My Dog Has the Itchy's

Hi there,
I have a Jack Russell that has really bad itchies at this time of year. My vet said to give him generic Benadryl... i get the WalMart brand (Equate). I give it to him as long as he's itching. Sometimes it will be every day for a week or so.
I hope this helps :)
D. Buck

I would take it to a different vet. My dog kept biting his feet constantly and a vet came to my house (I love mobile vets!) and he gave him a steroid shots and some little bitty allergy pills to take everyday for like a week and it went away. He has started biting again so I need to have him treated again. Good luck!

K.

Have you tried brewer's yeast tablets? You can get them at wal-mart. They're really good for skin. Since you have such a little guy I would invest in some really good dog food, science diet, some kind or top stuff, that is made for skin and coat. Dog food can make such a huge difference. My dogs, especially my two pugs, are very sensitive and it took us a few tries to get food that they tolerated. Now my dogs or my cats will not eat the cheaper stuff. Mommy to Corbin and five dogs that drive me nuts, 2 are chihuahuas.

Blessings O.,
I have a mini Pomerainian... and yoda has that ichy problem as well.. I buy fish oil pills at the health food store. I useually poke the gel pill and squeeze one on his food a day.. Yoda is dry skin, he has allergies also... but, this really helps him. And i know how ya feel all my kids r grown and my pets are my babies now...

My dogs have the same problem. And trying to give them Benadryl is a real pain because they don't like pills. I use Shaklee product Alfalfa Complex for my allergies....AND for the dogs. They just love it and think it is a snack. It keeps them from itching and the red eye problem. When they go outside, they are in close contact with grass and weed seed. Once it gets on their fur, they bring it in the house and then get a face full when they are cleaning themselves. I also bathe them in the Shaklee Get Clean Basic H2. It makes their fur soft. When the flies are awful, I mix some Basic H2 in some water and spray them down to repel the flies. Anyway, this works great for me. If you are interested, look at my website on the Member Perks or www.shaklee.net/missionhealth. Good luck with this problem.
I haven't had an allergy shot or taken allergy pills since I started taking Alfalfa. No more being groggy or thirsty from the pills. And the dogs don't get sleepy either!

So did mine---It was awful and my dogs are big. It got so bad they were pulling the hair out from around their tail. So--I my neighbor who also has animals and studied to be a DR> told me to get Chlortabs -Equate brand from Wal-Mart. they are approx $3.50 for 100 tabs and they work. I was giving Prednisone for dogs and it was costly. Give it a try.

God bless you and your family--May God protect your Son as he protects our Country so we may enjoy this abundant life in the USA.

Blessings--K.

It may be diet related. I hate to say it but your vet may recommend a food that is prescribed or one that you can get at the store but it will be more expensive. As for the rest, there are other medications besides benadryl but they are expensive as well. Ask your vet. Also, try to notice if it is seasonal and tell you vet that info as well.

We did switch her to a 'health' food for dogs, based on venison (deer) by Wellness which she loved and it really did help. It is more expensive, $50 for 25 lbs in our case, but it was worth it not to have to give her meds. Most allergies are caused by the wheat products in the food, look at the ingredients on the back of most store dog foods and you'll find lots of wheat, wheat-by-product, etc.

If he has chronic allergies, and switching foods doesn't help, you will have to give him meds daily, just like a person. If you can, I would take him to an allergy specialist just to be on the safe side. Good luck!

I worked for a vet for 7 years and we saw this quite often with flea related allegeries (not sure if that is what your pet is allergic to). The only thing my vet used to recommend is using BOTH advantage topical and once-a-month SENTINEL. It is costly but was effective when it was flea related and doses were not missed. If you have other pets they all need to be on SENTINEL to be effective and SENTINEL needs to be given on a full stomach. The goal being to rid any possible fleas by both killing them with the Advantage product and preventing further reinfestation with the SENTINEL. If it works for you it will probably take a month before you really see significant results. If your pet is allergic to fleas it only takes ONE to send him into a scratching frenzy, which may be why he's still scratching and you don't currently have an infestation.

On very rare occasions we saw dogs that were allergic to their bedding particulary bedding made of wool. Try another type of bedding if you have a wool blanket that pet sleeps on.

Good luck.

It could be the food he eats. We put our puppy on higher quailty food. The scratching and runny poop went away.

