Our 3yr. old Lab breaks out in hives due to an acute allergy...?

Question

Our 3yr. old Lab breaks out in hives due to an acute allergy from something. We had to rush him to the emergency vet last night coz he had tiny bumps on his skin all over his body- head, legs , back, everywhere. The vet said he had an acute allergy to something and gave him a Benadryl shot. No one has been able to tell us why this is happeneng and this is the second time it has occured. One vet suggested that we get his blood tested to see what he is allergic to and that they could give him a shot to cure it. Only problem is, it could cost $700 + thru the course of a year to get him treated that way, and we would have this problem for the rest of his life. We can't afford to spend that kind of money every year but we want him to stop suffering. Is there any holistic remedy or herbal treatment for him to where he's not having to take shots or pop pills for the rest of his life just to be himself?
He's feeling miserable and I hate seeing him suffer like this. Please help.

Answer 1

I don't have a miracle cure for his condition but you might want to consider changing his food - it could be something that he is ingesting that is causing the problem. Many dogs develop an intolerance to wheat, preservatives and the fillers and byproducts present in countless dog foods.

In the UK there is a company that has developed a hypoallergenic range of dog foods, I am assuming that if you Google the subject, you may find an equivalent in the US.

Here is what the company has to say about why their products differ from the majority of those on the market:

FOOD ALLERGIES IN DOGS

If your dog has loose digestion, dry skin or an itchy coat,
it could well be caused by a food allergy!

You may not realise that an allergic reaction to the food that you’re feeding could be the reason your dog has skin, coat and digestive problems. These allergies are quite common. Some vets believe that as many as 30% of all dogs react badly to ingredients typically found in most dog foods sold in Britain.

The main culprits are beef, wheat, dairy products, egg and soya, so examine the ingredients list on your current dog food pack carefully. Dog food allergies are now such a problem that some brands hide these ingredients on their packs by calling them "meat and animal derivatives" or "derivatives of vegetable origin".

James Wellbeloved dog foods are hypo-allergenic. Why is that a good idea?
Our dog food carefully avoids all the unhealthy additives and the ingredients that cause most allergies - beef, wheat and dairy products - so your dog can avoid the allergies. That’s why it’s called a hypo-allergenic food and how it calms allergies. By just switching to a hypo-allergenic food you could make a dramatic improvement. Your dog could be fitter, healthier and more contented.

James Wellbeloved foods contain no unhealthy additives.
With James Wellbeloved you’re feeding good, honest, natural food. It’s the pure natural ingredients and the care we take to cook them that makes the food so special.

We’re proud of what our food contains. So we list our ingredients clearly on every pack (see Lamb & Rice Kibble, Turkey & Rice Kibble, Duck & Rice Kibble and Ocean White Fish & Rice Kibble ingredients pages).

What other dog foods contain, but ours does not:

Added colours, flavours or preservatives.
Beef, wheat or dairy products, the ingredients which cause most food allergies.
80% water content (which is found in canned food).
Cheap bulking ingredients or soya protein.
Added sugar.

What our food does contain:

Turkey, turkey gravy, brown and pearl rice, seaweed and linseed, alfalfa and oats (in Turkey & Rice Kibble).
Grass-fed lamb, lamb gravy, brown rice, barley, seaweed and linseed, alfalfa and yucca (in Lamb & Rice Kibble).
Duck, duck gravy, organic oats, seaweed & linseed and alfalfa (in Duck & Rice Kibble).
Ocean white fish, brown & pearl rice, seaweed & linseed, alfalfa and olive oil (in Ocean White Fish & Rice Kibble).
Plus all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs, in all our complete foods.

To prevent hyperactivity in your dog
Many owners who feed James Wellbeloved foods tell us that their dogs' hyperactivity problems have dramatically reduced since they switched to our food. We believe this is because our foods have moderate fat and protein levels, often significantly lower than those found in high-protein, high-fat American brands. Plus our foods have no added colours, no added flavours and no added preservatives - all of which are believed to contribute to hyperactive behaviour in dogs.

