Good news!

Rosie

Rosie

Location
South Wales
Just felt I had to share this, although there is a huge chance I'm talking too soon and will jinx it. BUT.... For years and years now Pongo has had recurrent itchy ear problems, especially in allergy season. It's not a major life-threatening condition, but it is horrid watching him shake and scratch and mither at his ears on and on and on, and have that nasty black discharge gunk in them. He's had steroid injections and steroid / AB drops on and off for ages; they do clear up the issue in about a week or so, then he can be clear for a month or more, and then it comes back and we have to get on the cycle again. And I really don't like using steroids or antibiotics on a regular basis. The vet has suggested major surgery to slice open his ear canal and make it easier to treat. I didn't fancy that either.

Last vet visit, new vet suggested a cytopoint injection. It is an anti-allergy formulation, not steroids, not ABs. That was six weeks ago.

Since then...not a single scratch, no head-shakes, happy happy doggy. Just been back to the vet to have his ears checked; they are as clean as a whistle. Now that they are not all hot and inflamed with allergic reaction, the infections that were making them stink and discharge have just.....gone.

I know that cytopoint doesn't last (he'll need another injection when he gets itchy again). And it isn't cheap. But right now I feel very, very happy!
 
Rosie

Rosie

Location
South Wales
snowbunny said:
That sounds great! Is it a long term solution - can it be used as needed with no ill effects?
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I believe so. My (admittedly limited) understanding is something like this. Most treatments for itchiness (e.g. steroids) work by making some changes to major body systems (hormonal, etc) in order to stop the itch-scratch cycle. The side-effects that arise are because those systems have wider effects on the body, that are disrupted. Cytopoint is more targeted - it specifically blocks the bit of the itch-scratch-itch cycle that gets out of control in an allergic reaction. So there are relatively few (or in fact zero) side-effects. It only lasts for a certain period - this depends on the dog, and can be anywhere from 4 weeks to 3 months effectiveness. Pongo had a relatively low dose for his weight (he was on the borderline between two weight ranges and we went for the lower dose) and so far it has lasted 6 weeks; so I'm optimistic. The recommendation is to wait until (if) itchiness starts again, then take another injection. This makes it particularly good for dogs that are only allergic at certain times of the year, because you only use it when needed.
Right now I'm a bit of a fan.
 
Rosie

Rosie

Location
South Wales
FayRose said:
Great news for Pongo. I wonder if this will work for Molly. She has been on low dose steroid for weeks now, to get through the worse growing time itchiness and I really don't like steroids for so long. I'll speak to the vet, thanks for telling us about this @Rosie
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It's not cheap. But when I added up the costs of the tablets, the drops, the ear-wipes.....the additional cost comes down. And then there's the fact that it actually works.... it seems like a good deal.
 
Shaz82

Shaz82

Location
Essex, U.K.
That's really good news for poor Pongo, very encouraging. I hope it lasts, maybe he will only need one a year if it is a certain period only that affects him.
 
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