Coco, a lovely French Bulldog, is barely two years old but she has been a frequent visitor at both Vetwest Cockburn and Canning Vale. Since a puppy, she has been suffering from allergies which caused itchy skin, ears and soft stools. As a result, she was constantly on daily oral or topical medications to reduce her itch and skin/ear infections but once the medications were discontinued, her skin/ears started flaring up again.
Over time, Coco had enough of the daily medications and constantly itchy skin, so she started to develop fear aggression to protect herself. Her owners were at a loss as all they wanted was the best for Coco but she started snapping at anyone who tried to give her medications or examine her for more than 30 seconds! Eventually, Coco was started on a strict food trial to find out if she has allergies towards certain proteins and carbohydrates and was referred to dermatologist Dr Meng for further testing for possible environmental allergens.
We discovered that Coco was allergic to the proteins and carbohydrates she was eating and is hypersensitive to dust mites and mould! After removing the food allergens from her diet and keeping her on appropriate medications, her itchy skin and ears improved tremendously and her stools started to look firmer and healthier. She has also been having injections with Dr Meng to desensitise her from her environmental allergens and specialist procedures to evaluate her middle and inner ear.
Seeing her today, you would have never imagined that she was the snappy Coco that everyone was familiar with. Her owners are very happy with her progress as she barely scratches her skin and is a lot more affectionate and playful. Skin allergies are sadly one of the most common conditions we see in veterinary practice, affecting around 5-7% of dogs and cats. The symptoms can range from mild foot licking through to persistent and debilitating itching, infection and skin damage. If your furry friend is also struggling with allergies and you can’t get to the bottom of the cause have a look here at our dermatology services or contact your local Vetwest clinic to book an appointment.
