The symptom of serious ailment could be shown be dog's allergies

The symptom of serious ailment could be shown be dog's allergies

Q: Sheeba, our golden retriever mix, has had a severe skin condition since this past March. She has had two biopsies, and both indicated allergies (allergic to certain elements in dog food), so I have been making homemade dog food. She is also allergic to grass, weeds and trees.

She's taking DepoMedrol injections, which give her relief for about two weeks, and then the intense itching returns. Her skin has black scaling spots, and when we started her on the allergy serum, the spots started to come off with raw, bleeding skin underneath. She went downhill after several serum shots, and we haven't been able to get her back to the point where she was before the serum.

The vet says there's nothing more she can do. Sheeba has seen four vets, and our present vet has consulted with experts in Raleigh, N.C. No one has seen anything like this. The vet indicated we might need to decide to put her to sleep. I'm not opposed to this if there's nothing else that can be done.

A: Your poor dog, judging by the photos you sent, is indeed in a tragic state. Treatment with prednisone may give temporary relief, but it will worsen the problem because your dog's immune system is clearly compromised.

You did not say whether the veterinarians ruled out Cushing's disease and hypothyroidism. Those are the first things to consider and are two endocrine diseases all too common in older dogs.

Postscript: I telephoned the reader to learn that her four veterinarians never considered the above, or the fact that allergies are a symptom and not a primary cause of disease. Sheeba suffered a stroke on prednisone medication and was euthanized.

Q: Recently, I have seen several columns in which you mention annual immunizations, and you believe they are not needed for elderly pets.

I have three elderly indoor-only cats. Whenever I take them to the vet, they insist the cats receive full vaccinations or they will not treat them.

I've looked at your website, but I don't see anything addressing this issue. Could you please explain, in simple terms that I would be able to convey to my vet, why you feel that vaccinations are unnecessary and even dangerous for elderly pets like mine?

A: Some veterinarians (for reasons of belief if not for money alone) are still insisting that cats and dogs should be ''up-to-date'' on their vaccinations and have annual booster shots.

But they are not up-to-date on the vaccination protocols that more informed veterinarians are now following. Rabies vaccinations are the only exception because they are mandated by law in most states. But they can be waived by veterinarians who can certify that an animal is too ill or infirm and thus at risk from being vaccinated, and has zero risk of exposure because the animal in question never goes outdoors.

Check my website at tede

boy.tripod.com/drmichael

wfox (click on the link ''Cat and Dog Vaccination Protocols'' in the ''Companion Animals'' subsection of ''Essays, Reviews and Articles'' on the home page) for further information on the new minimal vaccination protocols for dogs and cats established by the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Q. In one of your recent columns, you requested contact information for denominations and faith traditions working to improve animal welfare.

For years, I have been involved with the Episcopal Network for Animal Welfare (ENAW -- www.franciscan-anglican.com/enaw), which serves as a U.S.-based sister organization of the U.K.-based Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA -- www.aswa.org.uk). ENAW's mission is to create an inclusive and mutually supportive venue for Episcopal animal advocates with a variety of interests and gifts. ENAW has sponsored several animal-welfare-related resolutions that have been taken up during recent Episcopal church general conventions.

You will find a list of faith-based animal-welfare organizations at ENAW's website. Thank you for your kind heart and sound advice.

A: Many thanks to readers of my column who have come forward looking for their own religious faith's animal- and environmental-protection voice of advocacy.

The above link provides excellent resources for many denominations and faith traditions. My book The Boundless Circle: Caring for Creatures and Creation (Quest, 1996) is my contribution to an interfaith voice for all creatures great and small.

Send questions to Dr. Fox, Tropical Life, The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132.

By DR. MICHAEL FOX. Source: www.miami.com