Chronic Skin Problems

Question:

Dear Dr. Smith,

I have a white haired Pekingese dog who is 12 years old.  She has always had skin problems but lately it has become unmanageable.  For years she was taking prednisone every other day and Cephalexin on weekends only and it kept her under control.  About a year or so ago the medicines didn't help anymore.  We took blood tests to see if it was something else and it wasn't.  They tested the skin by scaping it and nothing showed up. Last night she was crying during the night.  Her skin is getting very red and it is crusted and flaky.  My last hope is to try some natural methods but I cannot afford long term treatments.  I was wondering what you thought this could be and could the use of the Immugen and  Super EPA help her. I forgot to tell you that the dog is currently taking 1⁄2 of a 5 mg prednisone pill every night, 1⁄4 tab 200mg ketoconazole every night and 25 mg of Atopica every other day.

If you agree on me using the Immugen and the Super EPA, do I discontinue using the other meds?

Thank you!
Bernadette R.

Response:

Hello Bernadette,
Thank you for your inquiry to Holistic Pet Info. Since her skin problems appear to be chronic have you considered a diet elimination trial? Often chronic allergies can manifest from a food allergy. The most common allergens are chicken, beef, corn, wheat and soy. This may simplify things for her if you can figure out if she does have a food allergy, so you may be able to decrease some of her medication.

Was her blood test an allergen serum test that identifies tree, grass, molds, insects and food allergens? I recommend evaluating her food and treats for preservatives, food dyes, bulking agents and meat by-products.
Your dog is on quite a few medications, with the prednisone and atopica placing a large burden on her liver. Is she on ketoconazole for a fungal infection and has she cleared that infection?

Immugen and Super EPA will work very well for her skin issues, but the focus in holistic medicine is finding the root of the cause. These medications are only suppressing the immune system and not eliminating the inciting allergy. I also recommend Hepagen-C to support the liver from the detrimental effects of all the hepato-toxic medication she is taking. The goal truly is to find out WHY she has the skin problems, because as she gets older her quality of life will likely be affected by all her medications.

Sincerely,
Colleen Smith DVM, CVA