My dog has dust allergy from construction. How to manage symptoms?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Allergies are frustrating for people & pets. Unless you go for testing & a subsequent desensitization protocol, we really can not cure allergies. Almost all dogs will react to an allergen with skin symptoms, so your Brooklyn is showing typical signs. If the Benadryl seems to help, you can use it as needed. There are other OTC antihistamines available ( see petplace.com/antihistamine use in dogs ), but some of the best are available through your veterinarian. Apoquel, a pill you give daily, or as needed, and an injection called Cytopoint that will give Brooklyn relief for up to 2 months are now available. Otherwise, minimizing outdoor times when pollen counts are high, regular bathing in an oatmeal based shampoo in cool water, or even just wiping her down immediately after she comes in from outdoors will all help.

Hi there and thank you for posting your question. In regards to allergies, there are multiple causes of allergy symptoms. If we are talking about environmental allergies, there are certainly multiple things you can use to help alleviate allergies. Bathing with a good quality shampoo (Duoxo PS shampoo is a great product) is a good start. Supplementing with Omega-3 fish oils (such as Canine Welactin) and topical essential oils (Dermoscent Essential 6 spot on) can aid in relieving allergy symptoms. Over the counter antihistamines can also be used. You can start with Benadryl and give 1mg per pound of body weight every 12 hours for allergy relief. If these fail to relieve the allergy symptoms, then I would suggest scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss other options that you may have for treating the allergies as there are many treatments available from your veterinarian to help. Hope this helps and do feel free to contact me with any further questions / concerns that you may have!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Medications like prednisone and Apoquel can help with the itchiness. The underlying allergy still has to be identified and treated. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Allergies are extremely difficult to manage especially with a dog that is not amenable to treatment. The strongest oral sedatives available can only be gotten from your veterinarian. They cannot be purchased over the counter without a prescription. The best over the counter medication I have seen work well is called Zylkene. It is not cheap but I think it is worth a try. He would need the large dog size and would get one per day. I would give one per day and use it everyday until the bottle runs out (30 days) and if it works, great, you can keep him on it. If it doesn't work, then you can stop. ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/223965_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=115875 ) I would also recommend a leave-on mousse instead of a shampoo. These are medicated and work very well either in between baths or for dogs that are not amenable to bathing. I would use the "CALM" when he has no lesions on his skin. If he does have lesions on the skin (hot spots, etc) then I would use the S3 PYO until the lesions are healed and then go back to the CALM. You don't have to do his whole body - just the major affected areas. You need to make sure it gets on his skin and not just on the hair. You can use it every day if necessary - you will just need to see how he is doing which will dictate how often to apply it. ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/223965_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=153532 ) ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/223965_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=145608 ) Finally, I would recommend putting him on a fatty acid supplement if he is not already on one. This helps to maintain the integrity of the skin. I like this one: ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/223965_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=118404 ) Honestly, the best option is to take him to your vet and discuss with them a medication called Apoquel. It works great at keeping allergies under control, it is an oral tablet so typically easy to give and it will keep him from scratching and itching and having all the allergy symptoms. This way he is comfortable and you don't have to force topical treatments on him. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While this can be due to allergies especially if these are resulting in upper respiratory signs, this seems less likely. I think it is more likely to be due to something else like a concurrent upper respiratory infection. I highly recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! It sounds as though Coco may have an allergy. The sneezing and facial rubbing can be symptoms of an allergy. You can try an antihistamine to see if it helps. Read the link below: https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/ Good luck!

It can last 2-3 days in some cases, in others it can last 2 weeks or even longer, each dog can react very differently and it really depends how sensitive your dog is to dust, if dust is the cause at all.