Help for little dog with allergies?

[jebartle]

My little dachshund (use to be long hair dachshund) has been biting hair on tail and low back and butt...Vet gave him a shot, still no relief.....Changed dog food to no gluten dog food...He gets no table scrapes...He had no relief after giving him children's dose of benedryl, recommended by pharmacy...I feel so helpless....Wondering if he might have allergy to bug spray....Just don't know what to do next...Any help would be appreciated...He scratches constantly

[jblum315]

I have heard this called "hot spots" but I don't know what you can do. My vet recommended some kind of topical ointment but it didn't completely help.

[Patty55]

I'm assuming the vet ruled out fleas and worms...

If it's "hot spots" there is a blue gel called hot spot ointment, I've used it and it kind of works, but you have to keep the dog from licking it off-I.ve put it on and then sprinkled a little baby powder over it-DO NOT USE THIS STUFF AT THE SAME TIME AS BENEDRYL.

Vetricyn spray works pretty good on hot spots.

Critter Oil-you can buy it online. You can make your own shampoo by combining it with a bit of Dawn (the original one) diluted and critter oil. Has a nice herbal smell. If you mix it with vinegar and water in a spray bottle it makes a great bug spray.

You might want to think about a raw food diet. It's a pain in the neck till you get used to it, but it seems to work.

Local Honey added to the food seems to help with allergies. They have it at the pet food store in Spanish Plaines.

Finally, could be boredom. Get some real meaty bones, get him out more.

[seashorecaroline]

For a long time I had the same problem with my Abby. One of my friends told me to eliminate all food and treats that contain wheat. Since I have done that Abby has not had any more issues. May be worth a try. Good luck!

[jebartle]

No, it's not fleas or worms....I feel so sorry for our little guy...Will give your suggestions a try....Thank you so much...What is a wonder, he will go 1 to 2 hours without scratching or biting, and then he won't stop, until we give him our undivided attention...His tail looks like a feather-duster now from all of the biting....We've had to resort to one of those cone-heads when we are not at home to monitor him..

[socrafty]

My mom's dog had the same problem. Switched to wheat free, that did not work so she changed to a salmon and sweet potato dry food. No beef, chicken or turkey and after a few weeks the dog stopped scratching. Poor guy, hope he gets relief soon.

[Patty55]

No, it's not fleas or worms....I feel so sorry for our little guy...Will give your suggestions a try....Thank you so much...What is a wonder, he will go 1 to 2 hours without scratching or biting, and then he won't stop, until we give him our undivided attention...His tail looks like a feather-duster now from all of the biting....We've had to resort to one of those cone-heads when we are not at home to monitor him..

Sounds like he could be bored, try getting him some real bones.

[ariel]

So sorry your little sweetie is having this problem. My maltese, Ariel, who passed away in January at the age of 17, also sufferred with skin problems for much of her life. I took her to a couple specialists over the years and little seemed to help. Finally came to the conculsion that it was part physical (allergies) and part emotional (at one point when is got really bad she was actually having pain from a herniated disc in her neck - surgery helped that). The best treatment for her after her pain was aleviated was a limited ingredient diet - for her that meant venison and potato food, apples, bananas and plain cheerios; baths with a combo antibacterial/antifungal shampoo - as often as needed to keep her skin from getting oily - but rinse very, very thoroughly. When I was away from her for a while in the day, I would crate her with a light blanket over the crate - seemed to give her a sense of security. I have a toy poodle now, who also had similar issues when I rescued him. I'm pretty much approaching his problem the same and he is doing well - does scratch a little here and there but doesn't end up with raw spots. Ariel would get bad scaly places almost like scabs. It was difficult making her comfortable. There is an antihistamine - Vet prescription- can't remember the name, that helped a little better than Benedryl. If this has happened all of a sudden, be sure there is nothing physical, e.g. pain. They are very stoic and sometimes their pain will manifest in other ways. Good luck to you and your baby.

[Bonnevie]

I had a dog that did that...after awhile it becomes an obsessive behavior. ended up putting her on prozac to break the behavior.
maybe putting one of those collars on so the dog can't get at it and allow it to heal then there won't be anything to scratch at

[pooh]

My golden, Max, had skin problems, constantly scratching, biting and miserable. The vet recommended an ice pack applied to the itchy/hot spot to bring some relief. After testing it was determined that that Max had a very sluggish thyroid gland. Appropriate meds got things back on track, itching stopped, fur grew in thick and lush. I tried elimination diets for the dog and eventually, cooked for him. Seemed to help...and he absolutely loved Cheerios... ;). Even after being on thyroid meds, I continued cooking for my dear pooch....wasn't difficult and the vet approved the menu.