He can take a 5 mg. Benadryl tablet daily, or you can give it to him from a syringe. I have a boxer who itches all the time from allergies and this helps him. Your vet may need to give him a steroid shot to kick start the healing. You can bathe him in Dawn dish soap every other day. It rinses clean, and leaves no residue. There is also a topical spray that you can get at the vet. My kids are all grown, so my furbabies are my children now! I totally understand. Hope this helps you.
C.

Hello, I'm a mom of two little girls and two little cocker Spanials. I am also a registered vet tech and work with a international wellness company so I have have dealt a lot with this same type of situation. My 8 year old cocker has suffered from chronic allergies all of her life. She get's very itchy, red irritated skin and ears. In the past we had also used Benadryl and would see a small bit of relief and then it would come right back. A few things to consider...First, is it a food allergy? There are specific dog foods that can really help with food allergies but then it is VERY important that your dog does not get any table scrapes or the allergy food may not work. A small amount of the allergy food can set them off into extreme itching, secondly, make sure your pet does not have any fleas. Your dog should be on a monthly flea preventative such as sentinal. If it is found that he just has regular allergies due to everyday allergins then what has worked best for my dog was switching her to a great pet shampoo that does not have all the harsh chemicals in it and to a supplement called Provex-plus. I get both of these items from a wellness company and have seen my dog have more relief then she ever did with prescriptions from the vet. And I worked at the vet office. If you would like the details on how to get these products let me know and I would be happy to help you. This wellness company has been in business for 23 years and offers many of our everyday products but a safer, healthier version. For more details visit www.livetotalwellness.com/freedom I hope your little guy will find some relief soon!

M.

Have you tried Skin-eze? It can be ordered online. I hope this helps your dog, it has worked for other dogs with allergies and skin problems.

Dear O., I had a little Lhasa Apso for many years. He passed away last June of old age. He was always a scratcher and so on. The only thing that ever helped was Prednisone, which was prescribed by the Vet. He took one half of a tablet every other day. I put his portion of the tab in his dog food, or I wrapped a small piece of cheese around it and he would gobble it down. The tabs were inexpensive and I purchased them from the Vet's office every month or so. He also had some special shampoo that I bathed him in. It didn't take much. It was called Universal, and this was acquired through the Veternarian also. It was very helpful.
The shampoo did not dry his skin out; but, kept him clean and smelling nice.

Hope this has been a help. My pet was a part of my family, and I understand your predicament completely. Good luck and God bless.

Hi,
I hope this is helpful. I have a chihuahua/Corgie mix and she is my baby too (only she is bigger than your apple head.)
She has the classic chihuahua head but a wide body and short legs. Her name is Missy but I call her Missile because of her strange body. She was a runaway. I took in 5 years ago and she is the best dog I ever had. Once you deflea them and get the shots - they are YOURS. She used to get itchy too and had yeast problems in her ears but then I changed her diet and her shampoo. I started with Soothing Oatmeal Shampoo by Groomax for dogs. You can get that at Pet Smart. Then I started making her dog food. It is real easy to do and one batch will last a week. You can adjust the amount you make since you have a smaller dog. I cook 1 pound of ground meat then drain the fat away (turkey, chicken or beef). To this I add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 cup of cooked rice or barley and 1 cup of cooked peas and carrots (or stringbeans). Mix it well and sprinkle it with powdered garlic (dogs love garlic-it is good for them - you can chop up fresh garlic and cook it with the meat, but I never have any on hand). Referigerate. All I know is her general health improved and her yeast problems went away and have not returned. She also gets a bath once a month and the flea treatment that my vet recommended.

And YES I am her Mother. I say come to Mommy and she comes. She sleeps with me. I have four grown daughters and three grandkids who are jealous of the Miss.
Regards,
L.
PS I've been married three times now and most relationships are DIFFICULT! Just put one foot in front of the other and keep a smile on your face - some days you will run and some days you will stumble - but the trick is to keep moving.

God Bless you and your boys and I will pray that they come home safely to you whole and happy men. Keep praying for them I know that prayer works. They are doing a great job over there - it is working.

My dog has sensitive skin too. We use shampoo with cocoa-butter in it and feed her Purina Beneful. They have a formula to help the skin/coat.

