Sakes Alive! It's Our First Time with HIVES!

[Vicaroo1000]

....and they look HORRIBLE! (Armpit ones are the worst - pictured here)

Yesterday, we did our shift at the ticket table and then had to leave "Slobberfest" early when I discovered Bea covered in these. The poor baby acts like she's ready to crawl out of her skin. She's finally settling down a bit (benedryl kicking in) so I can compose this post without guilt and then...whamo: she just yacked up some yellow goo --- which I speculate is from the benedryl. I gave her a half cup of plain yogurt and she ate that right up. Bea is a fragile prairie flower, I tell ya.

I read and re-read all the more recent "Hives" threads. She's been given two 25mg Benedryl and you'd better believe that we're going to the vet today. Other than tracing and retracing our day yesterday along with everything that has come across her beautiful slobbery lips in the past two days, anything else I can do?

Also, many posts mention "the allergy test" but little else about it. What is this magical test and can any vet do it?

Could it be the Nature's Logic? Both she and Bo have been on it for 15 days. Bea is 17 months old and this is the first time ever for hives. Bo is his robust self. Not a hive in sight.

Thanks for your kind assistance!

Vicki, Bea & Bo

 

[BruceP]

Poor baby ...... The hives could be caused by a lot of things but you asked what else you could do. You could give her a nice bath; that may feel good to her and if it is something external it would help get rid of it. I hope the vet visit goes well today for you all.

 

[Lucy-licious]

poor baby, they look very sore. I know that Bicarbonate of soda works to take the itch out of chicken pocks in children, try adding some to that nice bath she's gonna get

 

[Vicaroo1000]

I just smeared some Cortizone 10 cream (over the counter anti itch stuff) and I've got everything together for a nice Baking Soda bath if this cream doesn't help. The benedryl seemed to be helping...but it's been a couple hours and she's back to acting a bit frantic again....ugh.

 

[2BullyMama]

@vicaroo 1000 the magical test is called .. full screen blood allergy test. It will run you about $150.00 but will tell you everything fodd, environmental, etc. The vet will draw the blood and send it to a lab. I can't remember how long before the results came back, but I thnk it was about a week. Get it done -- it saves some much pain and frustration for both of you.

 

[karenben]

i know from experience that antihistamines dont always work especially on contact allergy if thats what it is,pop a tshirt on her to stop any secondary infection,is she due in season?i know that the surge in hormones sometimes affects them this way,put nappy rash cream on the sores it works well ,unfortunatly there isnt much can be done unless its food related,its all to do with immune systems getting a bit low ,its hard work unfortunatly and at times very difficult to rid the dog of the allergy but you can prevent infection and just treat the symptoms ,hope you can trace whats causing it,karen

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Firstly, a giant to those who took the time to respond. I truly appreciate it. Just sharing the trauma of it helped ME, I guess. ha ha I'm not an alarmist at ALL typically, but boy this one had me - being a Hive Virgin and all.

We got right in to see Dr. Terry (Beatty) at 9am. I love my vet. He prescribed Temaril-P; an antihistamine / light steroidal combo (3 pills 2 X a day for four days and then once a day for two days). As always, he took the time to speak to me at length about this and answered my endless questions about this and anything else I could think of to ask him about. I did ask him about the magic allergy test as I was ready to get right on that, but he doesn't do the test. He'd refer me to a dermatologist if that were required. This is Bea's first ever trip to Hive Land so he feels it's not food related - but rather a reaction to something external (inhaled or touched in her case). The allergy test he spoke of isn't $150 bucks...not even close. He guessed and thought it was somewhere between 600 - 800 bucks.

Bea's not trying to crawl out of her own skin --- so the current situation is certainly an enormous improvement over yesterday evening and this morning, first thing. The hives seem to have gone down a bit....or that could be my own wishful thinking.

Circle/Slash Hives. Ugh.

 

[cali baker]

Poor girl. I hope by now Bea's feeling better, after seeing the vet and all. Could these have been insect bites? Well, let us know what happens.

 

[Davidh]

So glad she is feeling better. Big hugs to her and you from the gang.

 

[cowsmom]

they absolutly can be food related. and since its only 15 days in with a new food its a possibility. sarah was on a food for almost 2 months before she broke out in hives and her face swelled up and she couldnt breath good. also could be something outside its so hard to tell without a test. i believe the test he is referring to is the more extensive test they give like the one humans get. i believe the blood test is much cheaper. i so hope things get better soon.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Thanks everyone. Not a bug bite @calibaker - she was covered in them like a hive suit. *shudder*

Update: By 4pm yesterday (when I thought to roll her over and look) hives were almost gone and she looked a gazillion times better; her happy, wiggly, non-swollen self. I looked fear right in the eye and went ahead fed Bea Nature's Logic Lamb (with Wellness Gravy) last night. This morning, she's snoring away in her crate. Crisis averted and I'll be like a HAWK watching everything that goes into / onto / near them now.....

 

[Lucy-licious]

I am so glad she is feeling better
and for the record I would have flipped too.

 

[cowsmom]

oh i am so happy things are better. and i have been where you are and i have totally freaked so no worries there. heres hoping for calmness from here on out.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Poor baby ...... The hives could be caused by a lot of things but you asked what else you could do. You could give her a nice bath; that may feel good to her and if it is something external it would help get rid of it. I hope the vet visit goes well today for you all.

By the way, I meant to mention that this is great advice. I asked Dr. Terry and he said exactly what you said. Grandma suggested the baking soda bath too -- just like @Lucy-licious said.

 

[Lucy-licious]

Glad it help is all I have to say. and good to know it works with our furbabies too
Not sure if you can get Calomine lotion over there but thats something else thats very gentle and works to cool down an itch