One of the first cases I treated in my career was my own dog, Lacie. Many of you may have noticed her in clinic. When Lacie was 4, she developed her first ear infection. She was treated and it had resolved. However, about 6 months later, she developed a second one. As these two correlated with the spring and fall, it definitely pointed towards an underlying issue. Once the pattern emerged, I started Lacie on Cytopoint. Lacie only developed an ear infection once more in the last 10 years. She was no longer licking at her paws and even some of her dry skin resolved.
Cytopoint is an injectable medication, a monoclonal antibody, given in the clinic to help block the itch pathway from environmental allergies. Cytopoint injections last for 4-8 weeks. This allows for convenience to ensure our pets are comfortable. Other options available to Lacie would have been Apoquel or Zenrelia, oral medications that also help control the itch. Both of these medications also block the itch pathway and are given once a day. Zenrelia is very similar to Apoquel. It is newer than Apoquel and has been more effective for some of our patients. With so many options, come in for an appointment to discuss your options in detail.
Living in Houston can be much more comfortable once we get those allergies under control. If your pet has frequent ear infections, skin infections, or is itching overall, give us a call so that we can help!
Hope to see you soon, Dr. Khanh Tran