Hi O., I had an apple head teacup chihuahua who lived to be 9 yrs old. She was my baby. She did the itching and sbeezing thing also. And it was allergies. You can give you baby benadryl every day. But don't used medicated shampoo on him. His skin is already irritated and the medicated shampoo will irritated his skin more. Use Johnson's baby shampoo. It is gentle abd wiil sooth his skin. Hope this helps you. I sure do miss my little baby.

Hello O., I just wanted to say that this site isn't just for mama's or just for people with small children at home. This site is for people, people with questions about anything as long as it is not vulgar or inappropriate talk. Your question about your puppy is perfectly lagitamet! That said, I too have a son in the military, he just got back from Iraq. God bless you and your son for what he is contributing to us all as a country! I think that the reason your puppy gets worse when he is off of the meds is because they don't stay in his system. I think only your vet can answer if it is safe to give it to him everyday, and the proper dosage. I have a yorkie that snores awful, and she coughs and chokes, Yorkies are known for that because they have very small trachias (sp) I'm sure that chihauhau's probably do too. I hope you find the answer you are looking for for your (Baby)! but please don't ever feel bad for posting an honest question , and you know that all the wonderful mama's, grandma's aunts,and even the occaisional man will be there to help answer them! Best of luck

Our dog has the same problem. Our dog weighs 50 lbs and we are allowed to give her 4 benadryl a day. AShe does so much better if we give it to her daily and not miss whne she is itchy.

We also got something from the vet called Genesis Topical Spray. It really does help her. We Just spray her once a week

Dear O.
Our dog has exactly the same problem as yours. We were told he was allergic to flea bites, even grass. The vet had him on cortisone (which I believe can shorten their lives) in order to give him some relief.
He was in such discomfort I was even contemplating putting him down to get him out of his constant misery but then someone suggested I use OMEGA 3 (It is important to only use Omega 3 and not Omega 6) daily. You can break the capsule open on a piece of bread. Our dog just swallows it. He takes one 1000 mg capsule every day - he is the size of a small poodle. You may have to play around with the dosage depending on the size of your dog.
When you wash him, use Selsun Blue.
This has saved my dog's life and sanity - Omega 3 !!!
He is a different dog, calm and happy at last.
I can really recommend this.

No need to apologize, most moms feel thier pups are their children too. I also have a chihuahua mix and she is very small also. She has food allergies for starters and can only eat Purina Beneful diets. Any thing else messes her tummy up something horrible. On the flea note, it only takes one flea if she has a flea allergy. I do not put flea treatment on her, but I do treat my yard and bath her in an oatmeal based shampoo for fleas and we do not have a problem. I use 7 dust in the yard and it works great for getting rid of those lil' suckers. I will treat one yard and take her into the other yard for a few days, then treat the other yard and switch with her. I hope your pup gets rid of it's itch soon.

First, as a mom who considers her dog another child, I would try to obtain a second veteranarian opinion.

Then, in the Sterling Ridge Shopping Center in the Woodlands is a pet supply store, etc. called "Natural Pawz" that specializes in organics for dogs (similar to a health food store for dogs and cats). They can give you some real good advice. Your pet could have a food allergy. I've heard that corn and some other grains (like most pet food fillers) are actually not good for dogs.

In the meantime, you might try an oatmeal bath with a product like Aveeno.

Good luck!!!!!! C.

Try his food....some dogs are allergic to corn and its by-products....causing the itching. There are food products out there without them...go to a pet supply store...a good one that knows what brands are best for your specific dog and try what they recommend. I have used a good feed store in a small town that knows their products...also a pet store that really helps you...not the major franchise pet stores. ALso you might ask the vet what food he recommends...but seems like you have tried that.

Hi,from one pet lover to another. Have you tried experimenting with foods? I have a cat with allergies,sneezing and occasional watery eyes, and some hair loss around the neck area, although she does not scratch excessively. I'm trying a food with no wheat, corn, or soy, and she is improving, and i'm still mixing it with the regular food to introduce it gradually. And the best is that she likes it... It's called life's abundance. They have dog food too. Look at their web site..either life's abundance health foods for pets.. Or healthy pet net. Good luck

You CAN give a dog benidryl but I would try switching him to a wheat, corn, soy, preservative and bi-product free diet first. Often the ingredients in pet food can cause allergic reactions. One of the most common being itchy skin. Canidae is an excellent dog food. Be sure to read the reviews. They say it all :) http://www.amazon.com/Canidae-Maintenance-Formula-Life-St...
Petco and pet smart are also starting to sell organic and high quality foods with none of the above mentioned ingredients.
Give that a shot. I bet he'll clear up and feel better overall :)
Best of wishes!
M.

