Redness and itchiness around mouth and eye

My dogs snout is red and she is constantly itching or rubbing her face on something. Also above her eyes she itches and they get scabbed. She gets this a lot and when I go to the vet they give me apoquel which makes it go away but it does come back after the pills are gone. I’d assume it’s allergies? Her eyes were excreting a gooey substance but that has went away. I have switched her food twice this year from a chicken type to a salmon type but no improvements. Is there some sort of test I can order to see what she’s allergic to? Or maybe allergies isn’t the cause… love to hear some advice! Thanks

Hello - thank you for this interesting question.  There are other causes of itching in dogs that might look like this, but it sounds as though your vet knows your full history, has examined your dog and worked up the case- and that the signs go away with the tablets, so I'm going to assume an allergy to answer this question.  The main thing to remember about allergies is that they are chronic illnesses, as opposed to acute ones.  This doesn't mean good vs bad or bad vs good;  rather, acute illnesses strike suddenly and then are over, for example a lung infection or an injury.  Chronic diseases are the ones that once you have them, you have them (eg  "type 1" diabetes).  In reality, there is no neat dividing line between the two;  allergies can start acutely.  But once a dog has an allergy, she has one; treatment isn't to make it go away but rather, to control the symptoms.

It follows then, that if an allergy is chronic, treatment and assessment may need to be ongoing - not just until the immediate symptoms improve, but after they have done, in order to prevent going back to square one.  The dose of Apoquel might be halved and continued, for example.  This is something that you may need to speak to your vet about as I do not know their plan.  After a few days at a full dose, the dose of Apoquel might be halved and continued, for example.

Because the range of agents to which a dog is allergic tend to broaden, allergy tests may be less useful than was once thought.  Again this is something to chat to your vet about or, if thry think it appropriate, they could refer you to a vet who specialises in dermatology.