# ITCHY HARRY



## nweigen (Apr 19, 2009)

HELLO ALL,

I RECENTLY POSTED A QUESTION ABOUT HARRY'S THIN COAT AND WISH TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELPFUL KIND REPLIES.

HARRY NOW HAS PATCHES OF FUR MISSING FROM HIS REAR FLANKS, FOUR PAWS AND LOWER BACK DUE TO BITING AND SCRATCHING.

THE VET TREATED WITH REVOLUTION FOR MITES AND MANGE, AND TEMARIL-P (STEROID AND ANTI ITCH), WE TREATED WITH FRONTLINE A MONTH AGO AND WE ARE SELF MEDICATING WITH 12MG OF BENADRIL EVERY 7 HRS. HARRY HAS NO FLEAS. 

THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO GET WORSE AFTER CHANGING FROM THE ROYAL CANINE THE PET STORE FED HARRY, TO DICK VAN PATTEN ULTRA WITH EVERY THING IN IT(CHICKEN,LAMB,DUCK,RICE,GRAINS,ETC,ETC). A FEW DAYS AGO WE SWITCHED TO DICK VAN PATTEN NATURAL BALANCE WITH FISH AND SWEET POTATO.

HARRY'S STOOLS ARE NORMAL EXCEPT HE PASSES STOOL ABOUT 3-TIMES A DAY, HE IS ALWAYS ACTIVE AND IN GOOD SPIRITS. HARRY IS 8 MONTHS OLD.

HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS;

1) IS A BLOOD TEST EFFECTIVE IN DIAGNOSING HARRY'S SKIN CONDITION.
2) HAS ANYONE TRIED INTERNET REMEDIES SUCH AS NZYNES,SKI-EZE,DIN- O-VITE OR OTHER HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES.
3) HOW LONG SHOULD IT TAKE FOR THE NEW FOOD TO TAKE EFFECT.
4) DO COOL OATMEAL MEDICATED BATHS HELP OR IS THIS JUST TEMPORARY
5) HARRY SEEMS TO BE PULLING HIS HAIR OUT, WILL IT EVER GROW BACK.

THANKS FOR READING MY POST AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUGGESTIONS.

HARRY & NORM


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Hi Norm
Have you researched threads on here about allergies? I do not have any knowledge about the hair coming out, but if nothing seems to be working, I would definitely look into allergies. There should be tons on information about that on here and other members with that issue can chime in . . .


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I don't know if this would be helpful at all, but I recently switched the shampoo regimen with my boys. I bought Plum Silky shampoo, Nature's Specialty Re-Moisturizer with Aloe (which says it heps relieve itching, among other things) and Quicker Slicker for easy coat management.

My boys don't have the itching problem so I'm sure others can help you more. I hope it gets better soon.


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## nweigen (Apr 19, 2009)

HARRY PROBABLY HAS ALLERGIES, WHERE CAN I RESEARCH THAT SUBJECT.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

HARRY & NORM


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

If it's food allergy related you'll definitely want to get him on a food that has only one protein source and put him on an elimination diet so you can get a feel for what, exactly, is causing the problem. Read Jill's thread about Tess's allergies (do a forum search on Allergies, Allergies, Allergies). She had a full allergy skin test done and is doing some very specific things to alleviate Tess's itchies.
Has Harry been tested for SA (Sebatious Adenitis)? That can cause hair loss. I'm not sure about itching though. 
I'd defintely try to find some homeopathic remedies because too many meds might start interfering with each other and lessen their effectiveness or cause other problems.
I hope you find some solutions for him.


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## nweigen (Apr 19, 2009)

THANKS SUSAN,

HARRY DOESN'T HAVE S.A. I AM ALSO CRUISING THE ALERGY THREADS THEY SEEM TO HAVE SOME GOOD INFO.

HARRY & NORM


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

I imagine that you have to give the food time to get into his system for it to go into effect. Somewhere between 2-4 weeks. Maybe look into an anti-itch spray such as hydrocortisone. Idk maybe its me but I'm not a fan of oatmeal shampoo well straight oatmeal shampoo anyways. You might look into Shea Pet (www.sheapet.com) products they have a Sulfate Free shampoo thats geared towards allergies & itching. Their products always leave my Havs coats feeling silky. They also have grooming sprays geared for itching. An added bonus their products naturally deter fleas.

Furminator recently came out with a Tub brush for bathing. Although, their other brushes aren't recommended for non-shedding dogs this one will do no harm. It'll help stimulate the skin & help get rid of the dead skin.

Might look into a food supplement such as Solid Gold Seameal that is known for helping skin allergies. You can read reviews on petco.com or onlynaturalpet.com

I love this magazine Animal Wellness.
Here is an article on itching:
http://animalwellnessmagazine.com/art/aV64_14.htm

Good luck, I hope you find something that cures Harry's itching.


