# Environmental Allergies



## Lola :) (Nov 20, 2012)

Hi everyone,

Lola has always had environmental allergies, but they disappeared for a bit this summer and have come back recently in full force. She is itching her ears a lot and making her ears matted. It's also bizarre as she itches them most first thing in the morning, but also here and there throughout the day. I did have her checked by the vet for an ear infection, which luckily she does not have. She will occasionally lick her paws after scratching and sometimes itch her eyes. The vet recommended giving her Benadryl, but it completely knocks her out which I really don't want. I feel horrible she can get so uncomfortable, so I was wondering if anyone had any other recommendations besides something so powerful like Benadryl. I also clean her ears with Epi-Otic which does work well but not specifically for allergies. 

Thanks in advance!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Someone just posted an article about adding honey to the diet to combat allergies. I don't remember where I saw it. Maybe someone else will chime in!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

hi Lauren, I've always considered myself i.e. Molly lucky. Never have had to deal with allergies. You're probably right about it being environmental but one thing that I've always wondered what I would do if molly got allergies. I would try a diet experiment , especially if feeding a commercially processed diet. I would try a dehydrated raw diet for a couple of months to verify that it was only enviro related. If that didn't help, so be it , then concentrate on other possibilities. Nothing to lose, you just might get hooked on a healthy alternative . here's a good article on allergies http://www.biologicnr.com/barometer-of-your-pets-health/

Without going into too much detail and not all allergies are food related but the no. one step they mentioned was "remove sources of oxidized fatty acids from the diet by eliminating processed foods., including rancid treats. A move to fresher whole sources of nutriton helps improve cellular balance, which improves tolerance to allergens and illness in general" .... The number one most processed food is kibble.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lola :) said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Lola has always had environmental allergies, but they disappeared for a bit this summer and have come back recently in full force. She is itching her ears a lot and making her ears matted. It's also bizarre as she itches them most first thing in the morning, but also here and there throughout the day. I did have her checked by the vet for an ear infection, which luckily she does not have. She will occasionally lick her paws after scratching and sometimes itch her eyes. The vet recommended giving her Benadryl, but it completely knocks her out which I really don't want. I feel horrible she can get so uncomfortable, so I was wondering if anyone had any other recommendations besides something so powerful like Benadryl. I also clean her ears with Epi-Otic which does work well but not specifically for allergies.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


You might find that if you give her the Benadryl regulalry, every day on a schedule that it continues to benefit her, but the side effects go away. Kodi had some allergy problems this early summer, and was on Benadryl for about 2 months. With him, it made him WIRED!!! (I thought I was living with a JRT! ). The vet had warned me that it could go either way... Some dogs get gorped out, some get crazy and some have no side effects. But whatever the side effects are, they tend to go away over time.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> Someone just posted an article about adding honey to the diet to combat allergies. I don't remember where I saw it. Maybe someone else will chime in!


I know from human allergies that the important thing for using honey for allergies is to make sure you use LOCAL honey. Ht e way it works is that the local bees use pollen from the local plants that are likely to be causing the allergies. If you use honey made in another area, it won't be as effective.


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## Lola :) (Nov 20, 2012)

Thank you for the advice! I am going to look into a diet change and/or trying out the honey. I'll keep you all posted!


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

The dog allergies thing is all new to me. Gracie has had allergies this summer, and the vet thinks its environmental, but she hasn't been tested. She had two rounds of an antihistamine and an antibiotic. Also, a few weeks of prednisone. Shes not on any meds right now, but I still see a few red spots. The vet had been treating her for a staph infection due to allergies. Will the local honey help alleviate any environmental allergies? If so, how much should she be given?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Please see my reply under the thread, Skin Aliments. Fred had the exact same thing. A staph infection that was treated with a week of antibiotics. It came back so I treated his wounds with a combination of Benadryl spray, Medihoney and shampoo and conditioner. With 4 days he was about 90% healed. I will give him and bath tomorrow to remove all the sticky honey and I think he will be in good shape! 

I'm not sure the amount of honey to give. The article I read on feeding oral honey I believe said they were giving 2 teaspoon a day to a lab size dog. My memory might be off.


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks, I will have to give it a try. I'm hoping that with cooler weather coming, she won't be bothered by her allergies. In the meantime, maybe it will help her.


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## siewhwee (Sep 24, 2009)

Ralphie was also plagued by Staph infections this summer. Was on 2 kinds of antibiotics. Like Linda, I am not going the antibiotics way anymore. Am going to order the medihoney and shampoos to have on hand in case he gets another flareup (hope not). Am going to ask my friend how much of the LOCAL honey she gives her dog (she got the advice about giving local honey to her dog for allergies, and apparently it's been working, as her dog has never had allergies). I also use neem oil on the sores. Seems to work as the sores subsided almost overnight. However, it stinks. Am willing to put up with the smell if it works.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I'm the same way. I don't care what it smells like as long as it works The Medihoney wound paste is sticky. I shaved his belly so after a day it soaks in. 

When the staph first appeared, the vet said he needed the antibiotic for the staph infection to go away. I was surprised it went away with these alternative things. I just assumed he needed medication......not sure why she didn't recommend the Medihoney and shampoo the first time around.

I hope this stuff works for you guys! Please let me know! I am also curious to hear if the local oral honey works! 

As far as the shampoos, make sure to check with your vet. Virbac has a lot of shampoos and conditioners and you want to make sure you get the correct one. Fred's sores were crusty and oily. If I scratched off the crust it looked like dandruff and the sore was red. He was not itching them. 

Here's his progress pictures:

Day 1 without any treatment.

Day 5 1/2 after benadryl spray and medihoney and one bath with virbac Hexadene shampoo and Resicort conditioner. Why is picture sideways?!

Picture of a sore I didn't see until day 4. So it was treated with the shampoo and conditioner but not the medihoney. 

After picture of missed sore. 2 days it was treated & healed with honey.


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