Immunotherapy shots for allergy - any experience?

[Allie & Myrtle (GA)]

I've outlined Maisie's allergy saga in the other recent allergy thread on here, so won't repeat.
After 2 food trials (not food, seemingly), and under an allergy specialist, she is currently on Prednil tabs (oral steroid), one every 3 days.
She had a blood test done that covered about 50 allergens and I've just had the results, which clearly indicate dust mites.
There's not a lot I or anyone can do to completely keep dust mites at bay no matter how hard you try, short of ripping up the carpets, for example. I can't do that as I have no floor boards, just a concrete pad under the underlay and carpet. Too cold in winter with no carpet!! I am a conscientous duster, vacuumer and washer of cat bedding, etc etc.
So, the specialist recommends immunotherapy shots. Costly (that's OK) and it can take 2-7 years of therapy before they can be discontinued. Successful, I read, in about 25%-50% of cases, and often it's still necessary to use steroids, even if on a low dose.
The Predmil keeps her pretty comfortable and she doesn't wear off any fur. Of course, I know
steroids are far from ideal, though the specialist (and my vet) reckons cats tolerate them pretty well, better than dogs. Diabetes is one risk, as we know.
Anyone here have experience of immunotherapy? I can't help wondering if it's worth it, or am I just shrinking from the prospect of years of giving shots, maybe... a bad attitude from someone who had a diabetic cat!!

 

[BJM]

Have you tried Atopica, aka cyclosporine?

 

[Allie & Myrtle (GA)]

Have you tried Atopica, aka cyclosporine?

I did the little quiz and said no to all the questions. Seems to be for dermatitis mainly.

But I can ask - thanks for the suggestion! :smile:

 

[Alfred]

One of my cats had allergies where he would lick off all his fur on his belly and sides. He would even lick sores into himself at times. We did "allergy" shots, which were shots that would gradually expose the cat to his allergens to help him get used to them and thus lower the allergic reactions. Is this similar to what your vet is suggesting? (I apologize, I don't know what immunotherapy means.)

If so, it worked very well for my cat. It takes awhile for it to work, my cat was on shots for about 3 years. They had me slowly give him doses starting off once a day, then every other day, then gradually more and more days between shot (all the while slowly increasing the dose) and then finally we had once a month shots. My cat's main allergen was the pesticides in carpets, unfortunately I lived in an apartment so I wasn't able to rip up the carpets lol.

I can't remember how long it took for him to stop licking his fur off, but I would say within a few months of starting the treatment. He would still lick, but not nearly as bad as before, and eventually he stopped licking, well except for when he cleaned. He's now not allergic to those allergens anymore, however he did develop new allergies so he's having to start a new course of treatments.

 

[Allie & Myrtle (GA)]

Thanks, Alfred - yes, that's exactly the treatment I'm talking about!

It's good to hear of someone who has had a good result, and it does sound as if you have to be in this for the long haul.
It does seem odd that it involves desenitising a cat by injecting it with what is causing the allergy, but that shows how little I understand medicine in general, let alone vet. medicine!

Grateful for sharing your experience! :smile:

 

[Sandy and Brie]

Boo had eosinophilic granuloma complex.. He had horrible skin lesions. The best things ever did for him was,to take him to a dermatologist. He was skin tested and received allergy shots once a week for years. His quality of life was greatly improved
Sandy

 

[Maggies Mom Debby]

It does seem odd that it involves desenitising a cat by injecting it with what is causing the allergy, but that shows how little I understand medicine in general, let alone vet. medicine!:

Allie, that is exactly how allergy shots (desensitization) works for people, too. I got allergy shots for about 5 years (allergic to almost everything!) and 15 or more years later do pretty good most of the time.

Cat allergies are particularly hard to treat. I don't let them in the bedroom and wash my hands after petting and before touching my face. My first allergist back in the 1970s refused to treat me if I didn't get rid of my cats. I found someone else.