Well, probably not. I mean, for sure it’s emotionally harder on me. But he is miserable.
So, we’ve been struggling with this, basically, since he was six months old. We’ve been tackling symptoms one at a time, but looking back on that post, they’re all here again: rashes, itchiness, running eyes, ear infections, barfing, diarrhea. Currently, his eyelids are puffy, and he has two sores on the insides of his thighs. He woke up this morning with his left eye completely shut because of the amount of gunk built up. The skin under his chin is broken out and swollen. He has little hives under his armpits, and he can’t. stop. itching. That’s why he’s in the cone – the scratching and licking were making him (and us) insane.
Could it be a new food allergy? Maybe? We have him on a limited ingredient diet, but we did try a different brand of a protein he did fine with previously. We also bought a different brand of coconut oil.
Could it be environmental? Maybe? He had such similar symptoms before, and we’re in a totally different climate, so maybe there’s something here that irritates him more than in Indiana? I guess we’ll see if anything starts to clear up next week.
Mostly likely it’s a combination of factors (again), and all we’ve been able to do is tackle one symptom at a time.
For now, he’s on a Benadryl regimen and will be in the cone. We also gave him a bath last night with the Organic Oscar Holistic Bite & Itch Relief shampoo and the Aloe conditioner, hoping to soothe some of the itching. I have a package of skin wipes, too, that I think we’ll utilize every time he comes back in the house, hopefully to get rid of any pollen or allergens that stick to his fur. We’ve been using a combo of Cortisone and Aquaphor for his sores and his feet, but he HATES them, so now when he sees me coming, he runs and hides. Which breaks my heart.
Last night the poor guy was so sad and sulky. We let him sleep in bed with us, snuggled up with his Comfy Cone on. And, at 5:00 this morning, he barfed on us.
My plan for now is to write out his history – looking through it all, he’s seen three different vets about this – so I want to compile it all into a comprehensive story and have a meeting with our new/fourth vet in Indiana. My poor dog’s allergies are killing me. And him. We need a better plan… I mean, other than sticking him in a bubble.
Anyone else going through this? I know dogs all react differently, but have you found a solution for a food/environmental allergy combo? Would LOVE to know what’s working for you!
I removed all poultry products from my girl’s diet, all food dyes, and fish. Now she can have shellfish because no reaction. But she still has outdoor allergies. I personally feel (meaning no scientific proof) that the poultry is due to all the antibiotics and hormones given the animals to grow more quicker and cheaper.
That could be true, Robbin. I think there are studies that show the antibiotics and hormones in milk are having negative effects on children, so it makes sense to me. Scary stuff, huh??
My dog is 6 yrs old and last yr developed hives and small boils on her back, kegs and head. I finally figured out that she is allergic to poultry. She had been on homemade foods for a yr with chicken, rice, peas, carrots, green beans, fish oil and a vitamin supplement so she was getting plenty of supplements and her oil for her skin. I stopped the chicken 6 months ago and substituted the chicken for beef and she did so much better but has been on strike for 2 days now because she does not like the canned food even with the beef. Today I broke down and mixed in a chicken breast just get her to eat. She does not eat Kibble of any kind. Everything I have read says to try organ meats and that is what I am going to do tomorrow plus order Dinovite . I would try eliminating any poultry to see if that helps.
Awww – poor baby – he really looks miserable. I don’t remember any of my dogs having allergies however my sister has had Westies for over 30 years – a couple of them were prone to an allergy to grass – ANY grass. One of her most recent Westies, she may have had an allergy to the type of carpet my sis had. The worse physical problem she had was that she would itch and scratch so bad that she would be hairless in some areas – even scratching so bad as to cause sores. Besides meds, she would also bathe Kailie in an oatmeal type shampoo which was soothing.
About the post I did for Emmett – it kinda made me feel good to do it. My oldest Beagle – Shiloh – has Intervertebral Disk Disease and usually once or twice a year has relapses and I have a lot of problems with my vision – Blogville is so very supportive and I am constantly amazed at the comments I get showing care and support/concern; I like being able to help out in whatever way I can.
