Itchy Puppy

[Asalei]

I've got a 16 week old beagle who won't stop scratching. Her skin is redish and she's scratching all over, it's not just in one spot. All over = legs, bum, under arms, stomach, muzzle. All the parts on a puppy that touch the ground.

She itches (fleaing) herself until she's red raw and drawing blood.

She's been really bad twice when we've been to a certain place. The first time, we had been to a few different places and she was really bad. A vet said it was a "flea allergy", and I found that very highly unlikely on a (at the time) 13 week old puppy. Second time at this place was on the weekend and she's flared up again this week. I saw another vet today and he said she's far too young to have "allergies" as her immune system is too immature to have allergies. Obviously (unfortunately) we won't be attending this place anymore.

A few vets have also commented that it's the time of year, especially with all our humid and wet weather we've had in Brisbane lately.

Her treatment so far is: small shot of cortisone at 13 weeks, antihistamines for a week. Now at 16 weeks, another shot of cortisone and continued antihistamines. I've washed her last night in alloveen oatmeal shampoo and will continue to. Between the injections, she has still scratched, but no where near the severity of the two flare ups.

I stopped the antihistamines after I put advantix on her because I thought it might have been a flea allergy (although, I dont' have fleas in our house) and I wanted to see if the itching at stopped. Wrong thing to do.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on how I can help relieve the itch? Or experiences with puppies that have had a reaction to something (grass/weeds) and grown out of it as they got older?

I can't wait for winter to roll on in, I've got a lot of hope that the itching will disappear when the cooler weather arrives. It's very frustrating and upsetting for me to watch it, I can't imagine how it must be for her

Edited March 10, 2010 by ~Erin~

[SeeGee]

I dont have any advice to offer at all Im sorry, just wanted to send you big huggy vibes - I know how awful it is to see them uncomfortable/in pain and have nothing to do to help.

Snuggles to your beautiful little baby beagle too xo

Edited March 10, 2010 by jacquilee81

[wuffles]

Do you have any Wandering Jew weeds in your yard? These seem to be the main culprit for contact allergies around here. Our puppy (14 weeks) itches more when she has been running around in the grass/weeds but not excessively.

How about washing powder, try changing to something milder or natural.

I have an itchy dog at home so I know it is a horrible thing to deal with

[bigboy]

I dont have any advise to offer at all Im sorry, just wanted to send you big huggy vibes - I know how awful it is to see them uncomfortable/in pain and have nothing to do to help.

Snuggles to your beautiful little baby beagle too xo

Beagles are known for their allergies to grass etc some worse than others ,and many times it is a puppy young dog thing.ours is 2yrs and has mild allergies,i would try to stay away from cortisone if possible(not if the puppy has to suffer tho)First thing is diet no grains ,raw is best and jalna natural yoghurt every day,local honey(OR manuka) every day,no treats with chemicals etc.

Also when bathing always use the conditioner afterwards,the aloveen is leave in ,i also use it just to rub over itchy dog in between washes.

Mine is on antihitamines 1 every day in this dry time of year to prevent the skin flaring up.some times you need to try different ones not all work.

Your best option is to contact Tam from Beagle rescue Vic she has extensive experience with allergies.web site also has some advice . Beagle Rescue Vic.she is hard to get hold of so perservere as her advice will save you lots of trauma.and we have all found it invaluable.

[ellz]

What kind of bedding does she sleep on and does your house have synthetic carpet or furnishings?

That can contribute to the itchies too.

[Asalei]

Do you have any Wandering Jew weeds in your yard? These seem to be the main culprit for contact allergies around here. Our puppy (14 weeks) itches more when she has been running around in the grass/weeds but not excessively.

How about washing powder, try changing to something milder or natural.

I have an itchy dog at home so I know it is a horrible thing to deal with

Nope, definitely no wandering jew in our yard.

I use BioZet washing powder, I thought this was a washing powder that was good for dogs?

