Allergies and Atopica

I have two pugs that constantly lick their paws, and rub themselves all over the furniture and carpet. My male pug recently got an ear infection, so we took a trip to the vet. The vet said they have pretty bad allergies (nothing physically visible, though) and that is to blame for the ear infections and the licking. He prescribed Atopica for both of them, and I just want to get some feedback on this medication. Does anyone have experiences with it?

I have no experience with Atopica. But my Grace is on a daily antihistamine - Chloropheneromine (sp?) for her constant itchies. And it did wonders for her skin and coat - plus I'm comfortable with her being on it because I don't believe there are any side effects to long term antihistamine use.

Penny gets 25 mg of benadryl twice a day - doesn't faze her at all. I have to ask, what food is she on? I ask because the ear infections and paw licking are what Ms. Thang does when she gets any wheat over one tiny treat.

Atopica is expensive but it works well to help the itchies.

This sounds like a food allergy though and getting to the root of the problem is more beneficial that treating the symptoms.

What food are they on? For food allergies i try to get the dogs off of grains and chicken and beef. Something like Acana Pacifica or Orijen 6 Fish are my go-to foods for allergy cases.

I would be hesitant to put two dogs on Atopica for a first time allergy diagnosis. Atopica is a harsh drug that a lot of pets don't handle well. Plus, it is usually pretty darn expensive. I've seen it work very well in some dogs, but it's usually a last resort for allergies.

I think you should focus on some other things first. Try to figure out what they are allergic to. Is it seasonal? What food are you feeding?? My male pug has horrid allergies to beef, chicken, and whatever is in bloom right now. I believe my female is intolerant to chicken. We figured out the food allergies through a trial diet. He is currently on a venison based kibble and hasn't had an ear infection in years. Many pets develop intolerances to the commonly used protein sources in dog food (beef, chicken, etc). I don't believe they have a grain allergy, and am very grateful for that. There are many on here who can talk about food allergies and food trials, etc. I would suggest using the search tool for the forum. Also, there are a lot of people who feed raw. While I would love to, I know it isn't feasible in my household. So while raw can also do wonders for pets (especially allergic pets), know that you will be able to find a kibble your pugs can tolerate, as well.

As for my dog's seasonal allergies, unfortunately they've gotten worse over the years (as many dog allergies do). I work for a vet, and we've gone through quite a bit with him. Currently, he is on a low dose of prednisone just to get him through the month or so of allergies. If your pugs' allergies are seasonal, again I feel Atopica isn't worth it to try for just a bit. As Rachel said, some Pets do respond well to antihistamines. You can try giving Benadryl 1 mg/lb 2-3 times a day (always check with your vet before dispensing medications!!), but it's to my knoweldge that for it to truly help with skin, it has to be given for about 2 weeks before seeing results.

I will add more if I think about it, but usually with allergies there isn't a quick fix. I'd be weary that the vet believes Atopica will be a quick fix. Oh, and it's also my experience that allergy testing isn't worth the money. Good luck figuring it out! Trust me, I know how frustrating allergies and the itchies can be.

thminis wrote:I would be hesitant to put two dogs on Atopica for a first time allergy diagnosis. Atopica is a harsh drug that a lot of pets don't handle well. Plus, it is usually pretty darn expensive. I've seen it work very well in some dogs, but it's usually a last resort for allergies.

I think you should focus on some other things first. Try to figure out what they are allergic to. Is it seasonal? What food are you feeding?? My male pug has horrid allergies to beef, chicken, and whatever is in bloom right now. I believe my female is intolerant to chicken. We figured out the food allergies through a trial diet. He is currently on a venison based kibble and hasn't had an ear infection in years. Many pets develop intolerances to the commonly used protein sources in dog food (beef, chicken, etc). I don't believe they have a grain allergy, and am very grateful for that. There are many on here who can talk about food allergies and food trials, etc. I would suggest using the search tool for the forum. Also, there are a lot of people who feed raw. While I would love to, I know it isn't feasible in my household. So while raw can also do wonders for pets (especially allergic pets), know that you will be able to find a kibble your pugs can tolerate, as well.

As for my dog's seasonal allergies, unfortunately they've gotten worse over the years (as many dog allergies do). I work for a vet, and we've gone through quite a bit with him. Currently, he is on a low dose of prednisone just to get him through the month or so of allergies. If your pugs' allergies are seasonal, again I feel Atopica isn't worth it to try for just a bit. As Rachel said, some Pets do respond well to antihistamines. You can try giving Benadryl 1 mg/lb 2-3 times a day (always check with your vet before dispensing medications!!), but it's to my knoweldge that for it to truly help with skin, it has to be given for about 2 weeks before seeing results.

I will add more if I think about it, but usually with allergies there isn't a quick fix. I'd be weary that the vet believes Atopica will be a quick fix. Oh, and it's also my experience that allergy testing isn't worth the money. Good luck figuring it out! Trust me, I know how frustrating allergies and the itchies can be.

