Immunotherapy is an injection containing just the allergens that your pet is allergic to. To begin with, the amount of each allergen is very small, but with each dose this amount increases, until a ‘maintenance dose’ is reached.

The injection (beneath the skin, or subcutaneously) only needs to be given once a month.

The goal is to make your pet’s immune system less sensitive (or totally insensitive) to the allergens in the treatment, so the allergic reaction, and therefore symptoms, decrease or disappear.

Immunotherapy is effective and safe for long-term use, and your pet should be on it for the rest of its life.

Every pet responds differently to medications, but immunotherapy has proven to be successful and very effective. Around 75% of pets show improvements when they start the treatment, and most show improvements within a few months. For a few pets, it can take up to 12 months to see results.

A very small number may not improve much. If this happens with your pet, it is important to work closely with your vet, because it is likely that there are other factors involved, other allergies or new allergies (e.g. to fleas of foods), for example, or secondary skin infections. Regular follow-up appointments are important, especially during the first year of treatment. It may be necessary to change the dosage and interval.

Sometimes re-testing with PAX Blood Test is a good idea, to see if there are any new allergies. Working closely with your vet gives you the best chance for your pet to have sustained, long-term, safe relief from allergic symptoms. If you still do not get the results you expect, you can fill in our call back form (click here) and we will contact your vet with further advice.

Other products can also be beneficial, especially in combination with immunotherapy. Supplements that promote healthier skin and improve the skin barrier are helpful (e.g. Pet’s Relief Atopi-3).

Topical products, such as medicated shampoos, sprays and wipes, help remove allergens and promote healthier skin. Bathing in water helps to relieve itchiness and removes environmental allergens from your pet’s coat (it is important to use the right shampoo).

Most pets with allergies have ear problems, like recurrent infections, so any products that help to prevent and treat these are good.

Treating allergy symptoms in the short term

There are several short-term medications that can help to control your pet’s symptoms. These include steroids, cyclosporin, oclacitinib and lokivetmab. These are all very good at controlling itchiness, especially early on, when your vet is trying to confirm whether the problem is an allergy, or when starting on immunotherapy to make sure the symptoms are under control. But they do not treat the allergy itself – your pet will continue to be allergic and its immune system will still react to the allergens. You will just not notice the symptoms.

In the long term, this can create serious problems because other disease may develop if the main symptom is itching or scratching, like skin and ear infections. You will not be able to notice if something else is wrong and your pet’s condition may get worse. Furthermore, most of these medicines have side effects.