Bumps on skin... allergies...Benadryll???

I believe you can give it every 6 hours or at least that's what I've done with Sassy. Be sure to give enough - 1mg per lb (2mg per lb for more serious issues). I give Sassy 75 mgs every AM and PM and she doesn't even get sleepy anymore. I don't think you need to be super worried, but I'm doubtful that this was a stress reaction. It could be an allergy to the egg, but if you've been giving them all along, then I wouldn't see why now would cause a problem. It sounds like a contact allergy to me. Has he been playing/laying on anything unusual lately. This is also just a really bad time of year for allergy sufferers (ragweed), so perhaps he's just reacting to something in the environment?

I'm not sure what it could be but I hope he's doing OK.

dosing is 1-2 mg/pound. He could have gotten into something - sounds like an allergic reaction to something.  A lot of dogs will break out after being in a certain type of grass or plant.

Usually food allergies (like eggs) will effect the face and through/eye area. Usually... not always.

cakana

It sounds like a contact allergy to me. Has he been playing/laying on anything unusual lately. This is also just a really bad time of year for allergy sufferers (ragweed), so perhaps he's just reacting to something in the environment?

My husband said that he read that right now everyone that has allergies is suffering... allergies to several things outside.  Maybe you guys are right.   Nothing has changed though...nor is he out much.  

He has been really stressed though...between having Ollie around and getting him hyper...and then seeing him seem to miss Ollie now that he is gone.   But there is the egg.  He has only been getting on a week...maybe two by the end of the week. Not 3 days in a row and then a day later...don't know if that could be.  He won't get one until this is cleared up though.  

My vet JUST told me that if the dogs get out of hand and I need to try to to give Benadryll...I can give Ollie 75 mgs. I said "but he weighs about 130 at least" and she said they don't like to prescribe more than 75 mgs.      I just gave Gibby 2 pills...and he is about 65 lbs.

Sassy's about 73 lbs and I give her 75 mg at each dose, but I've upped it to 100mg when she's really itchy and have never had a problem. I think 2 25mg pills is a good minimum for Gibby, but if it seems worse, don't be afraid to give 75mg. Whatever it is, it's an allergic reaction to something and the benadryl will help calm his system down. If the increase in eggs is something new, then I'd be suspicious too. It's easy to find out by holding back and seeing if it gets better. Sassy has so many allergies (chicken?) that I don't give her eggs at all but I do give them to Buffy. I hope this is just a fluke and Gibby won't have further allergic reactions. It's so frustrating to figure it all out.

Thanks Cathy......  I appreciate your help.

Yes...I will watch the egg thing.  When it clears up I will wait a while before giving him another...and then I will keep an eye out since I know there is a possible problem.

 That's exactly how Indie's started and now he's got a terrible hot spot because he fussed at it.  I hope you're luckier than we were.  I read on some sites that apple cider vinegar is supposed to be very good for drying them out but I didn't read that until his was too far gone.  I hope Gibby will be okay.

Dyan, talking to office staff on the phone can be really counter-productive, because often they are instructed to say completely "safe-sounding" things.

The dose for benedryl, as Erica and everyone said is 1-2 mg/lb body weight for dogs given every 6 hours.  Their metabolism is faster than ours and it requires that.

Giving less frankly is a waste -- because it takes that dose to accomplish dealing with the histamines.  BUT, we're such a litigious society that many vets won't suggest the proper dose because it's not a human dose and it *sounds* large and then people react by being scared, rather than checking a source.

Also, people who don't have a lot of experience giving meds to dogs see the dog getting sleepy and again, over-react and say "You're DRUGGING MY DOG!"  Most good antihistamines make you sleepy -- it's simply a side effect, but dogs DO get used to it.  After they take it for a few weeks you barely notice it.

You can find that 1-2 mg/lb dose in any Veterinary PDR (check the library or call them), Giffen & Carlson's "Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook" OR the "Pill Book Guide to Medication for Your Dog and Cat" (Dell Reference, 1998).

A vet can and will exceed that 2 mg dose at certain times.  It's just that a dog's metabolism is faster and it's one drug that needs to be dosed differently for dogs (like thyroid meds are dosed different for dogs than humans).

