tea remedies *updated 10-17

I do believe it is black tea you need, not sure of the strength. And it was Callie...just shoot her and email.

I've posted about it a few times myself but Callie was the one who told me about it. You can't really go wrong with making it too strong. I used 2 or 3 tea bags in a small pot of water and just boiled it for a few min's or so. You could even do it in the microwave. You want a dark brew and I've black tea or anything else I had on hand. I'm pretty sure it's the tannins that help calm the itching and dry things out. I put it in a squirt (not spray) bottle and then just doused the paws a few times a day and then blotted then dry, concentrating on the areas between the toes. It really did seem to help.

Fantastic.  I drink tea so we have some on hand.. and if the black doesn't work I have green and herbal as well :)

We just finished giving him a bath with some oatmeal shampoo , as well as a nail dremel and teeth brushing so he's all nice and clean.  I'm boiling some water now and as long as he doesn't *like* the taste of tea hopefully we might be able to tell in a day or two if it's helping or not.

I think I'll shoot Callie an email anyway since she usually has loads of helpful advice.

http://community.dog.com/forums/p/65422/513658.aspx#513658

callies post on 11/08/2008

Yep, prolly me.  Make it strong or sun tea -- whatever works.  You can spray it on, but honestly putting half a cup in a small margerine tub and then swishing each foot in it after the dog has been outside works best.  Dry with a turkish towel (like bath towel -- not paper if you can).  It stains so use an old towel. 

The tanins calm down the histamines jumping in the skin (that's what makes the feet tingle) and it also rinses off the pollen the dog has walked thru in the grass/leaves. 

It's very likely a "fall" issue far more than food.  You may want to spray some on the coat and just wipe the dog down -- many atopic allergies go thru the skin and wiping the dog down when it comes in can help a great deal.

Now -- further?  chamomile tea ... again brewed strong ... can be a great calmative for the skin as well.  Good for inflamed skin.

Wow Callie you beat me to it.  I thought I had a chance to shower before emailing you :)

 Thanks for all the advice -- I wasn't really leaning towards food either, since it's not bad enough (yet) for me to think it was coming from the inside out.  I do have extra tupperware and margarine tubs and I brewed an entire stove pot of some strong tea.  He's outside with me now cooking hotdogs so when we come in I will try it. 

Why do you recommend not using paper towels, maybe I ask?  I do have a ton of old things I can use instead, I'm just curious.

Good think he has short fur, it's easier to wipe off!  I'm just hoping he doesn't *like* the taste of tea... he's a weird one, mind you.

ETA - the underside of his belly is always a little red since he has no fur so he rubs when he lays, but it's a bit redder than usual, so I'm also thinking that means something outside....

I'm not trying to step on Callie's toes cause her advice has saved a bunch of times, but just wanted to share my experience. I tried putting the tea in a bowl and having Sassy put her paw in it and it was a disaster and a waste of a bunch of tea. She sort of cooperated for one foot but then started resisting and it was a mess. You might have luck doing it that way, but I didn't. I just laid her on her side and poured it on each paw and then blotted it dry with some old towels. I'd have had to use a bunch of paper towels, so the old towels worked better and seemed softer. I also put a couple drops of tea tree oil in with the tea, so if you've got that on hand, you might consider it. You could also soak a towel in the tea solution and dab it on the tummy area too. If you're not giving benadryl, you might want to consider using that too. You'd want to give 1-2 mg per lb.

cakana

She sort of cooperated for one foot but then started resisting and it was a mess.

This is exactly what Cherokee does. I tried a squeeze bottle too though, and she was even less cooperative for that. She hates anything being sprayed, squirted, squeezed or poured on her. When Cherokee's feet get really bad (she has gotten to the point of literally ripping her pads off, so it can get pretty bad) I grit my teeth and do it one way or another, but otherwise...it's just not worth the torture to both of us. lol

Cherokee's totally a freak about anything liquid though, plus she's got issues with her feet being touched (I'm finally, after 9 years of having her, allowed to do her nails without a big fight, and for that I had to switch to a dremel and take it sloooowww), so if you have an...ahem...normal dog...it'll probably go a lot better for you, and it definitely works.

I kinda tried a small bowl, but it would take a ton of tea to cover it just by dunking, so I kind of dipped the towel in it and wrung it out such that it covered his foot.  I'm not sure if it made it feel better, or I found out he dislikes the taste of tea, but so far he hasn't even so much as sniffed his paws.  I don't really have a place other than in the grass to make him lay down to try what you did, though, and since I'm not sure what the issue is, I think I might avoid any more time in the grass than I need!  It seemed fine how I did it, I'm going to save what I had from before and keep using it for today, and I have more tea in the fridge for tonight and tomorrow.  Although Sammy didn't seem to like it, he's really good about letting me do practically anything to him.

