Charlie is our very first GSD and she is just the sweetest, smartest lady ever!! I feel horrible for her, as she is itching non-stop!
She started this itching about a year and a half ago, late summer and it really wasn't bad. We just thought it was the heat at the end of the summer. Then winter came and it wasn't so bad, in the beginning of the season. By the end, she was itching regularly, and the tips of her ears began showing the wear.
We went to the vet, and we discussed possible allergies. They gave us oral steroids to use for two weeks. She had relief of the itchiness, until the steroids wore off. We then were sent to another vet that "knew a lot about allergies" and we paid through the nose for pretty much nothing. We discussed food, and what to try first, etc. And he scraped her ears to see if it was scabies (it was not).
We began the long trial and error process of different proteins in the foods, grain-free, etc. She is currently getting Natural Choice Venison, but it is not the grain-free. We have tried the grain-free, too, with no change.
Now her itching is 100 times worse, and she has goopy eyes almost every day and she is now practically chewing her tail off.
We have never had a pet with allergies, so we are practically clueless as to what to ask, try, do for her. I have an appointment tomorrow for her with our original vet to see what we can do for her.
Any suggestions? Is there allergy testing that can be done for dogs, as with humans? Anything that might be helpful to ask the vet?
I appreciate any and all feedback - I feel so helpless for her!
Thank you!
~Jen