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I have a 15# female rat terrier that has developed hives I have given her a benedryl but when it wears off she welts up. this is a recent occurrence, 2 days at this point. I have a new fabric softener which Im discontinuing the use of. could it be the floor cleaner... Fabulosa is what im using.
I have a 15# female rat terrier that has developed hives I have given her a benedryl but when it wears off she welts up. this is a recent occurrence, 2 days at this point. I have a new fabric softener which Im discontinuing the use of. could it be the floor cleaner... Fabulosa is what im using.
Does anyone have any ideas or remedies?
Hives would be a very unusual reaction to something like floor cleaner. An animal is more likely to develop hives as a result of an allergic reaction to a some sort bite or sting - bee, wasp, spider bite, etc. Are they all over the dog's body? How big are the swellings?
Hives are not to be ignored. They are potentially very serious. You know all the hives you see externally? Well, they're happening internally too. Left untreated (which obviously you dog isn't) they can kill an animal by closing off its airway.
If the hives keep coming back, you really do need to get the dog to a vet - usually hives pass once the allergic reaction has worn off (helped usually by steroids &/or antihistamines). Two days is long enough for it to be an excellent reason to get her to the vet. If you can time it so the antihistamine is wearing off in time for your appointment, that would probably help the vet. Check whatever outdoor area your dog has access to in order to make sure there are no fire ant mounds, wasp nests, or anything else that might be causing this.
They are small but quite a few of them. she avoids the grass so i doubt she has come close to fire ants... they dont look like that sort of bite ( I have a dog that seems to find those regularly)
I am watching her closely and listening for any signs of breathing issues. I thought about them being internal. the benadryl seems to provide some relief and we are eliminating the fabric softener in the sheets which is a new occurrence for these brands.
She has had no new foods so i doubt it is something she ate.
There are no wasps nest I've seen.. i watch for them. no indications of spiders.. i really watch for them. I hate spiders.....
no snakes and she doesnt chase the lizards. she plays with the other dogs... and they get into everything. she rarely goes out even when they are she likes to bark at them from the safety of the pool enclosure.
The only thing that is really new is the fabric softner... othewise no changes here.
I had a Lab years ago that broke out in hives after I tried a different carpet freshener. I too gave him Benedryl at the advice of my vet. As soon as I got rid of that freshener, his hives went away.
I wondered if you had used any Frontline or Advantage on your pet, different heartworm med ? With Frontline etc. some pets will get an allergic reaction, some do not, I have found applying it from the neck staight down to top of tail is good, sometimes when applied to one area it will cause a reaction.
I'm going to agree to disagree with some of the posters. Sometimes, hives can be caused by something we aren't even aware of - it can be an airborne allergen. For example, perhaps a neighbor had an exterminator in, or a new yard guy sprayed a chemical on a breezy day. Then again, I think you're wise to stop the new fabric softener or floor cleaner you're using, at least for now. It can be a tedious process of elimination to find the root cause.
In the meantime, yes, by all means protect the airway of your dog. I own three brachycephalic dogs and have seen an allergic reaction cut off an airway in a matter of minutes. Benadryl can literally save your dogs life - I even keep an epi-pen on hand too.
Best of luck and again, I agree that a vet visit is in order. Hives will usually disappear within a day or so. Please make a follow up post so we'll know how your fur kid is doing.
My dog had hives. I thought it was fleas but even with Frontline treatment he still had them. Turned out it was a food allergy to the dog food he'd been eating for a while...wheat and chicken were the two culprits. Now he's on a fish and sweet potato formula and no more hives.
My dog had hives. I thought it was fleas but even with Frontline treatment he still had them. Turned out it was a food allergy to the dog food he'd been eating for a while...wheat and chicken were the two culprits. Now he's on a fish and sweet potato formula and no more hives.
You're right, I forgot to mention food in my post - corn, wheat, soy and even some proteins can be major allergens. One of my Bostons is allergic to corn, so we feed a grain free formula of kibble and she does much better on it.
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