Skin Allergy Cycles
I’m tired and I feel ashamed even typing that.
My 6 year old pit mix has had skin allergies basically his whole life. We do the “good weeks/bad weeks” loop - screaming itching at night, hot spots, ear gunk, then meds, cone, shampoo, vet, repeat. I’m doing Apoquel, medicated baths, wipes after every walk, laundry constantly, switching proteins, vacuuming like a maniac, and somehow we land right back at square one.
I’m not looking for a miracle cure (I know), but how do you cope with the endless cycle without burning out or feeling like a bad guardian when your dog still suffers? 😭 Like… I’m doing all this and he’s still uncomfortable and I feel guilty every time I miss a bath day.
Also - if your dog has chronic allergies, what routine actually made life easier for both of you? I need something sustainable.
You’re not a bad guardian. You’re exhausted because this is exhausting. My baby is 9 and the only thing that made it livable was simplifying. We used to do ALL the things and I was constantly switching foods and shampoos.
What helped us: keep diet boring and consistent (hydrolyzed kibble, no treats except the same kibble), Cytopoint shots every 6-8 weeks instead of daily Apoquel (Apoquel worked but I stressed about long-term too), and I only bathe every 2 weeks unless there’s a flare. Daily wiping was making his skin angry.
And emotionally - I had to stop thinking of it as “fixing” and more like diabetes or arthritis - management. Flare-ups don’t mean you failed. ❤️