Dakota is so itchy.

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Ive mentioned this before but need some advice.Dakota itches herself and bites herself constantly.I gave her 2 claritin every day for a week and nothing changed.She itched herself just as much.She is also shedding like crazy now a days.Even her fur feels different.Not as soft.I give her wild Alaskan salmon oil every day also.The only treats she gets is mini peeled carrots and blue buffalo for her meals.I hope its a allergy to grain and am thinking of switching to Origen grain free.Any thoughts? Thanks.

[Diana K]

Hi.  When we first rescued Winston, he used to get itchy all the time and would get hot spots.  One got badly infected.  We ended up switching him to grain free and chicken free kibble.  Seems like some dogs are allergic to not only grain, but chicken. 

We also give him salmon oil like you do, but I also give him some brewer's yeast supplements.  I also found Zymox Enzymatic Shampoo and Rinse to help a lot with the itchiness and hot spots. 

Hope this helps!

[Christine & Camus]

Camus goes through periods of extreme itching despite being on grain free & getting salmon oil supplements.  He definitely has seasonal allergies and will be tested soon, however I have found that bathing helps.  He gets a bath every two weeks and when itching begins I bathe hi weekly.  Thankfully, he will jump into the tub on his own, given he is 82 lbs. it is a big help.  Also, I leave the shampoo on him for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.  I do not use a rinse since I was told it was not recommended for dogs with allergies.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know I sound like a broken record (I feel like one, too) but the chances are good that the itching is due to seasonal allergies.

Only 10% of allergy symptoms in dogs are related to food, 90% of the time it's substances (pollen, dust, molds, etc) that are inhaled which are causing the itching.  

There are a few things you can do to try to alleviate the symptoms. Keepin the house and especially her sleeping areas as dust free as possible, washing her bedding and bowls frequently, using a dehumidifer or air conditioner, keeping all dry foods in air tight containers, bathing her often with a good allergy shampoo (Douxo is the best), leaving the shampoo on for at least 10 minutes and then air drying or using a cool dryer, never a hot dryer and no leave-in products, wiping her down every time she comes in from outside, especially her feet, brush her every day, and you can use an OTC cortisone spray for temporary relief. But unfortunately, seasonal allergies get worse as the dog gets older, and if she starts to cause herself  infections with the biting, scratching, and licking, you may have to consult a veterinary dermatology specialist and talk about other options.

The Claritin can take longer than a week to help. And the two Claritin should be given at the same time, once a day, not one pill twice a day. What does Dakota weigh now? Jack needs three when he's flaring.

You can try switching to orijen, it has a really good fatty acid ratio and content, and that can help,a s well as eliminating the grains and the particulate matter which can exacerbate a storage mite allergy (very common, like dust mite alletgies). Jack's dermatologist recommended Orijen for those reasons, even though he did not have food allergies.  But if it's a food allergy (and I doubt it is, especially considering the timing) it might be to a protein instead of a grain. There is no way to know without doing a 6 week food elimination trial, and frankly I have yet to find one person here who got any results from that, plus it's a pain in the butt for you and the dog. I don't think you need that extra stress right now.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If the skin testing only costs $400, you are very lucky. Here, it's a lot more. Do not do blood tests, you will be throwing your money out.

If you do the immunotherapy shots, the cost is moderate. I can't tell you exactly, I'm sure it varies depending on location, supplier and formula, but once we got past the first month and onto a maintenance schedule, it averages about $50 a month for the antigens and the syringes are cheap.

If you choose the only other option, cyclosporine, that's a lot more expensive here. Again, I can't tell you an exact number, because the dosage is  by weight. For Jack, it would run me about $180/month. But Dakota is half his weight, and you guys have cheaper drugs up there in Canada, don't you?

When JD is flaring, he gets bathed every week, on the specialists recommendation. It does help.

Don't get ahead of yourself. Try bathing her more and brushing her more, and give the Claritin a little more time. If it's pollen allergies, it does help to have A/C and the windows closed.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

By all means, try the Orijen. It might make a difference.

Jack is allergic to many different kinds of pollen, but he is also allergic to two different kinds of dust mites, storage mites, cat dander, and one common mold that is found both indoors and out. So it doesn't always have to be pollen that's causing an atopy flare.

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My pleasure to be able to help you.

There are certain kinds of mold that are harmless unless you happen to be allergic to them, and they are everywhere there is water, including inside the water pipes and in puddles and gutters outside. Jack is allergic to one of those kinds of molds. That's the problem with most allergens, they are unavoidable.

[Bobbi Park]

My newest concern is similiar.....Coco has no fleas/hot spots, etc but scratches and acts like she's 'fleeing" himself since its gotten hot down here, in Florida.   My question:  I know when I take him for walks, the 'sand gnats' here bite ME something awful.....could they be biting him (thru his hair)???   Mosquitos?   Can I lightly mist him with bug spray that I use for myself???    His itches are primarily under his front arms and his belly & the top of his head (the scratching)....his 'fleeing' is sporadic, but mostly on his hips.   Help!!    Thanks again, as always for info/suggestions!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It could be inhalant allergies rather than bugs. I have not seen much about dogs being bitten by bugs (other than fleas or ticks) to the point of itching regularly, and never experienced that myself with any dog. Plus, if it was bug bites, the itching wouldn't be in the same areas. The axilla in particular is one of the main areas affected by allergies.