so, my dog has an itch...help!

[ihy49]

i have just recently discovered that my dog may be allergic to HOUSE DUST! now, there is no way possible to rid my house of dust. :chuckle: so, what do i do? she has a balding spot on her back, right in front of her tail b/c she will not quit chewing at it. she used to be an outside only dog, but ever since i had to get rid of my other dog, i've been letting her in and out b/c i felt bad about her lonliness.:sadpace: at first i tried to change her food...didn't work. i didn't change it to anything like 'science diet' though, and was hoping that i wouldn't have to. is that what i'm going to have to do, or does anyone know anything about how to prevent my poor puppy from chewing a HOLE in her back? i don't want to keep her outside all of the time, but i can't keep her in if i can't fix the problem...:help:

[Traveler]

i have just recently discovered that my dog may be allergic to HOUSE DUST! now, there is no way possible to rid my house of dust. :chuckle: so, what do i do? she has a balding spot on her back, right in front of her tail b/c she will not quit chewing at it. she used to be an outside only dog, but ever since i had to get rid of my other dog, i've been letting her in and out b/c i felt bad about her lonliness.:sadpace: at first i tried to change her food...didn't work. i didn't change it to anything like 'science diet' though, and was hoping that i wouldn't have to. is that what i'm going to have to do, or does anyone know anything about how to prevent my poor puppy from chewing a HOLE in her back? i don't want to keep her outside all of the time, but i can't keep her in if i can't fix the problem...:help:"

Sounds like your dog has what they call a "hot spot." What kind of dog do you have?There is usually a cure for these.

[akaElizabethG]

Our dogs had this problem it was fleas.

[mr. peanut]

When our 2 yorkies did this scratching and digging on their backs, it was fleas. I went to Dr. Blazor in Ranger and got a month's supply of Frontline and they no longer are scratching. He is also very reasonable. There is also a product called "Hot Spot Itch Relief Spray" that you can get at Petsmart and it works if it is just like an allergy. It also comes in a shampoo.

[akaElizabethG]

Yep, frontline does wonders - the fur is growing back around their tails quickly now.

[Ignatius]

i have just recently discovered that my dog may be allergic to HOUSE DUST! now, there is no way possible to rid my house of dust. :chuckle: so, what do i do?

Put the dog outside, where it belongs.

[Rebecca]

Well, my first inclination is to go along with Ignatius. If your dog is fine while outdoors and only has a problem when indoors, leave it outside. This is not a difficult concept.

If you feel that you must continue to have your dog inside even though it obviously has a problem with that, take it to the vet so that you can find out what the problem actually is. Be prepared to adapt your budget because you might find out that your dog needs special food and/or other treatments to deal with this problem.

Our Rottweiler showed evidence of hip displasia at 4 1/2 months old. That is a very young age for that to become evident and it immediately resulted in money out of our pocketbook. We fed him joint supplements until he was 6 months old and could handle prescription dog food that includes all kinds of things for dogs' joints. We pay $57 for 30 pounds of dog food and he eats that up every 2+ weeks. We do that because we love him and because we made a vow to him and ourselves when we bought him. We take our responsibility as pet owners extremely seriously. Unless his treatment threatens our ability to take care of ourselves and him, we'll pay what we have to to help him. Thankfully, his hips look much better now.

It sounds that your best bet would be to put your dog ahead of your own desires and leave it outside. Put your dog on the priority list right behind you and your family.

[ihy49]

When our 2 yorkies did this scratching and digging on their backs, it was fleas. I went to Dr. Blazor in Ranger and got a month's supply of Frontline and they no longer are scratching. He is also very reasonable. There is also a product called "Hot Spot Itch Relief Spray" that you can get at Petsmart and it works if it is just like an allergy. It also comes in a shampoo.
hmmm...that spray or shampoo might do the trick. thanks for the info! i appreciate it.:Spin!:

[ihy49]

Our dogs had this problem it was fleas.
nope, not fleas...i am FOR SURE of that one...believe me, that was first on my list to check out.

[ihy49]

Well, my first inclination is to go along with Ignatius. If your dog is fine while outdoors and only has a problem when indoors, leave it outside. This is not a difficult concept.


hmmm...sounds like you're being sarcastic here. i'm not an idiot, i know to leave her outside if there is a problem in here. but there's also problems outside...such as friggin' heat wave recently and my dog has alot of fur and won't come out from underneath the house b/c it's too hot for her to cope.

