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Question

Now that I've got a picture for my Avatar, I don't "recognize" myself here anymore!

Does that sound silly?

OK - Here's my question...If you had a 8 month old dog with what's turning out to be severe allergies, would you keep him on sterroids (Pretnazone to be exact...) for more then 2 weeks? He's also taking an antibiotic and 4 Benadryl a day, (2 morning and 2 night). I don't have a problem giving him Benadryl, but are the sterroids and antibiotics really necessary? Poor guy - He's biting his paws raw...(It's the cutie in my picture...).

I'm thinking this could also have to do with a nervous habit...He started when I was "away" last time, was clearing up by the time I left and now, 2nd week of a 2 week trip, he's having issues again...He's never shown any signs before this and has been on the same food since weaning (Royal Canin). Could it just be a sign of Separation Anxiety?

Aussie Susan....

Yes Bassetnut - He was neutered shortly before this started

Answer 1

LOL!!! Yes.. I'm having the same problem since I now have a photo!

If your dog has severe allergies you do what it takes to keep him comfortable. Years ago I had a dog that we later found out was allergic ONLY to his immunizations... but giving him he full puppy series nearly drove him insane (it was so bad his skin shivered when I pet him and we nearly decided to euthanize him because he was so miserable... luckily after a month worth of prednisone he settled to merely slightly itchy and eventually .. after a year of no shots and a move to a primarily raw diet.. he became a normal dog).

It was a pretty sad thing when we tested him at 8 mos for allergies.. 120 shots on his belly and no sedative... only to find no allergies they could determine. We eventually figured out the immunization allergy when he needed his booster.

We had to put an Elizabethan collar on him for months to keep him from chewing himself to smithereens.

Good luck!

Edit: Yes, of course steroids are pretty awful.. I would not use them on a longterm basis unless absolutely necessary.

Edit x 2: Some Samoyeds have a tendency to nibble or lick front legs and paws when bored or stressed. Separation anxiety could be part of the issue for your dog.

Answer 2

Dearie me, 8 months old and such strong pharmaceutical meds. Well, I think you know my view, I'm with Tony and those that recommend the alternative, be this homoeopathic or otherwise.

An 8 month old suffering from allergies? Any idea as to the Cause? Biting his paws raw, this all sounds extremely worrying.

Pulsatilla supports the hormone imbalance, which I strongly recommend, since you had your pup neutered at far too young an age. Is this an old time American favourite? In the UK they rarely recommend neutering before at least 18 months. This to me is still too young, but I understand the reasons behind this rationale, depending which angle one comes from.

As for the allergy, add Herbalife Lifeline to his diet and see if this reduces the effects of the allergy. If the skin is very dry, use the HBL Aloe Vera Gel. These two products work wonders on all kinds of allergies. Results are visible 48 hrs max.

If of course you are dealing with some kind of separation anxiety, there is really only one cure for that. Excessive TLC an avalanche of hugs and cuddles, with lots of praise and laughter. If there are signs of 'paranoia' add a few drops of rescue remedy (Bach Flower remedy) or Valerian. Alternatively, if he is 'depressed' St. John's Wort herbs, although usually these are only required with the change of the season as in summer turning towards winter.

Live Yogurt will help activate friendly bacteria and detox the circulatory system. If you have no live yogurt at hand, poor some fresh milk in a bowl and add this in a warm place. It should curdle overnight and you have fresh live yoghurt the next morning.

Before giving such strong and mixed meds as well, I would first try the natural alternatives. Unless you are dealing with something very specific which would require, absolutely and unequivocally this type of treatment. You are on the spot and should know if your dog requires this. From your response, the fact he is chewing his paws, all suggests that your gut feeling is putting up some major RED signals!

Allergies could come from all kinds of directions. Food, washing powders, dust in the air, perhaps pollen from outside. It doesn't need to be psychological, I assume that you walk your dog regularly, so he is not frustrated due to a lack of exercise? Maybe en route there are plants that could spark off a type of allergy. Are you a smoker? Do you use air fresheners? How often to you clean/wash your hoover? How often do you wash and air his bed? Is it genetic?

Allergies can require vast amounts of money if you go through the veterinary tests. How reliable is your vet? You are the better judge, we can only support from the side lines. Good luck and hope you find the solution soon. Your dog is not a happy camper from the way you describe the situation as it stands at this moment.

