Question:
My 2 year old Jack Russell has suffered from allergies pretty much his
entire life. He chronically scratches ears and bites his toe nails. We 1st thought it was an ear infection that wouldn't go away. Our vet
prescribed predizone and atarax. I've heard pretty bad stuff about
predizone and my dog's weight has increased about 30%. Can anyone tell
me where to find info. on Predizone or alternatives for this a allergy
specialist? Anything would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
Go to a dermatologist and have your dog skin tested for allergies. I think your vet could do a lot better than putting your terrier on
Prednisone for allergies ... He or she should have suggested trying to
identify, and then eliminate, the allergies. I've seen Dr. Kyla's post recommending taking your dog to a dermatologist.
I'm sure this is the best advice -- if you live in an area where quality vet
care is available.
But if you live in an area like mine (around Burlington, VT), where
top-notch vet care is still not generally available, you could try to
identify hidden food allergies on your own, by trial and error. (I did this
with my Lhasa, who had the same symptoms as your dog.)
One of the most prevalent food allergens in dogs is said to be soy. So this
might be a good place to start, by eliminating any foods containing soy. So
now, before you buy any food for your dog, READ THE LABEL, and it contains
soy or "TVP" do not buy it. Etc., etc. through a range of foods.
My dog has turned out to be allergic to soy, and to grains, including rice,
barley, and probably corn. He has done well on Eukaneuba F/P (fish and
potato) dry food, with a little canned Pedigree added to spoil him -- but I
read the canned Pedigree labels very carefully, and do not buy the varieties
that contain stuff that my dog can't tolerate.
