# OTC Allergy Meds/ Antihistamines?



## kodiakgirl (May 9, 2009)

I've been having some issues with Bullet and a semi-severe rash on his belly. It doesn't seem to bother him at all, I never see him licking or scratching at it, it doesn't bother him when I touch it, and it's not oozy/lumpy/gross either. It popped up as soon as summer came around and everything started blooming. I brought him to the vet several times for it, but all they are doing is giving me meds and sending me home. It will clear up with the meds, but as soon as I stop them, it comes right back. I'm pretty positive it's seasonal allergies, because it always gets worse when he's outside a lot and running through the grass/bushes in my back yard. I found some allergy tablets at walmart that I gave to him for a little while. It seemed to help, but I didn't want to give them to him for too long. The active ingredient is Diphenhydramine HCl 25mg as an antihystamine. I really don't want to have to take him back to the vet again and spend almost $200 for a visit and meds and still get the same results. Does anyone know of any OTC antihystamine or allergy meds I could give him that are safe for long-time use? Here's a picture of what his belly looks like now, this is how it gets, then goes away with meds and comes right back as soon as I stop meds. Any suggestions?


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Benadryl (the generic brand is what you have been giving) is fine and you may need to give more than you are giving. The right dose is important to keep the levels up in the system and it is a really safe drug. In this thread I am going to post it talks about how to take care of an allergy like this. You can also use some Hydracortizone cream it might help if he is itching at all. Do you know what the vet was giving you?
My dog Tempest gets worse than this and it is seasonal, with benadryl it keeps it clear but she has to have it daily. Again it is a safe medication and the thread has the dosages too.

http://www.gopitbull.com/health-nutrition/36474-tempests-allergy-diary.html


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## CynthiaATL (Sep 2, 2008)

Benadryl is 1-2mg per pound of body weight. And it can be given up to 3 times a day.

You can also use Claritin (Loratadine) or Zyrtec (Cetirizine) and those are once a day. But make sure you get the Claritin or Zyrtec only. Nothing else. And those are .5mg/kg (a half of a milligram per kilogram of the weight of the dog)

If they are having a rough day. You can give Claritin or Zyrtec in the morning and use benadryl at night. Benadryl is in a different class of antihistamines than Claritin and Zyrtec. There fore they will not react to each other.

Those red blotches look like a staph infection. However it is hard to tell in a pic. Dogs get these bacterial infections when the skin's surface has been broken from the excessive scratching due to allergies. It is common. I have a very allergic dog here. He has environmental allergies.

Dogs release histamines in their ears and feet. That is why you see dogs with allergies chewing their feet and you see ear infections as well. The moisture from the histamine release in the ears makes it perfect environment for yeast and bacteria to grow.

Here is a way to help rule out environmental vs food. If you notice a seasonality in the itching and allergic type behavior it will point to environmental rather than food. Depending on what is pollinating and blooming.

If it is year round. It will point to food. Think about it you feed the same thing year round. So you would not notice any improvement in the winter vs spring when more things are in bloom.

That is not written in stone however. The animal could be allergic to something in the household as well. Like dust, molds, and yes even human dander. And they would show clinical signs year round as well.

Here is a pic of a staph lesions on the abdomen


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## kodiakgirl (May 9, 2009)

Lisa, thanks for the input, I'll definitely read the allergy diary. And Cynthia, thanks for your input as well. I'm pretty positive it's seasonal, as I was have been feeding him the same food for over a year now, and this just started about 3 months ago when summer started here. I will research staph lesions as well, because those do look similar to what Bullet has, although the vet has given me meds before and it clears up, but then comes back again. Although that could be because he runs through the berry bushes behind my house, and they have tiny thorns on them, that could be what is causing the staph lesions if that is what it is. I never see him scratching or licking/itching at the rash at all, which is why it is confusing to me. Thanks for the input ladies!


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Do you know what meds the vet was giving him?


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## CynthiaATL (Sep 2, 2008)

Your welcome. I have a severe seasonal dog myself. And he is on Claritin. I have personally had better luck on Claritin than Benadryl.

I just had to start him on another course of prednisone yesterday. To stop the itching. He is a mess. But it is seasonal. Only happens in the spring and summer.

Dog's express allergries through thier skin.

With Staph depending on the severity antibiotics are given. Cephalexin is the most common for skin issues. But others are used as well. Amoxi, Clavamox, Simplicef, even Clindamycin.

And depending on the itchyness prednisone is also used. But with any steriod there are side effects. Steriods should be the last resort. But the way he was scratching I did not want him to lose hair and get a staph infection.

