The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Dogs Dog with allergiesGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Dog with allergies | Login/Join |
| one of us |
Friends- My six year old Labrador male has some sort of allergy where he is scratching himself constantly (he does not have fleas). Took him to the Vet and we put him on Prednisone for a while and that took the edge off of it for a while but he's back to scratching. I gave him a couple of Benadryl last night before bed but, he's back at it this morning. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice? May the wind be in your face and the sun at your back. P. Mark Stark | ||
|
one of us |
You can get the vet to prescribe an antihistamine. I had a lab that was on them for a long time. It only takes one flea to set off a hyper-allergic dog but if there are none it could be many things, from pollen to feathers. Yes I had a lab that test allergic to feathers... ------------------------------- Some Pictures from Namibia Some Pictures from Zimbabwe An Elephant Story | |||
|
one of us |
Labs are one of the breeds that are predisposed to allergies. My brothers lab had allergies (ruled out flea and food allergies) and the vet put the dog on Atopica. Atopica is new to the market and the only drug approved by the FDA for safe long term use in dogs. Many vets don't know about this drug or feel it is to expense to use. My brother was going to the vet every month for shots (dangerous) and paying about $60 per visit, $600 per year for steroids that the vets knew was not good for the dog. It may take 3 months to respond as my brothers dog did, but the results were beautiful. Call your vet and ask if they have any dogs on Atopica. If they say no and stall, call all the clinics around you until you find a vet that takes allergies seriously and bring your dog in. Also check for prices and have the weight of your dog when calling. You will be pleased. Good luck. | |||
|
One of Us |
Our 2 Brits had dry skin and were constantly scratching. I found an all natural food that is Lamb and rice based with no fillers. The itching and scratching stopped in 3 days. Try looking at your local feed stores, they generally carry a greater variety of food products than the Petco's and other big box stores. If your hunting dog is fat, then you aren't getting enough exercise.  | |||
|
One of Us |
I have 4 labs and dry skin in the winter,causes them to scratch from time to time .....I feed ALL my labs Lamb & Rice(Costco brand)(my oldest lab is 15 y.o.) ,and they receive one fishoil pill daily (with peanut butter)also over bathing a dog can cause dry skin ....labs can/do have a lot of different allergies ,so far I have been lucky ,as I have not had to deal with this issue .....if you do change the food change it slowly so it does not upset their stomach......and check any treats you give the lab as they may cause the itching also....Good luck,BB34 | |||
|
One of Us |
Atopica can also be tapered and sometimes discontinued altogether. Ask your veterinarian if Atopica might be right for your pet! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.  )Good hunting, Andy ----------------------------- Thomas Jefferson: “To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.” | |||
|
one of us |
My coonhound developed allergies a couple of years ago. I took him to a canine dermatologist and had him tested. It turns out of a panel of 50 allergens, he was allergic to about 40 of them. This didn't start until he was six. I tried the shots and they helped for about a year, but then stopped working. Right now I have him on prednisone and am using a topical steroid called Genesis (triamicinolone acetonide). This has been working pretty well. The only thing I haven't tried is Atopica. If he was a younger dog, I probably would but I guess I'm less worried about the side effects of the steroids as he's already eight years old. Pete | |||
|
| One of Us |
As several others have said, I would look to food being the culprit. My GSP had something very similar earlier this year. In most cases corn and chicken are the ingredients that are the most likely cause. I am now feeding her Natures Choice Venison and Brown Rice and everything has cleared up. This is nowhere near the quality of food she was eating (Nutrisource) for an active dog, but it did solve the problem. | |||
|
| one of us |
 My Golden Retriever Sam is allergic to EVERYTHING! His feet are constantly red between his pads, and he requires 4 Benadryl a day to remain comfortable. We feed him Holistic Blend Dog Food, ($50.00 a bag), because it's all he can eat without being miserable. Labs and Goldens are noted for severe allergies, and most vets will tell you there is little you can do. We've literally spent thousands on him over the years trying to get him some relief, but the bottom line is there isn't much you can do. Benadryl won't hurt him as long as you give it to them when they have something on their stomach, like right after they eat. It has gotten to the point we buy the big bottle of generic Benadryl from Costco. It works every bit as good, but it's a lot cheaper. Bill T. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Please, please, please. Do not allow dogs like this to reproduce. I am of the opinion that his parents or most likely grandparents had skin trouble too. I have no answers for allergies. My lab tends to dry and flaky skin in the winter. I buy el cheapo fish oil supplements at a mart store and give him one a day as a dietary supplement. My lab is cut. He has seizures. When and if he has a seizure in the water I will probably get a new puppy. Far too many people breed dogs with little regard for anything other than money. | |||
