Allergy Test Group - Page 4

Domenic.
  It sounds like you have been living in the same shoes I have with Nicco....but for an even longer time. Geezzzz I feel for you! It's agony at times, is it not? Like now, for the last 45 minutes....he starts on controllable scratching.....it even starts with him still asleep, the back leg gets cranking, digging into the back of his ear.....so fast that when I reach down to stop it, I can't without grabbing the leg itself. He awakens, so do I and we come downstairs, he grabs a drink and out to his area to take care of business. Back in, he curls up on his day bed and lays there, watching the fire as if a calm is back over him now and he can sleep, again. Of course now I am wide awake, I sit, watching him and the fire while he dozes off. It's fun sitting up at 3:30 in the morning isn't it? Ha! I am sure that you have expereinced this many times too, over the last 4 years.
Thanks for the heads up about the Prozyme! I will be sure to holler if anything happens thaat might be helpful for you in your situation. Hang in there! They are worth the struggle and agony. Thanks for your post!

Char,
  Thanks for  the kind comments about Nicco! Those eyes of his tell so much....he is counting on me to give him some relief...I hope we can find a way to help him and others with this problem. Well Nicco has nodded back off to sleepy land...LOL Guess I'll try and do the same for an hour or so....such is life!

MaxBear,oh yes.If you notice the time I logged on it must of been just after 330AM here in Toronto Onttario Canada.I was awakened at 300am by my little guy just ripping at himself so I got up and stayed with him so I could somehow control it a bit.This has got to be the most heartwrenching illness .It seems hopeless.Sometimes I think to myself,I wonder if im being selffish.Am I doing the right thing?How uncomfortable must he be?Then I look at him and cant even think about it cause he is so young and so full of drive and zest.This little guy turned out amazing as far as the drives go.I gues I will do this thyroid test since these genious vets did;nt  even recomend it be done.They only thing they know is GIVE ME YOUR MONEY.I dont want to sound like an asshole but man have I had it with these vets.Anyway I wish you the best with Nicco.May he recover fully and fast so you can have some fun with him.By the way ,yes he is a good looking boy.You know they dont deserve this kind of horror.

Dominec,

  Well I see I am not the ONLY one having sleepless nights....geeezzz My guy usually makes it till around 3-3:30 am....up till then usually a hand hanging over the bed side will quickly put a stop to it, and he crashes again. Daytime is the worst though. Yes, I too have had that Haunting thought....but always pull back from it, as soon I see all the great times he has inbetween the bad times. I think though if he gets to the point where he is in Pain or just can't take it, I will do as I have to. I had to do it with 3 of my previous GSD's, but they all had wonderful full lives. I just hope something breaks soon and he can get some relief. I did make him/us a nice little patio area for his pleasure. Nothing that we know he is allergic too is out there. It lets him relax and run around with no grass. Tons of sun and shade so he can have it either way. This is a pic of his play area, it does not show the depth or much of the cedar area he plays in, but you can get the idea. We refer to it as the "Pit"....LOL it's about 35 feet by 50 feet and surrounded by 6 foot privacy fence. No dirt, no grass...it's either covered in cedar mulch or 3/4inch round pocono river stone or pavers. This area also leads to a deck about 12 by 40 that he has access to from the pit also...it gives him a nice area to hang out at least. I wish you luck with your guy and hopefully the thyroid test may help! I have it scheduled for next week. I'm gona follow Char guidance and have it sent out to Dr Dodds office in Ca....it can't hurt...heck whats a few more bucks at this point...if it helps out it will be worth Millions! Hope you can catch a Nap later.....i'm gona try...LOL Let me see if I can upload this pic......

The pic was too large.......but now too small....oh well...you get the idea
Nicco's Pit

MaxBear,
What are Nicco's bloodlines. Is he German Showlines? Does he have Fedor von Arminius and Mark vom Haus Beck in his pedigree (most German show line dogs do)? If so, how many times? I am asking because his face and eyes strongly resemble my Angel Bruno, who died 2 1/2 years ago at age 14. He also had immune issues, but he contracted Lyme disease before I got him. He was an allergy dog :( .
Char

Char,
  How did you know that? He has Mark vom Haus Beck twice and he has Fedor von Arminius three times! Many Arminius in his bloodlines and Many Arlett's. Nicco also has Lyme now......He had 2 ticks on him I found when I picked him up as a 12 week old Pup....we figure it must be from then? I want to ask Domenic if these dogs are in their dogs too.....Hmmmm

I don't know that the bloodlines have anything to do with the allergies. Bruno's littermates didn't have any problems. I think it was the Lyme disease that caused the allergies in Bruno. Lyme disease can really affect the immune system. Has Nicco been treated with tetracycline or Doxicyline?  Bruno was treated for one month with Doxicycline. I got him when he was 15 months old and he had it then. It took a couple years to get his allergies under control, but I finally did it, with diet and meds.  I first tried everything that was available holistically at the time (raw homemade diet, herbs, supplements, etc.) but nothing helped. I guess it's possible I didn't give it enough time, but I can't go back. He responded real well to thyroid medication and prednisone. I eventually was able to wean him off the thyroid medication, but he stayed on the prednisone for life- 5 mg. every other day. 

My sister went undiagnosed with Lyme disease for 20 years and it has ravaged her body. She is allergic to just about everything. She has been treated with antibiotics now, but the damage has been done and she will never lead a normal life.

I am trying to scan a picture of Bruno, but being the electronically challenged person that I am, this will take a while! Bruno had  a lighter face than Nicco, but the resemblance is definitely there, especially the eyes. They both have those big soft eyes. That was the reason I asked you about his bloodlines. If/when I am able to scan a photo of Bruno I'll let you know, but don't hold your breath :) .

Char,
  Yes, he was on Doxicycline for the Lyme.......Another thing that is rather amazing, my little brother Tom, had Lyme for over 9 years before the Doc's figured out what was wrong. He too was really effected and his body destroyed by the Lyme. He is nothing but skin and bones now and joints that seem like those of a 90 year old with severe Arthritis....amazing what it does and can do when untreated.
  Nicco has been "treated" once with the Prednisone, so far. I really fear giving it to him. I watched what it did to my boy Max. He was treated with it for years for a "Hot Spot". I did not know it's effect's back then. Dummy Me! Anyway, that is a totally different story....But I am so hoping I don't have to put Nicco on it again.....but we shall see.
  I hope you can get a pic of Bruno up....would love to see him!
I noticed Ulli (Oskar1) has those same dogs in the pedigree for his gorgeous bitch, I hope he reads this thread and maybe would comment on it. You know, if he has seen any problems with allergies from this background......I also hope anyone else that may read this thread would check and see if they have a GSD with allergies if those dogs are in their pedigrees....
Well back to Itchy...I mean Nicco...:) He is waiting for some more heavy Snows...........geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Char.........I must have searched the pedigrees of at least 50 showlines tonight, searching for the Fedor von Arminius and Mark vom Haus Beck.....they are in almost every one i checked....some many many times in the 5/6 generations of most. Is it like this on most?....I'm amazed! Why such a small gene pool?

Has anyone with a GSD with allergies found any difference in the scratching or chewing to be effected by the Humidity, lack of or very humid conditions? Thanks!