Will Falconer, DVM Moderator
I don't think it's as simple a choice as either 1. Live with the horrible itch or 2. shorten life (and cause more serious disease) with Apoquel.
It pays to look deeper and seek out a qualified homeopathic vet if your animal is already in the throes of allergic disease (the #1 reason dogs see vets, for the past couple decades).
Homeopathy, in the hands of a serious practitioner who uses little else, can cure the allergic state. Then, you're not only not doing the harm that the Apoquel causes but you're also not left playing Whack A Mole, trying to find non-allergic foods and avoiding the environment.
I explain how to sort out the qualified homeopathic vets on this video: https://youtu.be/XyEklB8W6M0