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## Eva (Jun 20, 2008)

Todd has severe flea allergies...one bite affects him for two weeks and so I keep him on Revolution and dust the house with Diatomaceous Earth to keep the fleas away. 
The symptoms sound almost exactly like Todd's but it could be a food allergy or pollen allergy. 
A cost effective way of trying the oatmeal bath is to buy some oatmeal ,pour about 1/2 cup to 1 cup into an old tube sock (I use mismatched one's) Tie it shut and let it sit in the tub of water while you bathe your dog. 
If you squeeze the sock while it's wet all of the goo that comes out is the good stuff..it will turn the water white and make coat and skin soft and moisturized. 
I give my kids oatmeal baths for Eczema quite a lot and they also work great for Todd's itchy skin.


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## Lunastar (Feb 9, 2009)

My Nikki had horrible allergies that would cause her to chew and pull her hair out. For Nikki is was usually seasonal. I can tell you that her hair always grew back. I had a cat with flea allergies that caused the same thing. One bite would cause him to chew and lick himself bald where ever he could reach. His hair too always grew back. The vet would give me prednisone when they were suffering with the itchies.


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## nweigen (Apr 19, 2009)

*itchy Harry*

Luna,

Thanks for your note, Harry is going back to the vet today. Benadryl seems to be giving Harry some relief and his hair is showing sign of regrowth.
We are hoping that his food may have been the cause of his itching and we changed to Natural Balance fish and sweet potatoes last week. So far no results but we are hoping to see results in a few weeks.
I am going to ask the vet for his recomendations for a topical spray to help alleviate his discomfort.

Thanks,

Norm & Harry.


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Norm, sorry I haven't responded sooner that this - too much to do and never enough time!

FYI - it can take 30-45 days for a food allergy to get out of their system so it may take a while if it was the previous food you were feeding.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Jane (Scout and Lincoln) had ongoing allergy issues with Linc and did an elmination diet, meds, all kinds of things I think. I know it was very challenging figuring things out, but Lincoln is better now.

Food is often a culprit of allergies, containing corn, wheat products and even chicken which can cause problems for some dogs. If you could find a food that has only one protein, not chicken, and no grains at all (millet, wheat, bran, barley...) then you can begin to see how some foods might be affecting Harry. He must be miserable!


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## Sam375 (Feb 2, 2009)

I agree with a grain free no chicken diet would be best, in my non professional opinion. Like wellness CORE or one of the other grain free. just make sure there is absolutely NO chicken anything in it. Since shicken seems to be a high allergen. Like maybe fish, venison, rabbit, or other exotic protein source.
I am sure some sort of supplement would help too, like solid gold, or k9 show stopper, or something highly recommended on this forum.


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## lovingmypup (Jun 18, 2009)

After reading this thread, I think my puppy is having an allergic reaction to his food. He has been scratching constantly and evening biting whatever part of his body he can get to. I thought it may have been fleas so I applied Frontline as it had been 1 month since the last application; however after I applied Frontline, he began to cry and started scratching even more. Now when I pick him up he starts to whimper. All of this has happened today and I just cant wait until tomorrow so that I can get to the vet to see what is going on. Im starting to get very nervous and almost want to take him to the emergency room. Am I over reacting?


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

I didn't see the show myself, but I know that one of the news programs did a piece about flea and tick meds being primarily sold in shops, not through vets, that were injuring, even killing pets. There's a chance maybe you got a dose of the flea/tick meds that were making dogs sick. 

Don't worry, no one on this Forum is ever going to think you're over reacting when your dog is sick or in pain.

Is there an 800 # on the package? Maybe you could call them and tell them how he is acting. If you're worried, could you call the emergency vet and talk to them? It's so difficult when they can't tell us what's wrong.

Please let us know how he comes out.

I am feeding my dogs Natural Balance Duck and Potato and it's been the one thing I've found that has worked for my dog with allergies and my dog with a sensitive stomach

Beverly


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## Sam375 (Feb 2, 2009)

Maybe give him a medicated bath in oatmeal, wash off that frontline....Give some Benadryl? Maybe he is allergic to bug bites in general, not just fleas?

Harry was on the duck n potato too, and did pretty well on it, but I switched him to the ocean wellness core because it had a higher protein, and I figured he was still a growing pup. But he did di well on the nat bala also. The grain free unique protein has been the best for him and his tummy.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

marjrc said:


> Jane (Scout and Lincoln) had ongoing allergy issues with Linc and did an elmination diet, meds, all kinds of things I think. I know it was very challenging figuring things out, but Lincoln is better now.


Hi Norm,

I'm sorry to hear you are battling allergy issues with your Hav. I just wanted to add that the majority of allergy cases are caused by something environmental, so it can be very difficult to find what things are actually causing the problem.

Anyway, a couple of options to ask your vet about are: allergy shots (can be given seasonally, if you notice the allergies strike at a certain time of year), and a short-course of prednisone. The prednisone will stop the itching within 24 hours, but it is a very powerful drug with noticeable side effects, so I would only go that route if the benadryl, etc. is not working. Also, if the benadryl isn't working well, there are several others drugs of this type the vet can choose from, and they are all different - you have to try them to see if they work or not.

