2yr old dog, she suffered a bit last summer, but not as bad as this year. Neither Benedryl or Hydroxyzine (from vet) is working. Tried some holistic therapies as well (Azmira allergy pill, omega-3 oil, raw food diet, yucca powder) with little help.
My dog is suffering bad seasonal allergies. Any suggestions to help her allergies %26amp; itching?
try doing some reading at my favorite homeopathic remedy website for doggie skin conditions, it is below. Good Luck!
Reply:My dog is put on Medrol-its a steroid-works great for him. He itches so bad this time of year he breaks the skin open. He showed no signs at a year old and after that he gets it every year. Bathing in oatmeal shampoo helps a little and is gentle so if you have to bathe it doesn't irritate it more. Otherwise I haven't found any other "cure". My dog also suffers from food allergies-many times the 2 are hand in hand. Maybe putting her on a quality lamb and rice diet will help too...
Reply:My dog had the same problems and after many mis-diagnosis and steroids (which if used over many years can actually harm your dog by leading to other things such as diabetes) we ended up at a doggie allergist. She was tested like a human would be and they found out exactly what she was allergic to. Then we got medicine to treat her and she hasn't itched since. I'll warn you its a VERY EXPENSIVE (from $500-$1000) process, but if you think about it, in the long run she will be happier and you won't be going to the vet all the time. Apparently this is pretty common because my friend that has a chocolate lab is taking her dog to one too to be treated. Also when they test her, they shave a big patch on her belly to test for everything and just be prepared that it looks really bad, but it eventually grows back. Best of luck!
Reply:The vet can give her an allergy shot that will work for a while. They work the best.
Reply:The vet shoulf probaly have some sort of medicine for it
Reply:understand why some pets with allergies scratch at worse times than others. Scratching is the result of a cumulative effect of many factors.
Pruritis (itching) can be due to a number of factors such as allergies, secondary infections, and dry skin. Imagine there is a way to measure the ability of a condition to cause itching in theoretical "itch units." "Let us also imagine that there is a "scratch threshold." If the number of "itch units" exceeds that threshold, the animal will start scratching.
Example 1.
In Example 1, the dog has a scratch threshold of 40. His allergy to fleas contributes 45 itch units. Thus, that allergy alone would cause him to itch. Unless his allergy is treated effectively, he will continue to scratch.
Example 2.
In Example 2, the cat's scratch threshold is 60. This cat has a mild allergy to fleas, which contributes 45 itch units. This is below the threshold, so the flea allergy alone, will not make him itch. A secondary bacterial infection would result in 25 itch units, which is also below the threshold. However, if the cat has fleas and then develops a secondary skin infection, the cat will start to scratch. If we remove the fleas or treat the secondary infection, the itch units will return to a level below the threshold, and the cat will no longer scratch.
Example 3.
In Example 3, a cat has a scratch threshold of 50. This cat also has a mild allergy to fleas, at 35 itch units. This cat is also allergic to mold, which would contribute 25 units. A dry skin condition in this cat would contribute 20 units. None of the conditions alone, will cause the cat to scratch. However, if the cat is exposed to fleas and mold, she will start to scratch. She will also start to scratch if she develops dry skin and has fleas. She will not scratch if she develops dry skin and is only exposed to mold.
In summary, primary causes of pruritis may include atopy, flea allergies, food allergies, or even mites. There are secondary factors such as stress, dry skin, pyoderma (bacterial infection), or yeast infection which can increase the pruritis. For any animal that is scratching, multiple diagnostic tests are often necessary to determine all the factors contributing to the pruritis.
What is allergic contact dermatitis?
Allergic contact dermatitis is a rare disease, which occurs when an animal's skin overreacts to certain small molecules in the environment. Substances, which can cause allergic contact dermatitis include certain antibiotics applied to the skin; metals such as nickel; materials such as rubber or wool; and chemicals such as dyes and carpet deodorizers.
What is irritant contact dermatitis?
Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when the skin is exposed to severely irritating chemicals such as the sap in poison ivy and salt on the road.
How do these two diseases differ?
Allergic contact dermatitis only affects those animals with a hypersensitivity to the molecule. Irritant contact dermatitis would affect every dog that is exposed to the irritant.
Allergic dermatitis requires multiple exposures to the molecule before it develops. It rarely occurs in animals less than two years old. Irritant contact dermatitis often occurs in inquisitive young animals who get into things they should not.
What are the symptoms of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis?
Lesions generally occur on the areas of skin that are sparsely haired and directly exposed to the offending molecules. This often means the back of the paws, abdomen, muzzle, and lips. The affected areas are very red, have small bumps or vesicles (blister-like lesions), and itch. In irritant contact dermatitis ulcers may appear.
How are allergic and irritant contact dermatitis diagnosed?
The history and physical exam can often indicate what is going on. To isolate the allergen (molecule that caused the dermatitis), exclusion trials are often performed. In these trials, the animal is restricted to an uncarpeted room and kept off the grass, for instance. If the animal's condition improves, potential allergens are slowly introduced one by one.
A 'patch' test can also be performed. In this test, a small amount of the allergen is rubbed on the skin, or a gauze pad containing the suspected allergen is bandaged on the pet's skin. The skin is monitored for 2-5 days for a reaction.
How are pets with allergic or irritant contact dermatitis managed?
The key to managing this condition is removing or restricting exposure to the allergen or contact irritant in the pet's environment. If that is not possible, then fatty acids, antihistamines, biotin, and topical shampoos can be used to control the itching.
As a rule, for any pet suspected of having an allergy problem that could include an allergic contact component, we recommend:
Glass or stainless steel food and water bowls, cleaned and rinsed well daily
Hypoallergenic detergents for the pet's bedding
Routine hypoallergenic shampoos for the pet to remove any allergens
Restricting walking to sidewalks or paved surfaces - avoid grass
http://www.peteducation.com/category_sum...
Reply:GO TO A VET
Reply:The oil pills will help with her coat so definitely keep doing that. The vet can give her a cortizone shot that will last about 6 weeks and get rid of all her red bumps and scabs and irritations. My pit is the absolut worst. I have to get shots from the spring until the winter. Also you can have the vet test her for her allergies. It's a little expensive and not a guarantee. Good Luck
Reply:Steroids are not good for people or pets, so staying away from them is best.
Ask your veterinarian about a product called Atopica
http://www.atopica.com/
It is pricey but one of the best out there.
Also looks into veterinarian prescription Dog food diets. All of the lines have Hypo allergic formulas
Reply:Sounds like your dog isn't reacting with the normal procedure. Usually vets will try to use steroids as well, this is not a long term solution, so the next step if you are willing is to do allergy testing to find out what she is allergic to and then buy the allergens and inject her everyday with what she's allergic to in order to make her not so sensitive to those things.
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