Oral drops for dog allergies pass another hurdle

A study reported July 24 at the World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology in Vancouver, British Columbia, shows that placing allergy drops under a dog’s tongue can be as effective as allergy injections for controlling skin allergies.

In dogs, allergies to house dust, pollen, and mould cause atopic dermatitis, an itchy skin inflammation. Dogs, like people, can be desensitised through “immunotherapy” using shots or drops that deliver small doses of the allergen to “train” the immune system to tolerate foreign proteins.

Both technologies are now about a century old, but for humans and animals, allergy shots are more commonly used.

Chief author of the new study, Douglas DeBoer, a professor of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, sees several benefits emerging from the new study, which treated skin allergies in 217 dogs using allergy drops.About 60 per cent of the dogs improved significantly, DeBoer says.

The drops were placed under the tongue twice a day, while allergy shots are injected every 14 days or so. Both drops and shots must be performed under a veterinarian’s supervision, and their cost is comparable.Because the drops apparently act through a different mechanism than allergy shots, they even helped dogs who had “failed” allergy shots, DeBoer says.

Dogs, like people, can rarely suffer a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction to allergy shots, resulting in collapse and shock. However, even those dogs treated in the study that had previously had such a dangerous reaction to an allergy shot did not have it with the under-the-tongue method. “Drops appear to be safer than shots in this respect,” says DeBoer.. Although the drops must be given once or twice a day for at least several months, they have major advantages, he says.

“A lot of owners are needle-shy, and would never consider giving allergy shots, and may not even have the dog evaluated for that reason. Now there is an option that is very user-friendly.”And what do the dogs think? “The drops have a slightly sweet flavour, so most dogs actually like them,” says DeBoer.

“Owners say their dogs consider them a treat and run toward them when they hear the bottle being opened. With the needle, they learn to run away.

ScienceDaily

No words needed...

Friendship is a priceless treasure valued by all humans. However, bonds of friendship are formed not only between humans but also between humans and animals and also between animals of the same or different species.

We are naturally moved emotionally when we hear of animals, our dumb friends who display strong bonds of love, friendship and loyalty towards their human friends or any other species of animal.

The photographs here speak a thousand words about such a friendship between a cat and a dog two kinds of animal which are generally known to be arch rivals.

However, those of you who rear cats and dogs as pets would know that when they are brought up together they usually learn to coexist peacefully.

The wonderful story about these two furry friends is that they go out for a walk every day.

The little dog comes up to the gate of cat friend in the neighbourhood and waits patiently for his it to make its appearance. Then they both happily walk down together... no, words or should we say ‘barks or mews’ needed to say how they feel or what needs to be done.

They seem to know by instinct what the other friend needs, and acts accordingly.

What a wonderful friendship!This shows that if those in the animal world, even so called arch rivals can become such good friends we humans too can learn to be friends and live in harmony with those around us.

- Minu

My lovely pet

Penny is the name of my pet cat. Its colour is black and white. Its eyes are green. It likes fish and milk. It is a small playful cat. It runs here and there in the garden and plays with tiny things. Sometimes it climbs on to trees. When I walk in the garden, it follows me. When I try to catch it, little Penny runs and hides.

One day suddenly it fell ill. Penny could not walk and moved dragging the hind legs on the ground. In a short time, it began shivering and lay on the ground, just opening and closing its eyes. I was very sad. It seemed to be in a serious condition. My Punchi made some milk and mixed some kupparmeniya (cat nip) juice and made it drink. After that it fell into a deep sleep. The following morning, I found that my little cat was all right. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Penny was running here and there as usual. I shouted in joy.

W.M. Pabashi Hasarangi Fernando,
Grade 6,
Carmel Balika Central College.
Chilaw.

Snow Bell, my cat

My cat’s name is Snow Bell. It likes to drink milk.

My cat is orange in colour.

It always plays and sleeps with me.I always take my cat for a walk, my cat loves walking along the beach with me.

My cat also teaches me to jump. My father bought it just for me. I love my cat so much.

Fathima Hafsa Fazal,
Muslim Ladies’ College,
Bambalapitiya.