Isaderm gel for dogs. Allergic dermatitis.
Discussion
Our 5 year old female GSD has a history of allergic dermatitis, as recorded on the vets records we got when we adopted her. She has a red rash under her front armpits and some on her belly.
The vet gave us Isaderm gel, which clears it up, but it comes back a week or two later and it obviously irritates her.
The cream costs us £35 for a small tube, from the vet.
We have insurance on her and her brother, which runs to £75 a month, but there is an exclusion for the dermatitis, as well as her arthritis, so it is getting a bit pricey if we need to keep buying this cream.
Any suggestions what the 'allergy' maybe be? Is it common, or is it just a term used when nobody knows the cause?
I recall having It myself when I was a machine shop apprentice, and it was the oil in the cutting fluid we used. Barrier cream stopped the problem very easily.
Wife tells me feeding her oily fish in her diet is good for her skin and her coat.
The vet gave us Isaderm gel, which clears it up, but it comes back a week or two later and it obviously irritates her.
The cream costs us £35 for a small tube, from the vet.
We have insurance on her and her brother, which runs to £75 a month, but there is an exclusion for the dermatitis, as well as her arthritis, so it is getting a bit pricey if we need to keep buying this cream.
Any suggestions what the 'allergy' maybe be? Is it common, or is it just a term used when nobody knows the cause?
I recall having It myself when I was a machine shop apprentice, and it was the oil in the cutting fluid we used. Barrier cream stopped the problem very easily.
Wife tells me feeding her oily fish in her diet is good for her skin and her coat.
Oily fish will not hurt (as long as it doesn't upset her stomach. I believe Yu move do an excellent skin support oil.
Isaderm should be a short term use only and not really ideal for ongoing off and on use tbh due to being a steroid cream and long term use can actually cause thinning skin etc.
Products like CLX wipes can be very useful in areas that may get prone to irritations etc. There is a corticosteroid skin spray called Cortavance which is useful and better way to apply a topical steroid and I believe better if long term use of steroid is needed (though general guide is 7 days at a time)
The only way you would know if she is reacting to eg grasses, dust mites, pollen etc would probably be blood tests but they aren't cheap.
If you do need to continue isaderm, ask for a prescription as it will be cheaper online (even though you will need to pay for the px) just make sure you use a bristish VMD recognised website.
Isaderm should be a short term use only and not really ideal for ongoing off and on use tbh due to being a steroid cream and long term use can actually cause thinning skin etc.
Products like CLX wipes can be very useful in areas that may get prone to irritations etc. There is a corticosteroid skin spray called Cortavance which is useful and better way to apply a topical steroid and I believe better if long term use of steroid is needed (though general guide is 7 days at a time)
The only way you would know if she is reacting to eg grasses, dust mites, pollen etc would probably be blood tests but they aren't cheap.
If you do need to continue isaderm, ask for a prescription as it will be cheaper online (even though you will need to pay for the px) just make sure you use a bristish VMD recognised website.
Edited by bexVN on Tuesday 11th July 10:31
Edited by bexVN on Tuesday 11th July 10:33
Sam whippet suffers from allergies - we haven't had the allergen officially confirmed but it seems to be grass/plant pollen, as it's worse in the summer, particularly when certain plants are in flower.
We tried lots of topical remedies/medications without significant success. It gets much better when he's on steroids for his immune condition, but we'd prefer he didn't get too many recurrences of that
If we had to use something it would probably be Cortavance as Bex mentioned.
What we have found works best is avoiding the worst of the pollen. OH keeps the grass in our fields as short as possible, mowing a path to walk on if necessary. The vet also recommended wiping him down with a damp towel when we get back from a walk.
Of course if it's not grass/plant pollen affecting your dog, this will not help!
We tried lots of topical remedies/medications without significant success. It gets much better when he's on steroids for his immune condition, but we'd prefer he didn't get too many recurrences of that
If we had to use something it would probably be Cortavance as Bex mentioned.
What we have found works best is avoiding the worst of the pollen. OH keeps the grass in our fields as short as possible, mowing a path to walk on if necessary. The vet also recommended wiping him down with a damp towel when we get back from a walk.
Of course if it's not grass/plant pollen affecting your dog, this will not help!
I shall look in Cortavance I think. She is near the end of her second tube of Isaderm, but I'll check with the vet as well.
Just bought some salmon oil, and we will give them a little of that, but also continue with the tuna a couple of times a week.
I have a nephew with some sort of skin allergy dermatitis excema thing going on, 20 years and doctors still can't diagnose the cause or provide a decent remedy that works. I can imagine a dog will be that much harder.
Just bought some salmon oil, and we will give them a little of that, but also continue with the tuna a couple of times a week.
I have a nephew with some sort of skin allergy dermatitis excema thing going on, 20 years and doctors still can't diagnose the cause or provide a decent remedy that works. I can imagine a dog will be that much harder.
Dogs can have chronic skin issues aswell yes, from mild seasonal allergies to severe bacterial, yeast allergy issues and they are not easy to solve (especially as often owners don't manage very well) there are some excellent treatments out there now though to improve and control problems if cure not possible.
Cortavance will need to be under your vets care, they may or may not agree with it.
Cortavance will need to be under your vets care, they may or may not agree with it.
Bet had a look a few days ago, preferred not to issue more creams but advised us to do a full worming and flea course, and also use a foam disinfectant called Clorexyderm. She suggested we remove any other possible causes or irritants before going to more severe medications.
£96 out of pocket, but all for a good cause.
Odd thing is a day or so after deworming tabs and flea drops she was jumping around, play fighting with her brother, more active than we've ever seen her. A result of the deworming? Or a side effect? She is back to normal now, sleeps all day and night.
£96 out of pocket, but all for a good cause.
Odd thing is a day or so after deworming tabs and flea drops she was jumping around, play fighting with her brother, more active than we've ever seen her. A result of the deworming? Or a side effect? She is back to normal now, sleeps all day and night.
Ours don't seem to get any bites, not that I've noticed. Sky just gets an itchy rash under her armpits. She seems to be better now, using the Clorexyderm.
I have a big tube of something very similar to Isoderm, that my dad has for a skin rash. Same ingredients, but formhumans. I shall hang onto it.....
I have a big tube of something very similar to Isoderm, that my dad has for a skin rash. Same ingredients, but formhumans. I shall hang onto it.....
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