AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale.
Does your dog experience uncomfortable, itchy skin flare-ups at certain times of the year? They could have atopic dermatitis. A sensitivity to airborne allergens, such as pollen or dust mites, causes this common skin disease.
Many traditional treatments for environmental allergies in dogs can be costly, lose their effectiveness over time, and have undesirable side effects. Allergen immunotherapy (commonly referred to as allergy shots for dogs) is the only treatment that addresses the underlying cause, helping to reduce symptoms or prevent them from worsening.
Allergy shots for dogs aren’t curative, and they require careful management. However, if you’re willing to put the work in, they’re a low-risk treatment option that can drastically improve your chronically itchy pet’s quality of life.
In This Article
What Are Immunotherapy (Allergy) Shots for Dogs?
Allergen immunotherapy (AIT), also known as desensitization therapy, involves the gradual administration of increasing amounts of specific identified environmental allergens, such as pollen and dust mites, to your dog via injection or oral drops.
The goal is to retrain your dog’s immune system to tolerate the allergens that trigger an exaggerated inflammatory response. This eliminates or reduces allergy symptoms, such as redness, itching, and secondary skin infections, or at least prevents them from worsening over time.
Benefits and Limitations of Allergy Shots for Dogs
Immunotherapy for dogs is a safe, long-term, and cost-effective environmental allergy treatment option with impressive long-term success rates when administered correctly. “On average, 60% to 70% of dogs see a notable improvement in clinical signs,” board-certified veterinary dermatologist Dr. Britt Levy explains.
Unlike other allergy treatment options for dogs, immunotherapy is the only one that treats the underlying cause rather than solely addressing the symptoms. This is particularly helpful given that environmental allergies in dogs normally worsen with age. Plus, changing climate patterns mean we’re also seeing a rise in the frequency and severity of common pollen and dust mite allergy symptoms.
However, don’t expect allergy shots to be a miracle cure for your dog’s itching. Atopic dermatitis is a lifelong condition. “Only about 20% of patients are able to be maintained solely on immunotherapy,” Dr. Levy says. “Most patients either need to continue on their regular symptomatic treatment or at least on a lower dose or lower frequency or intermittently for flare-ups.”
Also, immunotherapy comes with significant financial and time commitments. You need to work closely with veterinary professionals throughout the process, and it can take six months to a year to see significant results.
If you stick with it, your dog could be more comfortable long term. You can also make long-term savings by reducing your dog’s reliance on symptomatic treatments (anti-itch drugs Apoquel and Cytopoint aren’t cheap), and low-risk immunotherapy doesn’t come with the type of side effects steroids can.
When Do Vets Prescribe Allergy Shots for Dogs?
Dr. Levy explains that any dog with environmental allergies is a suitable candidate for immunotherapy. “I see patients who started on Apoquel or Cytopoint and were doing great, and then three years later, it’s not working anymore,” she says. “I also see patients who were on Apoquel, and then they develop cancer and can’t be on it anymore.”
She also sees owners of large breed dogs who have financial difficulties, and these drugs (which can cost $100 to $200 a month) are cost-prohibitive. “I can’t speak for every practice, but immunotherapy at my practice for a large dog is about $60 a month.”
If your dog isn’t currently being treated for environmental allergies, your veterinarian first needs to rule out other types of skin allergies (fleas, mites or food) and causes of skin diseases. Next, they’ll thoroughly review your dog’s history and clinical signs before making a diagnosis.
“It’s really important that you and your veterinarian have decided together to treat your pet’s environmental allergies with immunotherapy,” Dr. Levy says. She explains that the success of this time-intensive treatment largely depends on a strong partnership between you both. “If you have access to a veterinary dermatologist, that is often the best route to go,” she says. “However, if you can find a primary care veterinarian who [uses] immunotherapy, that could also be an option.”
Allergen Testing
If you decide to proceed with immunotherapy, your dog will need a specific intradermal (skin prick) or blood test.
“The reason you’re doing the test is not to find out what your dog is allergic to, but to know what to put in the allergy shots or drops,” Dr. Levy says. “Do not pay for this test unless you want to proceed with allergy immunotherapy.”
Your primary care veterinarian can draw blood, which they send to a validated lab for analysis. Skin prick testing under sedation should only be carried out by a veterinary dermatologist. Dr. Levy explains that there are withdrawal periods for some drugs when skin prick testing, including antihistamines, steroids, and other rarely used medications, meaning your dog will need to temporarily stop taking these medications, under your veterinarian’s guidance. “It’s a common misconception that you need to be off Apoquel, Cytopoint, or Cyclosporine, but there are studies to support that this is not the case,” she says.
Levels of antibodies in your dog’s blood vary significantly throughout the year. Dr. Levy recommends doing blood tests at the end of your dog’s bad allergy season to get the most helpful results.
How to Administer Allergy Shots for Dogs
Based on the results of the blood or skin prick test, a tailored serum formula is made containing small quantities of specific allergen extracts. Your veterinarian will show you how to safely administer immunotherapy to allow you to follow the protocol at home.
Administration is by injection or sublingual drops (placed under the tongue). The injections are easy to administer, given less frequently, and take effect faster. There are also more studies supporting their efficacy. However, Dr. Levy says drops may be preferable if you have a fear of needles or concerns about sticking yourself, live alone and have a squiggly dog, or travel a lot and can’t refrigerate the vial.
You’ll give your dog a gradually increasing loading dose shot every few days to few weeks. After around 12 weeks, a maintenance dose is typically administered every few weeks. Drops are usually given twice a day, every day.
When you require a new vial (usually every six months), you can collect this from the clinic or, in some cases, have it couriered to your home.
Side Effects of Allergy Shots
One of the benefits of allergy shots for dogs is that they’re very safe and well-tolerated. Dr. Levy explains that, unlike with human immunotherapy treatment, there isn’t a high risk of anaphylaxis.
“In a very small percentage of animals, we can see a minor histamine-mediated reaction,” she says. “Things like an increase in itching either very soon after the shot or one to two days later, or irritation or discomfort at the injection site.” Occasionally, there can be a more serious reaction, like nausea, vomiting or gastrointestinal upset.
“Depending on what the dog is experiencing, we would either go more slowly, reduce the dose or add an antihistamine,” Dr. Levy says.
However, if you do notice unusual signs, such as difficulty breathing, lethargy, pale gums, or weakness, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Long-Term Allergy Management
If your dog has success with immunotherapy, they may need allergy shots for the rest of their life to keep their atopic dermatitis under control.
“I tell people, don’t expect to see any improvement or any change for at least six to nine months,” Dr. Levy says. “When I start a patient on immunotherapy, I make it mandatory that I see them, or have a telemedicine call at three, six, nine, and 12 months.” If there is no success after 12 months, your veterinarian will likely recommend discontinuing the treatment.
Immunotherapy is a living treatment that grows with your dog. “When we make the formula, we make our best approximation,” Dr. Levy says. “But let’s say we notice that every year your dog keeps flaring in March, what are we missing?” Your veterinarian may adjust the formula or protocol to better address what is triggering these flare-ups.
During intermittent flare-ups, your veterinarian may recommend temporarily introducing or increasing symptomatic allergy treatments. This could include medicated baths, antihistamines, Cytopoint injections, or Apoquel. An emergency course of topical or oral steroids may be necessary for severe skin flare-ups.
“My goal as a doctor is to aim for 80% control, 80% of the time,” Dr. Levy says. “We’re not looking for perfection, but if we can have your dog having a good quality of life 80% of the time, with a plan and a toolkit to manage those flare-ups, that is success.”
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.