There should be a lot of info on the forum that you can search for re: food allergies. It can take several months to figure a food allergy out. I hope you can find some relief for your Hav soon!


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

lovingmypup said:


> After reading this thread, I think my puppy is having an allergic reaction to his food. He has been scratching constantly and evening biting whatever part of his body he can get to. I thought it may have been fleas so I applied Frontline as it had been 1 month since the last application; however after I applied Frontline, he began to cry and started scratching even more. Now when I pick him up he starts to whimper. All of this has happened today and I just cant wait until tomorrow so that I can get to the vet to see what is going on. Im starting to get very nervous and almost want to take him to the emergency room. Am I over reacting?


How is your little guy doing? We feel helpless at times and it's not a good feeling. I hope he's doing better. Did you end up checking with the vet?


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## lovingmypup (Jun 18, 2009)

marjrc said:


> How is your little guy doing? We feel helpless at times and it's not a good feeling. I hope he's doing better. Did you end up checking with the vet?


Thanks for understanding! Yes, I really do feel helpless and Im constantly wanting to take him to the Emergency room even when he just looks sick. Unfortunately the Vet was closed for the weekend, but we are taking him today. I bought him a Shampoo for Sensitive skin and he seems to be doing a lot better. I still think it is the food though. I will ask the vet if it is ok to give him Wellness puppy food and hopefully that will do the trick. I will definitely update you when i get back from the vet.


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*poor you, poor dog*

We go through this every summer. Daisy eats a raw diet, takes supplements omegas and has oatmeal and sulfoxydex baths. She has temaril p and the steroid shot, and still she itches.

I have spent a lot of money on homeopathic stuff...this is what they sent me: Green algae supplements, anti-itch spray, Silllcea 30x, Hepar Sulph Calc.
We also use benadryl. None of this seems to work too well in the summer.

Today I bathed her in domeboro which is an anti itch soak. I also can barely breathe and my eyes are running too.

Just do NOT use tea tree oil. I poisoned her once using this and almost lost her.

I have thought of having her tested for SA, she might have a beginning of it.

Linda


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## sadiestie (Mar 15, 2009)

Poor Harry! It broke my heart to see my little girl so itchy when she was young. I posted on the allergy thread awhile ago to relate our tale of allergies. Saide is doing great - I just keep her on her Royal Canin Potato and Rabiit kiblets which she loves. I don't do home cooking for her anymore. It's easy - she eats well, and no more scratching! We followed an allergy elimination diet rigorously - only one protein at a time, potatoes not grain - and she improved sooo much! No more missing fur, and she now doesn't scratch any more than any other dog Good luck with Harry!


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Natural Balance Duck and Potato really helped with Smarty’s itching. I had to come off of it due to her having continuous Urinary Tract infections. Sweet Potatoes are a no no with UT problems, all of the sugary veggies are. So we are off NB and back to eating our feet.

Good luck, I have no experience with all the other stuff. Sometimes you have to back off of everything to find out what is causing the problem. My vets said we can do the allergy test if she continued to have the problem with chewing her leg, feet and scratching her face.


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## Janizona (Oct 17, 2006)

nweigen said:


> THANKS SUSAN,
> 
> HARRY DOESN'T HAVE S.A. I AM ALSO CRUISING THE ALERGY THREADS THEY SEEM TO HAVE SOME GOOD INFO.
> 
> HARRY & NORM


Hi Norm
May I ask how you know he doesn't have SA? I hope he's doing better, its frustrating when our pupsters are not feeling well!


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## nweigen (Apr 19, 2009)

*itchy Harry*

Hi Jani,

It has been about 6-weeks since Harry is on Natural Balance Salomon & Sweet Potatoe and the scratching is almost gone.

The vet examined Harry and reported that SA was not the issue. He felt that Harry had an intolerance to his current diet, hence the salmon and fish.

Harry still bites at his feet but stopped pulling out his hair and he is turning into a nice young Havanese and is giving us loads of pleasure.

Thanks for writing and good luck with your pet.

Norm & Harry...


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

Hi Norm,

If Harry is still chewing his feet, it doesn't sound like you've gotten to the bottom of the problem, although it can take quite awhile for dietary changes to take effect.

If after another 4 weeks Harry is still chewing, I would, personally, try a different type protein.
I know I already posted it, but I am feeding the Potato and Duck flavor and the allergy symptoms one of my dogs had been experiencing, including paw chewing, has completely stopped.

Remember, the only way to diagnose SA is with a skin punch test.
Best of luck with your little guy!

Beverly


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## Janizona (Oct 17, 2006)

here's a picture of a cutie Hav - can anyone tell she has SA? She was confirmed with a skin punch. So not all dogs look terrible.


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

:bump:


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