Answer 3

I know as a nursing student I was taught that Prednisone was a steroid that can deteriorate certain organs in a human if you exceed a certain amount within the span of a lifetime, let alone for a puppy. I would run that by a vet and ask how long he/she recommends that your dog take Prednisone. Benadryl is recommended by vets for SHORT TERM treatment in dogs and each dog should ideally ingest 5mg per 5 pounds by pharmacology, by my own personal liking, I give my dog 50mg though she is easily over 80 lbs. I give her a human dose as opposed to going over and exceeding the dose, for a dog 5 - 15 lbs I would say probably a children's dose which is 12.5mg and 15 - 50 pounds 25mg (One regular Benadryl tablet) and for a dog 50 pounds or over I would then and only then treat with 50mg (Two regular Benadryl tablets) again, I stress this is only a SHORT TERM treatment. *Diphenhydramine is the generic version of Bendaryl* Look into diet changes for dogs with allergies and consider allergy soothing dog shampoos and use the Benadryl as a last resort if your dog is very uncomfortable. As for the paw biting, that is usually an easy fix. You can use a mild, very mild, lotion/cream for dry and cracked skin. Dogs who chew their paws usually have issues with dry and cracked paws due to allergies, my dog has the same problem and lotion as well as a teaspoon of vegetable oil a day in her food has helped tremendously. Ask your vet which type of cream is best for your dog, he/she may recommend a petroleum based ointment or something to that effect like vaseline. Best of luck!

Answer 4

Like many others here, my first move would be to change his diet.

Homemade is best, but I don't believe it HAS to be raw, that is up to you. If you can't do homemade, then just try a different, high-quality food.

Avoid grains and starches. Corn is often the worst offender.

You may have to experiment to find out exactly what he is allergic to. I had to experiement for about a year to come up with a diet my allergic dog could eat without breaking out.

Even if it's an environmental allergy, a healthy diet will help support his immune system.

Limit vaccinations and anesthetics to the bare minimum.

Hey, did you just have him neutered before this started?

Answer 5

Welcome back YoLO : |

Hmmmm only 8 months old .. I've only seen this in older dogs.

OK, you know that this paw chewing a symptom of inhalant allergies. Not much you can do wrt prevention for dogs (unless it's dust allergies or something)

Like Tony said, can't hurt to change his diet, but relief likely won't happen overnight.

I'm not a big fan of Preds, but it becomes a quality of life thing. If giving him the Preds for 2 more weeks helps get him over the hump, I'd do it, esp because it sounds like he's miserable.

I've also learned that the paw chewing thing goes beyond allergy, nervousness, and an acquired habit: when dogs chew their paws like this, they release feel-good endorphins....which makes them want to chew their paws....which releases more endorphins....vicious cycle.

If it was my dog, I'd keep him totally exhausted through exercise, play, and attention. I'd keep him on the Preds for another two weeks. I'd change his diet. I might even put an e-collar on him to prevent chewing (and that endorphin thing)

If this didn't work and if he was still a compulsive chewer, I'd schedule a consult with our vet for further treatment and allergy testing.

Answer 6

Are you interested in alternative/holistic medicine at all?

If so, I'd highly recommend homeopathy. It's one of those rare treatments that has virtually no side effects, so you don't need to worry about trying it out. It's also pretty cheap.

Homeopathy is just about the only thing that cured my own seasonal allergies. It makes a huge difference.

Let me know if you're interested and I'll let you know what I use. It's different for hay fever symptoms vs. itchy skin, but since they're both allergy related, it might work anyway. Or you could ask a question in the natural health section.

Answer 7

I do that too when I change my Avatar.. I forget that it's my new Avatar!

I would be worried about the Prednisone most definately. I don't like to give antibiotics if I don't have to but sometimes you just can't get away from it. The Prednisone I see as a problem tho.. Have you tried different foods? Applecider vinegar in the drinking water?? I wouldn't be keen on giving the Benedryl all the time either.. Can you not get away from what is causing the allergic reaction?

Answer 8

Ah, but the photos are so much nicer than the cartoon avatars!

I knew someone who had to keep a dog on Preenisone for 6 yrs to combat bad hips. I don't know how good this is for a dog, but I suppose you have to weigh out the alternatives to not using it regularly or if there is something else that is more effective.

Answer 9

YoLo! Did your vet have you do the Food Trial yet? Restricting her diet to Venison and Potato did wonders for my girl. It cut her allergies down significantly.

The only time my Sophie goes on Pred as well as the other meds is when she's totally out of whack - seasons changing - spring and summer. And only for a short course. Diet helped a ton. She's an inhalent allergy dog as well as food.

She's on Prednasone on occasion as I said, very short course when she's totally miserable and nothing else is working.

Was on Hydroxyzine - not Benedryl

Cephalexin when she gets secondary infections. (ears and paws)

I know there are shots for dogs that have allergies that are totally out of control.

I'll star this and hope that Vet Tech can come and give us a little more info.

My old vet had her almost comatose. The food trial allowed her to not be drugged out of her mind.

Answer 10

For right now, I would follow whatever your Vet tells you to.

DO NOT stop the steroids or anything else without his/her permission. If you are not going to follow his directions, you are not going to discover what is wrong with your boy. See how he is AFTER this round of medications.

Then you can go on to something else. Our furry kids can have separation anxiety too. That could be what it is, BUT you won't know if you don't try this round of meds first.

It would be like us going to the doctor sick with the flu & going home & throwing the pills away saying maybe I only have a cold.