My Labrador has ear issues & allergies despite diet change. What now?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Be. If you are being mocked by your veterinarian, then I suggest finding another veterinarian with whom you can have a better relationship. That is a terrible eay to feel! Apoquel and Cytopoint are two newer veterinary drugs that can help to mange seasonal allergies if that is the case. They control itching and can potentially help with ear infections. Diet should be evaluated as well as this can contribute to chronic ear infections. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know without knowing more about the case and examining him. However, if these infections are recurrent, I would have to assume that this could be due to allergies. An examination and gathering more information would help tremendously. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi, sorry to hear Luna is having this problem. If she has allergies that are not responding to allergy medication, she may need some tests to determine what is the cause of her allergy. IF can be environmental, or it can be food. If it is food, you can get a prescription hypoallergenic diet from your vet. Labradors are prone to allergies and it may be more than one thing setting her off. Since allergy medication is supposed to work soon and not last long, i would call your vet and ask for a different recommendation for allergy tablets. I see the main ingredients in the food you are feeding is lamb. It may be your dog is allergic to lamb, and you can try another meat based food like duck or venison. But if she has been fine on the food for 3 months, the food is not likely the cause. Can she possibly have gotten some other kind of food? Did anyone give her a tablet scrap or treat? That could have set off an allergic reaction. In this case, you just have to wait until it leaves her system and use an antihistamine. I would try a different antihistamine with a different main ingredient. Your vet can guide you to a product available in your area. Good luck with Luna! I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about Diesel! Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with. We can have allergies to ingredients in food (it is usually a protein source and not a grain allergy), or allergies to things in the environment like pollen, grass, dust, etc. If he isn't already on a fatty acid supplement, I would consider starting one (such as Welactin) as they can have anti-inflammatory effects in the body and reduce itching in some dogs if given daily. With mild allergy cases, sometimes antihistamines such as diphenhydramine, cetirizine, or hydroxyzine are used and are effective. You should discuss with your vet if they feel any of these are appropriate for Diesel. In severe cases we need stronger immune-modulating drugs such as Apoquel or Atopica (unfortunately these are also more expensive but can make a dramatic difference for some dogs). Sometimes these dogs also have secondary bacterial or yeast infections that may require treatment by a veterinarian as well that are contributing to the itching.

Hello, and thanks for your question about Mya. Allergies are very common in dogs, and they can be frustrating to control! I recommend asking your vet about Cytopoint, which is a monthly injection, and Apoquel, which is a daily pill. These are very effective non-steroid allergy medications that can either be given individually or (in more severe cases) together. For young dogs like Mya, I usually prefer the cytopoint injections, and then add Apoquel if necessary. If the a strict feeding trial with the Royal Canin Ultramino diet didn't help, then her allergies are less likely to be related to food, and are more likely environmental. Of course, also make sure she's kept current on a high quality flea/tick preventative, to make sure an external parasite can't be complicating things! And if a skin scrape has never been done, that may be advised as well - I've had skin mites get misdiagnosed as allergies before! If it comes to it, I've certainly had patients who did best on steroids - and that can be done pretty safely if you're weaning to the lowest effective every-other-day dose. Hopefully this helps! Of course, I'd defer on all points to a vet who has seen Mya in person!

I am sorry to hear of Princeton's ongoing war issues. If you are concerned about possible medication side effects I would recommend discussing this with your regular veterinarian. I would also discuss with them the possibility of food allergies. Chronic/recurrent ear infections like you are dealing with for Princeton can often be secondary for a food allergy, a diet change may be what is needed for him. When considering a new food remember that the protein source is typically the thing that causes the allergy-look at Princeton's current dry food to see what the protein source is. You will need to look for a food with a protein source he has not been exposed to (remember that the chicken you feed mixed with his food is a potential allergen as well). Your vet can discuss any particular brands or products they recommend, and be aware that a food trial for allergies can take 6-8 weeks before any effect is seen. Also talk to your vet about culturing the material in Princeton's ears, if you haven't already. Sometimes the yeast or bacteria that is present becomes resistant. A culture will show what type of organism is present, and what medication is going to be most effective. Your vet can then help you tailor a new treatment plan to try and resolve the issue. I also recommend routine ear cleaning at home using a cleaning solution recommended by your vet. Keeping the ears clean of debris can help reduce the number of infections. Good luck-I hope you are able to get Princeton feeling better soon!

Food allergy testing is notoriously inaccurate for such fine detail and in order to determine the extent that the allergies are contributing to her symptoms i would recommend a food which has no peas/legumes and no fish. A hydrolyzed diet such as royal canin hypoallergenic for 8-10 weeks with no flavored tablets or treats. Rechallenging with separate ingredients after this can help to identify which cause a recurrence of symptoms