Hi my son has a 6 year old Doberman who has this weekend developed a red blotchy rash on his skin. He has taken him to the vet this morning who has diagnosed a grass allergy. He has given my son anti-biotics and steriods for him. My poor son has had no sleep for the last two nights and his dog just stands barking at him. His dog has also been given a steriod injection.
i understand that giving dogs steriods for a long time is not very good for them. Has anyone else had or ever had this type of problem with their dogs?
Many thanks and any ideas would be appreciated.
My dog got red puss infected skin from the garden mulch. Sugar cane mulch has many chemical processes and the poor little thing got very sore skin every time we mulched. We changed to T Tree mulch and her skin is now fine.
Ask your vet about slowly weening your dog off the steroids when it is time, as steroids are addictive and the dog may be a tad unhappy / unruly when you stop giving them the steroids.
Google the type of grass you have to see if it is actually the allergen. Consider Googling the plants you have in your garden as some are harmful to dogs.
Lastly, look at your dogs diet. This book is brilliant. Healthy dogs mean less vet visits, often less allergies, and happy doggies.
Dogs aren't meant to eat processed foods. Don't get me started on all the chemicals and crap in dog food. I've got a small dog, she eats raw chicken necks, table scraps, vegies, and has a spirulina tablet every day (more if she could get her paws on them).
Hope this helps.
Hi - Aside from overall nutrition, you might have your son look into adding herbs or herbal extracts/tinctures to his Doberman's diet to combat allergies. Being allergic to grass is a tough one. Bee pollen and other whole food herbal supplements (western or Chinese) are great for allergies in general. Herbalists that specialize in animals can blend up something specific just for your son's dog, and a holistic Vet can prescribe the Chinese herbs. There are a lot of great herbal blends found online, as well. Good luck wishes!
The dog may be barking at your son because the dog needs his exercise and your son isn't taking him, avoiding the grass. He needs to think up another way to exercise the dog for the time being. The steroids are probably meant to be short term, just to help the dog feel better right now, rather than long term.
As Agave suggested, the first place to start is with the dog's nutrition. Changing to a raw diet usually helps a dog get over his allergies. The allergy is really a symptom.