My dog's allergy shot isn't working; is Apoquel better long-term?

Apoquel is actually the only effective and safe medication that can be taken long term for this type of condition, if it works well i would recommend working on the lowest effective dose once a day and sticking to it. you will not find anything that works OTC, the only true alternative is steroids and these should not be taken long term.

Hello, and thanks for your question. There are a few different types of "allergy shots", and a few different types of "allergy pills" available, so that might be part of the confusion! Within each category (shot vs pill) there is both a steroid and a non-steroid option, or even multiple options. Here are the common medications used for allergies: Shots: Cytopoint (non-steroid), or depomedrol (steroid) Pills: Apoquel (non-steroid), Atopica (non-steroid immunosuppressant), or Temaril P (steroid), prednisone (steroid), medrol (steroid) All these options have their pro's and cons! Please let us know if there were specific medications you'd like further information on. If you were to ask my preferences for most dogs (and there are always exceptions, so this is where it's important for the vet to know all the details of Bell's medical history), I usually prefer Cytopoint and Apoquel. Hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Dove! Apoquel will stop working or not work well if the dog has a skin infection. It only helps control itching. If the apoquel was working and now it isn't that could be the cause. Yeast or bacterial skin infections are possible which can easily be determined with cytology (looking under the microscope). Apoquel is only labeled to be given twice daily for 2 weeks then decreased to once daily due to the risk of suppressing the immune system. I would have Dove rechecked by your Vet. I always recommend for my bad allergy patients to start an Omega 3 supplement and also use an antihistamine. Sometimes bathing in medicated shampoos can help as well (bathe twice weekly and leave the lather on for 10 mins before rinsing). I wish Dove the very best! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/ https://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/ https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27307

Apoquel is dosed twice daily initially, and due to it’s pharmacokinetics I would agree that twice daily would be preferable to increasing the dose once daily. There might be some other options as well - you could ask your vet about trying Cytopoint or other medications for allergies.

I believe you are talking about an injection called Cytopoint. It does a great job of stopping pets from itching and 1 injection lasts for 30 days. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Lily's allergies. I would highly advice that you consider Apoquel. This medication is very effective to decrease the itch and help with the clinical signs associated with allergies that you describe. The best thing about Apoquel besides its efficacy is that you can stop it at any point so you can consider using it just for the time being while she is affected by allergies the most. That is how I use it for my own dogs and they are going great. Good luck and have a nice day!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tate. While Apoquel is still a somewhat new drug, it is very safe in my experience. It seems to have many less side effects when compared to steroids. If you are still wanting to stop, you do not need to taper him down. The drug can be given as needed for itching. You could consider Cytopoint instead. This is an injectable allergy medication that controls itching for 4-8 weeks. I hope this information helps!