Antihistimines

[menacebear]

Our dog, Leroy, has contact allergies and his skin is pretty bad at the minute. We use a mixture of sulfur powder and olive oil mixed into a paste and rubbed into his skin and it works a treat most of the time. At the minute he is so itchy that we put it on and he is back scrubbing at the grass or concrete in no time. I'm wondering what anthistimines I can use on him to help him stop being so itchy while the sulfur powder takes effect? He is a 7-8 kg 18 month old JRT.

All he cares about at the minute is itching himself and I must say it is driving me insane!! And if it is bugging me it must be even worse for him.

[AmandaJ]

I use the same antihistamine for my boy that I use for hay-fever. 1 x 24 hour for a 35kg dog. You should check with your vet first (mine suggested them).

[~Anne~]

Has he been tested to show what he is allergic to exactly?

[matilda1]

definately seek veterinary advice.

Giving human medications (unless specified by your vet) can have some serious implications.

[menacebear]

No he hasn't been tested. He's on an entirely raw diet and the vet who has treated him said it's a contact allergy. They gave him steroids and antibiotics for where he had rubbed himself raw on the concrete. It's on his stomach, inside of front legs and back legs. Nothing around his eyes, ears or muzzle. Flares up in spring.

[persephone]

Please check with your vet .While I have heard of the sulphur/oil mix for killing mites, I have not heard of it for allergies ???

And , remember- itching is a form of pain .. so , yes- he will be most uncomfortable

With such a small dog- dosage rates/types of anti histamines are best discussed with your vet-

What is he allergic to? Contact with a plant, or grass or? It may be easier to remove the source of his allergy

[persephone]

poor little dog The vet doesn't sound very specific. As this little dog will have at least 10 years of life to go thru.. I will suggest you think about having him properly tested ,so that you can manage the problem. Ten years of itching ...that's a long time.

I had an allergic dog for many years- not fun .

[Guest Ams]

http://www.ingleburnvet.com.au/antihistamines.htm

[menacebear]

Organic sulfur powder is one of the main ingrediants in the specialist versions of moo goo so basically it's a cheaper version of that. There is nothing in the back yard except grass. The dogs are in a pen and thats all there is in there. We are seriously considering rehoming him so I can't see my OH getting him tested. Not because of his itching but because he doesnt fit in well around here and when we rescued him we probably should have never got a small dog. All the dogs sleep inside except him because he refuses to come in at night. He actually chooses to sleep outside. He is a weird little bugger. No the vet wasn't all that helpful. Better take him back there I guess and see what they advise this time.

[menacebear]

http://www.ingleburnvet.com.au/antihistamines.htm

Thanks Ams

[persephone]

Poor leroy.

[JulesP]

Are you using MSM as the sulfur?

I have been using Zyrtec on my dogs this Spring.

[~Anne~]

Poor leroy.

Yes, I agree. :D

[menacebear]

Poor leroy.

Yes, I agree. :D

Poor Leroy because he is itching like crazy or poor Leroy because he sleeps outside and we won't get him allergy tested? The vet didn't recommend having him tested and simply said it was a spring contact allergy. And poor Leroy is a fully trained flyball dog who travels around everywhere with us and chooses himself to sleep outside. I can bring him inside and he will toilet everywhere over night. Put him in a crate and he will cock his leg and pee out the side of the crate. Put him in the large enclosed cat crate and he will pee all over the bottom of it and then lay in it. When I go to bring the others in they run to the gate, he bails to the kennel and stays there. I'm not going to force him to sleep in if he doesn't like it. And we are doing everything for Poor Leroy taking into consideration that neither of us are even sure if keeping him is a good idea. We have taken full responsibility for him because it's not his fault that we decided to rescue him and nor is it his fault he doesnt really fit it. It's also not his fault that we have 6 other dogs and are expecting our first baby and simply can not afford to have him allergy tested. Regardless of what he is allergic to it won't change anything. I can't pull all of the grass out of the pen and make the others suffer for his sake and nor will I have him inside constantly toileting everywhere. Poor Leroy spent the first 6 months, yes a full 6 months, of his life in a pet store. No one wanted to buy him and the glass box he was in, seperated from his only sibling has left a lasting effect on his personality. When a friend bought him and it didn't work with their dog we took him on in the hopes of giving him a better life and quiet frankly we have done exactly that for the past year. I don't need to be berated for trying to do the right thing by him.

[sas]

Poor leroy.

Yes, I agree. :D

Poor Leroy because he is itching like crazy or poor Leroy because he sleeps outside and we won't get him allergy tested? The vet didn't recommend having him tested and simply said it was a spring contact allergy. And poor Leroy is a fully trained flyball dog who travels around everywhere with us and chooses himself to sleep outside. I can bring him inside and he will toilet everywhere over night. Put him in a crate and he will cock his leg and pee out the side of the crate. Put him in the large enclosed cat crate and he will pee all over the bottom of it and then lay in it. When I go to bring the others in they run to the gate, he bails to the kennel and stays there. I'm not going to force him to sleep in if he doesn't like it. And we are doing everything for Poor Leroy taking into consideration that neither of us are even sure if keeping him is a good idea. We have taken full responsibility for him because it's not his fault that we decided to rescue him and nor is it his fault he doesnt really fit it. It's also not his fault that we have 6 other dogs and are expecting our first baby and simply can not afford to have him allergy tested. Regardless of what he is allergic to it won't change anything. I can't pull all of the grass out of the pen and make the others suffer for his sake and nor will I have him inside constantly toileting everywhere. Poor Leroy spent the first 6 months, yes a full 6 months, of his life in a pet store. No one wanted to buy him and the glass box he was in, seperated from his only sibling has left a lasting effect on his personality. When a friend bought him and it didn't work with their dog we took him on in the hopes of giving him a better life and quiet frankly we have done exactly that for the past year. I don't need to be berated for trying to do the right thing by him.

