Allergen-specific immunotherapy treats the underlying cause of canine atopy rather than just managing symptoms, potentially reducing long-term welfare costs.
Atopic dermatitis causes chronic itch that is profoundly distressing. Immunotherapy addresses the underlying immune dysregulation rather than just suppressing itch signals, potentially providing longer-term welfare improvement than symptomatic treatment alone. For dogs that respond, immunotherapy can reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong medication while maintaining itch control - a welfare improvement through reduced medication burden as well as better symptom control.