What to feed a dog with hives

How You Can Treat Dog Hives At Home: 6 Safe And Effective Remedies

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One of the mild allergic reactions that dogs experience is dog hives. Uncommon, but it can lead to unpleasant complications for your pooch. In rare cases, hives can lead to dog anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.

Like more major issues such as ticks, fleas, and other pesky parasites, its best to deal with them to minimize your dogs experience of itchy skin, dog rashes, and irritated skin, and maintain their high quality of life.

This article covers the basics of dog hives. Why they appear, and six effective and natural home remedies you can do to get your pooch feeling at the top of their game again.

Understanding Dog Hives

Hives (urticaria) are swollen, red, usually itchy patches of skin that tend to appear and then disappear almost as suddenly commonly.

The common causes are broad and range from insect stings/bites to medications and even dog shampoos. Toxic chemicals or plants can also be a cause, and sunlight, exercise, genetic irregularities, and friction can exacerbate the symptoms.

Identifying Dog Hives

To identify dog hives, gently locate the irritated area. If it is a dog hive, it will appear swollen and could result in swelling in your dogs face, lips, throat, or ears. Sometimes they meld together and become bigger and larger, which is more challenging to deal with.

Before Home Treatment, Try These Safety Precautions

Its vital to consult a vet for a proper diagnosis. This applies equally if you are uncertain about the nature of your dogs hives. But if your dog experiences swelling in or around the airways, this can lead to dog anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.

If your dog seems to be having trouble breathing or is breathing in a laboured manner, consult the vet immediately. Equally, its worth speaking to your vet to get a diagnosis specific to your dog.

Home Remedies for Treating Dog Hives

Cold Compress

A cold compress helps to alleviate swelling, irritated skin, or hives. Press an ice pack (simply crushed ice in a bag, remove air, and seal) against the area gently.

You can also use a commercial gel pack or wrap that fits around the joint or area in question. Bags of frozen vegetables like corn or peas work, too, and can be used without ordering a product.

Oatmeal Bath

An oatmeal bath is a classic and inexpensive way to remedy minor hives. Simply run a lukewarm-mildly bath, pour and mix in 1 cup of oatmeal as the tub fills, and soak your pooch gently for 10-20 minutes. Pat and dry. For smaller breeds, you can use less oatmeal (1/3 cup)

Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera gel is very beneficial when it comes to calming irritated skin. You can even purchase animal aloe, which is even more pet safe and less likely to cause an unwanted reaction, as with human aloe gel.

Start small to test for an allergic reaction; dont let your dog ingest it. It can be a natural remedy for skin contact, but if ingested, its toxic.

Chamomile Tea Rinse

Chamomile in hot water, cooled, and applied to your dog is another natural allergy medication that helps with dry skin, skin rash, and itching. So again, for the mild symptom, its effective.

Apple Cider Vinegar Solution

This product comes in a number of forms, commonly in a spray. This is convenient as it allows the pet owner to spray the hive area before going on walks easily. Its best with a 50/50 solution of apple cider vinegar and water.

Honey

Honey is multipurpose for dogs; it can help with insect bites, skin wounds, and allergen hotspots. Feeding your dog a teaspoon of raw honey each day is the trick.

A large dog might need a touch more, and a smaller breed a smidge less. The trick is to purchase local raw honey, which contains pollen, to help your dog acclimate to allergy season.

Monitoring Progress and Consulting the Vet

Monitor the progress of your dogs skin irritation by checking the affected area before and after applying the allergy relief solution.

With consistent care, the hive areas should start to go down. But if the issue persists or worsens, you must contact the vet for a more detailed and personal diagnosis. Guides are all well and good, but we dont know your dog personally.

The Furr-dict

Dog hives are usually a minor issue, but one that you should keep an eye on anyway. Using any of the six safe, effective home remedies, you can stop your dog from itching, reduce its skin irritation, and maintain its comfortable and pain-free quality of life.

As dog owners, we must look after our dogs. Pet health should be a prime concern. If you want to know more about how to be a responsible pet owner, you should check out our website for all things cute and furry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can dog hives be a sign of a serious underlying condition?

Its usually a simple case of an allergic reaction. Most of the time, dog hives are not threatening, aside from dog rashes, itchy skin, and an itchy dog!

Are there certain foods that can trigger hives in dogs?

Foods such as dairy, eggs, chicken, and beef can cause canine food allergies.

Can I use over-the-counter creams on my dogs hives?

Products like hydrocortisone cream are safe for dogs skin. But its essential to consult the vet or at least do some research before applying. Many human products can contain other chemicals that create an unwanted reaction in your dog.

How long does it usually take for hives to resolve with home treatment?

This depends. But within 24 hours is a reasonable expectation. At the most, a few days. Consult the vet if symptoms are persistent.

This can be very serious if your dog experiences swelling around the airways. It can lead to dog anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.

Sara is an experienced veterinarian with a history of working in Veterinary Medicine, Client Education, Dogs, Pet Care, and Surgery. She is a strong healthcare services professional with a graduate degree from St. George's University. You can connect with her onLinkedIn.

Treating Dog Hives at Home: 5 Steps From Our Vet

Dog hives definitely carry a certain wow factor in their appearance and sudden onset, even for seasoned veterinarians. Dog owners may be wowed and even a little scared about seeing hives in their dogs. Fortunately, were here to help you identify dog hives and give some tips on how you can help at home as well as when to get to the vet.

What do hives look like in dogs?

