English bulldog with allergies

buster my 2 1/2 year old ebd has developed grass pollen alergies went to local vet said nothing wrong with him asked him about the fact that every time we brought him outside his eye swelled and got very red and he was rubbing his face also he has spots on his back that looked like hives and the hair was falling out around the area where the hives were. he said his eye was sore because of his eyelashes they were irratating him and he could have an opperation to fix it. he couldnt explain why it only happened when we brought him outside so he charged me 40 euro for a wash for his back which was usless anyway brought him to a different vet he said he had a pollen alergy which we thought it was in the first place he put him on antihistamines which have helped his eye he said to give him fish oil which we were giving him anyway but he said his back would clear up its self just wondering does anyone know how long that might take. its not effecting him he doesnt scratch it and its doesnt seem to anoy him it just looks bad or can anyone suggest anything to put on his back to help it heal faster. sorry for rambeling on.

Have you thought of a homeopathic vet?

they can often make up a bespoke remedy for grass pollen allergy.

There are four in Ireland.

http://www.bahvs.com/findavet.htm

thanks i will see is there one in my area

Is it a hot spot on his back? The hair csn fall out round them. Can you take a photo?

Our Boxers are allergic to grass in the growing season. The vet gave Katie a stronger antihistamine which has been helpful this year, as it is stronger it is perscription only called Atarax. She can take up to four a day however most days three a day control her itches

hi tried to take photos he wouldnt stay still the couple of ones i took were blury i'll try to explain what they look like. they started off like little hives on his back and they were red looking and flaky. since he has been taking the antihistamins most of the hives are gone and the redness has gone whats left is small bald patches they dont seem to be itchy he's not scratching the antihiasimins he is taking are called zirtek he takes 10mg a day we also give him fish oil every day when you look straight down at him you cant see the patches its only when he turns his back to you and the light is shining on him.any advice would be welcome. the vet didnt seem concerned about them so mabey im just being an over protective mother

Sorry Buster has an allergy to grass pollen. I'm actually taking one of my Tibetan Terriers (6 months old) to the vets tomorrow as he has an allergy too. He has always been an 'itchy' dog and we are now a week into changing his diet from Royal Canin which is what his breeder recommended, to Burns Fish and Brown Rice. His coat has already improved and he no longer has dry skin and is itching far less. He also has some scabs on his back but I figured they were due to his brother (littermate) biting him when playing. His brother has no allergy and the most fab coat but he also has a few scabs on his back. I'll watch this thread and see how you get on with Buster. Having spoken to loads of dog owners I gather allergies against grass pollen are fairly common. I was also told (not by the vet) that Benadryl is an excellent and safe antihistamine for dogs? I'll let you know what the vet says tomorrow.

thanks for that jenny when he first got it i thought mabey the food too but we feed him orijen adult its grain free and the vet said it was unlikley that it was causing his alergies. he is not scratching his back at all we are giving him antihistimines and they seem to be working my husband brought him out for a run the other evening and his eye didnt swell up and he didnt start scratching his face off of the floor so heres hopeing hope all goes well for you at the vets let me know how you get on

see the spots on his back, do they look like sommits in the skin,like a grass seed kinda look ? Toro gets these,if I pick them they take a wee clump of hair with them, I've found putting teatree spot on ,on them make all the difference they come off after a few days and don't leave a little bald patch...
Piriton can cause dry eye,so if your using an antihistamine this may be whats irratating the eye too...
I wash her with polytar shampoo too once a month during the times she may look allergic to something...
trying to keep him out the grass will help reduce the allergy too...
good luck with him, its not nice when they make us worry

thanks for that no they look like hives then they dry up and if you pick them off it takes the hair with them. the antihistimines he's on are called zirtec. they have helped his eye a lot trying to keep him in as much as possible which he is disgusted with he loves going out for his walks

I have to change where I take Toro, during this season I have to stay away from the woods...
try the teatree spot on on the spots,it won't do any harm and might just help