Allergies & holistic vets

[DAWNMERIE]

Has anyone had any luck with Holistic vets and allergy issues?

We are going on year 5 of issues and I'm at the point where I want to give in and just go with steroids. (since I can't convince Vin to go raw) This is my last ditch effort into coming up with an alternative plan for Myra's skin issues which are just beginning again. (God, I dread the next 3 months!) Bought Zyrtec this year and no dent....at all, did it for the past 2 weeks...she has 5 spots. The local holistic vet charges $295 for the initial visit and at least $65 to $110 for every follow up call made. Vin wanted me to call the normal vet today, and I refused cause I know his answer...bring her in and back on steroids. I will say it does seem like it's starting earlier & earlier, used to be the middle of August and last 2 years it's started in July. This year she has refused to walk and go to the bathroom on our lawn, thank goodness we have half the yard with rocks & ivy.

So sorry to bring up my problems once again, but it gives me a history/log of my issues with her. What would you do at this point? (It get's really bad for her and I just love her and want her as comfortable as possible)

 

[victoria1140]

How long have you tried the holistic route and has it helped.
Do you feed Myra as well as if you do l would slowlyvstart switching in a raw meal or two as perhaps Vin would be more comfortable with it then though l know you can get some raw meals prepared.

If none of the above are options then for her sake l'm sorry l would go for the steroids at least for a year to help her and see if it does make a difference.

Have you tried horseware hypocare as its really good when they break out in anything and a friend reccomended dynamite another horse product that helps repel fleas and flies

l have been reading on another forum a case that sounds really similiar to yours and they used something called Moxxor and it made all the difference and its natural

 

[R Taft]

We went RAW with Annabelle and only oats.....problem solved.......

Only when she gets the occasional cookie sausage from friends does she have a reaction

 

[charlieinnj]

Dawn,
What is Vin's aversion to trying the diet change to see if it would work?

I'm thinking that many of the holistic Vets are going to lean that way to begin with since the immune system is what fights off the body's reactions to allergens. I was recently talking with a fellow Newfie owner on FB here in NJ and she is battling allergies with her Newf, too. She went to a Holistic Vet and honestly, after 2 visits and $800+ later, she really didn't seem all that impressed. I'm not slamming holistic Vets....I believe in the holisitic approach, if possible. But I do think that they can be pricey. For much less than the cost of the initial holistic Vet visit, Myra could be on a raw diet for four months.

The mother of my dear friend Jamie has battled allergies with her black lab for years. She's spent thousands upon thousands of $ on trying to bring relief to her black lab that seemed to be allergic to nearly everything. Including grass. I saw pics of this poor dog....he was a mess. My friend, who also feeds her 3 newfs a raw diet finally convinced her Mom/Dad to give it a try. At this point, what did they have to lose?

Well, in 3 months, the 'after' pics of this Lab were nothing short of miraculous and my friend's Mom is now a firm believer and there's no turning back.

Here's a pic of Sammy, before:


Here is my friend Jamie talking about the change in Sammy in just 3 months.



Here is Sammy, after:

 

[Joan Fisher]

Was Sammy on a kibble before? Do you think single protein foods and no grains was an added factor towards his getting better?

 

[Newfs Forever]

I have gone the holistic route for years. My late Dex had 5 hot spots simultaneously, at one point in time. Couldn't figure out the problem. The problem was lamb, and he was on a raw diet at that point. Once we got him off of lamb, he never had another hot spot. But, Dex also had a lot of allergies. We treated him with supplements. He lived to be over 12 1/2 yrs.

Fast forward to Sam, and I have not fed him raw. But, he does get a very high quality kibble and human grade meats, veggies. He just doesn't have any allergies.

I would hate to have to use steroids all the time.

It does sound to me, dietary. To me, it is well worth the $$$ to go to an holistic vet. And get recommendations if you can.

JMVHO!

 

[Milliejb]

What Charlie said... Why is Vin so opposed to it?? I don't know nearly enough about it to recommend RAW but I feel like everyone who had makor allergy issues, tried it and swears by it. Poor Ms. Myra Hugs to her from me and Millie!

 

[Jeannie]

My Samantha had major allergies. She was allergic to 15 environmental allergens. As far as food she was allergic to corn, millet, lamb, all dairy except eggs, all beans..just to name a few. I spent enough money on her allergies I could have bought a car. All the testing (the shots didn't work) dermatologist visits--all with no answers. Finally I decided to just keep her on steroids. In the spring my vet would give me 50 20mg prednisone tablets. I'd start her on one per day and wean her off to the least amount that would give her relief. That usually would be 10 mg every other day or sometimes every 2nd day. I'd watch and if she started the least bit is scratching I'd give her some.

She started on the steroids when she was 5. I figured they would shorten her life but at least she would have good quality life, not misery from itching. She lived to be over 14. But then after she turned 8 I didn't have to give them anymore.

When I stopped giving her the yearly vaccines her allergies went away. As a suggestion from Susan Kerby I tittered her one year instead of vaccines. I noticed an improvement that year. The next year I did the same and she never had that first allergy problem. After talking with my vet we agreed even if she didn't titter we would not give her vaccines. Like I said she lived to be over 14 so something agreed with her.

Maybe if you stopped the vaccines it would help. Chase, who is Samantha's niece, has allergies also and I find if I put her kibble in the freezer for a couple of hours it kills the storage mites and she has no problems anymore.

Good luck. I know how frustrating allergies can be.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

Well, this morning has been interesting. Myra wasn't up standing next to dad waiting for breakfast...very odd, she didn't drink a ton of water like she normally does before and after her meal, odd again. Vin gets out of the shower and steps in puke (bile only) so we figured ok, that's why she wasn't waiting for breakfast and didn't act normal. All good, Nope...on the way into work it seemed as though she had something stuck in the back of her teeth, all I see is what appears to be gagging and her tongue. I finally get a look while Vin's driving and I said I think her tongue is swollen and it looks like she's having a reaction to something. We get in and Vin takes a look while grab the emergency kit which has the benadryl, he agrees her tongue is swollen and looks like her nose is just starting to swell. He gives her the benadryl and I email the new home vet and put him on call, just in case it's something else. Both dogs are in the a/c office behind me sleeping at the moment. I think she might have been bit by a spider....it's the only thing that makes any sense at the moment. Ugh...so glad we keep that emergency back pack with us.

 

[ajcooksey]

Poor Myra! I'm so sorry she is flaring up already this year. Turner is on Zyrtec and he has been doing fantastic this year just the occasional dime sized hotspot and one ear infection which is a huge improvement compared to the softball sized ones he would get last year. I hope you find some answers for the poor girl soon she sounds miserable. I know you two are very informed and weigh all the options but would Vin be willing to do a trial period of feeding her raw? I don't know a lot about raw feeding but it couldn't hurt to try.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

We have been dabbling with raw for about a month now and have noticed a wonderful change, up until this weekend...when I spotted the 3 hot spots (which now have become on huge one) but she's never had a reaction like this mornings ever before....Zeke did once when he was a pup but not her.....she scared me, kinda feel like I'm catching my breathe right now. I keep checking on her every 5 minutes...she wants to sleep but I'm still concerned but we are 2 hrs since we got here...thinking I can calm down now.

 

[ajcooksey]

O my that is scary! I'm glad that you were prepared.