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  #1  
Old March 1st, 2005, 11:47 PM
sharpie sharpie is offline
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Need help to Possibly Surrender Friend...

Hi there, this is new to me and not a very happy topic so I appreciate your understanding and patients.

I have a purebred BLM, just over 5 years old that I have been trying to cure/deal with allergies (both environmental and food related) since I first noticed the problem at ~1.5 years old. I have spent over $4000 on him and I'm not much further ahead than when I started. The breeder has offered no help with this situation.

As I result I am running out of steam/options. I have been working closely with Dr. Mike Charach of the Richmond BC Allergy Clinic but things are still difficult.

I would like to know what options are out there for finding a new owner for my buddy…..

He got his Hunt Test Master's title last spring and is very calm, obedient and loves to hunt. He is a smaller male at ~65lbs.

Any assistance you may provide regarding this difficult situation would be greatly appreciated!

I look forward to your reply :0)
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Old March 1st, 2005, 11:56 PM
Spurby Spurby is offline
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Not sure why you think a different owner will cure the allergy problems, i am getting from your post it is your dog with the allergies?

And excuse my ignorance, but what is a BLM? That really sucks about the breeder, and sadly not uncomman. I am sure they were there for you before they got the cash in hand.

I know people have tried the raw diet with their dogs with allergies with great success.
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  #3  
Old March 2nd, 2005, 10:09 AM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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I understand your frustration. I had an animal with severe allergies of unknown origin. Over the years he cost me a fortune too but at that time I knew of no options.

However the thought of trying to give him away never occured to me. Not only did I love him, but no one else would want to deal with expensive and heartbreaking illness in a pet not their own. IF you don't want to deal with this in a dog you've had since puppyhood, and who you love, why would a stranger want to? Would you have taken this dog, knowing all about his illness?

How does your dog's allergies manifest? What are the symptoms and what have to tried to overcome them? What is he eating?

Believe it or not, acupuncture is often very successful in treating allergies in dogs.
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  #4  
Old March 8th, 2005, 02:31 AM
sharpie sharpie is offline
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Update....

Hello folks thanks for the responses to date. BLM stands for Black Lab Male.

Yes I do understand the lack of interest in taking over such a project dog. I was not sure what to expect when I posted my idea, it's just that I am running out of ideas about this.

I have tried many things (have a 20 page medical journal of the trials and tribulations) and am still trying. He has both environmental and food allergies according to the prick testing that Dr. Micheal Charach has done on him. I heard there are a couple of new shots out there one is cyclosporin (sp?) and there is another one that is much more expensive but I forget the name.

He also is on thryroid (0.6mg 2x per day) and has Exercised Induced Collapse (not bad as I've only seen him do it 3x and he's 5 years old).

The lastest attempt was putting him on potato and pork for 12 weeks and two different kinds of antibiotics, to get him clean and then we were going to try some food trials to see what it was he was allergic to. As it was winter time we thought we could focus on his food allergies and not worry about the environmental ones (he's an outside dog). Well spring came ~1 month early this year so I think the environmental allergies are once again an issue and I did not even get to try one food trial. When after 12 weeks he was not completely clean (still scratching and stinky and some sores) we decided to put him back on one antibiotic (the strong one) and then try him on the new Royal Canin Skin Select kibble. The vet said he would have an alergic reaction in 3-5 days if there was something unagreeable in the kibble. Well he was doing fine for ~1.5 weeks then he started losing hair and the open weeping wounds came back. The vet figures the antibiotic just prolonged the allergic reaction a bit longer. So now he's back on pork and potato, and still on the thyroid pills (he's been checked 4 times and yes his thyroid is low and needs to be supplimented). I will order up the allergy shots (a mix of allergins that who give to him once per week to build up his immunity) and keep hoping something will work, in the mean time I am hopefull someone may be interested in trying to figure this puzzle out......

Thanks again and keep me posted!!
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Old March 8th, 2005, 08:32 AM
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Bearsmom Bearsmom is offline
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Sounds similar to what our Bear had (Bear's a lab mix). Those open sores that your dog was getting are hot spots. Bear gets those in the spring mostly. We finally figured out (after a million dollars in vet bills and special foods), that Bear is allergic to beef and pork (and their byproducts). Soooo, believe it or not, he's now on the Walmart brand called Actrium Chunks, and (fingers crossed) has not had a hot spot in 2 and a half years.

I don't really have any solution for you other than to experiment (of course with the vet's knowledge) with different foods.

PS Bear was also allergic to the detergent ingredients in the shampoo I was using on him.
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Old March 8th, 2005, 09:52 AM
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chico2 chico2 is offline
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I was a little taken aback when you mentioned,he is an"outside dog",do you mean outside 24/7 even in winter???
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