Reverse Sneeze / Allergies

New Topic

Reverse Sneeze / Allergies

Suzi

Posted : 5/15/2006 9:56:11 AM

So at first I suspected that my dog might have collaspse tracheal. Occasionally she would bob her head back a forth, suck in ar and push it back out through the nose. Along with a honking ??? noise like she's really having trouble breathing. The vet told me it was allergies, and I just remember when JJ was 3-4 months old. Her first vet told me that she was having a reverse sneeze in which I thought was a Kennel Cough. Thankfully it wasn't. So I am beginning to really think that it's all ALLERGY. Here in the city, it was terrible for us humans, the worst allergy season. Though at the same time, JJ seems to be dealing with the same thing. I am leaning more towards environmental and not food for the cause of her allergy. She had been scratching more, bitting herself and sneezing like crazy. Sometimes I would see her wiping her nose area with her paws as if it itches. Also the reverse sneezing freaks me out even though it's not as bad as it sounds. I am planning to take her to the vet soon but I'm wondering what you did to help out your dog? What products you use to help relieve their itch?

cakana

Posted : 5/15/2006 10:17:40 AM

I think many of us with allergy dogs are going thru some of the same things you are. It's just a bad time of year and a bad year in general for this area (lots of rain and now lots of sun and wind). First thing I'd do is have the vet do a complete check-up to rule any infections and discuss with them what antihistamine they recommend. I personally use benadryl (generic version) and it seems to help. My vet gave me a list of all the kinds I could use, along with the dosage. As discussed on several threads regarding the antihistamines, it's very important to use it at the proper dosage. Of course, too much isn't good, but most folks try to use too little and a) you won't be doing much to help your dog and b) you're just wasting your time & money. It's thought that giving the antihistamines with some EFA oils (I use Derm Caps, but there are others), enhances the effects.

The other really important thing you can do is bathe frequently. 2-3 times a week, if necessary. I use Nu Sal T and it helps my lab a lot. Others use Nova Pearls and there are several others. The bathing gets the allergens off the skin and if it's a medicated shampoo, like the Nu Sal T, it also calms the skin down.

forpaws

Posted : 5/15/2006 10:22:39 AM

There was a lot involved in getting the allergies under control especially when you had to isolate and test to see what the allergy was to.
Skin tests, food illimination tests, and an ELISA test, to detect group specifie IgE antibody. Long treatments, $$$ and long term solutions to change not only the dogs living conditions, but environment and food. Then there was irritant contact and allergic contact dermatitis to deal with. OYE! Trying to identify the chemical or skin allergen causing the problem and to prevent further exposure was a task in its self.

Many hours and many treatments later we finally got it under control and she is doing much better with chinese herbs, vitamins suppliments, food changes and natural food suppliments.

Callie is the one to talk to about Allergies. She helped me out tremendously with a lot of information. PM her, she would be glad to be of help. She knows allergy 101 to the letter T.