# Can hives be a symptom of anxiety?



## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

So I have been working with Mel I recognize his anxiety and he is a lot better since I have been working with him. Today I went to a fun show with him. He behaved awesome. No lip licking panting aggression, tail was good ears and all were great. He was extremely well behaved. I was very pleased. Until about 2 hours in I noticed he was getting hives.

So can you get hives from anxiety or could it be the grass/hay which he has never been around. The show was on a horse farm. High Benadryl dose but this is what he looked like after a few hours. He has never had hives before. They are all over his body and basically all popped at the same time so I hightailed it out of there.

So anxiety or allergy related? Anyone?? lol

My poor boy!!!


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## Blue_Nose_Bella (Jan 16, 2011)

Holy crap! I can't believe how much worse he got since we left!


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

I know. His face is less but more are appearing on his belly and chest.  

But seriously no one has an opinion?!? Hives allergies or anxiety!!?? lol


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## EckoMac (Aug 25, 2010)

My vote is allergies.
I've put Ecko in some VERY stressful situations, and he didn't break out, but roll him on the ground in a new place, and he looks like porcupine with all it's quils removed. 
How'd the benedryl work?


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## JoKealoha (Mar 22, 2011)

people can get stress-related hives. not sure about dogs.
but it would be hard to narrow down the environmental factors on the horse farm.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

They are all gone except now he looks like blisters/heat rash on his belly and penis. Poor pup. He is actin weird too. Not relaxing at all. Put himself to bed last night!! Totally weird. 

Hopefully the heat rash is just the end of the outbreak. Still giving him Benadryl every 6 hours til they are all gone. 

Thanks for the replies


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

Hun we see reactions all the time on emergency .. If he is not better soon I highly suggest you take him to the vet so they can give a proper dose of Diphenhydramine & a steroid 

Hives are usually caused by 
a bite of some kind.. Bee, spider etc. 
Insect stings or bites
Drug allergies – primarily following an injection of a drug
Vaccine reaction – primarily following an injection of a vaccine
Food allergies
Chemical reaction – primarily insecticides 



What Are the General Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs?
Itchy, red, moist or scabbed skin
Increased scratching
Itchy, runny eyes
Itchy back or base of tail (most commonly flea allergy)
Itchy ears and ear infections
Sneezing
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Snoring caused by an inflamed throat
Paw chewing/swollen paws
Constant licking

Hope this helps you


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## ::::COACH:::: (Apr 4, 2012)

Ames a few weeks ago this happened to a dog I was training. The dog was brought out to a fair and broke out really bad -worse than poor Mel! But a few hours later they were gone. In this dog's case it was vaccine related. In Mel's case i would bet that something bit him, or some kind of allergy was out there.


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## EckoMac (Aug 25, 2010)

Give him one of your famous oatmeal bathes and oil him up with some coconut oil. He'll be back to normal in no time. 

I'd be acting kinda wonky if I had a rash below the belt too. Poor Mel.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

I know right Ecko! He is bugging! Poor guy.

Thanks everyone, looks like I will go to the vet tomorrow morning since I am at work now if they are still there on his belly. The rest have cleared up from the bath and benadryl. Finally get him at the right weight and the right skin drama, poos good and then THIS happens lol. Its always something. They look sore, poor pup. He snores already so I can't tell by that lol


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## Elvisfink (Oct 13, 2008)

I had a dog several years back that would breakout just like that. Our Vet narrowed it down to an allergic reaction to an Ant bites.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

Elvisfink said:


> I had a dog several years back that would breakout just like that. Our Vet narrowed it down to an allergic reaction to an Ant bites.


WOW thank you! I did see him go around an huge log with ants crawling all over it, I saw a bunch of ant mounds and moved on up the yard. Very well could have been that or a spider bite, or the hay, lol. I am just glad no one has seen their dog react to anxiety like this. I would have felt horrible and skipped bringing him out the bully walk for NPBAD this weekend.

Elivis How did you vet have you treat your dogs breakouts?


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

When we woke up they seemed so much better but Before i left for work he rolled over for a belly rub and his belly looked really bad. Blistery heat rash looking. when I was at work I got the call Mel started puking so I brought him into the ER. Mel never pukes. They looked him over in the waiting room and told me they thought he would be fine through the night but if anything happened to bring him back. Keep on the Benadryl and make a regular appointment in the morning. Saved me $500. Which was very cool of them. Anyway this morning all hives are gone and his rash is hardly noticeable. Thanks everyone! Hopefully back to his old self soon enough


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## Koleana (Mar 24, 2012)

Glad to hear he's getting back to his normal self! 
My BigBoy occasionally gets hives like that too. I've assumed it's some combination of anxiety (he gets SUPER excited over the littlest things), heat (humidity rather- we live in hawaii), and possibly something in the environment (ex. if he's been exposed to a new type of grass/bush/plant on our daily walks). In any case, I always just give him a benadryl. Within 30 mins - 1 hour he's calmed down, become a little sleepy, and takes a nap. By the end of the day his hives are gone, and he's back to normal  
I know every dogs' situation is different, But I also believe in the magical powers of benadryl!! There's another thread in this forum all about how to give benadryl to your dog. It might be helpful to ya in the future


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## ::::COACH:::: (Apr 4, 2012)

Oh glad to hear he is better! So what did the vet think it was that caused it?


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

They said a bite or grass like everyone was saying. The Benadryl worked well they are all gone. What sucks is he has puked 2 times since they disappeared. Not like him to puke so I called my regular vet today. She said it sounds like he could be having a secondary problem. Since the hives were gone by day 2 and the puking and bad belly happened after that its probably not related and could be something else. She said to keep my eye on him and we will play it by ear. Sucks he can't talk! lol

Oh my vet also sai hives in dogs can't be related to anxiety it has to be a food or environmental allergy. Who knows. I'm always comparing dogs to humans (recognize and try and correct that way of thinking) so equating hives with anxiety might just be that.


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