Itchy Molly

I've posted separately on this. Since the cytopoint, he has been completely itch-free. No scratching, no head-shaking, just a happy dog. His ears were still a bit stinky so I carried on with the drops for a week...but that didn't seem to make any difference so I stopped. The stink gradually reduced….

Went back to the vet today to have his ears checked. They are as clean as a whistle, never been so clean. Apparently now they are not all hot and sweaty with the allergy, the infection has lost its hold and is just.....gone.

So....I guess he'll get itchy again when this injection wears off, and I'll need to think about another one. Right now it feels like very, very good value to me.
 
Does one shot last 3 months
So far Pongo's injection has lasted just over 6 weeks. I think I'm possibly noticing a little more itchiness in him the last couple of days, but I might be imagining it (I'm a bit paranoid over it). I'll post here when / iff he needs another one.
 
So far Pongo's injection has lasted just over 6 weeks. I think I'm possibly noticing a little more itchiness in him the last couple of days, but I might be imagining it (I'm a bit paranoid over it). I'll post here when / iff he needs another one.
This seems promising - since your initial post I looked into it and it might actually be cheaper than apoquel. Apoquel has been working well, but it's a daily pill and sometimes two a day when she's very itchy, and it works out to $3.70 per pill. If the shot is longer lasting, it might be a better solution! Is Pongo only itchy in the summer months?
 
Is Pongo only itchy in the summer months?
I think so. Although to be honest I've not been paying much attention - I've always assumed that his recurrent ear problems are a matter of recurrent infections (yeast / bacterial) so I've not noted the time of year. It was only recently that the vet pointed out that the underlying issue might be an allergy, which flared up and made his ears hot and damp, which in turn created the condtions for infection to set in.....etc.
I do know that he get itchy paws at certain times of year (willow pollen season, or - probably - when the farmer has been putting particularly noxious stuff on the local fields). He is certainly what the vet calls "an allergic dog", but I'd never connected that directly with his ear problems until recently. The whole cytopoint thing has been a bit of a revelation.
 
Well, I think it's time we tried the injections. I'm quite worried about Molly's itches now as its October and she is still having problems. We finished a low dose steroid treatment just over a week ago and she is now chewing her hind foot raw, likewise her bum, shaking her head and generally scratching all over.

I'm now thinking there is more going on than grass/pollen allergies. I suspect the vet will again suggest multiple expensive tests in an effort to identify the cause while at the same time saying they may be inconclusive or identify just about everything in Molly's environment. Very worrying in several ways particularly as it seems to be getting worse as she gets older.

We have an appointment tomorrow and I will ask about Cytopoint.
 
Cytopoint still works brilliantly for Ziggy. He has had absolutely no itching all through the summer and his coat and skin are in beautiful condition. Hope it will work for Molly.
 
Pongo's cytopoint injection was in mid-July and he is still itch-free.
A couple of minor flare-ups with his ears (i.e. just beginning to shake head and scratch) were sorted out instantly with a couple of days of eardrops (still using the unfinished bottle from last summer).
 
Good luck with the spray @snowbunny it's very difficult for Squidge with the potential added problems, I really hope she gets some relief.

We tried Apoquel for Molly as it has less side effects than steroids but unfortunately it didn't help her. We'll see what the vet thinks tomorrow. As we'll be there anyway, I'll ask if they can sort out her dew claws this time. Also got to get her anal glands squirted .... so perhaps that's a step too far all in the same appointment.
 
We've had an extra bad season for allergies, and even though Quinn is on apoquel she lost bum/belly hair and still shakes her head and gets mucky eyes on bad days. Otherwise it's done pretty well for her. I spoke to a vet (not ours) about cytopoint, and she said that some dogs do well on both apoquel and cytopoint and others only get relief from one (the other doesn't work). In terms of price, cytopoint is cheaper for smaller dogs, but once you start hitting the 60lb+ size dog, the cost is usually the same or more expensive. She also said that in bad allergy seasons, some dogs on cytopoint need a few does of apoquel on top to manage the flare. She mentioned there are very few side effects of either, and they are both treated in the body the same way (not like one impacts organs and the other doesn't) - so very similar overall. Anyway, we're finishing this year on apoquel and will talk to my regular vet in the spring to get her thoughts. Hope all these itchy labs get some relief!
 
Ack, Squidge's rash is back after a week without the Apoquel and being back on the liver tablets. So the vet has said to take her off those and see if it clears up. I don't think it will, because she's had it without the tablets, too. But, we have to tick the boxes...
 
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