Mom Kim
Wow. ANY grass?! That would be so difficult to deal with because it’s completely unavoidable! Yeesh. Poor things.
And, again, thank you so much for your kind post. It means so much to us! Hugs!
Oh, poor fella! Mom and dad had a cocker spaniel with terrible allergies, not quite this bad though. They never did get it figured out but it was really bad for a few years and then slacked off to not quite as bad. Never figured it out. We hope somebody can figure this out for Emmett!
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
That’s really interesting!! I wonder if you can develop some kind of immunity or at least resistance to allergies over time?? Hmm… Something to ask our vet! Thanks for sharing your experience!
When I have bad seasonal allergies, I check online (weather.com) for pollen levels, but it’s not always helpful. Maybe you could call an allergist in the area (for people) and ask what is bothersome right now? They will probably know. My allergist in Bloomington knew what pollens or mold were out and when. Just a thought!
That’s a really great point, Laura. It would be worth finding out, I think, to see if we can pinpoint any specifics! Thanks for the brilliant idea!!
Poor baby. I really feel for him. Thankfully, I’ve never had these issues with my dogs, but I suffer from allergies of unknown origins. I really hope you are able to get some answers
Ugh. So sorry about your allergies. It’s really no fun at all!! Hopefully you get some relief this season!
Poor guy. My dog developed a food allergy and we ended up putting him on Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Hypoallergenic food (which isn’t cheap). He was also on Benadryl but it didn’t seem to help so he is on Zyrtec now. It seems to be working. Good luck.
It seems like a lot of dogs are having more luck with Zyrtec than Benadryl. I think I’m going to switch him this weekend! Thanks so much!!
Melvin has been dubbed ‘worlds most allergic dog’. I’m happy to chat with you! ohmelvinyojake@gmail.com
Thank you SO much!! I think you’re on vacation?? So I won’t bug you right away, but I will definitely be emailing you! 🙂
My stories of two dogs maladies are so long, so in summary, I ordered and used Dinovite on them and it has absolutely been a miracle. Truly a miracle !!!! Amazing !! It is in powder form and you mix it with their food. I usually add water so it mixes well with their wet and/or dry food. It is well worth a try. I can’t imagine it not working for you. It’s an awesome product. Just google Dinovite and it will come up. I have used it well over a year with amazing results. Good Luck.
I’ve never heard of it! Thank you for the tip, Phyllis! Off to Google it!
So much sympathy.
Silas has two separate sets of symptoms that don’t completely overlap. Environmental issues=itching, rash, hives, gloopy eyes. Food issues=stomach symptoms, followed by itching, severe skin problems, and icky ears if I ignore it. Environmental allergies will reoccur in a regular pattern; food allergies may seem more sudden onset or random.
As for the new brand of old protein–watch for “natural flavors.” Natural flavors in dog food=chicken, which I’ve had a few companies confirm. You might want to double check all your foods just to make sure. I’ve had it sneak by me a few times, and I always tear my hair out trying to figure out why Silas is suddenly getting sick again. Also, he may be allergic to whatever starchy filler they’re using–potato, sweet potato, peas and the like are quite common in grain-free foods, and some dogs are allergic to one or more of them.
We diagnosed Silas’s food allergies the old-fashioned way–a single ingredient diet. I picked a protein that he hadn’t eaten very often (turkey) and that was all he ate for twelve weeks. He didn’t get so much as a green bean. At the end of that twelve weeks, we added a second protein. And so on and so on. If you’re desperate enough to try it, feel free to e-mail me for hand-holding.
You can try feeding him a plain home-cooked version of his safe protein for a few days to see if that gets him over the worst of it, but beyond a few days you’ll need to start adding some supplements or switch him over to raw with bones.
