Bichon Frises Are Allergy Magnets
Turns out Bichon Frises are prone to really bad allergies. Environmental allergies, food allergies, contact allergies.
Snowball's vet said their fluffy coats trap allergens and their sensitive skin reacts to everything.
Environmental Allergies Showed Up First
Snowball's skin problems started in spring. Pollen, grass, dust mites. Everything made him itchy.
Allergy testing cost $450. They tested for 72 different environmental allergens.
Snowball was allergic to basically everything. Trees, grasses, weeds, dust mites, mold.
The dermatologist recommended allergy shots. Immunotherapy to desensitize him gradually.
Custom allergy serum cost $380 initially, then $120 every three months for refills.
Allergy shots twice weekly for six months, then monthly maintenance shots.
Each injection visit cost $45. That's $360 per month during the initial phase.
It took eight months to see improvement. Snowball's scratching decreased but didn't stop completely.
Now he needs shots every three weeks for life. Plus antihistamines during allergy season.
Monthly allergy medication costs $85. Apoquel to control itching, plus supplements for skin health.
Food Allergies Made Everything Worse
Six months into allergy treatment, Snowball's skin problems got worse again.
The dermatologist suspected food allergies on top of environmental allergies. Lucky me.
Food allergy testing cost another $280. Snowball was allergic to chicken, beef, wheat, and corn.
Prescription hypoallergenic food cost $95 for a bag that lasts two weeks.
Snowball hated the prescription food. He'd rather starve than eat it.
We tried different brands, different proteins. Duck, fish, rabbit. $95 per bag, every two weeks.
Limited ingredient treats cost $35 per bag. Regular dog treats would trigger flare-ups.
Even with diet changes, Snowball still had skin problems. Apparently he's allergic to multiple things.
Ear Infections From Allergies
Snowball's ears were always gross. Brown discharge, terrible smell, constant scratching at his ears.
Allergies make ear infections worse. His ears were inflamed from scratching.
Each ear infection required a vet visit, ear cleaning, and prescription drops. $150 per episode.
Snowball was getting ear infections every few weeks. $150 every time.
The vet said Bichon Frises have hair that grows inside their ears. It traps moisture and bacteria.
Professional ear plucking every six weeks. $65 per session to remove ear hair.
Plus daily ear cleaning at home. $25 for special ear cleanser.
Even with all this maintenance, Snowball still gets ear infections. Just less frequently.
Some months we're at the vet twice for ear problems. It's exhausting and expensive.
What Bichon Frise Insurance Needs to Cover
Snowball's allergy problems taught me that Bichon Frise insurance needs to cover chronic conditions and ongoing treatment.
Dermatology Coverage is Essential
Allergy treatment is expensive and never-ending. Snowball's initial workup cost $730.
Then there's ongoing immunotherapy, prescription medications, special foods.
We spend about $3,000 per year on Snowball's allergy management.
Many insurance policies have low limits on dermatology or exclude allergies entirely.
But allergies are super common in Bichon Frises. It's a breed predisposition.
Find a policy that covers dermatology with high annual limits. Allergy treatment is ongoing.
Snowball's insurance covers 80% of his allergy expenses. Without it, we couldn't afford his care.
Prescription Diet Coverage
Prescription hypoallergenic food costs $2,400 per year. It's not optional for dogs with food allergies.
Many policies don't cover prescription diets. They consider it maintenance, not treatment.
But for Snowball, special food is medical treatment. Regular food triggers skin problems.
Look for policies that cover prescription diets when medically necessary.
Some policies cover a percentage of prescription food costs. Better than nothing.
Ongoing Maintenance Treatment
Allergy shots, ear cleanings, maintenance medications. These aren't one-time treatments.
Snowball needs monthly allergy shots, regular ear maintenance, daily medications.
Some policies only cover acute treatments, not ongoing maintenance.
But with allergies, maintenance is essential to prevent flare-ups.
Make sure your policy covers ongoing treatment for chronic conditions.