Really itchy pup

My Boo has some nasty grass pollen allergies. We've tried everything over the years and nothing has seemed to help. From plain benedryl (which makes him not feel well) to medicated baths... you name it, we've done it.

We seem to be keeping it somewhat under control, but he's broken out with an itchy spot on his front paw. The problem is, he keeps licking at it which is making it worse.

What I'm looking for is something to put on it that will stop the itch so he can heal because if he just leaves it alone it'll be fine in a few days... but I need something that won't rub off as soon as he takes a step. I've tried itch sprays, which work a bit but seem to rub off quickly. In the past I have also tried putting itch creams or whatever on it and then putting a sock over it... but no matter how I try to hold the sock on his foot, he rips it off. (Guess he doesn't share his mom's shoe obsession )

Anywho... anyone have any ideas?

My Golden Retriever is also very allergic to a variety of things.
My vet has us keep a stash of prednisone on hand for times the benadryl doesn't work. We can usually get by with a single dose or a short couse of 2 days to get it under control.
Everytime he goes outside, we have to wash his feet and legs off with cool water. We also apply an ice pack (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) to the worst sites (wrap it in a light-weight towel).
Cortisone can also be applied to the site - just sit with him for 15 minutes or so while it absorbs in.

They tried him on oral and injection steroids last year.. worked for about a day I don't meant to sound snide... just a little frustrated.

We've been using a cortisone spray because I was worried about putting ointment between his toes.... but then I'm not sure how well that's staying on. Last year he had this and the ointment made it worse because it wouldn't dry.. and with the heat and dampness between his toes he ended up with some sort of infection (yeast I think?). Have you tried a cream version that doesn't leave some sort of greasy/wet residue that you can recommend?

I'll try the ice. Maybe if I give him a piece to play with he'll sit still for 20 minutes

Thanks much!

If nothing else helps there are boots that are intended for use in snow or where there might be glass or sharp rocks made by NeoPaws. You could put the oitnemtn on the paw, then a sock and then put the boot on. The boot is very difficult for the dog to remove so the ointment would have a chance to work.

Ooh neat! That would be a lot better than a sock. Thanks!

We've used the boots when Ben goes outside - with limited success. The heat generated by wering the boots and wearing the ointment would concern me. Irritation or infection.

The cortisone injection might as well have been water - it worked for less than 24 hrs. It is so noted on his chart.
What does of prednisone are they having you give him? It lasts 8 to 12 hours and must be repeated because it does wear off so quickly.
What does of benadryl did you try? Our vet has us dose Ben based on his weight - and he is 100 lbs! They do build up a tolerance for the benadryl, so some of the side effects will go away with regular use. (I grew up taking it for my asthma, so I can easily tolerate a 100mg dse with no side effects!).

Have you looked into allergy shots? They either make a huge difference or none at all. It will be the next step for us, when the benadryl stops working.

I am using the all natural route with Gigi cept for the pred ( that is not for allergies but something else)... I use human Moducare and quercetin with her ... It works better than benadryl... another reg antihistimine is hydroxine....

We started him on quercetin and bromelin not too long ago, but he hasn't been taking it long enough to have an effect... I still have hopes for it tho since the combo did a nice job on my allergies.

After my last post it dawned on me... He stops itching for a while after I use this shampoo I picked up at my local health food store... and all it really is is coconut oil, aloe and vitamin e.

I must have been like a cartoon with a lightbulb going on over my head Coconut oil - of course! It's excellent for metabolism, allergies and skin... plus its an anti bacterial and an anti fungal. So I started today feeding him 1 tblsp virgin cold pressed coconut oil... will add more if he needs it. Will probably take at least a week to show whether or not its working, but heck, it can't hurt at this point since we've tried everything else.

I don't remember the dose of pregnisone off hand.. I'll have to check through his medical records because that was last year.

When we tried him on benedryl we only gave him one pill (I just checked it was 25mg) and he's a 90lb dog. The problem was not so much whether or not the benedryl worked, but it didn't make him feel well. Like he got really sleepy, which made him angry and wobbly. Boo doesn't react well to a lot of medications... which is why I try to go as natural as I can with him. There are a lot of things that wouldn't affect any other dog, but Boo ends up having some sort of reaction.... so we have to be very cautious with what we give him.

I've looked into allergy shots... but I'm concerned that it might do more harm than good with how sensitive Boo is to certain medications. I still have to do more research before I decide on it, but it's definitely a thought.

as far as nutritionally( not what your going for) ... fish or salmon oil would be better

Not necessarily... fish or salmon oil gives him the runs

who then NO

What can I say..

I mean this in the most loving, motherly, 'I'll do anything for him' kind of way... but I'm starting to think poor Boo is just defective

No, but seriously... I'm sure it'll just be more trial and error, but I'm positive I'll find something that works, even if the coconut oil doesn't.

May I ask what he eats?>??

I know it is not a food allergy but I have found with the "right" foods Gigis are better with less stuff.. as are mine

He's on Innova Evo mixed with some raw.

If you can more raw ... it will help with the immune system ...YES I do dogs nutrition too

only issue with EVO is it is complex and contains about 10 semi common allergens and some can be intolerences aggrivated by the pollen .....

LOL Well, I'm no professional, but it is a hobby of mine

We used to do almost all raw and just leave the innova out for a snack. Unfortunately, since I lost my job last week, I had to cut back a bit on the raw... but this is only a recent development.

Was looking into Orijen, but I don't know the prices on that and the closest place that sells it is over an hour from me. On the up side, theres a little pet store here that loves me (with all these furkids, I'm an excellent customer ) so I'm sure I could convince them to order it... but wanted to try it before they go through all that hassle.

So right now I'm trying to balance his health with a temporary cash shortage. That sounds absolutely horrible, but what I mean is the whole household has had to cut back on some things for a bit... so I'm just trying to find the healthiest I can afford for the moment. Luckily the job situation is looking up a bit, so I can probably go back to almost full raw soon (here's hoping!)

Are you buying the raw???

Or making it yourself ???

I know $$ issues ... I cant tell from the pics how large your dogs are but I know how to feed a hunderd lb er for about 10-15 $ a week( corrected

Orijen makes a dog??? have the link ???

Raw instict looks great but the $$$ are more than evo ...

http://www.championpetfoods.com/orij...cts/adult.aspx

Was making it myself... but perhaps I was just buying the wrong things? From the info I was basing it on, it was well over $5/week

Boo is about 90lbs.... Karma is about 70 (although she should be more like 65 )

Tell me more! This is the best news I've heard all week!

OPPS I gave info for 30-55 lb not 100lb

I have an allergy dog. She is allergic to various grasses, pollens and molds. We did allergy testing on her last year. Anyway...for the itchy spot try some Gold Bond powder. It dries it up and helps relieves the itching.
WTG, for thinking of the Coconut oil! That stuff is great! I also add Organic Apple Cider vinegar to my dog's diet to help balance the pH of the skin. And she also gets Nzymes. www.nzymes.com The difference in her skin since we've added these things is amazing! Last year at this time she had several hot spots and was scratching herself raw. This year not one hot spot and she only has slight itchies on her chin. Anything you can do to boost the immune system will help.
Good luck! I know how frustrating allergies can be.