[ihy49]

If you feel that you must continue to have your dog inside even though it obviously has a problem with that, take it to the vet so that you can find out what the problem actually is. Be prepared to adapt your budget because you might find out that your dog needs special food and/or other treatments to deal with this problem.
...
It sounds that your best bet would be to put your dog ahead of your own desires and leave it outside. Put your dog on the priority list right behind you and your family.
i can't take my dog to the vet, low on funds, why do you think i'm asking on here if anyone has any ideas of what to do. sorry, but i don't have over a hundred dollars to spend on food for her a month...that's why i'm looking for other alternatives. i love my dog as much as the next person. if it comes down to it and there is no way that i can solve this problem, i will obviously leave her outside...i was just hoping for some insite b/c my poor dog is lonely and HOT out there.:redflame: geez...

[Miss Mally]

I had a lab that was alergic to cut grass...and the vet put her on a steroid for a while. That helped...but was kinda expensive. We ended up using a cortizone cream on the areas...and that worked great for us. We also went with a better dog food and this seemed to help. When we mowed...she went inside and stayed for a couple of days.

[ihy49]

I had a lab that was alergic to cut grass...and the vet put her on a steroid for a while. That helped...but was kinda expensive. We ended up using a cortizone cream on the areas...and that worked great for us. We also went with a better dog food and this seemed to help. When we mowed...she went inside and stayed for a couple of days.
just regular cortizone cream? that sounds like an idea. i've got some of that, i might try it. thanks!:Spin!:

[Miss Mally]

In the summer time...we also gave her a half a benadryl every morning and a half of one every evening. This helped alot with the scratching and biting....and was much cheaper with less side effects than the steroids.

[Miss Mally]

just regular cortizone cream? that sounds like an idea. i've got some of that, i might try it. thanks!:Spin!:

Just a walmart brand...I think we bought the cheapest we could.

[Julie]

Well, my first inclination is to go along with Ignatius. If your dog is fine while outdoors and only has a problem when indoors, leave it outside. This is not a difficult concept.

If you feel that you must continue to have your dog inside even though it obviously has a problem with that, take it to the vet so that you can find out what the problem actually is. Be prepared to adapt your budget because you might find out that your dog needs special food and/or other treatments to deal with this problem.

Our Rottweiler showed evidence of hip displasia at 4 1/2 months old. That is a very young age for that to become evident and it immediately resulted in money out of our pocketbook. We fed him joint supplements until he was 6 months old and could handle prescription dog food that includes all kinds of things for dogs' joints. We pay $57 for 30 pounds of dog food and he eats that up every 2+ weeks. We do that because we love him and because we made a vow to him and ourselves when we bought him. We take our responsibility as pet owners extremely seriously. Unless his treatment threatens our ability to take care of ourselves and him, we'll pay what we have to to help him. Thankfully, his hips look much better now.

It sounds that your best bet would be to put your dog ahead of your own desires and leave it outside. Put your dog on the priority list right behind you and your family.

It's a dog with an itch. Geesh. Could be fleas or an allergy. It doesn't sound like the dog is being abused or anything. It's nice that you were thoughtful about whether or not you could afford to adopt an animal and keep it in the lifestyle you think it should have. It's nice that you have the extra money to spend on vet bills, but not everyone is in that same boat. Some people have lots of love for an animal but not the extra money to take them to the vet everytime something minor pops up.

I'm afraid if I had a dog with hip displasia and the dog was in pain or required long term expensive diet, I would have to put it down or let someone else take it. The pets I have were going to die by lethal injection or hit in a parking lot, before I ended up with them. I've had them neutered/spayed and I feed them well and love them. The way I look at it I've given them great quality of life and however much time they get on this earth is bonus time for them. If they end up with something major wrong with them, (cancer, major surgery, etc.,) there will be no extreme measures to try to keep them alive. They are pets. There's a lot of other pets dumped in a parking lot or spending their last hours in the shelter for me to save.

[Julie]

just regular cortizone cream? that sounds like an idea. i've got some of that, i might try it. thanks!:Spin!:

In the pet section of Wal-Mart, over to the right of that check out desk by the door that goes out into the garden section, there is some cortizone spray for pets. It seems to work pretty good.

[Julie]

i have just recently discovered that my dog may be allergic to HOUSE DUST! :

By the way. How did you come up with this diagnosis?

[curious_george]

In the pet section of Wal-Mart, over to the right of that check out desk by the door that goes out into the garden section, there is some cortizone spray for pets. It seems to work pretty good.I use that... on myself.

[Julie]

I use that... on myself.

Have you tried some of those frontline drops behind your neck?

[curious_george]

No but I have a big box of extra large Frontline ampules for the Sophie dog.