Beagles are known for their allergies to grass etc some worse than others ,and many times it is a puppy young dog thing.ours is 2yrs and has mild allergies,i would try to stay away from cortisone if possible(not if the puppy has to suffer tho)First thing is diet no grains ,raw is best and jalna natural yoghurt every day,local honey(OR manuka) every day,no treats with chemicals etc.

Also when bathing always use the conditioner afterwards,the aloveen is leave in ,i also use it just to rub over itchy dog in between washes.

Mine is on antihitamines 1 every day in this dry time of year to prevent the skin flaring up.some times you need to try different ones not all work.

Your best option is to contact Tam from Beagle rescue Vic she has extensive experience with allergies.web site also has some advice . Beagle Rescue Vic.she is hard to get hold of so perservere as her advice will save you lots of trauma.and we have all found it invaluable.

I personally am not comfortable putting a puppy on a raw diet. My older girls are on a raw diet and have been for a year and thrive on it. Once my puppy is through her growth stage, she will be getting changed over to raw.

I'm very good friends with Tam and have already spoken to her about this. I will email her and see if she has any further suggestions.

What kind of bedding does she sleep on and does your house have synthetic carpet or furnishings?

That can contribute to the itchies too.

She sleeps on these:

She sleeps on these at home in her crate and whilst she's with me at work. Other than that, she's on a double sided fleece matt (which I'm sure is synthetic), or on our lounge. Our floors at home are polished floor boards.

Thanks Jacqui. She's been getting lots of cuddles

Edited March 10, 2010 by ~Erin~

[Mas1981]

I use Malaseb on my dog, he is allergic to some grasses and plants, I wash him as soon as he starts to itch, its usually when the seasons change, and I do it once a week if he is really bad. Allergies are just horrible!

[lablab]

Two suggestions to soothe/heal the itching

1. Teaspoon of fish oil (not cod liver oil) daily. Get from health food store (fridge item). Approx $20 for 500ml bottle which lasts ages. Store in fridge. Alternatively, fish oil capsules but more expensive.

2. Cornflour. Try sprinkling pure cornflour (not wheaten cornflour) on itchy skin in places only lightly covered with hair (undercarriage etc) and rub it around by hand. Apparently cornflour contains an enzyme which is healing and soothing - old remedy for babies' nappy rash. Only a couple of bucks from the supermarket and if it doesn't work you can always make a custard!

I find both treatments great for my lab who develops rashes on his undercarriage from running in the long grass at the local park.

[zayda_asher]

I saw another vet today and he said she's far too young to have "allergies" as her immune system is too immature to have allergies. Obviously (unfortunately) we won't be attending this place anymore.

Actually, that's not true... its not common for a dog to manifest or start developing allergies under around 6mnts of age, but it absolutely is possible, and if you do see development that young then you need to be prepared that you probably have a bad case on your hands... My own girl is an example of this and came home at 7weeks scratching... Average age range for development is considered 6mnts - 3yrs, but it can and does happen on either side of that bracket.

I would talk to the vet about ruling out mites and other causes of itching and then see about a referral to a dermatologist. Seeing the skin specialists costs, but often cost less in the long run than trying to sort it out yourself and constant back and forth to the vets... it is also good to have the other treatments they have at their disposal to see if you can manage her without steroids, as this can have health implications for long term use in a young dog. Sometimes you have to use them, because nothing else helps, but why use them if you don't have to? Good luck

PS: you are more likely to see development of allergies at a younger age in breeds that are predisposed, like Beagles. Also I would avoid adding supplements before going to see the Derm - if you have to do food elimination, then you will need to stop them again, and its also more things to test for when you do rechallenges.

Edited March 10, 2010 by zayda_asher

[ellz]

What kind of bedding does she sleep on and does your house have synthetic carpet or furnishings?

That can contribute to the itchies too.

Other than that, she's on a double sided fleece matt (which I'm sure is synthetic), or on our lounge. Our floors at home are polished floor boards.

