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Post by Nicole on Sept 9, 2005 16:18:13 GMT -5
It has been an entire year and Sunny had been completely itch free. But a few weeks ago he started itching again. Nothing like last year but still itching and his eye is gooping. I was doing some research and saw that August 15 begins the start of ragweed season and that it causes many dogs and people to be miserable with allergies. This is exactly about the time the itching started this season for Sunny. Ragweed season goes from Aug 15 to October. I was curious if anyone else's dog has started itching recently because of the high ragwed pollen count in the air. Last year I really believe that Sunny had a flea allergy because he was not on any topical treatment except Sentinel which does not stop fleas from biting. I think that is why it was so bad and then he probably had the ragweed response on top of that. As I said this year it is mild in comparison. I have been giving 50mg of Benedryl a day (very low dose) and it has been helping, I think. I don't want him to get zonked out because Benedryl makes dogs drowsy. And I do not want to go to the vet because all they do is give steroids. It is so hard to find the cause of itching it drives me crazy!!
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Post by Nicole on Sept 12, 2005 20:15:00 GMT -5
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Post by Laura on Sept 13, 2005 23:33:47 GMT -5
The dogs, no, me, yes ;D. Sometimes dogs get specific allergies just like people do, he may be allergic to ragweed and get hayfever, but nothing else triggers it. Instead of Benydryl, ask your vet if another OTC non drowsy remedy would be ok to use, like Claritin (although the price of that to use everyday during allergy season for Sunny might bankrupt you ). Or see if you can find a vet that specializes in allergies to have him tested to find out exactly what it is he's allergic to, usually a skin test will do the trick.
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Post by Nicole on Sept 14, 2005 17:26:03 GMT -5
Thanks Laura. I hope you are feeling better. It is funny because my next door neighbor's husband started having an extreme allergy attack just about the time Sunny did and so I thought maybe I was on to something with the ragweed. I am pretty certain it is something airborne this time of year because he was completely itch free until mid August. He is doing much better now and the eye goop is about gone. The Benedryl is definitely helping. I am only giving it if he starts having an itching fit. I also have the air on in the house now and that has helped a lot too. So...we will get through this. I remember how crazy I was last year. i went to so many vets and they gave him steroids etc... I threw out everything new, pulled flowers from my garden, vacuumed three times a day, checked every speck under a magnifying glass..esentially, i went completely crazy... I should have just kept cool and let it pass as it is doing but I was ignorant.
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