We need your help to pay for Rex’s allergy diagnosis and treatment.

6/6/09 Update

Rex went for his allergy testing this week.  It turns out he is highly allergic to 18 environmental allergens, including many varieties of weeds, grasses, trees, and molds.  It is clear after this testing, that no amount of antibiotics, anti-fungal medications or restricted diets would ever be able to fully help Rex.  Now that we know exactly what Rex is allergic to, we can begin to treat him.  Once his blood work is back, an allergy serum will be created that is tailored to Rex’s specific allergies.  Rex will start on allergy shots.  These shots are just like the ones people take who have severe allergies.  If all goes well, Rex will have some relief from his itching very soon.  We can’t wait for Rex’s skin to start to heal and repair itself.  The cost of all this testing has been expensive, but the biggest expenses are now behind us.  Rex will remain on allergy shots for the rest of his life.  We will post more updates on Rex as soon as he starts his treatment.  A special thanks to Kathy in Texas for sharing her story and pictures of her dog Levi and his allergy problems.

5/6/09 Rex is having a hard time getting better.  He was an owner surrender to our rescue because of his chronic skin problems.  Rex has suffered with severe itching his entire life.  We knew it would take some time to determine the cause of Rex’s itching, but we never imagined it would be this difficult.  Our vet has tried numerous treatments and diets.  Our latest attempt involved taking Rex to see a veterinary allergist.  Because of all the itching and scabbing, Rex has secondary bacterial and yeast infections on his skin. Rex is undergoing long term antibiotic treatment and we finally found a food he can tolerate.  All this is helping, but is it evident Rex has more than just a food allergy.  It is possible he has developed antibiotic resistance and may need an immune-stimulating injection to help his immune system more efficiently fight the infection.  Rex may also have Atopy, which is a disease where the immune system reacts abnormally to substances in the environment that are airborne. Common allergens include tree, weed and grass pollens, molds spores, and house dusts, etc.  The diagnosis and treatment for Rex will be costly.  We feel Rex deserves to live a life free of chronic itching and discomfort.  Please consider helping us with your generous donations so we can continue to help Rex.   Check back for updates on Rex’s progress.