Check the fleece mat....synthetics are a no-no for itchy dogs. And if your lounge is synthetic, it needs to be covered with something that isn't.

[stormie]

Agree with everything Zayder said. I spent a fortune on all types of supplements, which ended up being a complete waste of money because some of them it turns out, he was actually allergic to.

The sooner you can get a referral the better and whilst the consults are cheap, it'll be cheaper in the long run.

[SammieS]

I read that Calendular tea (from a health food shop is about $8 for a big packet) and is good for dogs... I made it up like a normal up of tea and have been dabbing on our Frenchie and pouring it over her pours which she licks ALOT, it seems to stop her from itching and running her face/ears along the carpet.

[sas]

Referral to a Dermatologist, if you don't you will regret it as the condition gets worse as the years go on and it may start to spiral out of your control.

Sorry that you're going through this.

[Skye2]

I read on DOL that Mylanta is a good topical reliever for an itchy inflammed rash as it has an anaesthetic effect. I tried it on myself for some mossie bites recently and it worked.

My dog has a lovely red spotty belly at the moment too, she is allergic to the grass and it seems to occur when it is wet and humid. If I keep her off the grass (i.e on weekends when home she is in the house mostly) it clears up quickly.

good luck sorting out your puppy

[blacklabrador]

Another good topical reliever is using oats in a sock or stocking and dabbing it on wet. When you wet it the water that gets squeezed out is milky and brilliant for soothing itches. Like the oatmeal in Alloveen and other products but you don't have to wash her several times a day to get the benefits. Hang the stocking up to dry and just re-wet it when you want to use it.

It won't cure anything but it may help ease her discomfort. Fish oils also help reduce inflammation - I would add some capsules to her diet.

[Skruffy n Flea]

good luck erin with your baby's itchies

i've got an issue with byron, but he has absolutely no flaking, redness, broken skin or lumps ... maybe it's anxiety!?!? hhhmmm *taps chin*

i'd forgotten about the calendular tea and the wet oats ... gunna give those a try, even just to alleviate his discomfort while i figure out what his real issue is

[ESCS]

Our one year old Tibbie has had very similiar problems with itchy skin and lesions from scratching and chewing/licking. We have been to the vet quite a few times with this problem. The vet has been fantastic. Our Tibbie is also itchy from grass and pollens (Wandering Jew was awful but we have got rid of it all). What has helped for us is bathing once a week or fortnight with Allergroom shampoo (hypoallergenic, non soap shampoo) and rinsed off with Alpha Keri Oil( the one with no fragrance), changing to Royal Canin Skin & Digest kibble, adding fish to his diet, staying away from preservatives/colouring, applying Curash powder to his tummy area, making sure all his bedding is cotton, keeping him as dry as possible, keeping him in A/C when it is hot and humid, brushing him daily. Unfortunately, the anti histamine didn't work for us and cortisone doesn't agree with him so the vet is now trialling him on Atopica.

All the best with finding some treatments that work. It's been a difficult problem for us to manage especially in Brisbane's hot and humid summer.

[Asalei]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The second cortisone shot seemed to take a long time to take effect. She has decreasingly stopped itching and we can easily distract her now from doing it. I decided to go see a vet through work that wasn't interested in shoving medication/injections at me and actually did scrapings and tests. There was no bacterial or fungal infections on her skin.

I said I felt a little bit silly because her itching had slowed, but he could see the damage she's done to her front and rear legs. I mentioned a referal to a skin specialist, but he believes that by treating her with what he's suggested, she will improve.

Everyone (not just vets) have said that this summer has been soo humid, wet and hot, that a lot of dogs have been itching. My older girls have never been itchy before and I've noticed them itching in the past few days as well.

We are going to treat with probiotics, omega oils and aloveen oatmeal shampoo and leave on conditioner. It's an alternative that he gave me and I'd really like to explore it and see what happens.

I'll let you all know how we get on.