ITCHY... ITCHY... ITCHY...
Henley is almost 11 and from the time he was rescued (around age 4 months???) he had terrible skin. Over the years we do the best we can to help him along from May to September (when it seems the worst!) This year... he has had his oatmeal baths... taken medication and yet... he's still itchy.(not real bad... but itchy) Steroids are not in the equation. 3 Vets said NO! HELLLLLLLLLLLP!!!!!! I just feel so bad for him. |
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| Is benadryl possible?
Cool water baths help Ben. Also, wrap a cloth around an ice pack and hold it on the worst itchy area for 5 minutes. Be sure to wrap it so he doesn't get freezer burns. |
| I agree with using steroids as only a last resort. Do you know what allergen or allergens are causing the problem so he might avoid them?
Ask your vet for a list of antihistamines and dosages that you can try. Keep notes to see which one works best... some will work on some dogs and some won't. I've read that antihistamines help only 30-40% of dogs. Ask your vet about adding a fatty acid supplement if you haven't already. We use 3V Caps but there are other supplements out there. I've read that Biotin may also help in combination with fatty acids. Frequent baths help sooth the itch... every 3-5 days. Make sure it's not yeast causing the problem. You'll usually see a reddish-brown staining. You've been through this for several years so you know how frustrating it is. We're approaching the 4th season. I'm wondering if Darby's might be caused by a pollen (nettle? ragweed?) because it usually starts mid-August and runs through the first killing frost around November... IF we're lucky. We've again added Canine Dermal Support- our holistic vet (retired) recommended it last year along with Missing Link Detox Formula. http://www.standardprocess.com/display/ ... spi?ID=338 She had her best year last year so we're hoping it might make a difference this year too. We also give allergy shots. If you find things that seem to work, please, please share them! |
i feel you pain duffy is itching in bed as we speak.. trying everything and nothing is working poor guy is only 6 months old ..  |
| I agree with what Jaci has said.
Your vet should also be able to do a blood work up to see what he's allergic too but it might be food related - my vet's dog is allergic to beef. Has your vet suggested some foods for you to try. If you find the right one in combination with the fatty acid supplement, that might be an easy solution. |
| If anyone thinks their dog might be a seasonal allergy, you can see what pollens are affecting your area by visiting http://www.Pollen.com . The three pollens that were bad last year when Darby was bad were Nettle, Ragweed and Chenopods. I've been tracking the pollens since July 21st to see if I can match up symptoms and when these pollens appear...
Nettle first appeared again on July 30th Ragweed on August 8th Chenopods August 9th (according to the email they sent) So I guess the allergy season for Darby has officially started.  Yesterday was the first day she started licking the top of her feet... her back foot was wet from it. I dropped off a list to the vet this morning to see if there is any way we can test for these three specific things. I may be way off base but it's the only thing I can think to try  I already give her 2 shots a month (one for molds and one for dust mites) so maybe it could be added to one of the serums IF it's the cause. If nothing else I guess it will specifically eliminate them... sigh. |
| Oooo...
I've read My "Name is Henley" Sorry, off topic, but I recognize the name.  |
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