Kona is itchy

[Bonnie and Kona]

Several days ago Kona started scratching and biting himself, a lot. I suspected fleas so got the topical drops we have used in the past. Three days after treatment, he is no better. I gave him a bath. He is no better. I finally gave him Benedryl yesterday and today. He has no visible bumps or redness to his skin. He is waking us up in the night scratching. I just feel so sorry for him! Itching is an awful sensation.

 

He has been running where there is poison oak but I'm pretty sure from the internet research I have done that dogs don't get poison oak. (My daughter and I got it from petting the dogs though.)

 

Any ideas???

 

UPDATE

Kona is less itchy today. My daughter is convinced it is poison oak. I am going continue giving him EPO because that seems like a good supplement. Thank you for all of your help! I am so grateful for people on DK.

[Gail+Kathleen,(Sydney+Olivia:)]

Yes, since Olivia is scratching so much (first time we have ever seen this in her), we have been giving her 1 tablet of Chlor-trimeton twice a day.  I also added 500mg of EPO to her dinner last night.  She calmed down to sleep but it started again this morning.  We are wipping their feet each time we bring them in the house and wiping their coats, vacuuming, etc..  It's raining all day today so everything is dropping from the trees all around us.  We have lots of trees in our neighborhood and on our property.  Our poor Doodles are suffering and yet being so sweet!  Maybe we should take them on a cruise and we will all be happy:)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Rainy humid weather aggravates pollen allergies. Humidity is the worst. I hope both girls get some relief soon!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think the rain knocks the pollen down and washes it away. The worst days are when there is dry, windy weather. My gray car was actually greenish yesterday as was the driveway so I'm happy it's raining andI left my car out for nature's car wash.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't know why, but the humidity does make the itching worse. Some of the treatment advice we get from the derm specialists is to run dehumifiers and use air conditioners, etc. Jack used to get so itchy and miserable in rainy weather that I was convinced that his worst allergens must be molds. (They aren't.)

It's true that pollen can't be carried on the wind so well when it's raining, though.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Brinkley has just started itching a lot. I thought he may have picked up some fleas but we use Frontlines religiously and there isn't a flea to be found.  I'm going to start wiping him down after times outside, as some of you suggested, but is there something I can give him? He's around 58 lbs right now.  He just turned 1 in November and I think he's developing allergies.  He itched some around this time last year; then it calmed down in the winter; and now it's starting again.  A spot on his hind leg is getting a little read b/c he's itching so hard, so I want to help him before it gets worth.  Thanks in advance!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

500 mg evening primrose oil capsules, once or twice a day may help. You really need to watch that spot on his leg, because it can quickly become infected. That's one way hot spots develop, and those are miserable and can be very difficult to treat. You may want to try a corticone anti-itch spray on the area.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Thanks! I realized I wrote "read" for "red".  Oops! lol!  And yes, keeping an eye on that spot.  It didn't get bad-- i distracted him as soon as I saw him really going for it... and he's left alone since I distracted him.  Now I just have to keep him away from it.  And thanks on the dosage-- I'm going to try that!

[Bonnie and Kona]

I've seen real improvement with the EPO. Hoping it helps Brinkley too.