Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
My little Chihuahua/Pug has terrible allergies. The (expensive) allergy medicine does not seem to be doing well. In addition, no helpful instructions/suggestions were offered such as ... give the dog a bath several times a week, wash their feet when they come in from outside, make sure they sleep on cotton and many other helpful things that I learned by talking to other people with similar problems.
In addition, we just learned from a friend that our now vet. should have told us that the fleas become immune to flea medicines after a couple of years and that it is wise to switch brands from time to time.
All of this causes me to desire go to a different vet. But not sure who to go to. I thought ours was reputable.
In order of preference, I am looking for someone who knows what they are doing, gives a damn about my dog and is inexpensive, if possible. $78.00 for a brief office visit and a shot that really does not work is horrible in my book.
Suggestions, recommendations please.
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
In addition to stress, fleas, dirt and drought dogs react to food, so I would also consult your dog's breed rescue organization re what food they recommend. And while I know you are frustrated that you have paid $ to a vet without results, they are doing their best and what you paid is not out of line. Allergies are not simple problems with one-size-fits-all solutions,as I am sure you understand.
For example, my standard poodle developed allergies as a probable result of the lengthy drug treatment he had to have for a hard-to-eradicate-bacterial infection. Dr. Cloninger at Analy Vet Clinic wisely suggested I look at changing his food, and based on what I was feeding him recommended a brand that her clinic doesn't even carry, reinforcing her objectivity. I changed Maxwell to this food and within weeks his allergies disappeared. That was six years ago.
I hope this info is helpful, and I also want to thank you for sharing the Dumbo flash. My father, John McLeish, was the narrator of this iconic movie. You touched my heart.
I hope I have been helpful to yours.
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Posted in reply to the post by aFlowerChild:
My little Chihuahua/Pug has terrible allergies. The (expensive) allergy medicine does not seem to be doing well. In addition, no helpful instructions/suggestions were offered such as ... give the dog a bath several times a week, wash their feet when they come in from outside, make sure they sleep on cotton and many other helpful things that I learned by talking to other people with similar problems.
In addition, we just learned from a friend that our now vet. should have told us that the fleas become immune to flea medicines after a couple of years and that it is wise to switch brands from time to time....
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
Thank you for your thoughtful reply, Gypsy. I do understand that allergies are not a one-size-fits-all situation; I think my frustration comes from the expense without results and certainly no practical suggestions, as well as the flea medicine thing.
Very interesting about the Dumbo flash and your father, thanks for telling us about that.
[I nervously added the Dumbo flash ~ Barry :waccosun:]
As an update, we have changed her food and give her frequent baths and use anti-allergy spray a few times a day; all of these things seem to be working.
Thank you again.
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Posted in reply to the post by gypsey:
In addition to stress, fleas, dirt and drought dogs react to food, so
...
I also want to thank you for sharing the Dumbo flash. My father, John McLeish, was the narrator of this iconic movie. You touched my heart.
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
I'm curious about what you were feeding before your recent change, and what you're feeding now. Also what is the anti-allergy spray?
Allergies can be difficult to track, but not impossible. It may involve keen awareness, record keeping, and some detective work. Many vets use steroids as the drug of choice. Even though a vet may be reputable, that doesn't mean they can provide a solution. I went to two vets, without getting answers, so I began intense daily research, and discovered some "difficult truths" about pet food (including prescription food), vaccines, flea treatments, drugs, and a general lack of knowledge in vets about pet nutrition.
Many more pets are showing allergic reactions to toxic ingredients in food, flea treatments, drugs, and common household cleaners. An investigative approach to these areas is usually not provided by a vet, but falls on the pet guardian.
I'm glad that your dog is doing better, and appreciate your response as part of my ongoing research into what factors are affecting our pet's health and well being.
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Posted in reply to the post by aFlowerChild:
...As an update, we have changed her food and give her frequent baths and use anti-allergy spray a few times a day; all of these things seem to be working
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by aFlowerChild:
In addition, we just learned from a friend that our now vet. should have told us that the fleas become immune to flea medicines after a couple of years and that it is wise to switch brands from time to time.
to be pedantic, that's crazy talk. Fleas don't live that long - certainly not long enough to gain immunity.
