Going CrAzY!!! its Bella....

[diggy4]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Broke out "bad" as in hives or just the itching got sky high? Poor baby. Are her paws tender/raw? Did you look btwn her toes for anything funky (sometimes you have to use a flashlight)? I'm wondering if she's avoiding the grass bc it hurts her feet. Btw, was your grass/yard treated recently w/ anything? Sometimes you can get hives from stings too, so I wonder if she was stung/bitten by something. Do you have fire ants or biting things in the grass?

Hives can last up to 10 days or so. You can get topical Benadryl (in a little stick) that you could try to put on her. I wonder if there is a spray or anything? I would continue the oral Benadryl if it's helping her, for now.

Well she isnt on benedryl anymore she is on a tablet called Chlorpheniramine. She can have it 2 to 3 times a day but so far I only have to use once and 1 mg of prednisone. She is now breaking out in actual hives. Is this the reaction working its way out of her body? She isnt itching as much but then again she had her meds about 2 hours ago so they are good and kicked in. Her hives are completely gone at the moment but like i said when the meds wear off they come back.

I tested her today by not giving her meds all day and then gave her a bath. She did not itch or go crazy after like some said would happen if it were mites. So thats good.

This is day 6 on prednisone and day 3 on Chlorpheniramine. so would you think this should be going away 10 days from when she broke out or 10 days from when i started treating her?

[diggy4]

Oh and no, I am completely chemical free as far as yard goes and I have not seen fire ants. Not to say they dont exist here as we have tons of ants. Sting is very possible as she roams the yard lke 10 times a day (thats where she pottys ) So for now I am treating it as a food allergy and she is on a duck based food with no chicken. granite the chicken was in the italian dressing but at this point hard to test if it was the dressing....so I am eliminating everything. She does get baby carrots as a treat.

[Gingergirlsmom]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

A few days chicken free shouldn't really do anything at all. It takes at least 60 days for most dogs to get over a food allergy...

Agreed, when we changed Ginger's diet it was at least 60 days until we saw a change in her itching/scratching. Even though I knew it could take that long, waiting was not fun. If you think its the chicken, keep her off it for a long time.

Also, I have found that Aveeno oatmeal baths help (short term) with itching when Ginger is having a really bad spell

[diggy4]

Originally Posted by Gingergirlsmom

Agreed, when we changed Ginger's diet it was at least 60 days until we saw a change in her itching/scratching. Even though I knew it could take that long, waiting was not fun. If you think its the chicken, keep her off it for a long time.

Also, I have found that Aveeno oatmeal baths help (short term) with itching when Ginger is having a really bad spell

Yes when Bella meds wore off today and hives came back i bathed her and she seemed relieved.

She isnt itching as much even off the meds now its more just hives I mean she still itches some but nothing like before. so I am wondering where the hives fit in in the process...does this mean she is getting better? or worse. And shortly after i gave her the prednisone and Chlorpheniramine they were gone.

[Gingergirlsmom]

Originally Posted by diggy4

Yes when Bella meds wore off today and hives came back i bathed her and she seemed relieved.

She isnt itching as much even off the meds now its more just hives I mean she still itches some but nothing like before. so I am wondering where the hives fit in in the process...does this mean she is getting better? or worse. And shortly after i gave her the prednisone and Chlorpheniramine they were gone.

Gosh, I'm not sure. In Ginger's case, hives are always accompanied by severe itching. I would think it is a good sign if she's not scratching as much.

Hang in there...we went nuts for a long time until we settled on the best food (for her). I can happily say that she has had a wonderful summer so far (historically her worse time of year) and this is the first year I haven't chosen to shave her down completely to help with the itching and scratching. Idk if that means her seasonal allergies are lessening, or if it means a long term on the right diet has increased her immunity...but you better believe we won't be changing anything anytime soon.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by diggy4

This is day 6 on prednisone and day 3 on Chlorpheniramine. so would you think this should be going away 10 days from when she broke out or 10 days from when i started treating her?

I'm actually finding more info that hives can last up to 6 weeks, with 10-ish days being an average from the date of exposure to the trigger, unless she is continuing to be exposed to that trigger. The medications aren't "treatments", they're just suppressors, but helpful in relieving the symptoms - which gives her the relief she needs from the strong histamine reaction.

