Flash is a 7 year old Basset Hound who became a part of the Oakpark family in September 2008. In the almost 3 years since first meeting Flash, I think we would all agree that he is a different dog from the day we were first introduced. His saving grace was the family he found through a rescue organization. Micheline and Doug were the parents he was always meant to have; caring, nurturing and willing to do anything and everything for Flash. We knew that this would be a success story. But Flash certainly presented challenges for his new parents in the form of ALLERGIES. After months of treatment with various oral medications and topical therapies, Flash's owners decided to pursue allergy testing and immunotherapy injections ("allergy shots").
About 2 months ago, Dr. Angela, Micheline, Doug and Flash all sat down to discuss their story with the hope of helping other families dealing with allergies.
Dr. Angela:
So tell us a bit about Flash.
Micheline/Doug:
We adopted Flash almost 3 years ago now (he was 5 years old), we were his 4th home. In his last home Flash was adopted to give their basset puppy a friend to play with. With young children and a puppy in the picture, Flash didn't get the attention he needed, so he came to us.
Dr. Angela:
What symptoms were most evident when you first adopted him?
Micheline/Doug:
Flash suffered from poor coat quality, chronic ear infections and seemed alot thinner than he is now. He suffered from constant itching, chewing, and did not like being touched.
Dr. Angela:
What was your biggest concern?
Micheline/Doug:
Flash had been through 3 homes, and we were concerned about the lack of veterinary care he had recieved in relation to his allergies. When he was touched he would become aggreesive at times. Mainly we were concerned about his quality of life. One of the worst nights he was up for almost 10 mintues scratching and chewing every hour. He would huff and puff when he was trying to sleep so we assume he was very frustrated. He also lacked energy and seemed lazy.
Dr. Angela:
How did you find the process of allergy testing?
Micheline/Doug:
The testing was very simple, it revealed interesting and useful results, and it reassured us that it wasn't something that we were doing that was causing him so much discomfort.
Dr. Angela:
Would you reccomend allergy testing?
Micheline/Doug:
We would absolutely reccomend allergy testing, not only for his quality of life but ours as well. It allowed us to know that there wasn't something more significant underlying the symptoms. Once he started the injections, we were also able to take him off some of the steroid medications that he was taking, which in the long term could have been harmful to him.
Dr. Angela:
How would you describe Flash's quality of life now that he has begun the process of taking his allergy injections?
Micheline/Doug:
There has been a huge difference in Flash. Both the long term and short term benefits certainly make the injections worthwhile. He is scratching and chewing signifigantly less and is more comfortable as a result. Overall he is a happier dog.
We noticed last summer he wouldn't want to go outside with us in the evening and discovered through testing that he was allergic to mosquiotos and ants, which would explain the hesitation. The testing has allowed us to understand Flash alot better.
Flash is enjoying the summer with a new lease on life, and is feeling much more comfortable since starting his allergy injections. His owners have been able to significantly reduce the use of oral medications for him, which in the long term will greatly benefit his health. One of the biggest benefits is that his family/owners now know how to avoid or cope with some of the allergens he may encounter in his environment. Allergy testing is not a quick fix, but it is a very valuable tool in the management of allergies in our canine companions. If you would like more information about whether allergy testing may be appropriate for your pet, please feel free to call us to set up a veterinary consultation.