I had NO idea about “natural flavors” – UGH! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. We did the elimination diet a few years ago and settled on salmon. I’ve been trying to introduce novel proteins one by one to see if we can get him multiple sources, but I think I need to use your method of homecooking them one at a time.
What you describe on the overlapping symptoms sounds just like what is going on with Coop. Did you ever go through any allergy testing? I’m wondering if that’s even worth it? And, out of curiosity, is Silas a grass eater?
Grain-free and chicken free stopped hobie’s allergies dead in their tracks. We feed Nature’s Recipe grain-free large breed.
Thanks, Kathy! He’s been chicken-free for a couple years, and we have them on a grain-free recipe but still trying to nail down which proteins work. Which one have you had luck with or do you switch them up?
Have you tried contacting the Vet school at Purdue in Lafayette, IN? They have untangled some pretty intense pet conditions. Also they would know names of vets that specialize in allergies. In the mean time, I am praying for your poor baby.
That’s a really great suggestion, Julie!! After we move next week, we’ll be a few hours from there so definitely worth a shot. Thank you!
Poor baby. We had a dog once with tons of allergies. We finally ended up taking him to a specialist for animal allergies. What a difference that made. They did a skin test as well as blood test. We found out he was allergic to grains, rice, lamb, dust, feathers (the comforter on the bed had to go), grass, fleas, and the list went on and on. We ended up with a prescription shampoo and conditioner for bathing once a week. We finally calmed his skin down after months of treatments. Hope this helps.
That is SO HELPFUL! I’ve been debating allergy testing. I didn’t know if it was like in people where there can be false positives or if they could even do food tests. I’m going to find out about doing the skin and blood tests when we get to our new vet. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Just an FYI, usually regular vets will not do allergy testing. And if they do I’m not sure if I would trust the outcome. I found a vet that only did allergies and nothing else, by a lot of research because I wanted the best and a vet who knew what they were doing. Ended up driving just to get results but it worked. Hope this helps.
So sorry you are going through this! My dog has horrendous allergies; I can’t tell you how many times I looked at him and just wanted to scream and tear my hair out because no matter what I tried, he still wasn’t getting better. I work at an animal hospital, and of course, they always want me to do a prescription allergy diet and steroids and antibiotics, both of which of course have pretty gnarly side effects.
I decided to go the opposite direction and put him on a raw food diet with lots of natural supplements: probiotics, digestive enzymes, coconut oil, and fish oil. He also gets Benadryl. I’m actually looking into a natural immune support supplement to bump up his immune system, since allergies are often due to a not-stellar immune system.
Have you tried a raw diet or done a food trial? Do you wipe his paws and the rest of his body everytime he comes inside?
Hope something works for him soon!
Yeah, I really don’t want him on steroids. That’s such a great point. His skin has gotten so bad a few times in the past that he did have to go on antiobiotics, which is why I’m so desperate to figure something out! I think I’m going to add probiotics back into his diet. We did do a food trial and honed in on a few definite NO WAY proteins (beef and poultry) and a couple that are reliable (salmon and lamb).
It’s interesting you mention the immune connection. Cooper has a totally crappy immune system. I’m looking into complete supplement options for him, too. If I find anything awesome, I’ll share!