It may be true that switching brands occasionally can help, for a slightly different reason, but unfortunately the real problem is that 'having allergies' isn't like having a broken leg. It's reasonably clear what the symptoms are, but it's not really clear what's causing them. No one can give you the exact prescription to treat them, so don't harsh too much on the vet. And don't take any suggestion as gospel - there's a weird mix of lore, superstition and science in the field and just because someone's explanation is silly doesn't mean the technique can't work.
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
Tracking down allergies for pets can be like allergies for people. What food are they eating. Where are they hanging out. I had a cat once that was allergic to dust. Probably dust mites. She would lose all her fur. And now I have a feral kitty who last year was reacting to fleas but I changed to grain free food and this summer he is doing much better. Most vets will do steroids. There isn't much else a vet could do that you can't.
Jessica
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
not individual fleas, the fleas living on the dog. a short life cycle facilitates insect resistance to pesticides. and of course the more resistant they are, the quicker they evolve greater resistance. and yes, allergic reactions are very complicated because they involve immune systems, one of the lesser known systems of animal bodies.
i have had good luck with "revolution", a lessor toxic compound than advantage (the fleas are on to this one thats why theres a new stronger formulation), or frontline, the most toxic.
i also think it is wise to use an ipm strategy, flea treatment as needed mostly spring thru early summer. the once a month manufacturer recommendations are crazy talk, as in kill all is safety!
my experience is that diet is the most important factor in dog health including fleas and allergic reaction, and that means uncooked animals. of course dogs will eat lots of other things, so as the pack leader my responsibility is to provide quality food for the majority of what they eat ; )
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Posted in reply to the post by podfish:
to be pedantic, that's crazy talk. Fleas don't live that long - certainly not long enough to gain immunity....
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
Fleas that survive the flea killer application breed, they pass on their resistance to the poison to their offspring. So any individual does not develop immunity, the species gradually evolves to be resistant to the effect of the pesticide. We see this in the area of antibiotics where strains of bacteria gradually develop resistance. Also in agriculture where species of 'weeds' gradually develop resistance to defoliants and become known as 'super weeds'. Our efforts to destroy those insects, germs, and plants that we don't like are not perfect. Therefore, those very efforts cause the development of insects, germs, and plants that are not susceptible to them, i.e. they become immune.
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Posted in reply to the post by podfish:
to be pedantic, that's crazy talk. Fleas don't live that long -...
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
I'm going with this one ... that the fleas pass on their resistance to the poison to their off-spring. And all i was saying before is that I would have liked it better if the vet. had suggested this, or mentioned it and let me decide if I wanted to continue with the same medicine or switch to another brand.
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post.
We are giving Candi frequent baths, washing her feet when she comes back indoors, spray her with 'anti-itch' spray, changed her food and flea medication. Still some itching but not as much. Might take time for all of these changes to work through her system.
Probably a reaction to some of the crap the weather modifiers are spraying on all of us.
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Posted in reply to the post by Peacemaker:
Fleas that survive the flea killer application breed, they pass on their resistance to the poison to their offspring. ...
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
Thank you for taking time to respond. I don't agree with you but appreciate the fact that you had input. I think that all things develop resistance to the poison that is trying to kill them off. But that is another whole topic. We have switched dog foods, flea medicine, dog food and other steps. Frustrated with a vet or anyone else who gives routine answers without seeming to really care about my specific situation.
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by podfish:
to be pedantic, that's crazy talk. Fleas don't live that long - certainly not long enough to gain immunity.
It may be true that switching brands occasionally can help, for a slightly different reason, but unfortunately the real problem is that 'having allergies' isn't like having a broken leg. It's reasonably clear what the symptoms are, but it's not really clear what's causing them. No one can give you the exact prescription to treat them, so don't harsh too much on the vet. And don't take any suggestion as gospel - there's a weird mix of lore, superstition and science in the field and just because someone's explanation is silly doesn't mean the technique can't work.
