# Tips for a seasonal allergy guy



## Looni2ns (Mar 26, 2010)

Generic Claritin, or generic Zyrtec. Give it w/cheese, or PB, or crush the tab and mix it in with your dog's food. Made a big difference with my girls. 

If that doesn't work, you may have to take him to the vet's for a steroid shot.


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## HeidisPeople (Dec 10, 2010)

I too give generic Claritin. 

Heidi is accustomed to getting it before she eats so no problem, for her it's just part of the meal. lol The cheapest I've found are Wal-Mart brand. For 30 pills it's about $4.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

We use chloraphenamarine, generic for a Chlor Tabs. $2.96 for 100 at Walmart (yellow antihistamine tablet). We also use unscented baby wipes to wipe our dog's fur and paws after being outside to get the pollens off his coat and paws--that helps a lot! Also frequent vacuuming, taking our shoes off in the house--all in an effort to rid the inside of pollens. 

How old is he? I'd make sure the thyroid is normal. Low thyroid can magnify the effects of environmental allergies.

Also we use Omega 3 fatty acids at anti-inflammatory levels. Take the DHA and EPA amounts on a capsule to calculate and dose at 300 mgs of DHA/EPA per 10 lbs of body weight. Try to find one that doesn't contain added Vitamins that might be toxic in large doses for a dog. The anti-inflammatory effects of the fish oils help the allergic response and benefit the skin and coat. 

We found out that acupuncture helped our allergy boy's allergies. We took him to the acupuncture vet for his hips, and his allergies improved. 

There are some stronger antihistamines your vet can prescribe -- we had success with hydroxyzine. You can also do the testing and allergy shot routine as well. 

The best prevention is avoidance--easier said than done and not much fun!


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Ike has seasonal allergies too, though not to the extent your boy seems affected. When he's very itchy, I give him benadryl and bathe him with micro- ek shampoo. It's specifically for irritated skin and itching. There is also a spray for daily applications.
I had Ike's thyroid tested and his levels are fine. He showed no symptoms of low T other than itching, but I had him tested to be sure.

My Bridge boy had hot spots and itching for his first year or two but he outgrew it. I hope you can help Midas feel better soon.


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## MidasMom (Jun 2, 2010)

Wow, thanks everyone. I had to bust out the note pad and write everything down. Generic Claritin. I never would have thought of that. I do the benedryl sometimes, only helps a little. I also do give him Omega. What is the dose for a 75 lb dog for the anti inflammatory level? He gets two capsules per day now. I am thinking that is not enough? He is two and a half. Should I have his thyroid checked at this point? He has always had seasonal allergies so it is definitely nothing new, but I will get his thyroid checked if needed. I have been the steroid route before too. He actually had a really bad reaction, hives, rash, from a shampoo I tried. I thought I was doing right by getting the Earthbath since it is all natural and all that. Nope, something in it made him break out like no other. Steroids calm things right away, but not something to keep him on long term. Poor guy. Just seems like he itches all summer long. I know avoidance would help his issues, but I think his heart would be broken if he couldn't swim and play in the field. Thanks everyone.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

MidasMom said:


> Wow, thanks everyone. I had to bust out the note pad and write everything down. Generic Claritin. I never would have thought of that. I do the benedryl sometimes, only helps a little. I also do give him Omega. What is the dose for a 75 lb dog for the anti inflammatory level? He gets two capsules per day now. I am thinking that is not enough? He is two and a half. Should I have his thyroid checked at this point? He has always had seasonal allergies so it is definitely nothing new, but I will get his thyroid checked if needed. I have been the steroid route before too. He actually had a really bad reaction, hives, rash, from a shampoo I tried. I thought I was doing right by getting the Earthbath since it is all natural and all that. Nope, something in it made him break out like no other. Steroids calm things right away, but not something to keep him on long term. Poor guy. Just seems like he itches all summer long. I know avoidance would help his issues, but I think his heart would be broken if he couldn't swim and play in the field. Thanks everyone.


 
Anti-inflammatory level for a 75 lb dog is up to 2250 mgs of EPA/DHA as noted on the back of the bottle of fish oils. Just add the total number of EPA/DHA per serving (some servings are 2 capsules) and then calculate the number of capsules you need to dose up to 2250 mgs. A few cautions--start slow because too much can cause loose stools. If it is consistently soft this may not be a good option. Also, if your dog is scheduled for any surgeries or dental cleanings you should stop the fish oils about a week to 5 days in advance since they decrease blood clotting ability. That's true for humans too. If your dog is allergic to fish, fish oils wouldn't be advisable either. 

I'm not sure about the age to test for thyroid levels. My dogs all presented with clinical signs of hypothyroidism. Toby was diagnosed before he was 5. 

We can't use Micro-tek because I'm allergic/sensitive to the scent in it. Our vet suggested we use something called Epi-Soothe shampoo and it works well. Frequent baths are good for allergies BTW. If humans can have allergic reactions to fragrances and scents my guess is dogs can too. If Midas had a severe reaction to the shampoo it might be a good idea to try unscented laundry detergents and household cleaning products. I started using vinegar, water, lemon juice and baking sodas for cleaning purposes for my fragrance sensitivities--I figured it helps Toby as well. 

I'd see if your vet might prescribe some hydroxyzine for the warmer months--it was very effective for us. 

We found the avoidance thing didn't work very well either...you aren't alone!


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## MidasMom (Jun 2, 2010)

Thank you ever so much Dallas Gold. You are a gem. I will be going to Walmart tomorrow to pick up a few goodies for my Midas. Luckily he is not allergic to fish, his food is a salmon and sweet potato and he has been doing wonderful on that. I will start out slow on the omega and keep an eye on his poops. I do bathe him very often. He swims at least 3-4 times a week and I bathe him right after to rinse everything off. I have used Micro-tek with success. I also use a shampoo my vet recommended. I want to say it is epi- something. Its in the car, I would have to check, but epi soothe sounds real familiar. I do use unscented everything. My five year old son has skin issues too, go figure, and I can't use anything scented or he will break out in hives. Maybe I will hold off on the thyroid checking for now since he shows no other symptoms other than the summer itching. He is due to for his second lepto booster next week. I will ask my vet for some hydroxyzine and give that a whirl too. Thanks again!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

MidasMom said:


> Thank you ever so much Dallas Gold. You are a gem. I will be going to Walmart tomorrow to pick up a few goodies for my Midas. Luckily he is not allergic to fish, his food is a salmon and sweet potato and he has been doing wonderful on that. I will start out slow on the omega and keep an eye on his poops. I do bathe him very often. He swims at least 3-4 times a week and I bathe him right after to rinse everything off. I have used Micro-tek with success. I also use a shampoo my vet recommended. I want to say it is epi- something. Its in the car, I would have to check, but epi soothe sounds real familiar. I do use unscented everything. My five year old son has skin issues too, go figure, and I can't use anything scented or he will break out in hives. Maybe I will hold off on the thyroid checking for now since he shows no other symptoms other than the summer itching. He is due to for his second lepto booster next week. I will ask my vet for some hydroxyzine and give that a whirl too. Thanks again!


You are welcome--BTW, we used a holistic acupuncture vet on our orthopedic and allergy dog and she told me to expect a reaction in the dog's coat after vaccines--she sees dog's blowing coats more or become itchy and scratching as well as a stress response to the "assault" (her words) on the dog's immune system. Don't be surprised if you don't see immediate results, given he's going in for his lepto booster.


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