Dog with itchy skin!!

[luvarabhorses]

Frontline quit working on my dogs and I switched to Advantix. Seems much better.
Arnica Oil!!!!
This isn't one of those suggestions to waste money on something that doesn't work. It is GREAT! Take a cotton ball and rub it on the hairless irritated areas. Works amazing. I use it on myself for itchy irritated areas also.

 

[pbjmaker]

I'm reading this thread with interest. My 12 year old dog has chronic allergies from March to November. She is missing most her hair, chews holes in her skin, gets skin infections, etc. Benedryl does little and frontline no longer works. The vet has put her on predinsone in the past but doesn't want to leave her on it long term. I bathe her with oatmeal shampoo and that seems to help a little. My husband wants to put her down at this point. She is starting to fall going up and down stairs. I go back and forth on the issue. I think if I could get her skin back into good shape and get rid of the "funky" smell that imminates from her he would be OK with her sticking around. She has been a good dog.

Where does one find Arnica Oil?

 

[Terri]

i have tried allergy testing, since she has allergy most of the year, have you tried hypoallergenic food?

 

[pbjmaker]

Yes I have. Also all natural food. We got her as an adult dog from the ARL and she just had "hot spots" until we found out that we got a dog with heartworm. After we treated her for heartworm the allergies just got worse and worse every year.

The vet thinks its pollen allergies along with flea dermititis. It would cost a lot of money to have her tested for the specific allergies and I can't get rid of the pollen in the air so decided it wasn't worth it.

 

[Terri]

there is a difference from"all natural food" and hypoallergenic, hypyallergenic for is processed so the proteins can't be detected by the dogs immune system.

 

[pbjmaker]

I meant I have tried both.

 

[luvarabhorses]

PBJ,
There is a wealth of information on this on the Westie website I am on in Yahoo, it's called Westie II . I know this isn't a Westie but all the Westies except mine have allergy problems of all sorts. I would copy and paste for you like crazy but you should really read it all and make the best decision for you. The people are super nice and won't care that your dog isn't a Westie.

I have always had Great luck with a product called 9-1-1 by dac which is actually a horse product. I use to sell it for dogs with skin issues and it was awesome. A 2.5 lb bucket would last your dog at least a year. You would put about a teaspoon a day on your dogs food.

I bought a bunch of Arnica oil at a health food store but when I was in one today all they had was the cream. I'd google the oil and try it. It would be an immediate topical relief rather than a year round cure.

Some of the people on the Westie site spray something on their dogs feet when they come in from the grass and it works right away.

I have major seasonal allergies in September and I take enormous amounts of antihistamines, but the thing that helps me the most is Dynamite Hiscorbadine (plus Benadryl). I hate paying for it but it does work.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Just be careful with the teatree oil. I put some on my dog's hot spot and after licking it he started staggering around like he was drunk! I freaked out! Found out that it can poison them if ingested although, fortunately, the effects are only short term.

Lavender oil is non toxic and soothing to itchy skin.

 

[Camelot Farms]

We are going through this with our Lab.

Have switched her to Science Diet for healthy skin and coat, purchased special treats with extra vitamins and skin/coat enhancers and even bought doggie bendryl. We also have a spray on cortizone that helps on specific areas.

She seem better after only 4 days. The bendryl helps the most!

She is laying here by me right now trying not to itch....i can tell

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I think it can cause neuorological problems if absorbed through the skin, it doesn't even have to be ingested!!

The only way I've ever used TTO on my pets was just a few drops in a bath - definitely not directly on the skin!!




My dog has the itchies too, and $120 at the vet didn't do jack for her either. I think she had/has mange, but she has weird bumps on her skin too which seems different than the last dog I treated for mange. Anyway, I've been using products from Happy Jacks.
She's had hydraortazone pills, abx pills (got a hotspot infected from the itching) and Bennadryl. The visible effects were just side effects - abx gave her a yeast infection in the ears although the infection did clear up we still have the itchies, and Bennadryl just makes her sleepy which I guess does sorta = less scratching if she's too asleep to scratch.