Seasonal Allergies

[Jessika]

Yeah I tried vinegar as a temp substitute but apparently he LIKES the taste of it..

We went to Walmart today and I picked up some medicated shampoo for skin irritation (they were out of oatmeal!!). We're going to give him a bath tomorrow, I hope it works!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. If this stuff doesn't work, I'll try the Aveeno.. thanks!

[beeniesmom]

I purchased a bottle of dog shampoo today at a local pet supply store.
It's a peppermint and tea tree oil based shampoo. It says on the bottle that it is supposed to help for dry itchy skin, hot spots and general skin allergies.
I am going to try it on both mine tomorrow and let you know how it works. Smells good.... like candy canes!
It's called Cain and Abel peppermint conditioning shampoo. Anyone ever heard of it?

[Dixieland Dancer]

My Dusty has seasonal allergies too. The only time he is comfortable is when there is snow on the ground. He was allergy tested and is allergic to 48 different things, most being grasses, molds and trees. How do you keep a Golden who loves to run out of the grass? It's impossible!

I have a wonderful vet. He suggested that I give Dusty weekly whole baths during peak pollen season using an anti fungal shampoo. The vet suggested using Melaluca anti fungal shampoo made by Parke Davis Co. I have tried oatmeal shampoos and I do need to say, they do NOT compare to this Melaluca in giving Dusty relief. In addition, I give his paws and under belly a good rinse after playing in the grass using a diluted amount of the Melaluca shampoo. The idea is to rinse off the things that are irritants to his skin condition before they have a chance to settle. Thank god I bought a booster bath for the dogs so I don't have to bend over giving baths! All of that helped but we took it a couple steps further.

I switched him to a grain free food (Innova EVO). His allergies are not food related but this really helped his coat and skin. This is the best thing on the market next to raw diets. Then we got a special serum developed just for him from the results of his allergy test. He gets injections twice a week. This is our first spring blooming season with all of these things in place and Dusty is doing amazing. Normally this time of year he has his paws eaten up and his coat is in terrible condition. So far this year, he has the most beautiful coat he's ever had in the spring! I pay about $130 every three months for the serum for his shots. I know it's a bit pricey but it is worth it not to see him itch.

If Benedryl works in keeping him itch free, then give it to him. During allergy season, don't give it when he is having problems but give it to him on a daily basis to prevent him from having problems. My vet had me try Benedryl in the beginning of our treatment diagnosis but it didn't touch Dusty's itchies.