BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Dogs Allergies--Itching

Is anyone else out there having problems with allergies this fall? My groomer tells me this has been the worst fall ever for hay fever and itching, and I can believe her. My poor cockapoo Callie is about to drive us nuts with her itching, itching, itching. It is definitely not fleas, and the groomer gave her a medicated bath. We've been giving her Benadryl as often as we can and that helps some but she is still itching, itching, itching. <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Yes. Our Shepherd has been having issues. We added garlic and brewer's yeast to his food and that's helped tremendously. He still gets a dose or two of Benadryl, but not anywhere near as often.

My lab had horrid itching problems caused by what we later found out were allergies. We took her off the cheap processed food and switched her to a homemade diet once a day and used a really expensive food, formulated for seasonal allergies, for a second feeding. We also bathed her in cool water using a compress of plain rolled oats in cheesecloth daily to help with the itchies. Within 2 weeks her fur was growing back (she was 80% bald from the hips down) and hasn't had a problem nearly as bad since.

Meg

I agree food is a big help for preventing allergies. My rottweiller had bad ear infections all the time until we changed to a more healthy food.

He also got the itches last year about Aug-Sept and the vet said to give him Benadryl, which we did and it really helped. This year, since changing the food tho, he didn't seem to have the seasonal itch so badly.

Thanks for all your tips! Two of my former dogs were very allergic to anything that had soy in it and I'm suspecting that Buster and Callie are the same. I admit I had "let down my guard" when it came to their treats about the soy, but no more. I've also been told that green beans will help. Anybody out there tried that?

Dye - especially Red Dye - was our major bugaboo. Other than that, it didn't seem to matter what food we fed our dog. He still itched.

Like I said, the Garlic and Brewer's Yeast tablets were what helped us the most. It also helps keep away insects.

I give all my animals brewers yeast pills to prevent fleas. It's always worked and we've never had any. Most of my 3 dogs and 3 cats will just eat them like a treat-plus they are inexpensive!

Mine aren't itching from fleas - it's hay fever itching that has them going. Hopefully another two or three weeks and the season will be over. Again, thanks for all the tips.

some allergies in pets can only be treated with special injections called artuvetrin but this is very expensive. the vaccine is made by taking an allergy test on the dog by a veterinary skin specialist. however it works. other causes of itching can be mild or serious so its best to be on the safe side and ask a vet or an expert on dogs what it may be. some skin diseases such as mange will cause a dog or cat to itch like crazy? there is a preparation to cure this disease and its called -gamma benzene hexachloride, it is known in pharmacies as kwellada lotion. this lotion kills mites and eggs, one good application usually does the trick, all bedding must be renewed and old burnt or disposed of. disinfecting of the bed area is also advised, i have treated many greyhounds with this disease, the disease can also cause the dogs or cats to lose their hair.