Allergies and at home remedies
Submitted by RattyFat87 on August 17, 2012 - 10:37amI have posted a similar issue to this before, but we have another spike in this summer heat. My ratfat suffers from allergies, and we are currently going through a food switch to a grainfree diet.
since the start of the switch ratfat has been itching like crazy. i am giving him one benadryl a day but it doesnt seem to be doing much to help him out. I have also tried putting goldbond powder on his hot spots to try and tame the itching, and at first that worked, but hasnt been helping much at all recently.
i was curoius if any of you might have some other things you have tried to control your baby's itchies.
__________________
Ratliff and his mom Kael
"Rescues are better than children!"
1 benadryl a day is useless.
1 benadryl a day is useless. Give 1 benadry for each 25 pounds of weight every 4-6 hours.
I have had great success using apple cider vinager on hotspots. Put in on a washcloth and dab it on the hotspot a couple of times each day.
benadryl
see i didnt know how much benadryl was ok to give him. i have always just given him one pretty much year around and it usually does the trick, but i never knew the mg/weight ratio.
i have also been bathing him weekly in Chlorhexiderm shampoo which is supposed to be good for hotspots, but it only helps for maybe a day or two. i would bathe him in it more often, but since its so strong i am afraid of it drying out his skin. Someone suggested an oatmeal based organic shampoo to help with hotspots.. any experience with that?
Ratliff and his mom Kael
"Rescues are better than children!"
The Chlorhexiderm and Oatmeal
The Chlorhexiderm and Oatmeal (esp Oatmeal) really dry out their skin and can lead to skin problems as well as itching and the viscious circle continues! I would try something else for a period of time and see if things get better, or worse. Stop the baths for a while and concetrate on the hotspot sores themselves.
Mike
Might not be the right food for him
grainfree is not for everydog. Its hard until you find what works. I wouldn't pump them full of benadryl until you get to teh bottom of what is causing the allergy. Good luck
Agree
Doping a dog until you know what you are doping for IMO is reckless Has you vet recommended you give Benadryl daily? How much did they recommend? IMO that is a very heavy dose of Benadryl. I personally don't like having doped up dogs. Have you ever taken Benadryl yourself? How did you feel on it? I hate taking allergy pills, makes me feel icky.
Find the problem then medicate accordingly. Sometimes you have to go through several foods to find out what works if it is a food related allergy. It could be seasonal environmental. Maybe you might want to have allergy testing done to determine what the dog is allergic too. I believe it runs about $200 depending on your area.