Auto immune therapy on dogs...

Deacon started a year long course of auto immune therapy, as he has a severe house dust mite allergy and tears at his skin, scratching, biting etc and after spending £700 on seeing a specialist, blood tests, skin tests and Hill z/d ultra, he was diagnosed with his severe allergy to house dust mites, nothing else thankfully... so I spent another £150+ getting a special serum made up from his blood so he can have auto immune therapy... He was on steroids in the mean time and though they never really stopped the itchiness, they alleviated some of the irritation.
So, now he has started on this course on Wednesday and is not allowed steroids anymore... he is now really itchy, worse than before and I can't give him anything
So has anyone else had this done to their dog, will it get better as the treatment goes on will he improve?
Just want to know that my ickle baby will be okay really!!

Our Beagle is allergic to several weed, grass and tree pollens. Her allergy season runs for most of the year. This time last year we were worried sick about it.

She was unusual in that her itching started at just 6 months old. We were pretty certain it was an allergy to pollen or mites so we bypassed all the usual procedures and had blood tests done when she was 10 months old. We then started her on immunotherapy shots shortly after that.

Her itching was never bad enough to need steroids - we caught it very early.

We started the immunotherapy towards the end of her allergy season. By the time it started again in the spring (perhaps 4 months later) it seemed to be working as there was only a little itching. Whereas last year she needed bathes 2 - 3 times a week to keep her comfortable we were perhaps giving her a bath once every three weeks. As the summer has progressed her itching has reduced to the point where I'd say she's cured. Of course, it could well start up again if we stop the allergy shots. But we'll give that a try next year and see what happens.

In the meantime, things that helped sooth the itching prior to starting on the allergy shots:

1. Oatmeal baths. Either pop a few handfuls of oatmeal in a tepid bath or put the oatmeal in an old stocking and use it like a sponge to get all the 'juices' on the dog's skin. This worked very well for us.

2. Omega 3 fatty acids helped a bit.

3. Neem extract worked wonders for any spots, scratches or pyoderma.

AFAIK, allergies in dogs are caused by the allergens coming into contact with the skin (rather than being inhaled). Regular rinsing of our pup helped to get rid of the pollens. I don't know how much help that would be with indoor allergens. Also, contact with allergens when wet seemed to make matters worse (our pup always scratched a lot after being out in wet grass). One theory from our vet was that when a dog's skin is wet the cells are plumped up and it's easier for allergens to get in.

Having a clean room might help? So a room with vinyl or laminate floor that's wiped down regularly. Cool and dry conditions are bad for house mites so that would also help keep the numbers of mites down. We purchased an air purifier too - I don't know if it helps as our pup was already on the mend with immunotherapy when we got it. But we figured the more help we gave her the better.

And of course, the more time she spends out in the garden the better. Perhaps a little outside run and kennel when the weather is nice?

The shots were definitely working to a large degree within about 4 months. The improvements continued for perhaps 10 months to the point we're at now where there's no itching at all. I don't think you can expect quick results. You need to find something to keep him comfortable for a good few months.

In 85% of dogs you can expect drastic improvement. In those for which it doesn't work it could well be because the diagnosis was wrong - or because the dog has an allergy over and above those picked up by the tests.

Have you tried antihistamines? That can help with some dogs - especially if used in conjunction with omega 3 fatty acids. They weren't a huge help with our dog, but if she had a particularly itchy day I'd give her a couple and it seemed to give her some relief. I think it might have been more to do with the sedation though.

No advice really Claire as I haven't any personal experience of this, other than one of Bradleys litter sisters being allergic to beef and trees , as you know they started the auto immune therapy and have had fantastic results.

I was just wondering whether you are able to give antihistamine to prevent the itching?

Have everything crossed that this does the trick, he is such a poppet he really deserves to get rid of that dreaded itchiness.

Please give him a hug from his auntie Sheree..oh and you'd better give those other rascals one too as we don't want anyone to be missed out xxx

Ask if you can give piriton alongside the therapy. I wouldn't have thought it would have interacted.

Thanks guys, just to say that, Deacon has been itchy since he was 12 weeks old, we were up and down the vets, trying this and that, including antihistamines, various baths, gels etc before he was put on steroids, ... I finally demanded to see a specialist and he ran food allergy tests, skin scrapes and blood tests and all that came back is a severe allergy to house dust mites now my house isn't a paace but it certainly isnt a hovel...
I spoke to his breeder and he said one of his old dogs had it and I was lucky it was just house dust mites and nothing else!! Deacon has had piriton and they never helped, the only thing that ever helped him was baths in special shampoo the specialist gave me...
Also as some setters are prone to he gets alot of ear wax build up and I clean them with epi otic and use thornits powders too, but he and Jamie slurp each others ears all the time!!
I will ask vet about antihistamines and will keep bathing him too, just wondered really how long before we see results, if we see results...

Sheree I will give them all a massive hug from you, until you can do it for real

No advice re what you can give poor Deacon, but just wondered whether you have a steam cleaner?

They are very good at killing off dust mites etc and you may be able to make him more comfortable if you can eliminate at least some of the cause.

Hugs to you and Deacon - I hope you can get something sorted to ease his discomfort. x

No I haven't but that is worth trying!! Thanks

Definitely worth a try. You need to buy a decent one..but the better ones reckon that they kill 100% of dust mites, so if this is the main/only cause of his allergy it may really help (fingers crossed).

Thanks again!! Yeah he has the itchiness all year round and mainly at night, when he is bored!! Doesn't help that we live on the corner of two roads, cos we have to dust every day.. hopefully with a house move next year we may be able to get somewhere set back a bit... The specialist did say we could kennel him outside, but where we live it just isn't an option... I don't like the idea either really...

Deacon had his second jab today and has to have a third in 2 weeks... have been told he will get worse before he gets better.... Oh well, he was better yesterday, but then he had a good bath!!