I just happened to sumble upon your blog today and read a view posts. Immediately your household reminds a little of my own. We have a 20 month old Pit Bull named Chaos and we discovered his intense allergies when he was just about 4 months old. Our dermatologist described it as possibly the worst case she has ever seen. Great. Lucky for us he’s been a trooper and stayed sweet as be throughout the process of bloodwork, allergy testing and trying new meds. He’s allergic to all things environmental from grass & tree pollen to dust mites and even cats (we have 2). We tried a combination of atopica/ketoconazole and then adding in weekly injections. This seemed to work at first but early this year the rash came back with a vengeance quickly spreading from under his chin and covering his chest, belly and legs. He couldn’t stop itching and licking and ended up with a staph infection. No more injections. We stuck with the medications for a month or so following the antibiotic course but they no longer seemed to be working at all. His spring allergies appear to be much worse than fall. Unfortunately we live in northern kentucky where allergies are highly prevalent for both humans and dogs. We stopped the meds completely and kept a strict routine of Benadryl, using baby wipes on his entire underside each time he went outside and showering him off with just water after walks. A combination of apple cider vinegar, raw coconut oil, aloe vera gel and baking soda applied to his belly and chest every night helped soothe the itching but we knew he was still miserable. About 2 weeks ago we woke up to him completely broken out and I knew he had another infection. A trip to our regular vet (no dermatologist on weekends) gave us a lucky break. We had heard about a new medication alled Apoquel. Our dermatologist’s office was supposed to get a new shipment in April but the demand after its relase was so high the manufactuer did not have enough product to distrubute additional stock and so the office would only continue to receive enough to supply the current patients using it. We were put on the wait list in case someone moved and no longer needed the prescription or the office received a greater supply. Fast forward to our trip to the local vet and we got the good news that their clinic had just received a small amount of Apoquel and had enough for our 60lb furball. Within 3 days his rash was gone without a trace. We we afraid to be too hopeful at first because he’s also on antibiotics. But 2 weeks in and his reactions have reduced to a little pink around the eyes after a long walk and a bit of itchness under his front legs. You said your dog also has food allergies. We were told Chaos could possibly habe some too but we feed him Blue Buffalo dry food and he doesn’t have any problems with it. I hope you are able to find something to help your adorable boy out. I understand the frustration you feel as a mama and how difficult it is to watch them suffer.
Best,
Hilary
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Hilary. I’m so sorry for all that Chaos has gone through. And you! I know how stressful it is to watch these sweet pups suffer. Just the other day a vet friend recommend Apoquel. I’m thrilled to hear it’s been such a positive experience for you. When we get to our new vet next week, I’m definitely asking for that!! I really hope it continues to work for Chaos and he stays health!
My dog had allergies before and our Vet gave us medication such herbal shampoo, a monthly session of advocate, and food diet as well. In less than a week, my dog was doing good already. The sad thing is his fur shed off a lot during the times when he got allergies. It wasn’t easy to recover but I’m thankful we’re over it already and my dog is a happy furbaby now!
Hi there, so sorry to hear about your issues!! I’m not a drug pusher and go with natural whenever I can, but I came to the comments section to ask you to look into apoquel. ..but I see someone beat me to it! If he’s that miserable, it’s definitely worth looking into for his quality of life. I admittedly do not know much about it, but people seem really into it.
I would be leery of atopica. THAT drug seems frightening to me. Even a relative of mine who is a human doctor refused to put his dog on it, knowing how the drug works in humans and not wanting to put his dog through that (different name, naturally).
In the meantime…have you tried bathing him in Nizoral? My dog clearly has less severe allergies than your boy, but it really helps soothe him. Be generous with how much you use, let it sit on his skin for 5 minutes, and rinse well. Worth a shot?
Good luck!
I was recommended to your blog by a friend on Instagram who follows your blog (I am still trying to understand blogs so I apologize for most likely asking questions you have answered already). My Puggle who is now 8 also has horrid allergies and has since a little pup as well. We did tests and she is allergic to a whole lot! Meds are starting not to work and she has been on and off meds all her life. Any advice or more organic things you’ve tried that seem to work?? Or links to your blogs about your pups allergies would be appreciated I only found one but I also don’t really know what I am doing! ?
I’m so sorry for what you’re going through, Nikki. I feel your pain! So, the big thing with Cooper has been changing his diet completely. I’d be happy to email you what we feed him now if you’re interested. Also, he gets a big heaping scoop of coconut oil to help with the itchiness. We do have him on an allergy med. Have you tried Apoquel? It’s been a game changer for him! Please let me know if I can answer any questions or do anything to help! My email is info(at)ohmydogblog.com! Best, Maggie