Hi, My dear friend has a 7 year old French Bulldog (23lbs.) with severe environmental allergies to grass.....as a result she has has fake, plastic lawn area for her poor pup to go on. He can't go to the park either for this reason. He gets extremely itchy and it's nonstop. He has to be bathed or have a topical medicine for the itching to stop. It shows up on his paws, belly, arm pits, itchy ears...patches of pink, similar to hives. He also starts snorting/sneezing more when outside as well. Also, allergies seem to be worse in the spring. He takes 0.5 mg apoquel daily. He is also allergic to chicken, meat, and grains He eats a diet of frozen fish (white and salmon). He also eats a grain free kibble with white fish and salmon. He is bathed with medicated shampoo (Douxo Chlorhexedine PS) 2-3 times per week. In between he is wiped down with Douxo pads. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!! Best regards, Arlene

Hi Arlene, My Aussie Cattle dog mix has bad environmental allergies (although thankfully not to this extent). We had her on apoquel for a couple years and eventually found a holistic vet to try some alternative treatments. So far we've tried quite a few homeopathic and herbal treatments and nothing has been strong enough, but we did have some luck with low dose naltrexone. It's still a pharmaceutical but in our vet's opinion is a better option than the apoquel. We are going to continue searching for alternative options in the off-allergy seasons to try to build her immune system, but during the intense allergy times we'll rely on the low dose naltrexone. We also switched her to a raw diet several years ago and that did help her immensely, but that may be difficult for your friend given the food allergies. Hope this helps! Miranda

Thank you so much for this info. I will pass along 💕

As veterinarians, we should not give advice without seeing patient. As is repeated here often, there is not just one fix-all. But I can offer some pathways. In these chronic dogs, we can see secondary assaults on the derm layers, yeast, staph, pigmentation, lichenification, thus Rx can depend on how much skin is affected. We also look at the TCVM pattern, dampness, dryness, blood deficiency and more. Medicinals that affect the immune system are valuable, mushroom, nettles. Skin protectants that reduce the allergen load can be beneficial and bought from general practitioner. I also suggest to my caretakers to use light blankets, sheets over bedding, areas where they rest. These can be washed more frequently to also help reduce the allergen load. The veterinary dermatologists say to regard the patient/dog as being covered in powdered sugar (or pollen) when it comes from outside, which can concentrated in resting areas. Once the pollens/ allergens touch the skin, the body's immune system sets up the histamine response within feet, axillary/groin, perineal regions and ears. Itching results, or we call it corn-cobbing. Diets are supportive and some maybe also create hypersensitivity responses. We use the TCVM exam as well to determine type of diet. The no-grain or grain free diets have created concern for cardiac disease in some patients, please be aware. For some it may mean a homemade diet. Balance-It is a website where it can be formulated for complete nutrition. Another student here, Dr. Constance Di Natale has a very special interest and teaches dietary concerns for our patients. Her practice is in Florida. I highly suggest that an integrative veterinarian also examine the skin. There are many groups, AHVMA, VBMA (veterinary botanical), CIVT, Chi University, AAVA, IVAS, where you can look for DVMs in your geographical regions. Lastly, my cases of skin disease are some of the more frustrating and complicated ones I see. To manage, not cure is our goal in most, unfortunately. If your friend has this in mind, it may help in some small ways.

My Dog, Daisy,(bloodhound, great pyrenees, golden mix!) has terrible allergies. It turned out to be the underlying cause for frequent ear infections. After many trials of this or that, I took her to a dermatologist(in the Lehigh Valley, Pa.). She was allergy tested (for environmental allergies) and was allergic to everything--including humans. For the past 5 years she has gotten an allergy vaccine) which I inject every 2-3 weeks. It has changed her quality of life profoundly and she seldom shows even a symptom. When she does, I give her cetirizine (antihistamine). She was not tested for food allergies, but over the years I have noticed a few sensitivities. I cook for Daisy everyday (love my instant pot!). She eats mostly poultry, lamb with a few vegetables. She does not tolerate beef very well and she does not get much in the way of grains. She also has Addison's disease and hypothyroidism, diagnosed about 6 years ago and is medicated for both. In spite of all her health problems, she lives a normal dog life. She is an awesome dog!