What Should I Do For My Dog Who Is Poster Dog For Allergies?
February 8, 2010 by admin
Filed under Allergy Questions
Clovee is a pit/terrier mix. She is 6 years old. One of her allergies is to mold. I live in the mold capital. I would grow mold if I stood still long enough. Her symthyms include scratching, biting of self, rubbing hair off face, and excessive ear wax. I have paid thousands of dollars to vets, pet care product catalogs, etc. I have used sulfur products, nasa inovations, vitamins, lotions made from emu, …. and she still suffers. Someone, please help her. She is my sole companion for the rest of my and her life. If I were ti lose her, I am sure I would soon follow.
I’m assuming the vet has already done an allergy test, since you mentioned mold? If not, please do! That will tell you everything she’s allergic to and you can go from there. Have you tried allergy shots? One of my dogs was tested, he has nearly 30 allergies. I changed his diet and I’m trying to keep everything else under control in his environment. If it all fails, I’m going to try the shots next. Do you run the air conditioner? Keeping the humidity between 40%-50% is the most important step in controlling mold growth. You can also try a dehumidifier, just be sure to keep it clean…to avoid mold spores. Anyhow, that’s the advice I have for controlling mold allergies. Good luck!http://www.vetallergy.com/petowners.php
Edit b/c of new details: The test cost me $250, but I’ll save bundles….b/c I now know exactly what he reacts to and can prevent/limit exposure. Would your vet accept payments for the test? Without it, it’s all a guessing game. The vet can’t tell you what allergy/allergies she has, until he takes a blood sample, sends it in and gets the results back. You’ll keep spending money on various products that won’t help. Please, don’t waste your food money on that stuff. If anything, save some of it back for the test. That WILL help, no more guessing!
For now, try the air conditioner/dehumidifier. If you find any mold, clean it with a 10% bleach solution (one part bleach per nine parts water). For large areas of growth, scrub once with the solution, wait two hours to dry, and then scrub again. You can treat the wood and foundation of your house with Bordeaux. It can be found at your local nursery. Mix a five pound bag with 15-20 gallons of water and spray the areas you wish to treat. This should be performed at least three to four times a year. Another chemical you can use is Ziram. Mix three ounces of the concentrate to one gallon of water. This can be used indoors on floors and walls. Although, if the visible growth areas are larger than a dime, it’s best to remove the wallpaper or flooring. If it helps, maybe she is allergic to mold, although she could have more than one allergy. Anyhow, all of that information came from my dog’s allergy booklet (came w/test results)…mold allergy section.
Good luck…if you have any questions, feel free to send an email.
Oh, I also wanted to mention…although my dog has nearly 30 allergies, the only sign he has is ear infections. His skin and coat are in good condition. I was shocked that he had any at all, never mind nearly 30! Some of his are: several grasses, several trees, several fungi, house dust/mites, beef, milk, corn, oat, potato, kelp, carrots, cotton, etc.Anyhow, it’s possible to have many and it not be terribly obvious.
Have you tried hepa filters or something similar in your home? Rather than trying to treat her symptoms, try to treat the cause. If you can, keep your windows closed. Vacuum often, preferably with a HEPA filtered vacuum. Also, you might want to change her diet. They make dog food designed specifically for dogs with allergies. My mom’s dog can only eat organic foods. Unfortunately they are expensive, but have kept him from having the irritations and ear infections that were so common for him before.
Good luck!
Well you could move. Are you in a humid climate or is it just that particular home?
Or get one or more dehumidifiers and put them in your home. A dehumidifier may not eliminate the mold completely but it could help a LOT in drying it out. You’ve already spent thousands; what’s a few hundred? You can probably find one or more at Sears or Wal-Mart or places like that.
Don’t treat the symptoms, eliminate the cause!