I totally agree with this. My Izzy has been on Atopica for almost a year. That was after I got her on a good food, had her allergy tested, benedryl and Tavist stopped working and she would cry when she scratched. It's been a lifesaver for her but it broke my heart to put her on it because I believe it has some awful side effects and I think it's really going to shorten her lifespan.

I would first get your pugs on a good "allergy" food. I use Natural Balance Duck and Potato. Also, make sure you're only giving treats with the same ingredient. Second, get them on a good fish oil. Third, give them 1/2 to 1 25 mg Benedryl up to 3 times per day. Also, talk to your vet about other over the counter meds. We used Tavist for awhile also. All of these things combined will still be less expensive than Atopica and are much better for your pugs.

Good luck, I know what a pain allergies are. And if you do end up with Atopica, play around with lower dosages. I change Izzy's dose levels from 1 50 mg every 4 days in lower allergy months like winter up to 1 per day during high allergy seasons. You want the absolute lowest dosage that will take the edge off.

basil is on atopica for atopic dermatitis. it works wonders for him. his dermatitis flares up during allergy season and we have to increase the dose a bit, but during the winter, he only needs it about once a week. right now because it's summer and there's been a high pollen count this year, he is on it every other day. he gets his blood work done yearly to make sure everything is working all right. he didn't have any side effects (knock on wood).

Ears, feet and ass--my vet says when she sees itching in those areas it is almost always a food allergy. As others have siad, I'd try to get the food issue sorted out first.

I have two dogs with significant allergies--both food and seasonal and one of my dogs also has contact/environmental allergies as well. Neither of these dogs can eat kibble or canned due to their allergies and are exclusively raw fed--but they were both older when I adopted them and had been on dreadful food (Science Diet) for years so have lots of sensitivities they might not now have if I'd gotten to them younger.

Both are on very low doses of pred for their seasonal allergies--one gets Vanectyl-P as needed and the other gets 1.25 mgs of pred every third or fourth day depending on how the allergies are going. I have had some success with Reactine with Tank and his seasonal allergies.

I'm a bit cautious about meds--especially anything that is likely to be life long in a young dog. I try to eliminate all my other options first.

What are you feeding them currently? Most of us has struggled with allergies and our pugs at some point and can make some recommendations on food.

I agree with everyone else. It seems a bit drastic to be put on Atopica for a first time diagnosis. My Gidget has food allergies and we think we finally found something agreeable with her where she isn't an itchy puggie. She has been off and on Atopica and steroids. Not what we want for the long term. We have been working on finding the root of the problem for a few years. We haven't given her the steroids or Atopica for several months now...dare I say in almost a year? Awesome! Benadryl is a great place to start. It is much cheaper and gives relief to the itchy puggie.

Atopica is super pricey too. (At least to me). We actually had Gidget's prescriptions as part of our monthly budget last year. Getting to the root of the problem is the best solution for all. Good luck.

I agree with everyone else as well. Sophie has been on Atopica for the past 2 years, and will probably be on it for the foreseeable future. For her, I consider it a lifesaver. However, her condition is not just allergies. We started out with a strong antihistamine and then when that didn't work, went to Atopica.

I'd definitely do what everyone else suggested-cut out grains, and then see if your vet can prescribe an antihistimine if benedryl doesn't work. I forgot the name of what we had, but she basically said it was like "super strength" benedryl.

Bella is on Hills Prescriptives from the vet for her constant UTIs and crystals. It hasn't seemed to help with her ear infections but has stopped the every 3 months UTI vet appointments. Bears been on Nutro for years. Not sure if they are the be all end all food choice for them but its worked for years. Both get an antihistaime when their seasonal allergies flare up and daily eye drops but so far so good. I agree with the others about finding the source if possible. Goodluck!

I'm going to echo what has been said about food allergies. That would be the FIRST thing I change and, I would be you see results in a month or so. Look for grain-free foods and stay away from chicken and beef. Read the ingredients on all foods! Also, consider feeding raw and changing the protein source on a regular basis. It's more expensive to feed but much cheaper that vet visits and expensive meds.

I've had 2 pugs with severe allergies. With Lucky, not even the atopica worked. We had him allergy tested and so much of what he was allergic to was unavoidable- including human dander.. in essence, Lucky was allergic to us! :-( Poor guy was on allergy shots daily and benadryl and prednisone daily. The pred eventually caused Cushing's Disease and he died because of it :-(

Ace currently has bad allergies as well He gets Benadrl 3x a day and Atopica every 2-3 days. Luckily he doesn't need pred, and the Atopica helps.. though doesn't cure it and he is still pretty itchy. The Atopica is very pricey, but it helps keep him from itching/biting himself to a bloody pulp! Ace couldn't live comfortably without it.