Answer 2

Without really knowing what he's allergic to it's hard to say what can be done. There's a number of things that could be causing this like fleas, dust, pollens, or even his food. My dog is allergic to a lot of things like fleas, dust, and certain pollen and she is on the allergy shot which has helped her a lot. It has to be given to her every month. She's highly allergic to fleas so I have to make sure she gets her Frontline every month as well. I also try to bathe her once every two weeks with an oatmeal shampoo. It helps soothe the skin and alleviates itching.

I know it's expensive with all the testing and medication, but you can always try to see a different vet or ask if they have some kind of payment plan to help you out. Plus once you know what he is allergic to you'd be better informed on how to help him be more comfortable. If his allergy isn't that severe and is seasonal he may just need to take Benadryl when needed. Your vet would be able to suggest how much he would need based on his size. Unfortunately allergies in pets get worse with age. I wish you luck and I hope this helped!

Answer 3

First off, I'd find out what is bothering him.

He could be having a seasonal problem, or a problem due to his food, treats, toys or something someone in the house has.

My almost 3 year old Springer is allergic to grass-- his skin bubbles, then erupts, oozes and then goes away all in 4 days.

We found by trail and error that Spring is worse for him----- and we also found that one antiboic from the vet/or drugstore helps keep it under control.

The vet writes me a prescribtion and I take it to the local pharmacy. He's been doing great since for over 2 years now.

But he does get a daily pill.

I switched vets early on, maybe you need to too.

Good luck!

Answer 4

If you find out what he is allergic too, then maybe you can avoid it. It may be something in his food, something in the environment. That would seem to be the key, finding out the cause and keeping him away from whatever it is that he is allergic too. You could also keep Benadryl on hand and give him some at the very first sign of an allergic reaction.

Answer 5

You know my lab is 2 yrs old. I have the same exact problem with her she has all year round allergies. She itches constantly her ears become inflamed and infected because of it she gets miserable. My vet put her on animaz ointment for her ears and prednisone for the flair ups. That prednisone works wonders for her. The vet wants us to do the allery shots as well. However we just started her on the B.A.R.F diet and want to see how that goes. If it is a certain time of year like winter/fall or whatever they could just put her on the prednisone for the season just check into it. It kills me to see her that way so I know how you feel.

Answer 6

This is mild separation anxiety. Several people have tried this, I know that it works because they have sent me private emails. The following is a con trick. Try to do this when you are at home all day, or in the evening when you are there. After your dog has had a long walk, put him in a room with his comfortable bed, this should be a room where you will leave him if you need to go out and where your dog will sleep at night. Walk out of the room and close the door. Open the door immediately and go back into his room, close the door behind you and try to ignore him. Pretend or actually do something which excludes your dog, for example if he is in the bathroom or the kitchen, you could do a bit a cleaning for a couple of minutes. Then walk out of the room, go back again immediately and continue with the pretence. Keep doing this to ensure that your dog won’t feel isolated and eventually leave a small gap before you go into his room again. Over a period of days increase the gap before going back into his room. When you know that your dog is asleep stop going into the room, however you MUST try to go onto the room before he wakes up and starts to cry. If you carry out this procedure for a couple of days, your dog will always think that you are at the other side of the door. I do this when I get a new puppy and this PREVENTS separation anxiety. Don’t neglect his long walks and playtime in the garden whilst you are re-training him, he needs his fun When you are leaving your dog on his own please don’t make a dramatic exit, or this will give the game away. Simply put him into his room and walk out. When you come home don’t give him a big hello, just walk into his room and let him out for a pee. You can then play with him and give him cuddles.

Answer 7

there are a number of things you can do.
first keep a diary of what he eats ,where he sleeps ,what he plays with etc.
find out what is causing his reactions and remove them from his life.
what did he do differently that was not in his regular routine when he last broke out
my dog is that way his problems is fleas which causes hot spots and a severe rash all over his body.