Welcome to Y.T.......
I'm sorry your Hannamaye has been suffering so long with her allergies and the itching.......Your correct that some foods do contain ethoxyquin as a fish, and salmon meal preservative.....It's a nasty chemical......I had posted two threads about this issue and had to merge them into one at this link......
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...r-threads.html
After seeing this information I have decided to
never purchase any products manufactured through Diamond. They had the melamine problem and now ethoxyquin, I just can't put any trust in them, but Diamond is not the only company doing this.......
As for your Hannamaye and her itching, I see you mentioned that you just administered Heartguard and the itching has increased. All heartworm products are nematode poisons, they are designed to kill all microfilariae infection that occurred up to 60 days earlier.
Hannamaye's recent intense itching is more likely to be linked to Heartguard's toxic load. Her body's immune system is in a weakened state, that is why she has allergies.
Any chemicals she is exposed to whether it be from over vaccination, flea killing products, and heartworm products will all put added stress on her system in trying to process the toxins in these products.
If the temperatures in your are are now falling below 57 degrees , day or night, then the molting process that the microfilariea MUST go through within the mosquito can not happen. Therefore, no threat of contracting heartworm. If your going to use these products this map may be of help as to when you can start and stop using them in relation to your areas temperature.......
Citadel Tibetan Mastiffs Heartworm Timing
This is from an article I found a while back......
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 65% of adverse drug reactions and 48% of all reported deaths resulting from drug reactions are caused by heartworm preventatives. The potential side effects of Ivermectin (the active ingredient in Heartgard) include liver problems, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, depression, lethargy, skin eruptions, seizures, tremors, paralysis, auto-immune disorders, thyroid problems, fever, weakness, dizziness, coughing, nose bleeds, difficulty breathing, pneumonia, irritability, sudden aggressive behavior, nerve damage, fertility problems, and sudden death. The drug poses a particular risk to Collies, Whippets, Irish Water Spaniels, Bull Mastiffs and related breeds. Other chemical heartworm preventatives have many of the same side effects.
Have you tries Omega 3 oils for her itching? Sometimes these can be beneficial. Here are a couple of links with some info that you might find something of use to help Hannamaye.....
Pet allergies and hotspots - natural flea prevention and treatments Fatty Acids for Dogs | Fish Oil | Flaxseed Oil | Omega-3 and 6 Fatty Acids
Sorry this is so long, I hope something is helpful for Hannamaye and good luck....