Biting paws....

[Christine]

Hi,

I have a strange question.  Nala went to the vet for her yearly check up.  She got the lepto vaccine.  Just that.

I noticed that ever since the vet visit, she has been biting at her paws.  She has never done this.  Nothing else changed, same food, same environment, didn’t travel, etc.

Could this be a coincidence that she got that shot and then the biting?  I looked at her skin and it’s fine.  

Christine & Miss Nala 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I found this chart online with Allegra dosage for dogs. 
https://www.veterinaryplace.com/dog-medicine/allegra/

It looks like Nala's dosage is a little too low. But I don't know how you can give her a third of a pill, which is what it looks like she needs.

[Nancy & Echo]

This requires an accurate way of measuring volume, and a wastage of medication, but, for immediate release formulations, you can crush the tablet to a powder or empty the capsule, add water, shake well, then take 1/3 of the total volume. Normally you don't know the stability of this suspension, so you would probably have to discard the suspension containing the 2/3 of the tablet/capsule.

[Christine]

Thank you so much to both of you!  I can’t thank you enough for all the help.  She had a better day, still itching, but not as bad.  I am on her like glue.  I was looking at her skin and now I see one ear, when I lift it up, the skin is pink and rough.  The other side isn’t like this.  I plan on taking her to the vet Monday, but in the meantime is there something I can put on her skin?  It’s not inside the ear canal, but on the underside of her ear flap so to speak.

Thank you for all the info! 

Christine 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The OTC anti-itch spray I mentioned. 

[Christine]

I have one called Veterinary Formula Clinical Care - Hot spot and itch relief medicated spray.  It contains lidocaine, hydrocortisone and allantoin. The last one I have no idea what that is. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Allantoin is a chemical moisturizer. It shouldn't hurt as long as it's used only on the skin.

I like Relief spray: https://www.chewy.com/relief-spray-itchy-skin-dogs-cats/dp/119255?u...

[Christine]

Good Morning Karen,

I am going to buy the relief spray.  This will be her 3rd day of Allegra, sill biting.  Going to vet tomorrow...maybe try Claritin?  I am not 100 percent confident with my vet.  Not because something happened, but because I moved and she is new to us.

I am feeling really responsible for this.  She was perfectly fine before this shot, and now she is a mess.  And after reading online, this lepto is a controversial shot.  I feel sick that I may have caused this.  There was not one sign of an issue prior to the shot. 

I cannot thank you enough for your help 

Christine 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Claritin/Allegra did nothing for Luna's seasonal allergies.  We would start the season with benadryl (which didn't really make her sleepy by the way, even at 3 pills 3 times a day).  Once the benadryl was no longer effective at the height of the season we switched to vanectyl p (prednisone) for a few years then we tried cytopoint for a few years before she passed. 

The cytopoint had fewer immediate side effects but as Karen and I discussed in another thread it carries an increased risk of cancer (which my vet did not warn us about).  

It's rough managing a dog on prednisone (they are SUPER voracious and drink and pee a lot) but it's safer.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

JD almost never had the typical voracious/drinking & peeing a lot with prednisone. Only when he was on the highest doses to try to get his IBD into remission, or at the beginning of an allergy flare. The rest of the time, you would never have known he was on steroids. But all dogs are different.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna was a major chow hound so it probably just enhanced her natural tendency to want to eat all the time :p

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, vaccines do stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies, that's how they work; so the more you vaccinate, the more risk there is of developing an over-active immune system, and that's what's behind most immune-mediated diseases. However, there is also a huge genetic component with Atopy. So I wouldn't blame myself; you were trying to do your best for Nala with the information that you had at the time. That's all any of us can do.

[Christine]

Thanks so much Karen for saying that.  I am so careful with my kids and with Nala, I treat her like she is my child.  She is the sweetest and most loving dog, and so smart.  She is so attached to me and shadows me. I love this baby!

I totally agree about the immune system and vaccinations.  She is having a better day today.  Going to vet tomorrow.

Do you have a specific shampoo you would recommend?
Chris