Big Paws Only Dog Forums
Saint Bernards => Saint Bernard General Discussions => : qrlylox June 29, 2006, 09:50:35 PM
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Our beautiful 3 yr old (long hair) saint bernard, Tbone, has started getting hot spots (on his tail only) and is just generally itchy all over, all the time. Vet treated hot spots first time with steroids/antibiotics - second hot spot we self treated with Maalox and Gold Bond (it works!).
However, the poor guy is just haunted by itches - he itches his back, side of face, feet, under his back legs... he can never just relax.
We shave him in summer and this seemed to have begun recently after this years first clip. No fleas, he's an indoor dog. We are baffled and want desperately to get him relief.
Can anyone tell us:
1) safe to use benedryl and if so, how much (T weighs 170 lbs)
2) What is a good EFA product (3 & 6) to give him?
3) Anyone have any home remedies to relieve the itchies?
Thanks!!
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I'm sure that someone can answer the other questions, but I know about the Benadryl. Bella is 108 lb and the vet said to give her 100mg. So, I would think that 150mg would be good for your dog. Problem is the pills that are over the counter are only 25mg. That's six pills at a time! Gets expensive. Check with your vet, and he/she may carry larger doses. Mine gave me about 60 pills that were 50mg each. It was only about $10.
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It sounds like your poor fella has some allergies. Yes, Benadryl is safe for dogs, but I would call your vet and ask how much you should give him.I remember when Abbey my husky/GSD was stung by a bumblebee last summer our vet told us to only give her half a 25mg (she weighs 60lbs). What do you feed Tbone? Alot of the time hotspots can be remedied by changing the diet, sometimes they are allergic to something that is in the food. Does he suffer when his coat has not been shaved down? If you find that he is ok when his coat is long, try not shaving it next summer, the oils in his own naturally long coat may be enough to keep his skin from being itchy. And on a home remedy note, organic kelp, and tee tree oil are supposed to work wonders. My step brother has used both on his Rhodesian Ridgeback and has found them to work wonders! Good luck!
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my breeder told me to give fumble a good bath! with antibacterial soap, but some good pet stores have anti itch bath stuff.. but be sure to reapply the tick/flea meds after the bath! and then get domboro at your local pharmacy and put it on a towel and sort of apply it to the skin and hold for a few seconds.. this is what we did and fumble's itchies went away.. hope that it helps!!
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""he itches his back, side of face, feet, under his back legs... "" It sounds like a food allergy to me...
Does he just do this in the summer or is the itchies year round?
Bubba was chewing himself like crazy and ended up with a large hotspot at the base of his tail. Turns out in his case it was food allergies on top of seasonal allergies that were causing him to chew. So I switched his food to something corn/wheat/soy/junk free and used medicated shampoo on him in the summer.
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I switched Einstein to Evo which contains NO WHEAT -- and we use Malaseb shampoo. It's cleared up his yeasty-red spots. lately, we've both been itchy cause the weather here is going bonkers -- flooding one week, low humidity the next.
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Costco sells benedry for cheap money... kirkland brand is 500 for 3.00 or something like that
I get GREAT RESULTS with benedryl and during seasonal allergies which zero has I give as PM which prevents the hotspots 1mg per lb
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You might also try the Benedryl cream right on the itchy spots--my BFF's toy poodle was a little small for even the 25 mg Benedryl--she only weighed 4 pounds ;)--but the cream worked wonders.
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Isn't this site the BEST!! I love when we all have a question so many Saint Parent respond. We have given Cassie benadryl as well with good results, I checked with the vet and he said it was fine I think he said 10mg for every 10 pounds, I am not 100% sure of that. One night Cassie had a bad reaction to a shot and she huge hives all over her entire belly, she couldn't stop biting and licking herself- she was literally losing it. We gave her the benadryl(alot, I don't remember how much) and it helped, it also knocked her out. My husband had a great idea, we got a kitchen trash bag and filled it with ice and bit of water, tied a knot in it, and laid it in a towel on her belly and it calmed her down and I think it made her feel better. Everyone sounds on the right track with a food allergy. By the way we bought the cheapest off brand we buy. Recently she had her first "hot spot" we took her in, and a spray,antibiotics, and a shave did the trick, she completely healed. Good luck!!!