Have you considered a thunder shirt? If I understood your post correctly, it sounded like some of this biting may be distress....seeking attention. It is indeed difficult to watch our puppies suffer, I do hope a solution is found soon.

[jebartle]

I should have also mentioned that my sweet little dachshund also is a "Cone Head" every time he starts scratching and biting...He is quite a site, feather duster tail and cone head.....And he still looks at me with those adoring brown eyes (wondering why his Mom has done this to him, Ugh!)....Will try your suggestions, thank you all!

[villager]

You could also discuss with your vet allergy testing. We did that with one of our dogs and found so much she was allergic to. It is harder to test for food items, but it can be done. Once you know what can't be tolerated, it is much easier to treat.

[lightworker888]

One of our shih tzus had hot spots when I switched her vit. supplement. Had to go back to a seafood greens powder to stop it. Our dogs are on raw food with dehydrated veggies and no grains. They do not get bones as they get too "loose" with them.

I use a frozen raw food and hydrate the veggies in the fridge after each meal for the next meal. Both Whole Earth and Paws for a Moment carry a variety of both raw and dehydrated foods.

From what I know about grains, I think that a grain free diet works best for dogs with any digestive challenges, which show up as skin issues. And I think the little dogs have more of a challenge with digestion issues than large dogs who seem to be able to handle just about any diet.

Good luck on with your sleuthing. I know how distressing it is when one of our "kids" has a challenge. There are lots of resources out there and good info. You just have to go with what you feel is right for your dog.

LW888

[Happy Villager 1]

Our dog Molly had the same symptoms and I felt horrible using the cone on her because the itch was still there and she suffered because she couldn't stop it.
Our Vet finally sold us "PhytoVet CK Wipes" and it has worked beautifully. Her fur has grown back and she isn't sore anymore. The wipes are antiseptic cleansing pads that helps restore the dermal lipid barrier. They contain an antiseptic (antibacterial and antifungal) solution for the topical management of skin conditions.
I use one wipe daily in the areas that she is prone to lick. I have noticed if I don't
use them she goes back to her old habits.

[KathieI]

I'm so sorry to hear about your poor pet. My schnauzers have always had terrible skin allergies so I have had them on prescription food from the vet for years. My 6 yo male, Sam, went from venison & potato to rabbit & potato, which my vet says is one of the best for allergies. It seems to be working (for now) but sometimes his attacks are so bad, I put wet towels in the freezer for awhile to make them really cold and then wrap them around him to relieve the heat his skin is putting out. The vet will give him a steroid shot to give him some relief quickly. I hope you find an answer and you can share it with us. Good Luck!!

[ronsroni]

I had two Doxies and my Miss Elli had horrific skin issues later in her life. I got them to clear up by stopping ALL GRAINS... ALL OF THEM.
I see here that someone mentioned Paws For a Moment over in Buffalo Ridge, up behind CVS off 466.
The ladies in this store are incredibly knowledgeable and have done nothing but steer me in the right direction. Changing my dog from prescription to a RAW diet, complete with bones (uncooked, of course) and occasionally mixing in Evangers Drumettes or Hunk O' Beef and my Bandita goes crazy for joy with the raw stuff. She actually had a raw chix drumstick last night and loved it. Raw bones dont splinter as a rule.
Small dogs are notorious for skin issues and food allergies. If you consider the pack ancestry, dogs and cats had to fend for themselves historically and seem to do well with the raw route.
It isn't difficult. It costs me roughly HALF of what I was paying previously for her food. I defrost PRIMAL bricks and offer her a carrot or two along with potato if she likes it. She gets 2 whole ounces at each of her 2 feedings per day. She had more bulk before but never felt as good as she does now.The med from the vet... VISTASRIL?? A higher powered med that you need to give time or talk about. Consider chlorpheneramine 4 mg for your baby. (the old chlortrimetron). Good med and non drowsyish.
I wish you luck. If you bathe your dog, please be certain to DRY AND RINSE super well. It is best to keep these areas dry if possible. Also, are you here long? Is this a new environment? You mentioned bug spray. Do you apply it to the dog? I didn;t get what that meant. Best.

[pbwings]

I was told to use vinegar on the trouble area. If the skin is broken use a diluted solution of 50/50

[Virgnia DiStaso]

My dog had horrible allergies, was even on allergy shots once a week. Did not help, when I told the vet I was at my wits end, he told me about a med that was the last resort he could think of. Atopica, a small gel pill. The FIRST pill worked, I was amazed. I now order it online in the generic form and its wonderful, my dog is so happy, not itching, licking, and biting his tale. Ask your vet about this great med. Ginny

[Virgnia DiStaso]

Try Atopica, my vet gave it to my dog as the last resort. I order it online

[gamby]

Wrong post