Vet can't solve alergy problem, any advice?

m. L. Briggs wrote:

I just thought of something... I built him a giant scratching post/
perch that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used
is causing an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens.

Steam clean without the shampoo, it's often the shampoo or detergent
that is the problem. Why not just get a small piece of hypo-allergenic
carpet and replace it?

-mhd

I don't think the vet is trying
hard enough. Should I switch vets? What can I do to help identify the
problem?


It could be allergies to things other than fleas. First I would recommend a
skin scraping to make sure it's not mites or lice. Those are tough to see with
the naked eye. If that turns up clean, I'd try some allergy medication. I had a
kitten with allergies to plants and the vet recommended over the counter baby
allergy medication, half a pill a day. It worked. If your cat is still
scratching, it could be stress. I had a squirrel with stress. She scratched
lots of her fur off. When she got relaxed in her new home, it grew back. If he
still has a problem, maybe he just has psoriasis, dermatitis. I would use
anti-itch spray from the pet store for any of the above causes. Good luck.

I don't think the vet is trying
hard enough. Should I switch vets? What can I do to help identify the
problem?


It could be allergies to things other than fleas. First I would recommend a
skin scraping to make sure it's not mites or lice. Those are tough to see with
the naked eye. If that turns up clean, I'd try some allergy medication. I had a
kitten with allergies to plants and the vet recommended over the counter baby
allergy medication, half a pill a day. It worked. If your cat is still
scratching, it could be stress. I had a squirrel with stress. She scratched
lots of her fur off. When she got relaxed in her new home, it grew back. If he
still has a problem, maybe he just has psoriasis, dermatitis. I would use
anti-itch spray from the pet store for any of the above causes. Good luck.

From: "Betsy" -0
Date: 3/28/04 8:05 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Man, you've really bought the propaganda.

Please OP, don't listen to this guy. He works for Hills and everything he
says is parroted from them.

That's the best you can do, Betsy?? Steve brings peer-reviewed, published
research to the table all the time and you don't want other people to at least
consider the facts? Why is the truth so hard for you to take?

Check out Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, Vol. IV if you don't believe him.

That is simply incorrect. Foods are in no way responsible for "most" skin
allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of
all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most".

From: "Betsy" -0
Date: 3/28/04 8:05 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Man, you've really bought the propaganda.

Please OP, don't listen to this guy. He works for Hills and everything he
says is parroted from them.

That's the best you can do, Betsy?? Steve brings peer-reviewed, published
research to the table all the time and you don't want other people to at least
consider the facts? Why is the truth so hard for you to take?

Check out Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, Vol. IV if you don't believe him.

That is simply incorrect. Foods are in no way responsible for "most" skin
allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of
all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most".

"Steve Crane" wrote in message news:EuB9c.2853$sd5.2558@okepread02...
Funny your vet didn´t suggest changing foods. Most skin allergies in
dogs is because of the food. I think maybe you should change vets and
food. Try a better quality with less chemicals, and preferably canned.

That is simply incorrect. Foods are in no way responsible for "most" skin
allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of
all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most".

Give me a break Steve. You´ve lied so much in this newsgroup already
that I´m tired of even reading your posts. In this one I´m not looking
at studies, I´m looking at what I know from experience with many dogs
of many friends who have had skin problems. And you should not better
that I´m not talking about FOODS, I´m talking about all the CHEMICALS
in COMMERCIAL foods.

McQuade, why don´t you try Felidae or Wellness? Try adding some
homemade too if he´ll eat that (raw included).

"Steve Crane" wrote in message news:EuB9c.2853$sd5.2558@okepread02...
Funny your vet didn´t suggest changing foods. Most skin allergies in
dogs is because of the food. I think maybe you should change vets and
food. Try a better quality with less chemicals, and preferably canned.

That is simply incorrect. Foods are in no way responsible for "most" skin
allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of
all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most".

Give me a break Steve. You´ve lied so much in this newsgroup already
that I´m tired of even reading your posts. In this one I´m not looking
at studies, I´m looking at what I know from experience with many dogs
of many friends who have had skin problems. And you should not better
that I´m not talking about FOODS, I´m talking about all the CHEMICALS
in COMMERCIAL foods.

McQuade, why don´t you try Felidae or Wellness? Try adding some
homemade too if he´ll eat that (raw included).

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 06:01:37 +0000, McQualude wrote:

I switched from Iams to Eukanuba. He won't eat canned food, I tried to
starve him into eating some but he went two days without eating so I gave
up.

On the assumption that it's possibly a food allergy, you might also try
some of the higher scale stuff. Eagle Pack is a decent organic, and
between that and another one we tried (we haven't purchased it in some
time), there's a few good ones.

This, mind you, is the kind of stuff you're looking forward to getting at
places like groomer shops, and will cost money.

--
Dennis Carr - | I may be out of my mind,
http://www.dennis.furtopia.org | But I have more fun that way.
------------------------------------+-------------------------------

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 06:01:37 +0000, McQualude wrote:

I switched from Iams to Eukanuba. He won't eat canned food, I tried to
starve him into eating some but he went two days without eating so I gave
up.

On the assumption that it's possibly a food allergy, you might also try
some of the higher scale stuff. Eagle Pack is a decent organic, and
between that and another one we tried (we haven't purchased it in some
time), there's a few good ones.

This, mind you, is the kind of stuff you're looking forward to getting at
places like groomer shops, and will cost money.

--
Dennis Carr - | I may be out of my mind,
http://www.dennis.furtopia.org | But I have more fun that way.
------------------------------------+-------------------------------

Dennis Carr said:

Eagle Pack is a decent organic, and
between that and another one we tried (we haven't purchased it in some
time), there's a few good ones.


Never heard of it, I doubt there is anywhere within 20 miles that sells
it. Much of that fancy cat food is more expensive than fresh fish and
fresh meat, in other words, something for people with too much money to
spend it on.
--
McQualude