Cavalier king charles with skin allergy

hi, first timer here! my cavaliers have been diagnosed with skin allergies for the 1st time this summer, and i've been to the vet and had antibiotics but have been told that i can treat with antihistamine tabs, is this correct and if so what ones are most suitable for the dogs. they are 7 years old an weigh about 10kg if a bit under.

If your vet has given antibiotics it sounds as if there has been or is a bacterial infection which could have been caused by constant scratching so you need to get the bacterial infection treated and cleared

Has your dog had any kind of skin tests done to determine what he or she is allergic to?

Dogs can be teated with antihistamines yes, however I would urge you to discuss this with your vet and he or she can advise on appropriate antihistamine and also the correct doseage. You only need the one consultation and thereafter you can usually buy the antihistamine over the counter

Hi Mandy it seems a bit unusual that two 7 year old dogs should suddenly develop an allergy this year.
Could you describe the allergy, is it a rash/flaky skin.

What are you feeding your dogs on at the moment?
I would look if anything has changed in their lifestyle, food/new carpets/washing powder on bedding that can of thing to see if you can find a cause for the allergy.

One of my previous dogs had an allergy and was prescribed an antihistamine called 'Atarax' by the vet.
Many people use Benadryl ;
http://www.benadrylfordogs.org/
or Piriton, but as dogs can occasionally have an adverse reaction to any drug paricularly if they are taking other medication, I prefer to give any medication under the supervision of a vet.
So as your vet has advised antihistamine I would ask him which one and what dose.

I agree with Minihaha. Is there anything in your garden that may have caused this. My collies get rashes on and off as we have quite a rural garden but we constantly check for anything dangerous. Some can get reactions from nettles, ivy, lords and ladies, there may be ants - it's a minefield really.

I spray my girls with Aloe First and I give them natural Aloe Vera drink any way which promotes healthy skin growth, fights bacteria and inflammation, strengthens the immune system, and also contains natural painkilling and antihistamine properties. The spray is a lovely soothing and healing spray. But I sell the product so if the moderators (understandably) don't allow me to print my website <> - have a look on my profile.

But Minihaha is also right, talk to your vet. My eldest girl had a severe ana reaction to a sting (we think from a wasp), she was prescribed normal Piriton for prevention but Adrenalin pen when in rural areas - scarey!

Hope this clears up soon - poor little mites x

If your dogs have been diagnosed with skin allergies then you should have been told what they are actually allergic to, otherwise this is just a guess.

What tests have been done to determine what your dogs are allergic to?

Antibiotics do not treat allergies, they may treat the consequences of allergies ie skin infection from being scratched etc.

If your vet has told you that your dogs are allergic to something they should have determined whether it is environmental or food. The latter are easier to treat than the former.

Then the trigger(s) of these allergies should have been identified so that you can take the relevant action.

EG it is pointless changing the food if the dog has a pollen allergy.

Antihistamines come in many types, makes, brands and consist of differing drugs, therefore it is always best to ask your vet's advice for the one which will best suit YOUR dog in YOUR particular circumstances.

Remember antihistamines only treat the symptoms, not the cause so the best thing to do is to remove the cause.

Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, so you could try this.

Also a homeoapathic vet may be able to prescribe a general remedy or one that is bespoke to your dogs like urtica urens etc.

HTH

Has anything changed this summer? New food, beds, shampoos, treats, cleaning agents for your home, or perhaps different walking areas to previous years?