Itchy itchy Oakley :(

[Dreeza]

So as you may have seen, we just moved across the country with Oakley. Since we've been here, he has been super itchy. I've visually checked for fleas, and haven't seen any. He seems to be kinda itchy all over (but mainly is biting at his butt, above his tail, and then scratching his sides/neck with his back legs). Benadryl helps, but briefly and not completely. He sleeps fine/doesn't seem to be disturbed then. It isn't constant, but is more than normal.

Right before we left, I took him to the vet, and all was fine - he had blood tests done. It was stupidly expensive, and with moving, I am very hesitant to take him without a "I need you to check for this, and this...". He had the same issue when we moved to Charleston, and the vet just said to take Benadryl.

And things to look for? Other symptoms (he does seem to be more sluggish) to keep an eye out for that would make going to the vets a top priority? Or possible it is some anxiety from moving across the country, and currently staying in an Extended Stay!??

Thanks!!!

 

[*blackrose]

If you start noticing skin irritation/moist "hot spots"/hair loss/etc. it would be best to swing by a vet as he may need antibiotics. If he isn't on a flea prevention, I'd start one - with moving, who knows what he picked up and thoae nasty buggers are hard to see! You can try benadryl (at 1mg/pound - so a 25 pound dog would take one 25 mg tablet) every 8 hours to see if that helps. If not, he may need something stronger to help calm the itchies!

 

[milos_mommy]

If it happened before when you moved to a totally different area, I might think stress rather than environment. But, it's also very possibly environmental allergies.

Aside from benedryl, you can do the same stuff you do for people - air purifier, wash his bedding, wash him frequently with a mild/non-drying soap (or even just rinse him). Wipe him down with a cloth when he comes in from outside.

I'd most likely hold out for a week or two, barring it's just scratching and not irritating his skin or getting worse. But if it doesn't go away, you'll probably want to get him a cortisone shot or something

 

[Dreeza]

thanks for the tips!! I re-looked today, and he is getting a few 'mild' (if you can call them that) hot spots.

I JUST realized we switched his food (DUH!!!), but am not sure how quickly that could cause a reaction...

we ran out of his "I and Love and You" raw turkey dehydrated food while on the road, so he was just eating Acana dry food for a few days. We went to buy more, but the store was out, so I got him Honest Kitchen turkey grain-free food. The ingredients were similar enough, that I didn't think much about it. There were 100 other variables (i.e. moving across the country/staying in different places/exposure to different plants & air, etc), so it makes it tough. I'll take him off the wet food tomorrow & see...