Contact allergy help

    • Gold Top Dog

    Contact allergy help

    Maze has allergies to grass. Which sucks considering she loves to lay in the backyard in the grass. Lol. Because of this, she's developed a rash on her tummy and she's scratching at her face.

    I know I can give her benedryl but I don't really feel comfortable giving her drugs every day. Is there anything I can do to help her be more comfortable? I will be ripping up all the grass and weeds shortly but sadly I can't do that to the park. LOL. Suggestions?

    • Gold Top Dog

    You can give Benedryl long term -- 1 mg/lb body weight and DO give it at least twice a day.  Part of the way it works is giving the body anti-histamine to help deal with the allergens on a daily basis.

    Plain black tea -- wipe her belly off with it every time she comes in -- wipe her down ALL OVER with it (soak her paws in it) -- it helps deal with the oils in the grass and the allergens.  Stick a plastic baggie in your purse with a couple of paper towels saturated with tea and wipe her off before you start for home.

    BATHE HER at least weekly -- with a mild soap (very very mild -- like Kirk's castile or Dr. Bronner's DILUTED) and then a rinse at the end with water and a bit of tea tree oil.  This will keep the coat in good shape and it will help keep the oils from the allergen off her.

    • Gold Top Dog
    Thanks Callie. So there's no long term effects of giving Benedryl long term? I don't think I have those brands of soap here. Would goat's milk soap be mild enough?
    • Gold Top Dog

    I'm not familiar with goat's milk soap -- castile or hemp soap are very very basic non-irritating soaps.  (actually so pure you can eat them - you can use Dr. Bronner's to brush your teeth in it's diluted form).

    If you look at the grocery store or in a pharmacy -- ASK what is absolutely the gentlest soap - that should work.  Kirk's is really old-timey.  It's been around for a 100 years or so.  Nope -- since 1839 LOL

    Kirk's website

    Dunno if it's in Canada -- but it's cheap and easy here.  Baby soap always used to be castile soap.

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    Also, COVER HER. Put some shoes on her feet, and a t shirt on her body. I know it sounds ridiculous, but if she has to be on grass, her skin needs to be covered up so that she gets less contact.