Seasonal allergies / itchy scratchy

[SweetZoesmom]

I can tell it's spring here in Fort Worth, TX because my baby Zoe is itching and scratching. Where her fur is white, you can see how pink her skin is and she is scratching so hard she is leaving marks on herself. We have been giving her Benadryl but I'm not sure if there is something else I can give her. She does okay with the Benadryl but once it wears off she's back to being miserable. I guess I'm just looking for some thoughts or ideas on what else we can try.

 

[Net45582]

The next step for meds relief would be a steroid shot which should be done only in extreme needs. The hard part is going to be finding what is causing the allergic reaction and keep your dog out of it. Good luck....its not easy.

 

[SweetZoesmom]

Thank you for the info..it helped. We had to take her to the vet today and he diagnosed her with allergies. He gave us some Dermapet shampoo and she did get a cortizone shot which has helped her immensely already. Some of her spots were getting a little oozy/infected so he put her on Clavamox. She already feels a lot better which makes Mom feel better!

 

[peytonmonte]

hope she's doing better! i'll say that i've had the same experience with my Peyton. Benadryl pills twice a day..and Benadryl spray on her paws have helped a great deal. Cortisone shots have been necessary on a couple of occassions, but that was in extreme cases.
I'll also say that we've changed her diet to "chicken-free" which has helped soooo much. I'd recommend trying that maybe.
Hope all is well for Zoe, how cute is she?

 

[Burton'sMa]

I was glad to find this post....sorry for your fur babies allergies......but my boy has the same problem.....it seems to be much worse this year.....of course, being in the south...it seems only degrees of how bad the allergies will be.....I give my boy Benedryl several times a day......his chin and paws are so red....he has been itching his ears something awful.....some hair loss, but no oozing skin....I tried the drs. foster and smith allergy stuff with no luck......

peytonmonte-
and Benadryl spray on her paws have helped a great deal.
Does she ever lick it off? Is it okay if they still lick some?

SweetZoesMom:
Is the Clavamox a steroid? Does it work better than the Benedryl?

I want to find something that will work for my boy......How long does the Cortizone shot last?

Thanks for this post.....my boy and I needed it

 

[Georgieman]

I too am grateful for finding your thread. Jack is so scratchy he looks all patchy and his eyes swell up, we have cut out gravy bones and changed to Lamb & Rice James Wellbeloved instead of Turkey and Rice and are giving him benydrl but he looks propper scraggy. He will have to go back to the vets because he is making himself raw.

 

[Gronar]

Same thing with Toots, but Cuddles isn't affected at all. I think it's from the grass in the back yard, she's always out there rolling around in it. Poor girl is miserable, been doing the benadryl with her.

 

[HeatherLynnG]

I hear ya! Titan is going to the doctors this Friday for 1) a cut that won't heal because she won't stop itching and 2) her terrible allergies! I too use Benydryl and it's just not enough. I'll be switching thier food from Royal Canin Sensible Choice to either Fromms or Natural Balance with another main ingredient. I also wash her paws regularly to try and keep the allergins out of there but she still chews them. I just feel so bad for her and want to fix it...

One thing that did help was using Drs. Foster & Smith Oatmeal Shampoo. It helped her dry skin, but I am still looking for a good conditioner to use to really keep away any dryness....

Best of luck everyone...

 

[x19er]

I want to find something that will work for my boy......How long does the Cortizone shot last?

Dino had one steroid injection so far - the vet said he would expect it to last for 2 weeks but so far it has been about 4 and he is not back scratching as much yet. We are currently awaiting results of his allergy testing to get to the bottom of his problem.

 

[Burton'sMa]

Thanks X19er.....I took my boy in for the Cortizone shot....I also ordered the generic form of Tavist through Walmart.....my vet suggested that may work better on his allergies than Benedryl....I did a google search and found the same info. my vet said about it......but it was difficult to find Tavist.....the pharmacy said they changed the formula to mimic Clartin D....and I know our babies cannot have and D (decongestant).....so, Walmart said they would order the generic form and it would be the same as the original plain Tavist......it appears to be helping....the order only took one day to get in.........now, I only give him a pill once every eight hours instead of 3 benedryl pills every six hours.......so, it's worth looking into for anyone intersted.......