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Cooper update (allergies)

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • subaruthieS

    It's been a while since I've been on… LOVE LOVE LOVE the new look!

    We had Cooper retested for allergies this fall, and the results were surprising, but very useful. His original test, a few years ago, only showed him as being allergic to flea saliva and storage mites. We did allergy injections, and kept the house clean and controlled fleas to combat these issues. He still seemed to react to foods, so he's been on Hill's Z/D Ultra. His skin reactions still happened all the time, even though he was on antihistamine and cyclosporin (which was a miracle in getting his hair back!).

    Well, this round of tests showed he's allergic to an odd list of foods (duck, potato, barley, peas, yeast, turkey, beef, rabbit) which explains why he can't have any commercial food. He's allergic to many weeds and grasses, which explains the seasonality to some of his reactions. And he's allergic to us! We got the results right before Christmas, and he stayed with my parents for three weeks while we visited my husband's family. When we got back, his coat was in the best shape I'd ever seen and we determined that it was either from not sleeping with people or not getting any toddler crumbs, despite our best efforts. We tested it and stopped letting him sleep with us. He now has a burrowing bed and hasn't had a bump, skin redness, or major hair loss since we came back from our holiday! Wish we'd had these more accurate results sooner!

    Ruth

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  • Chealsie508C

    That's great news that his health and coat are turning around for the best. I cant imagine the worry you must feel about his many allergies, including you! Since he can't have any commercial food do you have to feed him raw/ or homemade meals? That's time consuming and tough..but I'm sure rewarding and a small price to pay for health. Sounds like a lot of challenges and hurdles but it sounds like your family is dou h everything right for Cooper, hope he has continues success with his health!

    "I know I've found the breed for me because he totally turns my life upside down and I love it!"

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  • KipawaK

    Very impressed with you guys to go the extra step and re-check the allergy situation. I feel sad that they said he was allergic to you. How did they actually test for this? Does it mean you can't touch him now?

    Fran Harder, BAB

    With Barney in my heart

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  • curlytailsC

    I'm intrigued by the food allergies he has, especially his sensitivities to duck and turkey, since those aren't very common proteins. I'm impressed by the challenges you must face finding him an appropriate diet! Poor guy! Luckily, chicken doesn't seem to be on that list. I would definitely look into a chicken-based raw diet if that was the list I was confronted with… yikes.

    M.C. w/ Bowdu (shiba inu) and Bowpi (basenji)

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  • tanzaT

    Since you say he is allergic to you, could it be the soap you use? Detergent? What is different from what your parents use then what you use?

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • subaruthieS

    He tested positive (from VARL labs test this time, we used Heska on his original test) to human dander, so there he is allergic to a protein found in human dander. I already vacuum regularly due to my husband's allergies, so his major exposure was from diving under the sheets on our bed. At my parents' house, he slept on his bed or on a couch. I was pretty good before about regularly washing blankets that are shared between him and us on the couch to rid them of our dander on a regular basis (we have a leather couch and let him up on it on blankets), but I do keep a closer eye on it now.

    We still have him on a hydrolyzed protein diet (prescription Hill's Z/D Ultra). I would eventually like to get him on something else to get away from the preservatives in it, but my options locally are rather slim at the moment. I make my own recipe of chicken liver training treats for him (with oats, blueberries, and rosemary… he goes bonkers for them!). Because I have to cook all of the human meals already (husband has multiple severe allergies, too... Cooper adopted the right family!) and I have a 21 month old, homemade and/or raw isn't something I can dive into right now.

    I think the simple change of sleeping quarters has made a huge difference, and I feel less stressed now knowing that if he snags crumbs in the kitchen, he's not always allergic to them! Here he is enjoying the new bed!

    attachment_p_156178_0_imgp3382crop.jpg

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  • D

    Do these allergies occur in his relatives also?

    Jennifer

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  • subaruthieS

    Cooper is a rescue of unknown origin (found as a stray, in a shelter for their maximum time, then to an all-breed rescue group). His ears are somewhat offset at resting position and his tail was docked before he was found as a stray, but he otherwise looks and acts like a trindle basenji. We occasionally entertain the idea that he may be part rat terrier or something else of similar size and color, but he has to be at least 75% basenji.

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  • M

    Seasonal Allergies?

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    subaruthieS
    Oh, yes! Dogs can have seasonal allergies!!! Mine has seasonal (weeds and grasses) allergies, food allergies, and is even allergic to humans. His allergies are considered pre-existing conditions now, so pet insurance is not an option for us. Your vet will probably start your dog on Benadryl, but we've also had prescriptions for hydroxyzine and Zyrtec for our dog (only use these with your vet's dosing instructions). A simple thing you can do is to wipe off your dog with a damp cloth to get any pollen off of her paws and belly. It will keep her from tracking outdoor allergens inside, just as you would prevent by taking off your shoes at the door.
  • basenjiboy20B

    Allergies

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    Do you live in the country in MN? My 4-year-old hound mix, Priss, has problems in the summer months starting about August. She will lick her feet until they are red and the fur is almost gone. I have tried all kinds of medications, shots, and changed her diet, but it is something environmental. I've even taken her to different vets to see if someone might have a solution. Most of the medications are steriods; they work for a week or so, then are ineffective. I won't use them anymore. Priss bloats up like a balloon! My vet thinks it is either a particular weed that grows this time of year or possibly a mite or small insect that is invisible to the naked eye. I wash her feet in vinegar and water when she comes in the house and have started using Willard Water, http://www.dr-willardswater.com, too. Sometimes, I use a diluted solution of tree tea oil to soothe the itching. Priss smells like a dirty sock from licking her feet when she is troubled by allergies. Also, she runs a low-grade fever, especially in the morning. I give her 1/2 a baby aspirin and wash her face with cool water.
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  • AndrewA

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    @tanza: Not to put any pressure on you or the Vet.. but to me… blood work is one of the most important tools.... and I am surprised that at least even with an appointment next week ... that they didn't take blood while he was there.... If it was me... and I am a "freak" about doing blood panels.. I would have insisted on at least that..... Thanks for letting me know. As Booger & Lola are my first "grown up" dogs (my parents took care of sick dogs growing up & we never had many issues until 1 got cancer), I really honestly don't know all the things I should be looking for or asking about. I will definitely call & ask about that. Booger does seem a LOT better today than he did yesterday, which is good. I don't take this as much of a sign of anything, but it at least makes me feel better knowing he isn't so miserable. He's a lot perkier & more playful. He gave us some playful baroos earlier, too, which is a rare treat!
  • K

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    @Vanessa: I was allergic to our basenji when he first came home. I would break out in a rash when he touched me. My eyes would water and become really itchy. Just wash your B and wipe him down a few days a week until you adjust. Also consider some allergy meds…Zyrtec works great and now you don't need a perscription. Agree, Zyrtec is a great drug for allergies, but can make some people very sleepy. There is a new prescription allergy treatment available called Xyzal that has shown equal symptom relief to Zyrtec in clinical trials, but has less sedation. However, I will warn you that it is very expensive!