Hey Ginny! I was hoping that you could ask your ds a quick dog question for me. My parents are visiting this weekend and their Cairn Terrier (age 1 year) is constantly scratching because something at my house is irritating her skin. Can my parents give her something like children's Benedryl or is there a dog version of Benedryl that they could give her until they get back home and get her to the vet? I would really appreciate the help. I feel so bad that poor Scruffy is so uncomfortable.

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, April 7, 2007 - 05:55 pm:

[Scott]
Do you have a definitive diagnosis? Have you identified the causative agent? Do NOT administer any drug, OTC or otherwise, without an appropriate diagnosis by a qualified animal health care professional. An overdose of Benadryl or any other antihistamine can cause a disastrous drop in blood pressure. Just don't, okay?

[/Scott]

By Tunnia on Saturday, April 7, 2007 - 06:30 pm:

Thanks for passing this on Ginny and thank you for your reply, Scott!

I'll tell them not to give the children's benedryl to her. This is their second Cairn and the first had a skin allergy to fleas and was vet treated (she died a couple of years ago of cancer). The problem this time is that apparently this is a new reaction to something at my home (maybe she picked up a flea in my yard?) with their young dog and we were hoping for something to tide them over and give Scruffy some relief until they go back home tomorrow (they live a couple states away from me) and take her to their vet whom they know and trust. Is there anything you know of that wouldn't be harmful to her and give her some relief?

By Mrsheidi on Saturday, April 7, 2007 - 08:06 pm:

Our vet recommended Benadryl for our dog so we used a tablet form. But, I can't remember the dosage.

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, April 7, 2007 - 09:14 pm:

Heidi, *your* vet recommended Benadryl for *your* dog, whom your vet knows and treats, and in a specific dosage.

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, April 7, 2007 - 09:32 pm:

[Scott]

Localize the irritated area. That means ruffle the fur "against the grain" to see where the healthy skin stops and the inflamed skin starts. It shouldn't be too hard to identify the affected area if the dog has been chewing or scratching at it.

If the lesion is less than an inch across and not bleeding or involved with pustules, you may apply a THIN application of .1% hydrocortisone ointment twice a day to the affected areas. Work the ointment into the skin - don't just rub it into the hair or it'll get licked off.

There are some anti-itch shampoos available on the over-the-counter market that are made specifically for flea allergy dermatitis. Talk to your vet about them. I can't think of any vet OTC preps that shouldn't be used in this case as long as the skin isn't broken.

[/Scott]

By Tunnia on Sunday, April 8, 2007 - 12:56 pm:

Thanks again! Happily, the itching seemed to slacken last night and she seemed to be doing better this morning too. Maybe it really was a bite of some kind that just took time to heal. They are still going to check with their vet when they get back home though since their last Cairn had skin problems that seemed to worsen with age. They want to find out now if they are facing the same problem.

BTW, we looked and never really did see anything like a bumpy rash or wound. She was just scratching for two days.