Do you have any of CC Systems' Peace and Kindness on hand? That may give relief. Can the vet give you anything topical?

I don't know what you want to do w/ food or how overwhelmed you are there, but another thought is to get her immediately on the hypoallergenic whitefish diet...

This is JUST awful, Paula. Poor Bella.

[YorkichonBella]

Originally Posted by diggy4

I would consult a vet then...she shouldnt itch after a bath. Vets also carry a shampoo called hylyte i think or something like that and it is designed to be hyopallergenic and helps with itches....I think what ellie may is saying is if Bella did have mites they tend to get stirred up after the water touches them (prolly makes them mad ) If you suspect it could be mites its as simple as instead of frontline or advantixsentinnal etc., use revolution it kills mites and if after that she still itches may its the shampoo? Maybe a dose of Benedryl after a bath may help? Im not sure I think your vet would have a few suggestions to help her I also appreciate your thoughts for my Bella I too hope this is all over soon for her.

Thx! Bella is on Frontline Plus, although I was a couple of weeks late giving it to her this month. Everytime, I think she's getting better....down the road it happens again. I have posted about her problems. She has taken Temaril P, but I did not want to continue giving. She is on Benadryl now. I wash her in Dawn followed by conditioner. We've found a few fleas on her in the past & just recently. I don't even let her go outside much anymore for the fear this is what is going on.

[diggy4]

Originally Posted by YorkichonBella

Thx! Bella is on Frontline Plus, although I was a couple of weeks late giving it to her this month. Everytime, I think she's getting better....down the road it happens again. I have posted about her problems. She has taken Temaril P, but I did not want to continue giving. She is on Benadryl now. I wash her in Dawn followed by conditioner. We've found a few fleas on her in the past & just recently. I don't even let her go outside much anymore for the fear this is what is going on.

mine are on sentinnal. Its a heartworm and flea preventative in one. They do get bit by the fleas still but the become sterilized and die. I havent had flea issues just this reaction thing I am freaking out trying to figure out whatthe heck she is allergic to!

[diggy4]

Well last night Bella didnt itch at all but now her skin is bright red and has hives coming and going. They moved into her ears which she doesnt itch at with her foot but shakes her head constanly. The sores she had dug before are healing but now all these hives!!!

Any ideas???

[Wylie's Mom]

Just PMd you.

Get the topical benadryl stick for her ears (only surface ear, not inner)...

[chachi]

When Chachi had mites but the vet still thought it was allergies it went into his ears and he had to give him meds to put in the ears. Be very careful with the ears

[diggy4]

Originally Posted by chachi

When Chachi had mites but the vet still thought it was allergies it went into his ears and he had to give him meds to put in the ears. Be very careful with the ears

Did Chachi freak out when you gave a bath? Like the mites acted up? She is not itching at all just red hives in ears just like her last allergic reaction. very blotchy red but not raised. She doesnt itch at the at all they are just hot to the touch and visiable. Her belly is bright red with hives also I just ran home to give her Chlorpheniramine.

[chachi]

Originally Posted by diggy4

Did Chachi freak out when you gave a bath? Like the mites acted up? She is not itching at all just red hives in ears just like her last allergic reaction. very blotchy red but not raised. She doesnt itch at the at all they are just hot to the touch and visiable. Her belly is bright red with hives also I just ran home to give her Chlorpheniramine.

No he didnt and he was also washed with a medicated shampoo. My vet also didnt tell me they acted worse after a warm bath thats the first I had ever heard that

[diggy4]

Originally Posted by chachi

No he didnt and he was also washed with a medicated shampoo. My vet also didnt tell me they acted worse after a warm bath thats the first I had ever heard that

Do you know where Chachi got them from? Did Chachi itch a lot?

[chachi]

Chachi had an allergic reaction to some flea bites and did have problems with that. Right after that he also got mites so I assumed his immune system was down because of the allergy problem. He had never had illnesss (except one small bout wth diahrea when he was a young pup) before that. Now we are super careful he doesnt get fleas so the same thing doesnt happen again