Dear Dr. Forsythe: My poor dog is miserable with allergies again this year. Her skin is flaky and itchy and she is scratching all over. It has gotten really bad in the last couple of weeks and I am wondering why it got so bad suddenly. Also, I have invested so much into her already, but nothing is really helping. If I have to get more antibiotics which don’t really take care of the problem, I think I’ll consider giving her up. What do you recommend?
Skin irritated
Dear irritated: The pollen count is at an all-year high right now. One way I am reminded of this to see the Acacia trees, which are bright yellow, are in bloom. When this happens, my office is flooded with calls from owners whose cats and dogs are suddenly suffering from the onslaught of severe seasonal allergies.
It is important to have a good assessment regarding allergies if your pet has been suffering repeatedly for a long time. Skin problems and ear problems with itching and scratching is a common and very confounding problem in veterinary medicine. Fortunately, we do have diagnostics and treatments which do work. One of the gold standards is a blood test that measures all of the immunoglobulins your pet has developed to allergens in the environment. This way you will know if your pet is allergic to oak, redwood, grass, cocklebur, or even household mold. What’s better is you can purchase a purified and custom-made elixir which is given via injections to hyposensitize your pet for the things he or she is most allergic to. This is about the most aggressive treatment available in medicine today. While it is not exactly a cure, it is effective because it is treating the underlying cause of the allergy rather than just putting a Band-Aid over the problem.
There are also some remarkable new medications which help reduce the redness and itch in the skin without the side effects prednisone causes. These medications are now more cost effective than previously and are favored by general practitioners and veterinary dermatologists alike. Speaking of veterinary dermatologists: if you’ve tried baths and dips, salves and pills, creams and ointments, sprays and powders, and still nothing has worked, you may want to consider consulting a veterinary dermatologist regarding your pet’s skin problems. If his skin is lighting up like a Christmas tree or her feet are tender and sore, one of the more aggressive treatment options may finally help things under control. Good luck during this brutal allergy season!
Dr. F.
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I have a wonderful opportunity to work in England for six months but I am very worried about my dog, Chloe. I would have to do quarantine and there is a possibility my contract would not be extended so I’m not sure it would be worth bringing her to the England with me. I’m ready to turn the job down rather than be away from my little dog. Is this strange in your opinion? After all, my little Chloe is like my baby, I can’t imagine being without her, but on the other hand this is a big chance to get ahead in my company.
Struggling mom
Dear Struggling mom: In my opinion you should take the job. I say this because I have so many clients who are struggling and this is such a tough economy, I think it would be wise to take every opportunity you can in order to be stable and economically strong. My advice would be to secure a loving and good home for Chloe during your overseas stay while you are gone: preferably with a mother, sister or pet-loving relative. Since the quarantine for dogs in England is typically six months, you may opt to take my advice and find a loving caregiver while you focus on your career, especially since you don’t know if you’ll be there for more than a six month jaunt.
There is a way “around” the quarantine though, and this means you meet some specific requirements for your pet prior to going to England. If you know many months before your job is to begin in England, you can go through an extensive preparedness list with your pet to avoid having to go through quarantine. It generally takes several months of preplanning to meet the stringent requirements to avoid the quarantine, such as receiving two rabies shots six months apart prior to your departure, getting a blood test six months before you depart, being treated for tapeworms and ticks and receiving a microchip. The pet will also need to get an European Union passport. To see these specific requirements you can go on line to defra.gov.uk. Either way you decide to go, I hope you enjoy merry old England, with or without the pup. Pup pup and tally ho.
Dr. F.
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