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Hi. I am the distressed parent of a three year old golden lab. He is experiencing what I would call severe allergy problems. He itches all over and his skin is discolored under his legs. I took him to my vet, who told me he had unknown alleriges and gave me medication to put on his skin and in his ears. This has not helped at all. I thought maybe it was his food, so switched to a fish based food with no corn in it. After some weeks it appeared to be helping, but now he is itching worse than ever and also has vomited mucus the last few days. Someone told my husband to get him fish oil, but I don't know if that will treat the problem or symptoms. My vet is entirely unhelpful, he says he is just allergic to something! My other problem is that I can't afford to take him repeatedly to the vet. I feel like such a horrible pet owner and maybe I am, but I am so worried about his comfort that this is about the last straw! I just wanted to know if anyone else is having this same problem and what has helped their dog (and owners) to get through it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

>>Hi. I am the distressed parent of a three year old golden lab. He is experiencing what I would call severe allergy problems. He itches all over and his skin is discolored under his legs. I took him to my vet, who told me he had unknown alleriges and gave me medication to put on his skin and in his ears. This has not helped at all. I thought maybe it was his food, so switched to a fish based food with no corn in it. After some weeks it appeared to be helping, but now he is itching worse than ever and also has vomited mucus the last few days. Someone told my husband to get him fish oil, but I don't know if that will treat the problem or symptoms. My vet is entirely unhelpful, he says he is just allergic to something! My other problem is that I can't afford to take him repeatedly to the vet. I feel like such a horrible pet owner and maybe I am, but I am so worried about his comfort that this is about the last straw! I just wanted to know if anyone else is having this same problem and what has helped their dog (and owners) to get through it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

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It often requires ongoing veterinary care to get these problems under control. Perhaps your vet is saying it's just not possible to control the situation if you're not able to afford the care. I know it's hard, but this is something our dogs are counting on us for.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

No, I don't think it has to do with my financial status. He just didn't really seem concerned about it. Maybe he thinks it would just go away, like seasonal allergies. But I have talked to him repeatedly about it, and it is still the same type of response. Maybe food, maybe dust or pollen... he was the one who told me to get food without corn in it. By the way, the vomiting seems to have stopped, so I am thinking he ate something he shouldn't have. (As if he doesn't do this on a daily basis-oh, for a way to make him leave tissues alone!)
Thank you so much for your reply, though. I will try again at the vet, and if it doesn't work, I'll go to another!

Hi Rainee! Unfortunately the only way to help your boy is to have him allergy tested. Now before you panic about the cost, it is relatively cheap when you compare to continually taking your golden back to your vet. I'm sure your vet is doing the best he can, but he cannot prescribe a proper course of treatment without knowing the cause of the allergies.

Switching food without knowing the cause is also going be non effective. You need to have your vet send a blood sample out for allergy testing. Depending on what you test for it will run less than $200. In the meantime does your vet have your golden on an antihistimine? This may also have to be used in conjunction with a steriod, but before it gets this far you need to know the cause.

Fish oil will not cure the symptoms. I am a big fan of DermCaps which is a fish oil supplement but it is only effective when there isn't an ongoing problem.

Ask your vet if you can arrange some type of plan with him and have a blood sample sent out. You really need to get your boy some help before there is a bigger problem with his skin condition. Good Luck and keep us posted.
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BOB
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
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Thanks so much for your reply. I have decided to ask my vet for a referral if he can't do the allergy testing. It is just heartrenching to see him suffer so much. Thinking about it your way, it will be cheaper to bite the bullet and get whatever testing done asap. They worked with me on a payment plan when he had surgery from getting hit by a car, but not for his neutering. I don't know if this will qualify or not. I wonder if the credit union would give me a loan? LOL. If my vet won't do it, I found the number of a lab rescue around here that I will call to find a vet who CAN! Thanks again!

Hi Rainee! Your very welcome. I would like very much to see that your golden returns to good health as much as you do.

Now I have to ask you? Are you happy with this vet? My reason for asking is any vet worth his weight would be concerned with your dogs allergys! I hate to say but I recommend you find a new one. This vet just can't guess that it might be pollen or it might be food. It could be both!

I had my female Shiba Inu blood tested for about 100 different items on an allergy report called the Spot test. It was very effective in determining what could have been causing her allergys and I have taken steps to correct the situation. The test cost $180 but was really money well spent! You want to get your boy well and not have to guess at it.

Good Luck and please keep us posted! I hope you find a vet that will help your golden!

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BOB
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
Email Shboom

>>Thanks so much for your reply. I have decided to ask my vet for a referral if he can't do the allergy testing. It is just heartrenching to see him suffer so much. Thinking about it your way, it will be cheaper to bite the bullet and get whatever testing done asap. They worked with me on a payment plan when he had surgery from getting hit by a car, but not for his neutering. I don't know if this will qualify or not. I wonder if the credit union would give me a loan? LOL. If my vet won't do it, I found the number of a lab rescue around here that I will call to find a vet who CAN! Thanks again!

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Whether or not you decide to change veterinarians to find someone more responsive to your dog's needs, for this problem you should probably go on to a veterinary dermatology specialist. They are the best ones to do the allergy testing and to determine just exactly going on. As was mentioned, it may cost more upfront, but in the long term better results for the dog and likely less overall cost. What is done too often as a stop-gap measure with skin allergies is to just keep giving the dog steroids. Over the years, that will do harm. Steroids should be used only temporarily at most, while the doc is getting to the root of the problem. This is the perfect time of year to be doing the testing, because the allergies tend to flare down in winter and medications be less needed.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

My vet was unsuccessful with helping me too, I finally got help with seeing a dog allergist, It cost alot, but well worth it, I do allergy shots and he is on a low dose steroid everyday, his skin is pink again and barely itches. worth every penny.