How can I treat my dog's chronic allergies without huge vet bills?

Question

Hi! My poor pup has had an ongoing allergy prob since she was 5mo old! We live in Austin TX & her allergies don't tend to differ depending on the hotter months or not. BUT, in the past year, she has been on at least 7 rounds of antibiotics, steriods, shamooos, apequil, an allergy shot & more! We are finally seeing a dog derm,but it is beyond expensive! I want her healed and happy, but we really can't afford the $1000 a month visits. Any natural remedies or ideas such as moving somewhere? Thanku. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | 1 year and 6 months old | 12 lbs

Penelope Graben, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello! Canine allergies can be a really difficult problem to manage, so I sympathize! There are two main classes of allergies- environmental and food. If allergy testing hasn't been done, it is an expensive investment, but it can give you a report of the most common environmental allergies. Most environments that are colder and snowier tend to have less pollens, allergens, and insects overall and many allergic dogs may cope better in colder climates for that reason. Dogs with environmental allergies benefit from regular baths and having their feet wiped down with hypoallergenic baby wipes after they go outdoors to mechanically remove any possible pollens, etc that may be stuck to the feet and triggering a reaction. Dogs that are primarily allergic to ingredients of their food may do much better on a different diet. Dogs tend to be allergic to proteins in their diet, such as beef or chicken. Grain allergies are possible but exceedingly rare- grain free diets are widely considered a marketing ploy by vets and not actually helpful. My own dog has a beef allergy and does just fine on over the counter food with no beef products, for example. It takes 8-12 weeks after exposure to the food allergen for the reaction to completely go away- for this reason, many people get frustrated with new diets too early and give up. The diet also will not work if she is being fed any outside table scraps or treats, so compliance is key. Trying a diet with a new protein she has not had before, such as fish or kangaroo, for an entire 12 weeks may be a beneficial idea to discuss with your dermatologist. If you do this, transition the food slowly over 7 days to let her GI flora adjust and make sure if you have a dog food bin, you clean it well between the two foods as to not contaminate the new food. The most important thing to remember with allergies is that she is likely constantly being exposed to them, so treatment needs to be just as constant to battle it. I hope this is helpful! Let us know if you have any more questions after your dermatology appointment!

How can I treat my dog's chronic allergies without huge vet bills?

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