Dr. Kraemer Staff asked 3 years ago
Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy
Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy, Hi Dr. Kraemer! My English bulldog is just 5 years old. Very healthy as per our vet. Two years ago, our Vet put our dog on Hills Prescription Diet food to lose weight. He is now at a healthy weight and is very active.
However, his skin has been worse than ever since 2019. Hot spots and itchiness like never before! He has been on apoquel for far too long in my opinion and the itchiness and bald spots are not Getting any better. After thousands of dollars later, our vet now wants him on a soy based food that costs 165 per bag.
Should I be seeking a second opinion?
thank you in advance
Hana
Dr. Kraemer Staff answered 3 years ago
Answer for Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy
Answer for Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy, Dear Hana, your “thousands of dollars” comment indicates that some other diagnostics were conducted such as skin scrape, cytology, fungal culture DTM, bacterial culture, biopsies, and Atopic allergy testing VARL. Without those test results, I will not be able to comment on the findings.
Finding the underlining cause is critical (atopic, mites, fungi, yeast, immune-mediated, endocrine, food allergy, etc)
Answer for Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy EXPENSES:
Regarding the expensive diet recommended by your vet for the perceived food allergy. First, you ONLY have to conduct the food trial for 8-10 weeks, thus the cost would be minor, to learn more see my article on bully food allergy. Second, I personally prefer hydrolyzed hypoallergenic RX diets over novel ones (such as HA proplan, Z/d Hills, and Royal canine has one also).
Answer for Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy ITCH CONTROL:
Apoquel is just an itch control rx, is your bully itchy? If there is intense itching try replacing apoquel with a cytopoint injection if might work better, plus its safer and works 24/7 and for a long duration but it will only help bully atopic itch dermatitis
Answer for Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy SECOND OPINION:
You can seek the opinion of a local boarded dermatologist, though they might do more of the same at a higher cost.
Answer for Bulldog Weight Lost Food and Food Allergy MUST DO NON-RX:
Last, and most importantly. Regardless of the underlining cause ALWAYS combine nonprescription therapeutic topicals & supplements with the prescribed Rx. Examples are topicals like my V4B bully medicated shampoos, conditioners, antiseptic yeasty no-rinse gels, spray, wipes, etc. Therapeutic supplements typically include fish oil like my V4B bully Fish Oil SKIN-IMMUNE-JOINT.
Other supplements will be the V4B bully V4B bully immune support and V4B bully pre/probiotics especially if your bully is on long-term Rx such as antibiotics, steroids etc.
“An Ounce of PREVENTION Is Worth a Pound of CURE”