My dog has allergies, too, and my vet put him on a dog food for sensitive skin. There are several to choose from (Hills Science Diet, Eukanuba, Purina, etc.). It's more expensive than regular dog food, but it's much cheaper than bringing him to the vet all the time! It has helped tremendously! My dog used to get ear infections constantly, and his skin was always red and itchy, but now he's doing great!!!

My chihuahua/dashund has the same thing every summer. It is allergies. The vet called his itchy spots "hot spots" and we put a topical mixture of benadryl cream and bacatracine (SP?) Stops the itch and heals the skin.
The vet could probably give him a steriod shot to stop the allergies (just like in humans)followed by some pills to take home. I want to say (although I can not remember for sure) that we got the pills at one time and not the shot. But it wouldn't hurt to ask your vet about that. Hope this helps. ~M.

Hello O.,
I have an English bulldog who, prior to moving to the US from Argentina didn't have ANY allergies. As soon as we got to Texas, he started getting itchy, and constantly had bacteria in his wrinkles. A large part of it was food allergies. I recommend switching to Natural Balance, they make great dog food for dogs with allergies. My dog's allergies subsided substantially when we started to give him natural balance.
Also, a benadryl a day won't hurt your dog, it will make him sleep all day, but it won't hurt him.
One last suggestion, they sell hydrogen peroxide wipes at Target, and if you notice the webbing between your dog's toes are reddish with bacteria, wipe them off.
Good luck and hopefully you can make him more comfortable!

Yes you can give benadryl everyday and year round.you can also try a different antihistamine like tavist. If it get really bad and you can stant it ask yuor vet about getting on some steriod to help. Make sure you keep flea meds on him even though you dont have fleas that would help. If you want a shampoo use a Aloe and Oatmeal one preferablly one from the vet.

let-me-apologize-in-advance-my-keyboard-is-going-wacky-and-the-spacebar-is-not-working.I-also-have-a-chihuahua-and-if-I-feed-her-anything-other-than-science-diet-or-pedgree-she-also-gets--the-itchy.My-vet-say-this-is-common-in-little-dogs-to-have-allergies-to-their-food.So-I-would-try-and-change-her-food-and-see-if-that-works.My-MIL-also-changed-her-dogs-food-and-they-no-longer-have-the-itchys.HTH.

My mother has a dog with allergies...so I know a little about it. You need to find a vet that 'treats' allergies. I know that my mother keeps her dogs "in-check" with a special diet and he gets allergy shots (steroid, I think) when his allergies are acting up. She gives him Benedryl sometimes. Her vet works with her to traet him.

You have my sympaties, O.! I had a cat once who literally scratched himself furless. The vet gave him a food that had no allergens in it and he got better, but it was expensive. I tried the so-called non-allegenic foods from the grocery and pet stores, but they didn't work, he'dgo right back to scratching.

Then I decided to try the cat litter that's made of grains of wheat, completely biodegradable, because I was tired of the clay-based litter; I have several cats and I use a lot of litter! Ricky loved it. He jumper right in and started muching it up - not at all what I wanted to see.

But guess what - he started scratching again almost right away. Wheat was his problem. It's in almost every cat food, but there are a few that don't have it and he does fine now.

Now, Ricky didn't have a runny nose like your little pal , but maybe it's something in the food. I'll bet the vet has non-allergenic dog food you could try.

have you tried a hot spot spray? or adding a tablespon of olive oil to her food.

My best friend also has an indoor dog.. Her dog also has allergies, and she brings her to the vet for an allergy shot.. I don't know how often, but you might want to check with your vet about allergy shots... Good luck!!

Your dog could have a food allergy. You might want to take him to a specialist Vet. If you live around 249, there is one on the south side of the freeway, just south of Cypresswood - the sign says Emergency Vet, but there are others in the building with specific hours, so you'll need to call ahead for an appointment.
They will put him on a special dog food and tell you to eliminate all other food to see if that helps. Start cutting out any side food or treats too.
Hope this helps. Our dog had food allergies making him scratch and we finally deduced that it was dairy products.

see dr. tracy tommack. she's in san antonio www.travelingtails.net

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change hisfood to all natural foods, amazing results