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
Hi Shandi,
Quite right you are that it falls on the pet owner to care for the pet; I have done some investigation and research and will do lots more when I return. Candi seems to be a good deal more comfortable now with steps that we have taken but I would like to see 100% when I have more time to devote to it. It is only that when I pay someone for the answer, I expect to get an answer. If I have to do it myself why pay them?
I used Natural Planet, chicken and rice mostly. Switched to Metabolic ...
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Posted in reply to the post by Shandi:
I'm curious about what you were feeding before ...
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by aFlowerChild:
...I used Natural Planet, chicken and rice mostly. Switched to Metabolic ...
Thanks for taking the time to respond. It does seem that the Natural Planet food was a high quality one, and rice is the go to ingredient for allergies. Chicken and even beef can contain allergens. I've read a lot of horror stories about Hill's products, and see that many of the ingredients are found in some of the lower end pet foods.
After seeing two vets for health issues with my cat, and getting unreliable answers, along with drugs that caused severe reactions, I no longer look to them for answers. Most are not nutrition knowledgeable, and rely on the prescription foods, which have an additional value for their bottom line.
Allergies are the most difficult issues to solve, so I'm glad that Candi is having some relief, thanks to your caring research.
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
I am glad that your dog is feeling better and that you are on your way to resolving her allergy issues. .
However while I don't know the particulars of your office visit for Candi re her allergies and how the vet explained things, I need to speak up for veterinarians here. It can be frustrating as an owner when you don't get the "right answer" the first time, but in fact pets aren't automobiles or computers---they are complex living organisms just like we people, with a host of factors that influence their behavior and health. It's up to us as Shandi said to be as educated as we can just as we must be regarding our own health, and to dialogue with our health care providers openly. (Not all pet guardians do this.) As with we humans, a diagnosis doesn't necessarily have a fail-safe "right" answer.
As I see it, my veterinarian is my partner in providing the best care possible for my dog Maxwell. She brings her medical knowledge and cutting edge techniques, and I bring my intimate understanding of my dog including his environment, emotions, and behaviors. My vet asks good questions and I ask them too! Recently for example we had an issue with his health and the answer wasn't immediately apparent on the first visit or test, so we discussed the options. I elected to have more tests which confirmed her original diagnosis but knowing that the opposite could have also been true and risky for my dog, It was my decision, and I felt it was worth it.
Good luck in finding the right vet --not a miracle worker, psychic or "answer man"--but a human being who will fully explain options and work with you--in your future care of Candi.
My two cents,
Gypsey
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by aFlowerChild:
Hi Shandi,
Quite right you are that it falls on the pet owner to care for the pet; I have done some investigation and research and will do lots more when I return. Candi seems to be a good deal more comfortable now with steps that we have taken but I would like to see 100% when I have more time to devote to it. It is only that when I pay someone for the answer, I expect to get an answer. If I have to do it myself why pay them?
I used Natural Planet, chicken and rice mostly. Switched to Metabolic ...
Re: Good Veterinarian for dog allergies
HI Flower Child,
I just scrolled through the posts and found your response to my earlier one.
Since I just posted my thoughts about being fair to veterinarians and thinking of them as a partner, I want to back up here and recognize your frustration about not having options discussed with you, which to me are the whole point of the office visit. I encourage you to share your experience with the vet clinic you went to so that management knows who you saw and what the issues were. Even though I believe you might not have been able even in a perfect world to get the absolute "answer", you deserved to be informed about the options and issues that you had to instead, explore on your own. Your vet clinic needs to be told this!
As for cost and needing a low-cost vet, as you probably know vet school and the costs of setting up a practice are as draconian and lengthy as medical school for us humans, so veterinarians need to charge to make a living. Some charge more than others and this is true in Sebastopol. Why these costs vary I am sure are for many reasons, including having specialized training or facilities, but you can check this out. Finally keep in mind that within a clinical practice, there can be great veterinarians and others who are not. (My dog's primary care vet is terrific, but truth be told I had a less than wonderful encounter with an on-call vet in the same practice.)
Last but not least, if your dog is young you might also want to get pet health insurance.
Thanks for sharing your frustrations and concerns. I believe you've done our pet-loving community a service.
All best,
Gypsey
