Allergy question

[morciod]

I am new to this site and 1st want to thank you (all) for the wealth of knowledge I have found thus far. I landed here specifically due to my Bronx having severe allergies. We have him on a rabbit/duck food and he is taking Apoquel. Allergies flared up huge again and he is licking and scratching.
I have a question about the coconut oil - what kind would be best.
I am also going to start giving him yogurt - could use some insight on that.
Would Benadryl help?? what is the dosage?
And lastly I like the Yucca Intense supplement so plan to invest in that..

Sorry for all long thread, but whew found this site and figured I would have at it

Thank you all in advance

Debbie

 

[Biscuitsmom]

Welcome! I just use organic coconut oil you get at grocery stores, I do 1tbs in the evening on top of their food. I think the best yogurt is plain greek but I'll let someone else chime in, I only used yogurt a few times.

I think apoquel is the strongest you can go so I don't know if adding Benadryl will help or not. I'd see what your vet says about that. I hope you can get the allergies to calm down! My EB doesn't have them but I have a pitbull with environmental allergies, they are hard to control.

 

[2BullyMama]

to EBN!!

have you asked your vet about doing a full blood screen allergy test... runs about $200 ? Not 100% accurate, but gives a great baseline of what to avoid

Yes, you can give Benedryl... 1 mg per pound twice a day. But check with your vet before giving with the Apoquel
Yogurt -- plain is best
Coconut oil - I also use the organic ... one tablespoon every other day with dinner

 

[Marine91]

For coconut oil you want to look for organic, unrefined and cold pressed if possible.

 

[punky]

my abbey is on apoquel and it is doing great for her.. if you bronx has flare ups then i agree you should have him tested to see the cause.. my abbey is mostly food but there are some grass and trees and indoor allergies also.. i try to be careful about her bedding because some fabric stuffings in blankets do it and washing her bedding .. there are so many things.. the apoquel works best with her and changing her food... good luck and hope you get the the main cause..

 

[Canelospeeps]

Canelo has bad allergies to food and I found Zignature Duck formula works wonders for him. I haven't had to do a lot for his allergies but I check him daily for any spots that may sneak up and clean them with soap and water, then dry really well. Best wishes to your baby. Keep up the good work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TyTysmom]

Hi there, personally I wouldn't add anything in if you are trying to determine allergens. I would start with a food change, perhaps something in the current food is not agreeing, and adding in additional things may make it worse. With allergies, and trying to determine the cause, you actually eliminate things out one by one and wait for response. Also, if she is on Apoquel now, I wouldn't add Benadryl on top of that.

 

[jacquik]

Hi Debbie, you said Bronx started having flare-ups AGAIN after being on Apoquel? How long has it been that he was taking it and then had the flare-ups? It could be that he has gained weight and needs a higher dose now. That happened to one of my dogs. Unfortunately I have a lot of experience with allergies....2 of my bullies have them....one very severely and he sees a dermatologist. If he is on the correct dose of Apoquel he should not need any other meds. My Mojo has so many food and environmental allergies he had to go on the prescription diet Royal Canine Ultamino, which is a last resort, and can eat only that...no treats no nothing He was on Cyclosporine too which is the last resort allergy medicine....stronger than Apoquel but outragously expensive. He is back on the Apoquel now that we know most of his allergies are from food and the Ultamino is helping. It's been almost a year of trial and error of omitting one food at a time and the allergy test coming back that he is allergic to almost every food. It has been extremely difficult to NOT give him any other food or treats but has to be done. When he was having flare-ups epsom salt baths....just his paws....worked miracles. We rescued him and when we got him 10 months ago he was a mess...hot spots, losing hair, constant scratching...starting him with the dermatologist was the best thing we could have done. People don't even recognize him now! Good luck with your Bronx..

 

[oscarmayer]

Lots of great recommendations on this thread...

Extreme Allergies? Get him tested.
Keep trying different foods until you find the one that works best...2 week rounds should tell you all you need to know. If you do not see improvement in 2 weeks move on to something else. If he seems worse within a few days, move on to something else. No wheat no corn no soy...but probably already know this.
Like others have said, I recommend not stacking Benadryl on top of Apoquel without approval from your Vet. They are not similar drugs but better to er on the side of caution.
I'd stay away from any supplements and any other foods until you get the cause of the allergies nailed down. It's possible that one of your selected foods is fine but he's reacting to an "add-on".
Keep things simple for the time being.
It really does sound like your boy would benefit greatly from a comprehensive allergy work up. My Dozer was miserable until he had it done. Then years of shots kept him comfy.
Please keep us posted on how things come out...feedback is very important and will likely help others that come along.