But in particular, it's always dangerous to just "ask" a receptionist something like that without getting a vet's input.  Very often they're just saying the "party line" or what will get you IN there ... it's the 'safe' answer.

calliecritturs

But in particular, it's always dangerous to just "ask" a receptionist something like that without getting a vet's input.  Very often they're just saying the "party line" or what will get you IN there ... it's the 'safe' answer.

I didn't ask a receptionist Callie...I AM a vet receptionist...lol!   It was my vet told that told me they dont' like to prescribe over 75 MG when I told her that Ollie must weigh at least 130 lbs....and I thought it was 1 mg per pound.   BUT I was not talking about using it for medical purposes as much as to calm a dog down or make one sleepy  IF IF IF I needed to resort to something like that when it was just Ollie, Gibby and me over last weekend.  I suppose if we were talking some big medical problem...she might not have said that.

Today though... the rash was not better.... in fact the spots were redder.  I had my DH bring him to work to get checked.   The other vet looked at it and wanted to do a big skin scraping and all sorts of things....NOT!   I opted for the antibiotics that she suggested.... and decided "it came up really fast....could go down pretty fast too...why spend all the extra money IF I don't have to!"    Of course I'm not really happy he is on antibiotics either.  BUT........................................         This vet told me 50 to 100 mgs every 8 to 12 hours. 

I gave him 50 befoe work...will give him 75 tonight and see if it helps.   He is not scratching....or acting weird or sickly...so I really dont' want him to be all doped up either if I can help it.

You're probably right that she might have said something different if it was for a different purpose.  It's not demodex -- that's not how it starts.  Sure could be allergy or a reaction to something tho.

 Dyan Bugsy got some strange lumps on his shoulder last year didn't seem to bother him at all but they were serious bumps we got some antibiotic and they went away pretty quickly.

And with the Benadryl I'm not sure why your vet would underprescribe it is definitely 1-2mg/lb.  Bugsy gets 100mg 2x daily and he weighs between 105- 110lbs

kpwlee

And with the Benadryl I'm not sure why your vet would underprescribe it is definitely 1-2mg/lb.  Bugsy gets 100mg 2x daily and he weighs between 105- 110lbs

Since she said today 50 - 100 mgs...I think its not really underprescribing...its right there  a little under to a little over. But since he is not scratching or having issues with these bumps...maybe she is figuring just getting some in him is good but no need to give him a ton.

 I'm glad you said that about Dermadex Callie...that is one of the things she mentioned......and one of the reasons she wanted to do a scraping. He is VERY healthy and happy.........eats well.....    I have to be thinking allergy to something.

But what?????

This is one of the worst years in forever for allergies (seasonal and mold because of wet weather).  This can also make food allergies worse because of the "bucket" - the dog's system is irritated by the seasonal allergies and mold, and then if a food starts challenging the immune system, his bucket runneth over and you start seeing symptoms (and it can happen "just like that" too). 

The exposure sequence can even be too complex to trace - the main thing is that if you can control the symptoms with Benedryl, make a mental note (or even a literal note somewhere) that he's had a reaction and it was probably allergy-related. 

It's important to remember down the road - allergies rarely crop up in puppies, and when they do it may be months before you have another incident.  You and your vet both will be glad if you jot down the exact circumstances surrounding this one - what it looked like, duration, pollen count, what you were feeding, what was going on in the household and his activities.  If he continues to have little issues like this, continue to keep a diary or if you are a geek like me, start a spreadsheet to record all the details.  

It's possible you may never see something like this again, or that he'll never have a contact reaction again (this reaction is called "atopic" if it's as you describe - you describe it well!), in which case it was just a random chemical or other substance he came into contact with.

Good luck!

 

 Dyan; Jessie weighs about 62 pounds and our vet has said she can have 2 Benedryl,  2 to 3 times a day. I asked him if I could give her 3 Benedryl 2 times a day and he said not to; I didn't ask him why. It really does sound like a contact allergy; I hope he gets better soon.

brookcove

You and your vet both will be glad if you jot down the exact circumstances surrounding this one - what it looked like, duration, pollen count, what you were feeding, what was going on in the household and his activities.  If he continues to have little issues like this, continue to keep a diary or if you are a geek like me, start a spreadsheet to record all the details

 That is a great tip; it can really help you narrow down the cause of this if it happens again.