[Rebecca]

I'm afraid if I had a dog with hip displasia and the dog was in pain or required long term expensive diet, I would have to put it down or let someone else take it. The pets I have were going to die by lethal injection or hit in a parking lot, before I ended up with them. I've had them neutered/spayed and I feed them well and love them. The way I look at it I've given them great quality of life and however much time they get on this earth is bonus time for them. If they end up with something major wrong with them, (cancer, major surgery, etc.,) there will be no extreme measures to try to keep them alive. They are pets. There's a lot of other pets dumped in a parking lot or spending their last hours in the shelter for me to save.

Why on earth should we put down our dog just because he has hip displasia? The vet diagnosed him and prescribed joint supplements until he was old enough to handle the food that has the supplements in it. That mere 1 1/2 month of the pills made a huge difference. His 6-month x-rays showed a massive improvement. He is in no pain but rather is very active and shows no discomfort yet you're telling me to put him down? That's not acceptable to me or my husband. Neither is giving him to anyone else. Why would we do that? We've adjusted our budget to accommodate his needs and we're not well-off people. We work hard and spend our money as wisely as we can. If we couldn't afford to take care of our dog, believe me when I say that we would do what is right for our dog whether it be putting him down or finding him a better home.

[Miss Mally]

Why on earth should we put down our dog just because he has hip displasia? The vet diagnosed him and prescribed joint supplements until he was old enough to handle the food that has the supplements in it. That mere 1 1/2 month of the pills made a huge difference. His 6-month x-rays showed a massive improvement. He is in no pain but rather is very active and shows no discomfort yet you're telling me to put him down? That's not acceptable to me or my husband. Neither is giving him to anyone else. Why would we do that? We've adjusted our budget to accommodate his needs and we're not well-off people. We work hard and spend our money as wisely as we can. If we couldn't afford to take care of our dog, believe me when I say that we would do what is right for our dog whether it be putting him down or finding him a better home.


I don't think she was telling you to put the dog down...just saying what she would do if it were her dog.

[Rebecca]

I don't think she was telling you to put the dog down...just saying what she would do if it were her dog.

Looked like her advice to me but if what you say is true, it's a good thing our dog belongs to us and not her.

[Julie]

Mally is correct. I was not saying you should put your dog down. Actually your last line described exactly what I meant:
"If we couldn't afford to take care of our dog, believe me when I say that we would do what is right for our dog whether it be putting him down or finding him a better home"
Isn't that the same thing I said?

Your response to ihy49 sounded as though you were scolding her for not spending money on her dog. In the same breath you said you put a dog behind you and your family as far as priority of finances goes. Why would you not assume that is what ihy was doing?

[Sue B.]

Just gonna add my two cents worth here...I'm certainly not telling anyone what to do with their animals...

My baby "Bubba', has been really sick for a while now..the vet couldn't diagnose the problem without surgery...Oh, woe! I thought...not at this time when we are trying to get our house up and going again...we didn't need the extra expense...but, Bubba is my baby and one of God's creatures, and I vowed when I got him to take the best of care I could for him...so we had the surgery..found out he has Intestinal Lymphangiectasia (try pronouncing that)..his little body doesn't digest fat..he will be on a high protein, low fat diet the rest of his life...Is he worth it? You bet! I love my Bubba, as I do the other seven of my babies that were throw aways...sure I could replace any of them , but I don't want to..I love them and want them alive as long as God allows...this is certainly JMHO...

[mommy]

garlic tablets once a day inside food gets rid of fleas..hehehe...and makes your canine friend smell GOOD..hehehe

[Ranger]

Where do you get yours? Is it the same kind of pills that humans take or do

you buy garlic pills for dogs?

[ihy49]

In the summer time...we also gave her a half a benadryl every morning and a half of one every evening. This helped alot with the scratching and biting....and was much cheaper with less side effects than the steroids.
wow, i didn't know you could give dogs human medicines, like benadryl.

[ihy49]

In the pet section of Wal-Mart, over to the right of that check out desk by the door that goes out into the garden section, there is some cortizone spray for pets. It seems to work pretty good.
thanks! i'll go look next time i go. :Spin!:

[ihy49]

By the way. How did you come up with this diagnosis?
well, i went online to research her problem and discovered the allergies that she could possibly have in the house. i deduced it to house dust b/c all of the others aren't existing (at the moment anyway) in my house. it's possible it could be a different one than house dust, but that's all i can figure right now. i didn't even know that house dust could be that bad of an allergy to dogs...but apparently it is. i think i went to housevet.com...or something simular...

[pesttrapper]

In the summer time...we also gave her a half a benadryl every morning and a half of one every evening. This helped alot with the scratching and biting....and was much cheaper with less side effects than the steroids.

does the benadryl make the dog lathargic(sp) ?? How much does the dog weigh? I am trying to figure dose rate for my mutt

[capricorn]

well, i went online to research her problem and discovered the allergies that she could possibly have in the house. i deduced it to house dust b/c all of the others aren't existing (at the moment anyway) in my house. it's possible it could be a different one than house dust, but that's all i can figure right now. i didn't even know that house dust could be that bad of an allergy to dogs...but apparently it is. i think i went to housevet.com...or something simular...

