I'm needing some advice, I recently posted about my long hair shepherd coming back from a weekend of swimming in some lakes and his hair was matted up and he was itching, he would growl when I tried to check him. I thought he was just itching from his hair but it has gotten worse, this morning he has a big raw spot on the back of his leg where he has licked it raw. I rolled him over and he has a little red rash all over his belly. He is itching BAD. I put frontline on him last thursday before we went so its been a week. Could he be having a reaction to this? and if so, what do I do? Also, I just read a thread where there can be parasites in the water and they can get into the skin and die and make you itch like crazy- is there anything I can give him for relief? Ive been giving him 2 benedryl twice a day this week but apparently its not working. I feel terrible for him, no wonder he is growling when I try to check him. He weighs 100lbs if that helps for dosage of something. I believe when he was little he had reaction to his puppy shots because he dug like this and would put sores on his back from it.

Kathy,
I would take him to the vets and have his rash/itchy areas shaved down. His skin needs to be dry and exposed to air to heal the best. The vets can also give you topical sprays to help with the itching, and maybe even figure out the cause.

I doesn't sound like Frontline, since Frontline spreads to all the skin. If it was Frontline, he would be itchy all over.

I agree.

Also, Benadryl isn't the most successful of he antihistamines (for dogs).

But at the moment that worsening hot spot has to be clean and dry and treated before it's infected.

I'd make a Monday morning vet appointment (sooner if they are available) because you can't get to it and it needs direct attention, and post back about whether or not you are able to squirt a topical directly to the hot spot. It's not a real fix but might give him a little relief.

Reactions to Frontline can happen but it's impossible to say if all the itching that's going on now is due to that. An all-over body reaction, like you're seeing, would be an unusual reaction.

The raw spot sounds like a hot spot and usually when they are large they require a vet. A big raw hot spot is inviting an infection.

You could try giving OTC Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton® 4 Hour Allergy). My dog is 80 lbs. and he gets 1 pill 2-3 times per day.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682543.html

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=11399&catid=59914&aid=337953&aparam=chlor_trimeton_allergy_r&CAWELAID=61225431

Hydroxyzine is another good medication, but it needs a DVM's prescription.

Disregard this: Connie and Michele already said it.

Edited by Sarah Morris (08/09/2008 10:04 AM)
Edit reason: type too slow

He actually is itching all over, but the sores hes made so far are on his back end. I noticed him licking his paws and digging in his ears today too. But I will call the vet this morning and see what they think. I'm thinking they would have to sedate him to get him shaved and that would probably not be good for him right now if he is having some type of reaction/allergies, right?
Am I giving the right dose of Benedryl? This really sucks

I called the vet and I can bring him in Monday afternoon- I have some Hydrocortisone spray at home that I've been able to kinda spray on the hot spot for now. I'm going to go get chlor-trimeton and try that- I think I will keep him in today when I have to leave for awhile-keep him off the grass, etc. probably wouldnt hurt right? What about a bath, would that provide any relief? Thanks everyone