laurie h
Julie,
I just want to add that I do the same dose w/my 8 yr old yellow lab as you are doing. She has bad seasonal allergies for which I have found no real solution. My vet gave us the apoquel last summer with the prescribed dose of 16 mg twice/day. I am such a minimalist w/meds that after the first day I felt we could use less so began breaking the tablets in half and that evolved into the 8mg dose and stretching it out as long as possible. At times she doesn't get terribly itchy for a week but in the midst of summer I can stretch in only about 48 hours. I do this with trepidation but I also have to do something to keep her comfortable and functional. I also do every topical and dietary thing I can think of or find from others......she has eaten raw food since I got her @ 1 yr of age, gets coconut oil, raw coconut, krill oil, montmorilonite clay, takes transfer factor, along with topical oils, baths, etc....... The thing is, it's not just topical, it's systemic and nothing I have done has "fixed" her system. So, once the pollen flies here in the spring, the problems begin. As soon as there's a hard freeze in the fall, it ceases to be an issue. For the time being I have had to weigh the options and risks and without other solutions I have chosen to give a minimal dose of apoquel on a minimal basis and with everything else we do, hope for the best. It's a short period of time we dose her and it allows her to have a normal, active and fun life. Looking for a vet to do homeopathy for us has proven to be unsuccessful thusfar. So, for the time being I think we are all doing the best we can, with reservations.