I do have tea tree oil, boy does that stuff smell to all high heaven, that certainly would keep him from licking even if it doesn't help.  I will give that I try as well.  I should have used some in his bath but I totally forgot about having it. 

His belly is so sensitive to begin with.. sigh.  He's definitely missing hair and it's a bit red and irritated, and looks like some sort of bites or bumps or something.  I've been trying to put neosporin there to protect it, since he can't easily lick it off.  Thanks for the benedryl suggestion, it would probably help a bit more short-term.  He's so odd-shaped with such a deep chest that it rubs on the carpet if he lays down so we've had troubles before with irritation, just not quite this bad. 

I'm not even sure that his paws are really all that bad compared to other dogs, but because the paws are white with only very short hair on it, it's so easily visible that the skin underneath is a bit irritated and that he's missing some fur there.  At least I am lucky to see it early enough to try to do something before it got worse.

Well, maybe I should have let BILLY teach you about the "soaky foot game" as David calls it.  David would leave the little bowl of tea on the porch before the morning walk, and have some string cheese in his pocket.  Billy HATED having his feet touched when we got him.  But he was also a **mega** allergy dog. 

But he *is* food-motivated ... and he discovered right quick that the end of the walk resulted in having his feet dipped in tea and then plopped on the towel with a tiny bit of string cheese as a reward for each foot. 

Now you know ... dogs truly usually don't even want to pee/poop fast because it signals the end of the walk?  By the 3-4th day, Billy was all but dragging David out, so he could "go" FAST, so he could cut to the chase (er Tea and string cheese?) and get to the END of the walk at the porch so he could get his feet dipped and get CHEESE. 

Ok -- now that I can finally stop giggling in memory -- I'll explain further

"towel" -- paper towel has it's own dust and chemicals.  Cotton fibers are less likely to be a contact allergen than the paper. (so writes the legal secretary who IS allergic to paper -- no joke!)  The cotton towel is less likely to leave bits of paper behind and will leave the foot more dry actually.  But it's really that residual 'dust' I try to avoid.

I'm probably not trying to make it as strong as you guys -- probably I'd do a whole gallon of tea with 3-4 tea bags (and I tend to buy cheap black tea bags). 

Tea tre oil -- it's awesome stuff but keep it *very* minimal -- you don't want them to lick it off because it can upset the tummy.  But it's awesome stuff -- and will help fight staph as well. 

Nicole -- red belly -- that says to me "contact allergen" -- maybe outside maybe inside! 

Do you happen to have any houseplants?  Like wandering jew?

A contact allergen can be anything from residual chemicals from your kitchen floor (especially if you use one of those "no-rinse" things), to stuff the humans have tracked in like poison oak, etc. 

See it's not just what THE DOG walked thru.  The human goes out and tromps thru the field ... comes in and despite "wiping of their feet" the oils from plants will stick to the shoe solels.  Just walking across the floor can transmit oils to the carpet and then your carpet becomes the 'contact allergen'.  Poison oak tends to be worse for dogs than poison ivy -- but any greenery that may irritate OUR skin is likely to irritate theirs worse. 

But don't try to spot clean -- it won't work.  merely changing what you do your kitchen floor with may not change things if you guys have walked across the kitchen floor for months and then thru the house -- whatever chemical was on the kitchen IS now on your carpets everywhere else. 

I have asthma so I don't use ANY fragrance in the house because *I* am allergic to it -- no Febreeze, no stinky stuff, etc.  Even Nature's Miracle at this point does a major number on my lungs and I've come too far combating the asthma to risk making it worse *sigh* 

But even a houseplant like wandering jew (varigated/stripey green/white leaves -- very popular hanging plant up north, but grows wild outside down south *sigh*) is a MEGA nasty contact allergen.  One leaf that you step on can make the carpet a source of soreness for an allergic dog.

chelsea_b

Cherokee's totally a freak about anything liquid though, plus she's got issues with her feet being touched

Sassy's the same way and doesn't like sprays of anything near her. I was able to distract her enough by laying her on her side that she'd let me gently squirt the solution on and she also loved the taste, so that wasn't too bad. I tried using the food motivation trick and Sassy literally danced around the bowl of tea solution and put her feet everywhere but in the bowl

In regards to the tea tree oil, I learned the first time I used it that the smell is very potent to a dog and Sassy got one whiff and sort of a "uh uh, no way!" look on her face. After that I used only a couple drops in a large bottle and she didn't seem to mind.