Medically speaking, dog hives are a condition called urticaria. They are often the result of an allergic reaction and so can show up on different parts of the body depending on what the allergen is. For example, hives from a contact allergy to a chemical may only be seen on lighter haired parts of the body like the face, ears, lips, and belly because the thicker hair protects the rest of the skin. For an allergen that is eaten or inhaled, you may see hives popping up all over your dog.

Hives typically look like raised, red welts. These welts may range in size from to more than 1 in diameter. There may be many little ones or just a few larger ones, as shown on the image below.

Hives may be easily visible on lighter haired parts of the body and more difficult to see in longer-haired pups. In the longer-haired parts, you may notice small tufts of hair standing up over your dogs back and sides that when you touch them feel like a raised bump.

The welts may feel warm to the touch and are usually very itchy.

Dog hives can also cause swelling, especially in the mouth, lips and face.

What causes dog hives?

Dog hives most often come from an allergic reaction to various allergens. These allergens may be something that your dog came in contact in their environment, inhaled or ingested. Some of those include:

• Lawn and cleaning chemicals
• Pollen, mold, dust
• Food-both human and dog
• Medications
• Vaccinations
• Insect bites, stings

Are dog hives an emergency?

Most of the time dog hives show up very quickly and also disappear very quickly. Mild to moderate cases may only last for a few hours, while more severe cases may need veterinary care and take longer to get rid of.

The itchiness that usually accompanies dog hives make your dog uncomfortable but rarely in serious danger. However, if your dog is experiencing hives and swelling of the face, mouth, or nose, there is a possibility that your dogs breathing could be affected. If a pup is having difficulty breathing due to hives or the allergic reaction, seek veterinary care immediately.

5 steps to treat your dogs hives at home [vet recommended]

Since most cases of dog hives arent a serious, immediate concern, you can often start treating them at home first. Of course, if your pup is having swelling of the face or mouth or having issues breathing, or any other signs of illness, get them to a vet as soon as possible. Otherwise:

1. If you happen to know what brought on your dogs hive-great! Remove that allergen right away. The more likely scenario is that you wont know exactly what caused it, and thats ok.

2. If you suspect a contact allergen is to blame, you may start by bathing your pup with a gentle soap to remove as much of the irritant as possible. Youll know to suspect a contact if the hives are more severe on the lighter haired parts of the body or if they just showed up when your pup was around something new.

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3. From there, and for other types of allergens, you may apply a cool compress, such as a wet towel, to help quiet the itching and cool the warmness.

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4. If you contact your veterinarian, they may advise you to give an antihistamine. Dont do this unless directed by your vet as you want to make sure to give the right product at the right dose.

5. Call your vet if your dog experiences a severe allergic reaction, including hives. You may also want to have a checkup if your dog has shown up with hives more than once in a short time.

How do I know if I need to take my dog to the vet for hives?

Most cases of dog hives are going to pop up, look terrible, feel itchy and then go away, all within the course of a few hours to less than one day. But that doesnt mean that dog hives can be ignored. See your vet immediately if your dog is having any kind of difficulty breathing. This can mean heavy panting, wheezing, trouble getting enough air, or not wanting to exercise.

Youll also want to see your vet if your pup gets heavy swelling of the mouth, nose, or face even if they arent having trouble breathing. This is because the swelling can continue to increase and start to affect the airways.

Another reason to make a veterinary appointment is if your dogs hives dont go away or start to get worse within a couple hours. Contact your vet if youre noticing hives more than once within a short time as it could indicate that your pup needs a change in their diet or medications.

If your dog recovers from hives at-home without any issues, just be sure to mention it to your vet the next time youre there.

Veterinary treatment for dog hives & prognosis

Your vets aim will be to reduce the swelling caused by hives so that your pup can breathe easy. They will also want to cut down on the itching and discomfort.

Treatment

To do this, your vet may give a dog with hives an injection of antihistamines or other anti-inflammatories. Most of the time, this step works like magic to bring quick relief to your dog and your worried mind.

More serious cases may require fluids and other supportive treatments, including hospitalization.

If your dogs hives are a recurrent issue, your vet may recommend allergy testing, an elimination diet, or long-term allergy treatment to get things under control.

Look to spend $50-$100 for simple cases of hives and $200 or more for more severe issues.

Prognosis

Most dogs are going to recover very quickly from hives at home. Those that do go to the vet recover quickly as well after a dose of antihistamines or anti-inflammatories. A very small number of dogs may experience anaphylaxis.

How long before my dogs hives go away?

Most dog hives are going to come and go within a few hours, and sometimes veterinary treatments will handle them within a few minutes. Its all going to depend on the degree of reaction that your dog is experiencing. If youre at all concerned, contact your veterinarian.

FAQ

Can I give my dog Benedryl for hives?

Antihistamines are a great way to help get dog hives under control. However, you dont want to give Benedryl or any other antihistamine without consent from your vet first to make sure your dog is healthy enough for the medication and that you get the right dose.

What if Benedryl isnt working for dog hives?

If your vet advises you to give your dog Benedryl for hives and it doesnt start to show some improvement within a few hours, call your vet. They will more than likely want to see your dog to find out why the medication isnt working.

Are there topical creams that can be safely used to help with dog hives?

Your vet may recommend applying a topical anti-inflammatory or antihistamine to your dogs hives. However, you dont want to put anything on your dog without first talking to your vet.

Can I use natural remedies for dog hives?

Using a topical vitamin E lotion may provide some relief for the itchiness that comes with dog hives, just be sure to talk to your veterinarian first. Bathing with an oatmeal soap may also provide some relief.

• Dr. Chyrle Bonk received her Master in Animal Science from the University of Idaho and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Oregon State University in 2010. She has over 10 years of experience in small animal veterinary practice, working for a veterinary clinic in Idaho.

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