|
| new member |
I had a lab years back (since past on) at the age of 4 started with this allergy problem. He was so loud scratching he would keep the whole house awake at night. It was at that point I took him to the vet where they give him a shot and it went away in less then a day. I had to do that every fall and spring for the rest of his life. NRA Life Member V.H.A. Life Member NAHC Life Member | |||
|
| One of Us |
If the dog itches(has pruritis) year round food allergy is a great bet. Beware if you give the dog "treats" like beggin strips,chewable junk from China,and products with red dyes in them. These are great allergins. There are volumes written on this subject, spending big bucks is usually not the answer, common sense goes a long way. Dr.C At Home on the Range-Texas Panhandle | |||
|
| One of Us |
I have a 4 year old lab that has just recently begun having skin problems. We've gone through several different types of food and are currently trying a specialized diet of sweet potato/venison mix. In the meantime she's scratched her neck raw in several places. Vet gave her an injection of steriods and anti-biotics. Relief lasted about a week. Now we are on a 4 week schedule of a drug called "Temaril-P" which is a combo of predenzone and anti-histamine, given orally. Any experience out there with Temaril-P? 114-R10David | |||
|
| One of Us |
Don't expect miracles from Temaril-P, it won't fix anything, but may offer some relief while antibiotics etc. are fixing the problem. Temaril-P is really old school stuff, imo Dr.C At Home on the Range-Texas Panhandle | |||
|
| One of Us |
Dr.C. Thanks. I'll run the prescribed course and see what happens. Thanks again. 114-R10David | |||
|
| one of us |
Shootin Far- What kind of shot did your Vet give your dog? If only twice a year, I would opt for that kind of treatment program for my dog. May the wind be in your face and the sun at your back. P. Mark Stark | |||
|
| One of Us |
Probably was a long acting corticosteroid injection. Relatively safe if used occasionally, but long term use can have side effects. I have several clients with "seasonal" allergies that may need an injection once or twice a year. This time of year, make sure to apply a flea control product even though you see no evidence of fleas. As others have mentioned, food is also a common allergen, and could be any of numerous ingredients. One of the overlooked ones is the red dye used in many diets. The Atopica product works well for some. Various antihistamines may help as well. MFH FWIW | |||
|
| one of us |
Check out this site: http://www.us.atopica.com/indexConsumer.shtml | |||
|
| one of us |
Do you know the approximate cost of Atopica? They mention in the video it is "on the high side". Is there a generic available yet? Bill T. | |||
|
| one of us |
Friends- I have been told that Atopica is approximately $200 for a 30 day supply. I don't know if there is a generic out there yet. May the wind be in your face and the sun at your back. P. Mark Stark | |||
|
| One of Us |
Friend of mine had a cat with "flea allergies" so bad she'd pull all the hair out of her hindquarters. Only there weren't any fleas! Then they changed food to Science Diet from I don't remember what, and the problems cleared up entirely. I had an outbreak of psoriasis for two years. Then I stopped eating fast food, and junk, got on a better diet, less meat and it went away. Try a quality dog food. Science Diet or Iams would be my first choices. And cut out the "snacks" -- dies, additives, preservatives, etc. Vitamin E, fish oil are helpful for dry, itchy skin. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I'll weigh in on changing what you're feeding. I had a similar problem and switched to Muenster dog food from Muenster Milling which is in Muenster, Texas and the problem absolutely disappeared in less that a week. In San Anonio you can find it at Gardenville, Locke Hill Feed and Mumme's Never worry about theory as long as the machinery does what it's supposed to do. | |||
|
| one of us |
Wanderer, what was the cause of the problem or better yet, what was the problem? | |||
|
| one of us |
What is the cost? The cost varies with the clinic mark up (call around) and size of the dog. The first month the drug is given every day. The second month you can try to give the drug every other day. Hopefully, the third month you can taper the drug to twice a week. There is a coupon to help with the purchase. $15 back on the purchase of 2-100 mg packs. | |||
|
| One of Us |
At about one year old my dog started scratching about everywhere on her body, including her ears, and was broken out all over her belly and a few other places. The Vet said it seemed to be some kind of allergy and we thought at first she was allergic to grass which would have been a real show stopper. We tried some medication but it didn't seem to make a lot of difference. Then I heard some guy on the radio talking about this particular food, which has no preservative, etc. and has some pretty good stuff in it, cured his dog of what sounded just like the problem my dog had. I thought it was worth a try and it definitely worked. Been feeding the same stuff ever since then with no problems. Never worry about theory as long as the machinery does what it's supposed to do. | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia