Having a bad time in the midwest

Hey Janice, I'm really sorry to hear Jessie's having problems.  Our pollen count is way down here too, so I'm not sure if it's that or the Atopica, but it's actually been a pretty good few weeks for us here.  I do know that last winter was when Sassy got the worst infection she'd ever had, so I can only guess that it was related to other than seasonal allergies.  Perhaps it was the housedust mites or molds of some type, but I'm going to be watching like a hawk over the next few months.
 
Are you still giving the weekly baths?  I swear those help Sassy more than just about anything when she's super itchy.  It does take doing it every week though or things start to spin out of control pretty quickly. 
 
I'm not familiar enough with the immunotherapy, but can a dog become allergic to something new over time?  Is it possible that they have to be retested every year or few years?

I'm from Indiana also, my dogs have never really had any problems with itching at all untill this summer.
 I have had trouble with fleas for the first time ever this year too. I had them on frontline plus and they both had fleas. The advantage seems to be working a lot better though. We finally got rid of  the fleas. But they still are doing a lot of scratching.
I was thinking maybe it was due to the change in their diets. I switched them from EP  chicken to EP fish. So I think that *may* be the culprit.
Sorry I guess that does not really answer your question. But it makes me think again about my girls itching since we are from the same area. Maybe it is enviromental. Hope Jessie feels better soon!

Are you still giving the weekly baths? I swear those help Sassy more than just about anything when she's super itchy.

   Yes, and I admire you for doing it for so long; it's not easy with dogs as big as ours. Jessie now asks DH to let her outside when she sees me getting things ready for her in the bathroom. The mold count in our area is high, but the kind that Jessie tested positive for, grain smut, shouldn't be a problem. They do retest dogs on immunotherapy every few years since thier allergies can change, but Dr. Bevere may decide to do it sooner since Jessie's having problems. She's going for a recheck the end of this month. I may order the Nusal-T shampoo and try it since it seems to work the best for Sassy;  I'm really glad the Atopica is helping her. I've went into super cleaning mode, vacuuming frequently to control the dust mites to see if that helps. When the humidity goes up in the fall there are more of them. She's only getting 5 mg of pred once a day now, and next week it will be once every other day, so it hasn't seemed to affect her in any way except that she is less itchy.

Oh Janice, I'm so sorry to hear that!   Gee I know how you feel.   Is there anything slightest thing that has changed there...such as adding even the smallest amont of something?   I remember that Bubbys breeders husband told my son once when one of their Danes had allergies..that it was under control and all of a sudden for no reason it flared up again. They searched high and low,,,,and after a while realized it was Jasons after shave lotion that he got as a present!

But it makes me think again about my girls itching since we are from the same area. Maybe it is enviromental. Hope Jessie feels better soon! 

 
 Thanks; I have a good vet and a good derm vet so they'll keep things under control. I'm sorry to hear about your girls; they look really cute in thier pics. Have you tried antihistamines and weekly baths; they can really help. I hope your dogs feel better soon; a good frost should help.

Yes, and I admire you for doing it for so long; it's not easy with dogs as big as ours. Jessie now asks DH to let her outside when she sees me getting things ready for her in the bathroom.

 
I have to give total credit to my DH as he's the one to give the weekly baths.  A couple times I've started to get the shampoo and stuff out and Sassy has run and hidden and no amount of coaxing with treats will get her to budge.  Everyone probably thinks this about their dogs, but Sassy is super smart and has a verrryyyy good memory, so she only needs to see you open that certain cupboard to know what's next [].  I do think the Nu Sal T has been a lifesaver for us too, so I hope it helps with Jessie.

[&o]I am sooo sorry Janice. I haven't been having any problems lately and I have no advice, but I just wanted to send you a big hug from a far and let you know that we are thinking about you and Jessie.  
 
Shelly, Jimmy James and Prudence
 
 

I have to give total credit to my DH as he's the one to give the weekly baths. A couple times I've started to get the shampoo and stuff out and Sassy has run and hidden and no amount of coaxing with treats will get her to budge

 
  Jessie goes into the bathroom with her head and tail down, but she obeys me; she won't take a treat until her bath is over. The Epi-Soothe shampoo seemed to really help for a while but it hasn't done much good the last 2 baths, so if PetsMart doesn't have the Nusal-T I'll order some. A few weeks ago she rolled in horse poop the day after her bath; maybe if dog shampoo smelled like that they would like baths.[:'(]

  Thanks jjjsmom, I really appreciate the kind words. I told the vet about the information on the link you posted between grass allergies and being allergic to rice. She's being transitioned to a venison and millet food right now, and she won't get any food or treats other than that to see if she could have another food allergy. My vet said that dogs with food allergies often develop new ones. With a lot of the allergy dogs he treats having problems right now it's likely to be something in the air, but it doesn't hurt to try to eliminate food allergies.

Is there anything slightest thing that has changed there...such as adding even the smallest amont of something? I remember that Bubbys breeders husband told my son once when one of their Danes had allergies..that it was under control and all of a sudden for no reason it flared up again

 
 Thanks for the suggestion Dyan; I've been looking at her test records and the pollen counts but didn't think of something like soap or aftershave. It's going to take a little detective work because there are four of us and we each get our own toiletries so I'll have to do some checking. As far as detergents and cleaners go I don't think I've changed anything for a while but I'll look into that too; thanks again.
 
 

I told the vet about the information on the link you posted between grass allergies and being allergic to rice.

Did the vet have any take on it??
On a greyhound forum someone just posted that their dog is allergic to the following:
Alfalfa
Brewer's Yeast
Carrots
Soybeans
Venison
Poultry Mix
Oat

The venison, oats and alfalfa surprised me!

  He said a food allergy to rice isn't common, but you know jj's allergic to it and I know Jessie's very allergic to grass pollen and rice has been an ingredient in her food for about five years. Did the owner use an elimination diet or blood test to determine the foods her dog's allergic to? I have heard of some dogs being allergic to oats.

Did the owner use an elimination diet or blood test to determine the foods her dog's allergic to? I have heard of some dogs being allergic to oats.

Blood test. . .and I know folks have said that it may not be very accurate.  SO maybe her dog doesn't have allergies to all those ingredients??    There are lots of folks on that forum who have greys with allergy problems and while there is some good advice being passed around, it is nothing like the advice and support you get form all of you i-doggers! []

When did you start the millet?? I will be curious to see if there is a difference. JJ is absolutely allergic to grass too. The only time his feet turn red now is when he walks on grass. If I wash his paws off after exposure, the reaction is mild to nonexistant, but otherwise. . .bright red!  His previous owner had the same problem. She might have even had him allergy tested but I don't think so.   In a couple of months I plan to add in cooked rice and see what happens. Right now I am just getting him use to the TWO Bison and hoping the Ocean Blue will be another option for them too. I tried the elk, but they had very soft poop on that formula. The Bison is working fantastic though and poop is almost perfect.

Are you cooking for Jessie or is it a food you buy?

Hi everyone!  I'm a newbie.  I just had to post about my Bailey.  She's a lab/hound mix.  Such a cutie, but my god she has allergies.  I read the last post about the barley, etc...and here's Bailey's list.
 
Oats, barley, pork, beef, lamb, all pollen-(trees, grass you name it), mold, wheat, soy, fish, venison, duck, I'm forgetting what else...the list goes on and on and on...
 
She has been through the allergy testing, allergy shots (didn't do a bit of good) that was a lot of money.  Benedryl doesn't work.  Cortisone shots/pills, Nope.  We finally took her to a Dermatologist after we moved out east and she is the best.  She took her off the cortisone and put her on Tavist.  2 times a day and what a difference it has made.  Now she still does have her itchy moments, (August is just awful from the ragweed) but nothing compared to before we put her on this new pill.
 
The strange thing we've recently encountered is her ears had a HUGE flare-up.  I took her to the vet and she said it really wasn't an infection so she gave her some Otimax, worked great and she was fine, then a few weeks went by again and boom- another flare up.  Used the meds again and now she's had another flare up.  I don't get it.  We have some ear drops to give her in case she's scratching a lot, but those don't work.  They are so inflamed and it happens, of course, at the end of the day so we have to wait till tomorrow to call for more meds. 
 
(sigh) It is so frustrating.  The only thing we can have her eat is Sensible Choice Chicken and rice.  And I'm not too sure that she's NOT allergic to chicken, but it seems to work so far.