It very well could not be a staph infection. Again hard to tell by the pics. At work many people confuse a staph infection for ringworm. Due to the circular patterns of staph lesions.

Here is a explanation of Pyoderma (skin infection) from VIN (Veterinary Information Network) a great resource site. All the Vets I have teched for are members of VIN. It is a forum for Veterinarians to exchange ideas for cases. The public does not have access to the actual forum.

However the are a source of great info for pet owners. For a variety of condidtions. I am a member of the Veterinary Technician Forum.

VIN
01 VeterinaryPartner Home Page - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!

Pyoderma
01 VeterinaryPartner Home Page - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!

Good luck. Allergies are a pain in the butt. Because unless you determine what the actual cause is and remove the pet from the environment or if it is food switch foods. All you are doing with the antihistamines is masking the issue.


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## kodiakgirl (May 9, 2009)

performanceknls said:


> Do you know what meds the vet was giving him?


They gave him prednisone, along with a Miconazole nitrate spray. They keep wanting to give him prednisone, which as Cynthia said (and I know) is a steroid, and should be a last resort, which I believe as well. Which is why I am trying to avoid going back. I really wish we had another vet here that I could go to... :hammer: I'm really not a fan of these vets, but I have no other choice. I'm definitely going to try the benadryl, hopefully it will work. The rash is just so awful to look at, doesn't bother Bullet one bit, but I hate seeing it there and don't want it to continue because I know it will probabaly only get worse.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

kodiakgirl said:


> They gave him prednisone, along with a Miconazole nitrate spray. They keep wanting to give him prednisone, which as Cynthia said (and I know) is a steroid, and should be a last resort, which I believe as well. Which is why I am trying to avoid going back. I really wish we had another vet here that I could go to... :hammer: I'm really not a fan of these vets, but I have no other choice. I'm definitely going to try the benadryl, hopefully it will work. The rash is just so awful to look at, doesn't bother Bullet one bit, but I hate seeing it there and don't want it to continue because I know it will probabaly only get worse.


Yes they had him on steroids and shame on your vet for putting him on that first. There are other things to try, steroids are hard on a dog and you do not need them for a mild reaction like that. I agree too to watch for a skin infection like staff but try the Benadryl first and do it everyday. If the skin does not get 100% better it could be an infection that you can still treat at home. There are antibiotics you can get without a prescription and I can give you those websites later if you need them.


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## CynthiaATL (Sep 2, 2008)

kodiakgirl said:


> They gave him prednisone, along with a Miconazole nitrate spray. They keep wanting to give him prednisone, which as Cynthia said (and I know) is a steroid, and should be a last resort, which I believe as well. Which is why I am trying to avoid going back. I really wish we had another vet here that I could go to... :hammer: I'm really not a fan of these vets, but I have no other choice. I'm definitely going to try the benadryl, hopefully it will work. The rash is just so awful to look at, doesn't bother Bullet one bit, but I hate seeing it there and don't want it to continue because I know it will probably only get worse.


They gave him Miconazole nitrate spray previously? Miconazole is an anti fungal medication? And the spray is commonly used to treat ringworm infections and yeast infections of the skin. Not bacterial infections such as staph or even allergic reactions.

Yes Cephalexin can be purchased from places like Jeffers and others under Fish Antibiotics. Just make sure you are giving the proper dosages.

Prednisone will stop the itch immediately. But if you can control it with antihistamines then that would be better for your pet. However there are some cases when pred is needed. And it should be a short course and ALWAYS a weening dose. Long term usage can cause many issues.

Benadryl can be used up to 3 times a day. And the dosage is 1-2 milligrams per pound.

Claritin and Zyrtec do not have the drowsy effect that benadryl can have. They are in a different class of antihistamines than Benadryl.

Good luck it can be very frustrating.


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## kodiakgirl (May 9, 2009)

Well, I'm now pretty much convinced it's a food allergy... I've had him on the same Iam's food for almost a year (I know it's not the greatest, that's why I switched), and now that I have switched him to Kirkland chicken and rice, the rash has almost completely dissappeared in a week's time. Strange that I fed him the same food for so long, and he only started having allergies the past 3 months or so, but I'm glad it was something simple!! :woof::woof:


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Both are grain foods my guess would be something else that he had a reaction too other than the food. At least the rash is gone!


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## CynthiaATL (Sep 2, 2008)

Dogs can be allergic to many other things in the food than "grains" Grains are not the anti Christ. LOL 

I am glad that your dog is doing better. Hopefully this will fix it. 

Best of luck.


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