Treatment of allegiesQ: My recent rescue dog has severe allergies, we of course are buying food without soy, wheat or corn in it. he is on benadryl 75 mgs. 3 x a day. he weights 70 pounds. but i have noticed loose bowels. is there anything else besides i am doing advantage, cephelexin 500 mg. per the vet his hot spots are better. how long do i keep this up.? he almost has stopped chewing his body completely! i am also using quadriderm nf creme on his many sores. help A: Diarrhea could be from antibiotic. i would purchase probiotic from health food store to help wtih healthy intestinal bacteria as well as prozyme from 1800petmeds. i also use slippery elm from health food store in acute diarrhea cases. finish prescriptions as directed by your vet. if recurs, i would consider allergy testing or different low allergy diet
Shop for: prozyme, 1800petmeds, advantage
Dog shakes ears repeatedlyQ: Our 80lb+ lab has runny eyes and sneezes often. the biggest problem is she shakes her ears -doesn't really scratch them much but they definately bother her. attitude is typical lab..always smiling and ready to play. i'll try benedryl 1mg 2 or 3 tpd like other answers offer, but what about those ears? does it help that too? A: If ear issue has underyling allergic component then benadryl can help in some cases. a 75 pound lab would get roughly 50 mg benadryl twice daily. but should really have ears examined with otoscope by vet to make sure no infections which are often secondary to underyling allergies.
Perscriptions for fleasQ: I have 3 dogs and two cats. this year the fleas are more numerous on my pets. i tried dips, powders and collars. is there any perscriptions that i can get to get rid of the fleas? A: The over the counter flea products such as advantage, frontline or program are very effective. however, when there is a flea infestation, you need to treat the pets, the house and the outsidfe environment as well. sentinel and revolution are two prescription heartworm preventatives that are also used to protect against fleas.
Shop for: advantage, sentinel, revolution
Hair lossQ: I have a 2 yr old shihtzu who looses patches of hair in warm months and the vet gives him a steroid shot for this about once a month.i do not like the idea of him getting these shots but it seems to help temporaly.he is on the advantage flea protection and goes to the groomer regular.there are no open places on his skin and it mostly falls out from his chest area.any solutions?? A: I hate these long acting steroid shots as they do in my opinion lead to long term health problems when used chronically. if your dog needs cortisone safest route is low dose oral therapy which can usually be tapered to every other day to every third day during allergy seasons. also could try antihistamines as well as fatty acids like derm caps from 1800petmeds. also new drug out called atopica which is alternative to cortisone
Shop for: antihistamine, 1800petmeds, advantage
RabiesQ: What are signs of a dog effected with rabies? A: Can have wide range from changes in behavior to suddenly aggressive or actually more affectionate to drooling, convulsions, heightened neurologic sensitivity, etc. most of time transmitted by bite of infected animal such as skunk or raccoon or bat being most common
DeramaxxQ: My dog is taking deramaxx, does this medicine have any effect on her appetite? she seems very hungry lately. A: Not really. if anything could cause a lower appetite
Shop for: deramaxx
EarmitesQ: My dog has scabs on the tip of her ear,which she keeps scratching.a little piece of her ear fell off.she is a husky sheppard. A: Need to take to vet for exam and likely systemic meds or antibiotics
