Allergu Season

[Charlies Mamma]

Well its that time of year again here in MO and poor Charlie is suffering. we are using the childrens allergy med as directed by our vet (we do this every yr) but I am looking for something topically to apply for nite time, seems that he is especially itchy at nite (no new detergents or anything this is a yearly event) there are allot of products that can be purchased over the counter for dogs but does anyone have a favorite? I have used one made by Hartz but it made his coat kind of greasy neither of us liked that LOL

thanks for the help

[brezofleur]

Have you tried coconut oil?

[Charlies Mamma]

Originally Posted by brezofleur

Have you tried coconut oil?

No I havent, does it make the coat greasy being an oil?

[kimp5]

my jess hs been sneezing and she pooped yellowish today which I imagine is all the pollen. Its coated over my backyard..and she loves to SNIFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[MandiesMom]

I wouldn't rub the coconut oil on him, Mary. Try giving him a little bit with his food. Or even brushing his teeth with it..that's what I do with Mandie. She has dry skin and coat. It has helped her skin but her coat is still an issue.

I've noticed her scratching more the last few days and was worried about fleas (though I shouldn't have to). I haven't seen any. Now, I am wondering if this is allergies. This is the first Spring she's gone thru so now I'm really wondering. Gonna keep an eye on it.

Hoping you find some relief for Charlie!!

[Charlies Mamma]

Charlie doesnt sneeze or anything just the itches it isnt bad he isnt scratching himself red or anything but i know it has to be irritating and I dont want to put anything that would be harmful if he licked it (which he will)

[brezofleur]

Originally Posted by MandiesMom

I wouldn't rub the coconut oil on him, Mary. Try giving him a little bit with his food. Or even brushing his teeth with it..that's what I do with Mandie. She has dry skin and coat. It has helped her skin but her coat is still an issue.

I've noticed her scratching more the last few days and was worried about fleas (though I shouldn't have to). I haven't seen any. Now, I am wondering if this is allergies. This is the first Spring she's gone thru so now I'm really wondering. Gonna keep an eye on it.

Hoping you find some relief for Charlie!!

Yes, this I wouldn't rub it on either. Maybe just to spot, but try it in his food first and see how that goes.

[mperran1974]

I think I'll try this as well. Chloe seems to be itching with no fleas!

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Charlies Mamma

Well its that time of year again here in MO and poor Charlie is suffering. we are using the childrens allergy med as directed by our vet (we do this every yr) but I am looking for something topically to apply for nite time, seems that he is especially itchy at nite (no new detergents or anything this is a yearly event) there are allot of products that can be purchased over the counter for dogs but does anyone have a favorite? I have used one made by Hartz but it made his coat kind of greasy neither of us liked that LOL

thanks for the help

In add'n to the med, are you also giving fish/omega oils? Dogs w/ allergies are always recommended to be given the fatty acid oils bc they can help calm the inflammation of the system. I personally like Ark Naturals Royal Coat as it contains some extras that other oils formulated for dogs don't have. Also, it already has the needed extra Vit E to help process the fatty acids.

I've never found anything that really works topically. You might want to try a hydrocortisone spray - have you tried that yet? It may help with itchies. All topicals I've tried leave a weird film on the coat too, which is no fun.

What are you using from the vet, and do you think it's effective enough? It sounds like he's having breakthrough...and I don't know how bad you'd rate it...but if it's really bad, you may want to try Atopica for the season too. You can use that in conjunction w/ Tem-P or steroids or anti-hists. Atopica requires a ramping up period, so its best to start it before the pollens start their evil ways .

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

In add'n to the med, are you also giving fish/omega oils? Dogs w/ allergies are always recommended to be given the fatty acid oils bc they can help calm the inflammation of the system. I personally like Ark Naturals Royal Coat as it contains some extras that other oils formulated for dogs don't have. Also, it already has the needed extra Vit E to help process the fatty acids.

I've never found anything that really works topically. You might want to try a hydrocortisone spray - have you tried that yet? It may help with itchies. All topicals I've tried leave a weird film on the coat too, which is no fun.

What are you using from the vet, and do you think it's effective enough? It sounds like he's having breakthrough...and I don't know how bad you'd rate it...but if it's really bad, you may want to try Atopica for the season too. You can use that in conjunction w/ Tem-P or steroids or anti-hists. Atopica requires a ramping up period, so its best to start it before the pollens start their evil ways .

Also..about the hydrocortisone spray...I keep Gentocin spray on hand for my Georgie for when he starts in one area and irritates it. I swear by that stuff! It has hydrocortisone and antibiotic in it.

Atopica did not work for him which was very disappointing because I have friends whose pups do really well on it, so we just use Temeril P every other day now.

[Charlies Mamma]

Sorry things have been hectic here. (diff story) Charlie is using 1/2 of a childs allergy med for the itching we have used this for the lst few seasons and it was worked well, but he seems to not get the relief like in the past.

Coconut oil- where would I purchase this? is it a pet store thing or a human thing?? and it is something he can eat????

Fish oil- I have used that in the past we punctured it to put on his food cant remember why we did it though it was a long time ago.

The spray- the Hartz brand it the one that I have used but it was making his coat very greasy and I was afraid of him licking it.

The itching seems to be more in his arm pit areas you know like the creases of his legs.

I put a call in to the vet tonight to see about getting him a cortizone injection they offered that last yr but I didnt take it, maybe he needs it to kick start him this yr.

[chestermama]

I use earthbath wipes when he is really itchy, it does seem to help or sometimes just rinse him off with warm water, do you use any salmon oil or anything. I use temaril p which is anithistamine and prednisone when he is really itchy

[Charlies Mamma]

well we have had allot of rain here so it has washed away allot of the pollen the vet is not crazy about giving the prednisone shot unless really necessary so we are doing oatmeal bath and continuing the childrens allergy med along with vitamin E he is not as itchy as he was so this is good news only occasional bout where he was constantly itching before. its only 50 here not this weather is driving us both crazy LOL

[Charlies Mamma]

Well I have been thinking that Charlie needed to be shaved down that maybe his hair was not helping the itchy issue so I called Petco where we always go but our girl could not get us in for a couple weeks, Sooooooooo I thought I would give it a try, I dont think it turned out to bad I gave him a bath with the oatmeal shampoo and sprayed in his arm pits with the cortisone spray so hopefully we will make some progress BTW he looked at me like this the entire time I was shaving him LOL