When I adopted Gracie, her belly was bright red. She licked and scratched her skin quite a bit. It was obvious that she was uncomfortable. (See pic below.)
As I researched the problem (both online and with her vet), I learned that terriers are particularly prone to skin allergies. The culprit could be anything from the food your pet eats to various environmental factors (pollen, dust, grass, et cetera).
Since I adopted her in October, we thought the environmental factors would be low. Heaven knows what sort of food she had consumed prior to coming to our home, so we decided to approach the food allergy angle first.
We switched to different types of food formulated for pets with sensitive skin or food allergies. We administered small doses of Benadryl. (Always talk with your vet before giving your pet ANY medicine.) We gave her bathes with oatmeal shampoo. Nothing seemed to work.
Finally, I stopped feeding her the “special” prescription diets for sensitive skin/food allergies. I switched her to an organic food that does not contain corn. In time, her skin began to look a lot better. She stopped licking and scratching…well, more as a healthy dog would. (See below.)
What does all of this have to do with allergy season? Pets are very difficult to diagnose. After all, they cannot tell you, “Mommy, when you mow the lawn, it makes my skin itchy.” If your pet is experiencing problems, take careful notes of his/her symptoms and when they occur. You may not find the answer right away. Be patient.
By the way, over the weekend, we had to give Gracie a dose of Benadryl. All the fresh cut grass caused her to have some issues. Her right eye was almost swollen shut from scratching it. Fortunately, she is fine now. Again, be patient if you have a fellow allergy sufferer!
Rescue Mommy
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