Settle down.

Poor Leroy....just like poor any dog who is allergic, it sucks for the dog.

[Mason_Gibbs]

Poor leroy.

Yes, I agree.

Poor Leroy because he is itching like crazy or poor Leroy because he sleeps outside and we won't get him allergy tested? The vet didn't recommend having him tested and simply said it was a spring contact allergy. And poor Leroy is a fully trained flyball dog who travels around everywhere with us and chooses himself to sleep outside. I can bring him inside and he will toilet everywhere over night. Put him in a crate and he will cock his leg and pee out the side of the crate. Put him in the large enclosed cat crate and he will pee all over the bottom of it and then lay in it. When I go to bring the others in they run to the gate, he bails to the kennel and stays there. I'm not going to force him to sleep in if he doesn't like it. And we are doing everything for Poor Leroy taking into consideration that neither of us are even sure if keeping him is a good idea. We have taken full responsibility for him because it's not his fault that we decided to rescue him and nor is it his fault he doesnt really fit it. It's also not his fault that we have 6 other dogs and are expecting our first baby and simply can not afford to have him allergy tested. Regardless of what he is allergic to it won't change anything. I can't pull all of the grass out of the pen and make the others suffer for his sake and nor will I have him inside constantly toileting everywhere. Poor Leroy spent the first 6 months, yes a full 6 months, of his life in a pet store. No one wanted to buy him and the glass box he was in, seperated from his only sibling has left a lasting effect on his personality. When a friend bought him and it didn't work with their dog we took him on in the hopes of giving him a better life and quiet frankly we have done exactly that for the past year. I don't need to be berated for trying to do the right thing by him.

Settle down.

Poor Leroy....just like poor any dog who is allergic, it sucks for the dog.

I agree, and without testing him and getting him the right treatment ( because it could just be about anything that he is allergic to) his life will not be a comfortable one, I have an allergy dog who is on antihistamines and immunotherapy ( desensitization injections) and I think if I had not taken him to a dermatologist he would have had loads more problems and a way less comfortable life.

DO you have anyone in mind who could perhaps take him from you?

[persephone]

Yep- poor Leroy- having a vet comfortable with not trying to isolate the allergen and give you a chance to know what to manage/treat . When my dog was allergic - life was not good .

Edited October 18, 2010 by persephone

[~Anne~]

Poor leroy.

Yes, I agree.

Poor Leroy because he is itching like crazy or poor Leroy because he sleeps outside and we won't get him allergy tested? The vet didn't recommend having him tested and simply said it was a spring contact allergy. And poor Leroy is a fully trained flyball dog who travels around everywhere with us and chooses himself to sleep outside. I can bring him inside and he will toilet everywhere over night. Put him in a crate and he will cock his leg and pee out the side of the crate. Put him in the large enclosed cat crate and he will pee all over the bottom of it and then lay in it. When I go to bring the others in they run to the gate, he bails to the kennel and stays there. I'm not going to force him to sleep in if he doesn't like it. And we are doing everything for Poor Leroy taking into consideration that neither of us are even sure if keeping him is a good idea. We have taken full responsibility for him because it's not his fault that we decided to rescue him and nor is it his fault he doesnt really fit it. It's also not his fault that we have 6 other dogs and are expecting our first baby and simply can not afford to have him allergy tested. Regardless of what he is allergic to it won't change anything. I can't pull all of the grass out of the pen and make the others suffer for his sake and nor will I have him inside constantly toileting everywhere. Poor Leroy spent the first 6 months, yes a full 6 months, of his life in a pet store. No one wanted to buy him and the glass box he was in, seperated from his only sibling has left a lasting effect on his personality. When a friend bought him and it didn't work with their dog we took him on in the hopes of giving him a better life and quiet frankly we have done exactly that for the past year. I don't need to be berated for trying to do the right thing by him.

Wow, thanks for the life story, but it wasn't neccessary.

My comment was in direct relation to the fact that he hasn't been tested and is obviously in a lot of discomfort and pain. Determining the allergy will enable you to improve his life. Without knowing what it is that sets him off he has no chance of ever having a comfortable life unless luck has it his way. I don't think much of a Vet that doesn't try to determine what the allergen is either when a dog is that itchy he is causing skin lesions and develops subsequent infections. I would change Vets.

Re-homing him will simply pass on the problem to someone else.

On a last note, you didn't 'rescue' him, you got him from a friend.

[~Anne~]

By the way - nothing you put on his skin or feed him will stop his misery. If he is lucky, he will get a couple of hours or a couple of days relief at best from topical solutions.

[matilda1]

I used to own Clydesdales and used a lot of Sulphur/oil mix for feather mites. I remember making the solution a little too potent once and burning the skin quite badly. And that's a clydesdale foot...pretty tough.

be careful please :D