Atopica, Is this safe to use on Shepherds? - Page 2

That smell sounds to me like a yeast build up which needs antibiotic and some medicated shampoo to get rid of.. I have used Atopica very successfully but for Anal Furunculosis, but with no side effects at all... maybe I have been lucky.. However I do have a shepherd with allergy problems to dustmite and storage mite that is contained in dry food.  He is around 43kgs and is now 6 and has had this now for at least 2 years. He has 2 prednisilone every other day again with no side effects and no itching. I do treat him regularly with Frontline Combo. He also gets a raw diet and Salmon oil, I was talking to a friend from Germany who said that her vet said to put dried food in the freezer before feeding as this killed the mites. I am now trying this to see if it works, nothing to lose really !!  My vets also try to keep away from regular steroid injections as this will have a huge detrimental effect on the dog over a  period of time, but the tablets don't seem to have the same effect, just a lower dose I suppose. Wish your dog better soon. 

I had a bitch that became so itchy she had bald sides, small red spots and one which became infected.  After being scared off by my vet suggesting antibiotics and steriods, I went completely the other way and turned to alternative therapies.

I used liquid aloe vera 60mls daily which I put straight down the throat with the aid of a large syringe, 2 tablets of bee propolis which works as a natural antibiotic and antifungal.  I also used aloe gel on the skin alternating it with bee propolis gel on the affected skin.  Within 3 days I could visibly see an improvement and I am now several months down the line and only giving the liquid infrequently at a maintenance dose on her food and her coat is amazing.  It is the first time in over 12 months that she has a full coat and no itching.  Her coat looks amazing and aslo she has a good appetite - something that she has been lacking for a long time.

Lots of interesting posts. As we wait to see the dermatologist vet next week, I went out and bought some Potato and Venison, grain free dry food today, along with Salmon oil. Interesting about putting the food in a freezer to kill any mites, at this point I'll try anything. I must admit I didn't use the Frontline every month as directed but after reading how flea allergies affect some dogs I will make sure he gets it every month now. I will bring this post back to let you know what the vet says.
For those of you that have used Benadryl, how much would you give a 90 pound male?

Dave

Yes, I believe they are different, I have only just started this 'trial' this weekend, but I have just put one day's worth of food in a plastic bag and left it in the freezer overnight. I will know if this has any effect either way within a couple of days as he is so sensitive..... let you know how it goes.... With regard to the fontline I found that the combo one was so much better for him than the ordinary one,  as the other active ingredient (can't recall the name at the moment) treats the enviorment too. According to my vets, it is unusaul for a dog to be allergice to dustmite and not storage mite, apparently the two go hand in hand !

Here is some interesting reading if you think your dog has allergies, it could be a systemic yeast Infection! Check it out it has some good information.       http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/systemic_yeast_mini_course.htm