Grass allergy experience.

[Honey08]

I posted back in August. We'd adopted a little scruff at rescue that itched and itched. The vet said it looked like classic grass allergy. We've managed really well. She has a piriton tablet daily. Any itching seems to be soothed with an aloe and tea tree gel. We've avoided grass on walks. We seemed to have cracked it. Then winter kicked in! Wet seems to aggravate it. We live in the Pennines, so it's always wet and muddy. We seem to be slipping back down the slope to it taking hold again. I'm wondering if she's actually allergic to the wet not grass. Surely pollen should be long gone by now?

Anyway, if I can't get it under control again we will test, but I was wondering about trying a barrier cream on her belly/legs when we go out. I was thinking udder cream (which is a soothing cream as well as waterproof to some extent) or a baby oil with aloe perhaps. Just wondering if anyone had tried this route?

 

[misst]

Not sure that cream would work but my little JRT has terrible itchy skin probably related to grass but we live on a heath and nature reserve so it could be anything - it is worse after a walk any time of year.
We rinse paws and belly and she has Aproquell tablets from the vet. My vet says antihistamines are not very effective in dogs. The tablet seems to work and is an alternative to steroids. It definitely helps and might be worth talking to your vet about.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I used to have a brown Lab that was allergic to grass seeds. We had to be really careful about walks in late summer/autumn. If yours has the same problem it could be because Autumn has stretched out fo r so long, this year. My vet said that anti-histamines were not very effective in dogs.
I would try Leovet Silver cream to soothe the itching but for future walks could your dog wear a T-shirt or similar to stop the skin being in contact with whatever the allergen is? One of the trade-stands at Bramham had some close fitting 'jackets' for dogs which have stitches after an op. They might be useful for you. Soory can't remember which company.

 

[Honey08]

Thanks to you both.

The equifleece company do a tick jacket for dogs that is closer fitting with legs. I thought I'd get one of them, but I had a look at them at Blenheim and they were unisex, so had a big hole cut out underneath for the male's bits. That area cut out is mostly where she gets the rash, so it wouldn't help.

A t shirt would be ok in summer, but in a wet, windy Pennine winter she'd get soaked walking in long grass and rushes or from the rain, and then would be freezing. That's why I was wondering about a barrier cream of some sort, a bit like we do with the horses for mud rash.

I'll have another chat with the vet if we can't get on top of it again.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm not sure that it was Equifleece, although it might have been. I did have a look at the post-op vest thingys at Bramham and don't remember seeing a hole. I was looking with a view to having the Rotters spayed, so certainly wouldn't have wanted a hole there. Could you adapt a waterproof coat, sort of turn it upside down? Or even just make your own?

 

[Honey08]

It's a possibility. I might just cling film her! Another one for you to meet at Bramham next year!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Clingfilm sounds like the way forward!

Bramham seems an awful long time away atm but I shall look forward to meeting her

 

[Honey08]

Yes summer feels like a lifetime away in all this wind and rain!

 

[paulineh]

Speak to Equifleece they maybe able to help you. They were very helpful when I need a special coat.

 

[Honey08]

Did you have one made to measure or something? I had a chat with them at Blenheim, they even met the dog in question, but they couldn't really suggest anything other than their tick rug mentioned earlier, which doesn't cover enough..