I've been doing the tea, and benedryl... but now it looks like he might have a UTI of some sort.

We were at a Howl-o-ween dog event and noticed a yellowish green discharge shortly after he peed.  Our trainer was there as well and said right away it looked like an infection.  Her dogs have food and contact allergies and she definitely thinks it's an allergy.  I'm still quite torn between contact allergy and food related.....

He hasn't been eating like usual.  I did start a new bag of dog food sometime in the past week or two, although I'm not sure exactly when.  He's had it before, we rotate between the chicken and lamb versions of Kirkland's at the moment and just started a new lamb bag.  I still have the code from the bag but I can't remember exactly when he started this bag since I put it all in ziplocks.  He wouldn't finish his breakfast yesterday, but ate dinner, but then wouldn't eat all his breakfast today.  He did eat half a can of wet food and some hot dog someone gave him at the dog event.  Do you think he knows something in the food isn't making him feel well?

Although, as Callie pointed out, it could be something we tracked in, I myself haven't changed anything recently.  No detergents or cleaning supplies.  The only possible think in terms of this would be that he had gotten sick about a week and a half ago in his crate (diahrrea, which he has NEVER gone in the house let alone his crate before) and we used some bleach on it.  Although we rinsed it very well, we just took it outside and sprayed it a ton with the hose just in case.  Never did figure out what caused the GI upset since he was fine right before and fine right after.

We have hard wood floors through the entire apt save for a few area rugs so at least there is less of a chance to harbor residue from ages ago as compared to carpet.

Sigh.  I just don't know.  Any suggestions for us to discuss with the vet when we go?  I could use any help I can get.  He's never had any troubles before so I've not been really observant on things.  And after the dog food scares of late, I wonder if I'm jumping to that conclusion to quickly, or not quickly enough?

He's neutered right?  for a male they can have an infection under the sheath that isn't really a UTI (equates more to a female vaginal infection if you get my comparison).

I hear you about the dog food -- but remember I have four dogs and I cook for all 4 *just because* it flatly keeps the vet bills down long term.  I can avoid sensitivities and give them what they NEED.  I cook once a week and it's over in 2-3 hours and that feeds them well all week long. 

My point is -- you may come to a point where it's the easiest thing to try. You can do an elmination diet EASY and if the rest of the problems don't go away you know it is *not* food.

The problem is -- it can so easily be 3-4 things not one.  The redness on the belly could be one thing.  The paws could be another.  The UTI or whatever penile infection could be completely separate.

MANY times people are gonna jump on food.  Because it's often the ailment du jour and everyone likes to talk about "what they feed".  But that does NOT mean that it's not food -- it can be.  But that's not typically what food allergies are gonna look like AND it is fall and leaves are falling and could so easily be irritating feet and atopic allergies.

Is he drinking more than usual or less?  Catch some urine -- or wipe it up -- is it dark and stanky or almost colorless?  (some dogs drink a ton if they get an infection, some dogs stop drinking)

In any event -- colored discharge there is truly cause for a vet visit anyway.  See if the tea helps the feet and why not change what you mop with short term.

Try using just a bit of lemon oil and lavender oil in your mop bucket.  Literally just a few drops.  It won't mar the floors, it leaves a nice scent and it will be completely non toxic. 

Give him a folded sheet to lie on and see if the belly redness goes away. 

Just don't get overwhelmed and don't try to change EVERYTHING at once.  Change one thing and see what happens.  Then change something else.  Otherwise you'll never know what worked.

NicoleS

He hasn't been eating like usual.  I did start a new bag of dog food sometime in the past week or two, although I'm not sure exactly when.  He's had it before, we rotate between the chicken and lamb versions of Kirkland's at the moment and just started a new lamb bag.  I still have the code from the bag but I can't remember exactly when he started this bag since I put it all in ziplocks.  He wouldn't finish his breakfast yesterday, but ate dinner, but then wouldn't eat all his breakfast today.  He did eat half a can of wet food and some hot dog someone gave him at the dog event.  Do you think he knows something in the food isn't making him feel well?

  No; I think his appetite is off because of the infection, and the canned food was more appealing. I hope you find the cause of his red skin and itching very soon, and that the reason for the discharge isn't anything serious. Callie's advice is terrific and she's right that it's more likely to be environmental allergies rather than food, but I wouldn't totally rule out food allergies. When I took Jessie to a veterinary dermatologist (her problems were much worse than Sammy's and had persisted for years), she told me to put her on an elimination diet to rule out food allergies. I said  that I thought they were rare, but she believes they're more common than most most vets think. It turned out that Jessie has several food allergies in addition to other allergies as well.