Canine Reaction to Allergy Shots
Much like people with allergies, dogs with this ailment can benefit from allergy shots. Allergy shots in dogs can be therapeutically beneficial in some cases, although owners should be aware of potential side effects.
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What are Canine Allergy Shots?
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Once an allergen has been identified, your veterinarian may suggest allergy shots. An allergy shot for a dog is a hyposensitising vaccine, which is specifically designed for the allergens.
How do They Work?
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Allergy shots inject a small amount of the allergen to reduce sensitivity over time. Dosages get progressively larger as the treatment progresses.
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Side Effects
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Because the injections are composed of the allergens, the largest side effect is an increased sensitivity to the allergen. Dogs may exhibit an allergic reaction--whether respiratory, digestive, or topical--more severe than the original response that the shot was trying to treat. Redness, itching, and swelling at the injection site are also possible side effects.
Efficacy
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Allergy shots can have some effectiveness approximately 70 to 75 percent of the time. It is estimated that 50 percent of dogs will have an excellent response to this therapy and 20 to 25 percent will see some relief to their allergies. This means that 25 to 30 percent of dogs will either have no benefit, or side effects will be severe enough to stop the treatment.
Drawbacks
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Response to the allergy shots can take anywhere between two to 12 months, so owners will not know immediately if the treatment is working. This is also a very expensive, long-term therapy.
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