1 year old boxer with allergies

[njaume]

Hello There! We are new to boxer world but have a question regarding allergies. We just relocated from AZ to NJ with our boxer DIESEL, who was just a few weeks shy of 1 at the time we moved. When we were in AZ he had no allergies to speak of (other than to chicken.) However, when we moved to NJ within 1 wk he developed "bites" on/ around his neck/ face. We attributed this to rough play with my aunts golden. After a few days it began to get worse- bleeding and scabbing and hair loss in those areas. Finally, about 7 days after the initial occurrence his body broke out in hives.

We brought him to a new vet (which I was very unhappy with) who told us nothing, gave him a steroid injection, temaril-p, and cephalexin for 14 days. We used the temaril 2x's/ day for 4 days .... 1x/day for 4 days .... then every other day for 4 days but by the time we got to every other day the hives and hair loss on the face were returning. Now- I know that prolonged use of Temaril-P can cause organ damage, specifically liver damage and requires periodic blood work to make sure all systems are still functioning properly. MY NEW VET DID NOT TELL ME THIS THOUGH, MY PREVIOUS VET (WHERE I ACTUALLY WORKED) INFORMED ME OF THIS WHEN I BEGAN TO GET REALLY WORRIED.

We are now giving Diesel some skin and coat vitamins to see if those have any effect. I am very reluctant to continue giving him temaril and antibiotics, especially if this is going to be a chronic problem.

Basically, we wanted to see if anyone has experienced similar issues with their boxer &/or if anyone has any homeopathic remedies for environmental skin allergies! (We are 99% positive its environmental considering that the environment is the only thing that has changed since moving from AZ.)

Thanks for listening =)

-Nic, Justin and Diesel

 

[Furface]

perhaps try giving him an antihistomene /hayfever (i can never spell that) tablet and see how it acts. Devon is allegic to everything (or so it seems some days) and is her allegies to the most extent are controlled by these (one tablet twice a day at her worst), they can make them drousy apparently (not that we have noticed with her).

Good luck

 

[Cami]

Sounds like you have more than one thing going on here.
The neck issues could very well have been from playing with the other dog. Could have become infected and the symptoms progressed. Might also be from something else entirely.
Concerning the hives....just my opinion but it would be unlikely the two are related. Hives are typically a much more immediate response to an allergen/irritation. Not something that would happen 7 days after the exposure.
How did you determine that he is allergic to chicken?
Prolonged use of most medications come with the risk of various health issues. Either the kidneys or the liver have to deal with the "waste" of the medications. Continued use of "whatever" has the potential to create problems. Things as simple as ibuprofen we might take for various human issues can have serious side effects (to some people).
I don't think the new vet was necessarily being reckless in not addressing this with you assuming it would take care of the issue and it was more than likely being prescribed short term. What I do think is reckless is throwing a bunch of meds at a problem without having a definitive diagnosis. The medications prescribed were to combat the symptoms not the underlying cause.

Regarding the skin and coat vitamins you are now giving. To be honest I doubt you will see much if any improvement while he is in the condition he is in. Those things are more to keep a nice shiny coat staying that way on a healthy animal. Sort of along the lines of helping them to be the best they can be (if that makes sense). Not so much for correcting a condition that seems to have been brought on by something still undetermined.

I think you need to break this all down a bit. Could he have been exposed to anything while playing with the Golden? Was it in your yard/home or a different location? Can you be certain there were no chemicals in the area where they were playing (yard, carpet, floor cleaners, etc...). Had the Golden been treated recently with a flea and tick preventative that might be different from what you use?

Environmental allergies can't specifically be "treated" minus trying to desensitize them with allergy shots BUT you can treat the symptoms.
You can limit their exposure once you know what the culprits are thus trying to reduce the symptoms that come with them.

My previous Boxer had severe allergies. We dealt with it by pinpointing what she was allergic to. Also had her tested however I didn't put too much stock in the results. It showed she was allergic to things that she had never been exposed to for starters. We did all the things and then some that you should do to help alleviate exposure. It took maybe two years to get everything under control enough that she could live in peace! It isn't an easy task and it won't happen overnight but if you really break everything down the answers are there. You just have to be ready to see them.

 

[njaume]

To Cami

We determined he was allergic to chicken by doing and elimination diet - he is now on TASTE OF THE WILD PACIFIC STREAM (Salmon only/ grain free.)

I do think he was exposed to something be it either the grass itself or something the grass was treated with! Diesel was usually only around cactus and sand in AZ so bushes, grass, and weeds are new for him.

I havent noticed any difference in the "allergies" from when he is around the golden or not around him so I dont think thats the problem, but who knows!

Whatever it is doesn't really bother him - his personality, appetite, energy etc.... have all remained the same. It itches very little and only sometimes! Its more scary for me because of the hair loss and being able to see the hives (but even those dont itch him!!)

I just dont want to load him up with meds if the problem really isnt causing him any discomfort.

Perhaps I should eliminate some other things from his environment and go from there. Either way, I think I am going to go to a new vet and get some additional info!

Thanks for your response !

 

[Cami]

Hives don't always itch but....they are uncomfortable!
Having had them myself I can say without a doubt that you can feel that something is going on. I was never itchy so much either but my skin would feel very tight. It was almost as if it were being stretched in order to swell up from the hives.
I'd say if he has hives again to dose with Benadryl ASAP to not only help alleviate them but to help with the reaction not getting worse. **With a vets guidance of course!

 

[hkallen]

In the same boat

My 8 month old boxer started having the same issues as soon as the snow melted away. We live in Mass. Hives all over his head/ neck and down to his armpits. Our vet told us it was common in boxers to be allergic to pollen. He was given a cortisone shot. This made everything go away immediately for 3 weeks. Then signs of the hives would start coming back, so he needs them every 3-4 weeks. We also tried a prescription pill given twice daily, but found the results not to be as good as with the cortisone.
I am crossing my fingers that this may go away as he gets older.
I have heard other people with similar boxer allergy issues give their dogs baby allergy medicines and swear they work. I would def. talk to your vet prior to this method as for safety concerns.

 

[perrymcg]

Our 4 year old boxer Zeus had allergies around his neck when we lived in a different city and how we "controlled them" was by using Apple Cider Vinegar. We mixed it with water, roughly a 5 or 6 parts water to 1 part ACV in a spray bottle and sprayed the area that was broke out. His neck would break out and become extremely itchy, when we took him to the vet they put him on prednisone immediately. So of course we tried to find something else to help, because we did not want to keep giving him drugs. So we talked to another vet that has a boxer and she told us about the ACV trick. It may not work, but it is worth a try. I have recommended it to other dog owners and it has worked.. It manly keeps the itchiness away which allows the neck to clear up somewhat. It doesn't make the allergy go away but it certainly helped Zeus deal with it A LOT.

hope it helps..