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These allergies and scratching are getting R-I-D-I-C-U-L-I-O-U-S!
Beeze has been scratching ALL DAY. No lie. ALL DAY. I'm so sick of it! His eyes are BRIGHT red from being scratched and I found an open sore on his neck...
A friend suggested tea tree oil shampoo. Should I try it?
I'm going to talk to my vet tomorrow to get the OK and also to see if there's anything else we can try. He's gone through a half bottle of children's Benadryl in a week, 1/4 bottle of oatmeal shampoo, he's been groomed short, and I brush him twice as often now. Nothing is helping!
Doc suggested Cyclosporine as a last resort, and I'm almost to that point!
What I would suggest instead is looking at a product called Resicort, a cortisone leave-in conditioner - there's also a couple of shampoos to choose from too - Cortisoothe is one ResiCORT Leave-On Conditioner (16oz)
I have an itchy Frenchie and these products have helped him a lot. There's nothing worse than an itchy, miserable dog. Let us know how he's doing.
I would suggest lavender &/or chamomile rather than tea tree, they are much safer (less toxic) and have been very successful in treating skin conditions in both humans and dogs. Here's a link to one site that talks about some of the different oils used in canine aromatherapy...
I make my own dog shampoo bars, and usually do lavender, chamomile, or peppermint essential oils for them...I have also used lemongrass in the summertime for its strong flea & tick-repelling properties, but I don't recommend that oil for dry/itchy skin because I think it would be too astringent and would most likely aggravate the situation further.
Also, you might want to find a dog shampoo that has neem &/or jojoba oil as well as the usual olive & castor oils...the honey/oatmeal shampoo being marketed for pets sometimes says "natural" but may still contain harsh chemicals, so that could be why you're not seeing any results from it yet.
Good luck, and feel free to DM me if you want any more information on essential oils...I am not a licensed aromatherapist, but have been studying this stuff for a couple of years now so can at least steer you in the right direction and/or give you some shampoo recipes you can try yourself if all else fails...it's not too hard and it makes the whole house smell yummy, so you might really enjoy it!
What I would suggest instead is looking at a product called Resicort, a cortisone leave-in conditioner - there's also a couple of shampoos to choose from too - Cortisoothe is one ResiCORT Leave-On Conditioner (16oz)
I have an itchy Frenchie and these products have helped him a lot. There's nothing worse than an itchy, miserable dog. Let us know how he's doing.
Thanks for the info. I have so much to learn! Can you tell I'm a first time dog owner?
Beesley is completely miserable. He can't get comfortable because he has to scratch every few seconds. He even started drawing blood. Poor doggie
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvmycat
I would suggest lavender &/or chamomile rather than tea tree, they are much safer (less toxic) and have been very successful in treating skin conditions in both humans and dogs. Here's a link to one site that talks about some of the different oils used in canine aromatherapy...
I make my own dog shampoo bars, and usually do lavender, chamomile, or peppermint essential oils for them...I have also used lemongrass in the summertime for its strong flea & tick-repelling properties, but I don't recommend that oil for dry/itchy skin because I think it would be too astringent and would most likely aggravate the situation further.
Also, you might want to find a dog shampoo that has neem &/or jojoba oil as well as the usual olive & castor oils...the honey/oatmeal shampoo being marketed for pets sometimes says "natural" but may still contain harsh chemicals, so that could be why you're not seeing any results from it yet.
Good luck, and feel free to DM me if you want any more information on essential oils...I am not a licensed aromatherapist, but have been studying this stuff for a couple of years now so can at least steer you in the right direction and/or give you some shampoo recipes you can try yourself if all else fails...it's not too hard and it makes the whole house smell yummy, so you might really enjoy it!
Sooo...any chance I could buy one of those homemade bars off of you? I'd trust that more than anything commercial!
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MAtheBanker
These allergies and scratching are getting R-I-D-I-C-U-L-I-O-U-S!
Beeze has been scratching ALL DAY. No lie. ALL DAY. I'm so sick of it! His eyes are BRIGHT red from being scratched and I found an open sore on his neck...
A friend suggested tea tree oil shampoo. Should I try it?
I'm going to talk to my vet tomorrow to get the OK and also to see if there's anything else we can try. He's gone through a half bottle of children's Benadryl in a week, 1/4 bottle of oatmeal shampoo, he's been groomed short, and I brush him twice as often now. Nothing is helping!
Doc suggested Cyclosporine as a last resort, and I'm almost to that point!
In the meantime and until you can order a soothing shampoo and conditioner, you can give 1 mg of Benadryl per each lb. of body weight and that should help. If it's severe, he may need a steroid injection and then a round of Prednisone. It's not a drug you want them on long term but will provide immediate relief, especially since he's making himself bleed. Your vet might also prescribe Temeril P - it's good too but once you can get his itchies under control, I'm sure you'd rather not use drugs longterm. That's been my goal - to find natural products and ways to help.
I'm sure someone has mentioned food - there are lots of allergens in most commercial/big box brands. IMHO, grain free is the way to go.
Also, if you're not up to a full tub bath, give him a thorough wipe down, feet and face included. I buy an Avveno Moisturizing Oil lotion for myself and sometimes rub a bit between my hands and then over my itchy dog. It's light, very little odor and seems to help.
There's also a spray I keep, vet Rx, called Genesis and it's good stuff. I spray my Frenchies feet, between the toes, and also on his itchy tummy. It's a good product.
Good luck - keep an eye on the skin rubbed raw - you don't want to deal with a skin infection on top of everything else. Good luck.
In the meantime and until you can order a soothing shampoo and conditioner, you can give 1 mg of Benadryl per each lb. of body weight and that should help. If it's severe, he may need a steroid injection and then a round of Prednisone. It's not a drug you want them on long term but will provide immediate relief, especially since he's making himself bleed. Your vet might also prescribe Temeril P - it's good too but once you can get his itchies under control, I'm sure you'd rather not use drugs longterm. That's been my goal - to find natural products and ways to help.
I'm sure someone has mentioned food - there are lots of allergens in most commercial/big box brands. IMHO, grain free is the way to go.
Also, if you're not up to a full tub bath, give him a thorough wipe down, feet and face included. I buy an Avveno Moisturizing Oil lotion for myself and sometimes rub a bit between my hands and then over my itchy dog. It's light, very little odor and seems to help.
There's also a spray I keep, vet Rx, called Genesis and it's good stuff. I spray my Frenchies feet, between the toes, and also on his itchy tummy. It's a good product.
Good luck - keep an eye on the skin rubbed raw - you don't want to deal with a skin infection on top of everything else. Good luck.
Done the Benadryl. He's already on grain-free food. I've tried it all.
I need to take him in to the vet to see what he can give him, but I'm extremely wary of anything strong and artificial. I NEVER take drugs of any kind, and I don't want my dog taking anything either (I had to force myself to even give him Benadryl).
What I would suggest instead is looking at a product called Resicort, a cortisone leave-in conditioner - there's also a couple of shampoos to choose from too - Cortisoothe is one ResiCORT Leave-On Conditioner (16oz)
A product I use as a top up for our uber allergic dog when her shots just aren't cutting it. A big benefit is it goes to work instantly.
Good Luck! I know how maddening it is (for BOTH of you!)
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