Dog and severe reactions to allergies?

That is a tough one. It does sound like there are some environmental allergies at play here, however that doesn't completely rule to food out as well. The allergy pills that a human would take, like the benedryll, are usually pretty decent at stopping the environmental allergies so you may want to just input that into your every day routine for your dog, not just on bad days. Also, the food still could be an issue as many dogs can develop allergies to the food they are fed. You may want to talk to your vet and see if any other brands would work. Ask about grain free, limited ingredient diets and see if the vet thinks that might work.

Personally, I like to recommend the Nutro Natural Choice Grain Free foods as they are all both grain free and limited ingredient. So basically, all that is in it is the one meat protein (either fish, venison, turkey or lamb) and the one carbohydrate as the potato. Generally for severe allergies, especially when you aren't 100% sure what they are to, I like to recommend either the venison or fish formulas as they are more of a novel protein that most people haven't fed their dog, therefor limiting the possibility of an allergy.

I hope your dog feels better!

Geoffrey

Pet Nutrition Specialist for The Nutro Company

People do keep dogs that have allergies, my dog has seasonal allergies and does, not tolerate wheat or chicken.

Has the vet asked about an allergy shot? Sounds like he is having reactions to environmental allergens also.

My girl gets a shot once in March, April and sometimes May then again in September and October. I take her for an allergy shot when I see her symptoms need one. As the vet as advised. She also eats grain free food that is beef based. She is doing very well!!

Food allergies are easy to deal with just remove the trigger foods like you have, for the seasonal or environmental ones they are a little bit more tricky. Benadryl will work for a short time, but i would ask the vet about something longer lasting.

I feel that allergies are no reason to get rid of a dog or have it put to sleep, they can live long, happy lives if taken proper care of.

I have a included a link that addresses allergies for you to read up about the subject.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/allergies

I hope this helps and good luck!

More then likely, this poor dog was sold because it's previous owners couldn't afford to care for his horrendous allergies. It's common for people to dump sickly dogs on people, that they cannot afford to care for themselves.

Genetics has a lot to do with allergies and how severe a dog can get them. Bad breeding produces dogs who are prone to severe allergies and allergic reactions. More then likely, this dog is badly bred. Some breeds are naturally more prone to allergies then others, Boxers, Pit Bull Terriers, Collies..ect, but no dog should have allergies this severe and this costly.

There are tons of owners everyday, myself included who deal with dogs who have severe allergies. I own a "blue" American Pit Bull Terrier and his coloration is responsible for his horrible allergies, but they're not so severe that I have to confine him constantly, but they are severe enough to where I have to constantly be careful about where he goes and what he eats.

If this dog is in constant pain and irritation, and has no quality of life, I'd suggest having the dog placed down. There's no life in living a life full of constant itching. But if you can maintain the dogs condition to where he can live a comfortable life, then by all means keep him, just understand, he, because of his allergies will always be a financial and medical burden and when you can no longer afford his care, either re-home him or have him placed down, since few people are willing to take on an allergy ridden dog.

does the dog have food or environmental allergies or both ??? and you should talk to your vet or even a new vet for a different perspective about using different types of allergy meds ... just like with people with allergies, using the same antihistamine day in and day out, it will lose it's efficacy ... i had a dog with both food and environmental allergies and i would switch up the antihistamines, my vet gave me a list of ones safe to rotate her on ... and not sure how big your sheltie is but my 14 pound dog would have a full 25 mg daily so you might want to discuss the amount of the dose ... and if it is super bad, you can ask the vet about oral prednisone ... do not allow a cortisone shot !!! and when you say you are feeding an hypoallergenic food, please tell me that is not science diet from the vet ... cuz my vet pushed that food on me and my dog's skin almost fell off ... the only thing that helped my dog, got her off all medication, stopped all the scratching to the point of traumatizing the skin, the ear infections, was when i put her on a limited ingredient diet grain free and kept her on that diet for the rest of her life ... no more budget treats, no chewies, nothing but the diet ... and i put her on a protein source she had never had before (natural balance fish and sweet potato) ... natural balance makes kibble, canned and treats in the limited ingredient ... i also added raw organic apple cider vinegar (1/2 teaspoon) to her breakfast daily too ... and a dog that was "allergic to everything" became a different dog ... she required zero medication, she stopped scratching, she did not have another ear infection for the rest of her life, her coat filled in ... if your dog was my dog i would try a limited ingredient grain free diet with raw organic apple cider vinegar and see how your dog does ... and my vet also told me that when i brought my dog in from outside to use a damp clothe to wipe her down to remove environmental allergens from outside ... he explained this cuts down on the amount of allergens the dog ingests and can be helpful ... good luck, i know it is frustrating ... and if all else fails and it is purely a keep the dog comfortable situation, talk to your vet about putting your dog on low-dose prednisone every other day (get a prescription and buy at a people pharmacy cuz it is way cheaper and same drug) ... but prednisone should be a very very last resort ...

and please stop the royal canin ... that is just another vet food pushed by vets ... have a quick peak at the ingredients ... it contains ZERO meat only chicken by-products (beaks, feet, feathers, nothing a human being would ever eat) and corn ... you gotta try a better food and learn now that vets truly have no clue when it comes to treating allergies, it is all hit or miss, and your vet is missing it ... and never buy any food products from walmart or grocery stores ...

What has the vet said .have you been referred to a specialist regarding this as that may be your next option to see if there is any other treatment available .

If this dog is happy and is eating and drinking and going to the toilet ok then this dog has a quality of life .but If he does not have a quality of life he is suffering .

Edit..my friend has a dog that is allergic to grass he is on a lot of medication but hes happy she has to be careful food wise as well but her dog is under a specialist .

Your dog may be suffering from a secondary skin infection (bacterial or fungal) which aggravates the itching making it a vicious cycle.

For many skin issues I recommend a powder called 'Flowers of Sulfur' (also known as 'brimstone' or 'sublime sulfur').

This substance has been used for thousands of years to cure all kinds of skin ailments including fungal and bacterial infections and if there is itching, it will stop within a few days. Google it to learn more about its healing properties.

Even vets have forgotten about this wonderful and inexpensive remedy but fortunately you can still purchase it at your local pharmacy for very little money. You can also buy it online at http://www.pennherb.com/search?mv_session_id=eDEGJ...

Flowers of sulfur is safe to apply to your pet's skin but take care not to inhale sulfur powder.

You can dust this powder and rub on your dog's skin OR mix it with an oil to rub on the skin. The dusting can easily be accomplished if you use a powdered sugar duster or an empty talcum powder bottle. Separate the hair as you go around dusting to expose the skin until you have covered it.

Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon of flower of sulfur powder with 1/4 cup of Jojoba oil and put it in a bottle. Always shake to mix well before applying to the skin as it tends to separate. This method works well for smaller skin areas. You do not need to wear gloves as it is not toxic to humans either.

Apply daily until the problem clears.

Include at very least 10 to 15 grams associated with protein, which suppresses ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates your urge for food. Include eggs, which are that can control hunger.

Follow the 80/20 rule, which means eating clean 80 percent of times and indulging a little 20 percent of times.

Baggy clothes hide your whole body and encourage lounging around. So even if you're relaxing at home, wear fitted clothes to help keep you on track.

Take time once a full week to plan out and search for meals and snacks so you are prepared whenever hunger strikes.