free-time and I'll go by the bookstore and pick up that book. Thanks for the recommendation.

Clavimox and doxycycline are both pennicillin 'cousins' (doxy is directly descended from tetracycline and clavamox is kind of amoxycillin that's been 'buffered' or has a tummy soothing agent in it).  (callie over-simplification again)
 
You likely won't find Schwartz' book at at a typical bookstore (altho call first and save yourself a trip) -- but I bet that holistic vet carries it!

Clavamox also has an enhancing agent - I'm blanking out on the term for it - something that makes it work better - looked it up - it's also called "Augmenten" so you can see what I mean.  It's specific against everything penicillin is good against, plus staph (which breaks down pen).  So it's a good thing for Sassy to be on right now for the skin flareup.  That can get out of hand so fast in the summer.

I really know how frustrating this is - I hope you get some answers soon!

 Her ears aren't red and don't have any brown waxy discharge; they just seem to itch. I'm having the vet take a look at them tomorrow to be safe but it's almost certainly her allergies. If there's no infection I'll order the Oti Calm. Her problems are much more manageable since she's been on immunotherapy; she hasn't needed an antibiotic since early spring of 2005. I hope you can get an appointment at the holistic vet clinic.

Janice - If you decide to use petcarerx.com and haven't ordered yet, I got a card in the mail with a coupon code for 20% off thru Jul 31.  The code is sav3483891.  It wasn't something special for my use, so I'm sure anyone can use it.

Callie - I went to the bookstore today (Borders) and they had the book, so now I have something to keep me busy for the holiday [].  The holistic clinic unfortunately wasn't open today though, so I'll have to wait till Wed. to make an appt.

Thanks for the offer Cathy; that is really nice of you but it didn't look much different than what I have been using. The vet said her ears "look fantastic" so it's her allergies. I ordered a product from Paylessvet.com called MaxiGuard Zn.4.5 Otic. It has zinc which is good for the skin so I'm anxious to try it. I hope Sassy stays as well as she is now until you can see the holistic vet.

ORIGINAL: calliecritturs

The GOOD holistic practitioner is going to give Sassy a completely **different** exam.  I can't even begin to explain how incredibly different it is.  Yeah, they'll listen to the heart -- but then they'll feel the pulse points all over the body to see how the blood flows from here to there -- they'll look at the color of the tongue, in the ears, between the toes -- all to see how the various body systems are all working together -- not just to see if something within their own specialty is wrong. 

This is so true, when at first I took Romeo to the holistic vet, I was surprised to walk into a room with comfy couches, doggy pillows everywhere, nice sheepskin rug, water fountain, some kind of cone smelly thing burning that immediately put you at ease; I thought to myself oh crap...she walked in, barely said hello to me, sat on the floor asked me to let Romeo off the  leash, and just looked at him inspect the room, as she started asking me questions about my life, home environment etc.. she called Romeo to her, and started looking at every inch of his body, smelling ears, opening his mouth and actually smelling it too, looked at his teeth, his eyes, ran her hands along side his body, underneath his body, and did what Callie said, started applying pressure in certain parts of his body, she called it an alignment, she asked me how did Romeo sleep: stretched out, curled up, on his belly, side, back, did he snore, did he get up in the night, how much water he drank, was it mainly during the day or night,  how did he eat: was he a gulper, slow eater, did he drink water right after eating? what foods he liked or disliked, did he itch more after eating certain foods, did he itch after we comeback from a walk or during the walk, when he lounged during the day, did he look for dark places, did he like sleeping under things , also when he slept stretched out did he like to have something against his back, did he like to have his head raised, what sounds was he afraid of, what was our routine like, how many times did he go out, how many times did he poop, how were his stools, even his pee pee, sorry by now you get the idea of  what I went through, the first appointment lasted close to 2 hrs, the whole time this woman kept talking to Romeo and watching him explore, or how he used to comeback to me and cling to me like I was his life line..since he was a rescue she asked me if they had given me any sort of history, I told her what I knew.  First visit, 2 hrs $120.00. plus meds $180.00  She gave him a shot of some herb and he did not even blink.

This impressed me to no end, because the vet I had taken to Romeo before, never asked anything, barely touched him, and immediately gave me a prescription for prednisone and some spray called Genesis.  Gave him a shot of penicillin hor his kennel cough and Romeo cried for like 5 mins he was so brusque, first visit 15 minutes, $150.00.

Another thing that I like about her is that although she is a hollistic vet, she is willing  to team up with a western doc, if it will benefit the dog.

Sorry for the long, drawn out post.  []  But, I swear not even my oncologist ever took that much time to find out about me, and I had brain cancer. 

Thanks Olinda - I honestly appreciate your description and it makes me smile to think of a vet caring enough to spend that kind of time with my dog.  I think that'd be fantastic.  The one derm vet we've been seeing is a lot like that too, although she doesn't go into detailed questions about her habits, but it's obvious she genuinely likes and cares about Sassy (she has a lab, so I think there's a little connection there) and Sassy really likes her too, so that's been a plus.  Gosh, just imagining someone interested in hearing me ramble on about my dog, is exciting.  Maybe I need an appt. for myself too [].

To Cathy and all the allergy dog owners: I want to tell you this story in case it helps someone. I rescued a Mastiff and kept her. She was starved so I don't know for sure if this was an immune system problem from malnutrition or not, but here is the story: She would get these HIDEOUS skin infections. Huge, bloody, stinky, oozing HOLES in her skin. The worst one was the one she got on the top of her neck. She got really sick and would have died from that one but I put her on penicillan and we made a homemade "cone" thing to protect the hole in her neck from her scratching the giant scab. She got well but the infection had gotten so bad that it took many weeks for the hair to grow back. Well that was the worst infection. To make a long story and several lesser infections short, I realized that she is so allergic to fleas that she literally tears herself up with her giant nails over just one flea and makes a big hole which gets infected. Remedy: flea baths and lots of ADVANTAGE (she weighs 180lbs.) She hasn't had an infection since I started this regimine years ago. If your dogs are itchy and they don't have fleas, it probably is yeast growing on their skin. Selsun Blue shampoo will kill the yeast on their skin if used regularly.

I've had three allergy dogs that had huge skin problems from allergies, but no itching.
 
I do hope you get the help you need at the holistic vet.  We took holistic approaches with all of our problem dogs with great results.