My dog on Apoquel has recurring staph infections. Can I give turmeric?

There are really no scientific studies demonstrating efficacy of tumeric for conditions in dogs, but there is some information about it helping with gastritis, parasites and liver disease with mice. However, the dose used was 500mg/kg, which is a lot of tumeric. Without there being any good information about its use or the recommended dosage, I cannot recommend it for allergies. It's a very safe spice to give, so you can always give it, but I can't say that it will do anything. Additionally, tumeric will not be nearly as effective as the prescription medications. I understand that the prescription medications can have some undesired side-effects, but Apoquel is a promising new drug with less side effects; so it looks like you are already giving him the best treatment. Another option is to have a skin and blood test to try and determine what he is allergic to. After this is done, an allergy shot can be formulated; which is about the most natural and effective thing you can do for allergies. Your vet or a veterinary dermatologist should be able to help you with this.

Based on the redness, crustiness and loss of pigment on the nose and eyelids, I would worry about him possibly having an auto-immune disease such as lupus or pemphigus. These diseases commonly affect the eyelids and nose in this way. Only a skin biopsy can definitively diagnose these conditions. It is also possible that there is a secondary infection. I would recommend having a skin cytology and a culture and sensitivity done. This means that the vet will take a superficial sample of those areas and look for bacteria. It will then be cultured to see what kind of bacteria is it and the sensitivity shows you what kind of antibiotic it is sensitive to. If there is an infection, it is best to clear that up prior to doing a biopsy as infection can make it hard to see the primary cause. Even though he doesn't seem to be responding to Apoquel, it could still be allergies. Most dogs I have treated with Apoquel have done very well, but there have been some dogs who don't improve in their allergy symptoms. I hope this helps and that he gets better soon!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Apoquel will not work if the dog has a skin infection. I recommend anytime that the apoquel has stopped working that the dog be taken to the Vet for an exam to check for a bacterial or yeast infection. Most dogs with allergies need to be on a special diet, apoquel or cytopoint, an antihistamine and an Omega 3 supplement to keep the dog comfortable, but flare ups are bound to happen, we just hope less frequently. As for the bloody diarrhea, it is likely unrelated to her skin and the apoquel but it is fine that you stopped it. Especially if it wasn't working. The blood indicated inflammation in the colon. Common causes of diarrhea are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, dietary indiscretion, pancreatitis, food allergy/intolerance, reaction to a new food/treat/table food. If the diarrhea is bad I would fast her for 12-24 hours to rest her GI tract then start feeding a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs per day until 2 normal stools. I wish you the best!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! While apoquel is a great drug to stop scratching and to help atopic dermatitis it doesn't do anything in the face of a skin infection. Coco should be checked to see if she now has a yeast and or bacterial skin infection. There is also the option of doing an injection for scratching called cytopoint, which lasts 30-60 days (dog dependent). I would also consider adding Omega 3 fish oils and changing her diet to a non-chicken based novel protein diet (try venison, lamb, fish). Claritin, benadryl and zyrtec can be sued in dogs, see links below: https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/ https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/claritin/ https://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/ https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15235

Fighting secondary skin infections and allergies is tough. Drugs like prednisone and Apoquel are used to control inflammation. In some cases, we add a drug in an effort to taper prednisone if long term immunosuppression is needed. Ideally, long term immunosuppressives should be avoided but in some cases are needed. You should consider discussing referral to a veterinary dermatologist for intradermal skin testing.

In addition to the apoquel you can give omega 3 capsules, a total of 2000 mg daily. This will reduce inflammation and improve his coat also. Bathing in mild hypoallergenic shampoo weekly will help too. In addition keep him busy with toys and exercise as the more he licks his feet and rubs his eyes the worse it gets. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tig.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Good question regarding Apoquel. Apoquel use along with many other medications has been evaluated and antibiotics with Apoquel shouldn't have any drug interactions. So please go ahead and continue the Apoquel as directed for her allergies. I hope Rae recovers well from her surgery.