I have a Hoover windtunnel vacuum, and it leaves no dust behind. It is one good vaccum cleaner. I recently cleaned my brothers house, and the bag got full in one room......lol His carpet looked almost new...hehe I'm also allergic to dust therefore, I keep as dust free a house as possible, and I take benadryl.

[Miss Mally]

I would suggest giving the Vet a call on how much benadryl to use....our lab was a pup and she weighed about 20 lbs.

[ihy49]

I have a Hoover windtunnel vacuum, and it leaves no dust behind. It is one good vaccum cleaner. I recently cleaned my brothers house, and the bag got full in one room......lol His carpet looked almost new...hehe I'm also allergic to dust therefore, I keep as dust free a house as possible, and I take benadryl.
ya, that's exactly the problem with keeping my house dust free...my vacuum sucks! (in a bad way!):chuckle:

[june]

I have two dogs...one, Younger, makes every step that I make, rides every mile that I drive and always has one eye on me; the second one, Blackie, knows at all times where I am if on the premises. Blackie dearly loves me but has never been in the house, in the car and has never been touched by human hands. He is the pup of a pregnant Border Collie that was dropped off out here, thus he has lived here almost five years. He would tear a stranger up if and when they walked up out here with me present. What I am saying is that he loves me, protects me, but will not let me pet him. He has big ticks hanging off of him. How on earth do I put Advantage on him? Seven Dust? or whatever?

[mommy]

Where do you get yours? Is it the same kind of pills that humans take or do

you buy garlic pills for dogs?

Vitamin Isle at Walmart, I give mine a whole pill (he is a great dane) but my fil gives their little dog a half once every two weeks. Same garlic pills as humans :)

[Miss Mally]

I have two dogs...one, Younger, makes every step that I make, rides every mile that I drive and always has one eye on me; the second one, Blackie, knows at all times where I am if on the premises. Blackie dearly loves me but has never been in the house, in the car and has never been touched by human hands. He is the pup of a pregnant Border Collie that was dropped off out here, thus he has lived here almost five years. He would tear a stranger up if and when they walked up out here with me present. What I am saying is that he loves me, protects me, but will not let me pet him. He has big ticks hanging off of him. How on earth do I put Advantage on him? Seven Dust? or whatever?

My dad had a dog like that....my brother roped him...and then me and John held him down while my brother doctored him up with front line....and then we penned him and took him to the vet for his rabies shot.

[Ranger]

Thanks mommy for the info about the garlic pill--I have a chihuahua & a

chihuahua mix--they don't weigh more than 5 lbs--if they weigh that.

I have been putting a little garlic juice in their water but they don't like that

too much.

[Julie]

I used to put garlic pills in my dog's food a long time ago. I want to say that they sold them in the pet dept section.

[lkb]

wow, i didn't know you could give dogs human medicines, like benadryl.

Just a word of caution... don't give a dog tylenol.

[ihy49]

Just a word of caution... don't give a dog tylenol.
why? what happens?

[lkb]

Well, as one vet puts it, you just killed your dog... The way I understand it, tylenol causes major kidney failure in dogs. You don't see the damage, but according to him and what I have read, it will cause thier kidneys to fail and they will die... not immediately, but they will die from the damage.

That maybe a slight exageration, but I never wanted to take the chance!

[ihy49]

Well, as one vet puts it, you just killed your dog... The way I understand it, tylenol causes major kidney failure in dogs. You don't see the damage, but according to him and what I have read, it will cause thier kidneys to fail and they will die... not immediately, but they will die from the damage.

That maybe a slight exageration, but I never wanted to take the chance!
that sounds scary! thanks for the info!

[Ranger]

I didn't know you could give an animal human medication either--I have

always got my medication for mine from the vet--but a lot of my friends give

their animals human medications & never think anything about it.

[Julie]

I knew about Tylenol. Heck, Tylenol is rough on human kidneys if you take enough of it long enough (not sure where that point is though). I've been known to give my old dog an occasional aspirin in the wintertime when he seems to be aching.

[akaElizabethG]

Our dogs got into some tylenol once. I called the vet immediatly and he told me to force feed them each a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide as it would make them throw up. After that I had to give them Tagament and Vitamin C for a week.

Our dogs have used lots of human medicine, such as Vitamin C pills, Tagament, Benadryl, Amoxacillin, eye drops, eye cream, etc. But we NEVER did it without the vet telling us it was OK and how much to use.