Another Pigeon Question

[ArtGypsy]

Okay.
It seems like Pigeon has started itching again....
Could it this be brought on because her pred. has been cut to every other day instead of every day?

She's all flaky and spends a lot of time rolling along side the furniture )and my legs( and twisting on her back.

I haven't given her a bath since we first got her; and have received some nice soap from Noel that Birdie uses...with a skin allergy dog, are baths an important part of maintenance?

I have not added grains or anything to her diet either. Still the TOTW Pacific Stream

[madremissy]

This is just a thought and I know that Kinzyl does this. When I let her wear her shirt, sweatshirt, or sweater for a while she starts to rub up against the furniture. I now change her clothes more often and take them off for a while everyday. I know that some dogs have the shirts and clothes on to keep them from scratching but that is just my experience with Kinzyl.

[ArtGypsy]

THANKS!!
I have been changing her shirts every day, but I do leave them on all day. And right now she has on one of Kelcie's hoodies.

[plebayo]

The itching could be brought on by cutting down the pred. Maybe talk to your vet about giving it everyday again, but maybe doing a lesser dose every day. She just might not be ready to wean off of it. Did her old owners seem to notice her having an itchier time certain times of year?

The shirts could be causing some irritation, but if you noticed it right when you switched doses, it could be the pred dose.

[amazincc]

Have you washed her shirts? She might have a sensitivity to the laundry detergent.

[plebayo]

Have you washed her shirts? She might have a sensitivity to the laundry detergent.

Another great point... I totally forgot about detergent sensitivity!

[mnp13]

Have you washed her shirts? She might have a sensitivity to the laundry detergent.

and/or drier sheets.

[Hoyden]

FYI: The shirts you received from me were washed in a natural laundry detergent with no sulfates. (I'm allergic to them) and no dryer sheets.

The same for the fabric that I made the collars from. I pre-wash ALL of the dog collar fabrics with the same detergent I use and don't use dryer sheets on them.

This is so that the collars will not warp if the fabric shrinks when you wash the collar. Many a good piece of embroidery has been ruined because the fabric was not pre-washed.

[Hoyden]

Oh and coming off prednisone makes you itch like you can't imagine. When I've been weaned off of it, I have to sleep with cotton gloves on and be doped up with atarax or I will peel my skin off.

I seriously want to go rub against trees or stucco houses or those big huge cow itchers that I see in the fields because my skin itches so much from the weaning.

[plebayo]

Oh and coming off prednisone makes you itch like you can't imagine. When I've been weaned off of it, I have to sleep with cotton gloves on and be doped up with atarax or I will peel my skin off.

I seriously want to go rub against trees or stucco houses or those big huge cow itchers that I see in the fields because my skin itches so much from the weaning.

It must vary from person to person it never made me itchy when I was coming off of it. But man it sure made me feel horrible while I had to take it! I really had a lot of issues with sore joints and it made me super puffy and hungry all the time.

[Hoyden]

Oh and coming off prednisone makes you itch like you can't imagine. When I've been weaned off of it, I have to sleep with cotton gloves on and be doped up with atarax or I will peel my skin off.

I seriously want to go rub against trees or stucco houses or those big huge cow itchers that I see in the fields because my skin itches so much from the weaning.

It must vary from person to person it never made me itchy when I was coming off of it. But man it sure made me feel horrible while I had to take it! I really had a lot of issues with sore joints and it made me super puffy and hungry all the time.

It did all that too.

The two weeks I was weaned off, I think I lived in my "early warning" t-shirts. Wicked Witch; Bitch Goddess; Run if you know what's good for you and She who must be obeyed t-shirts.

[TheRedQueen]

Just to add: just remember...you don't really *know* what her allergy is yet. Grain-free is a good way to go, but it's not the be-all-to-end-all. She might have a protein allergy, or something else. Figgy ended up on grain free after numerous tries on good foods that contained some grain...and we've experimented since then with what he can have...and he always itches from grain ingredients.

[amazincc]

You can give her Benadryl (the generic works just as well and is tons cheaper) while weaning her off Prednisone... Faust was terribly itchy, and it made a huge difference.

I agree w/Erin... figuring out what does - and doesn't - work for an allergy dog is a looooong process.

[ArtGypsy]

Just to add: just remember...you don't really *know* what her allergy is yet. Grain-free is a good way to go, but it's not the be-all-to-end-all. She might have a protein allergy, or something else. Figgy ended up on grain free after numerous tries on good foods that contained some grain...and we've experimented since then with what he can have...and he always itches from grain ingredients.

yeah,,,,,thanks for the reminder, Erin.

I had hoped the Fish/Potato would eliminate MOST of the food allergens.....
I've kept her to only potato/fish treats too.

but your're right.
it COULD be environmental. DUST. OY...what will do with THAT?

[ArtGypsy]

Just to add: just remember...you don't really *know* what her allergy is yet. Grain-free is a good way to go, but it's not the be-all-to-end-all. She might have a protein allergy, or something else. Figgy ended up on grain free after numerous tries on good foods that contained some grain...and we've experimented since then with what he can have...and he always itches from grain ingredients.

yeah,,,,,thanks for the reminder, Erin.

I had hoped the Fish/Potato would eliminate MOST of the food allergens.....
I've kept her to only potato/fish treats too.

but your're right.
it COULD be environmental. DUST. OY...what will do with THAT?

[TheRedQueen]

As a person with weird allergies (sulfites, yeast)...I feel for these poor dogs and owners...luckily Figgy's problems have been mainly figured out.

[ArtGypsy]

You can give her Benadryl (the generic works just as well and is tons cheaper) while weaning her off Prednisone... Faust was terribly itchy, and it made a huge difference.

I agree w/Erin... figuring out what does - and doesn't - work for an allergy dog is a looooong process.

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNO.
NO NO NO.
I WANT THIS:
bring her home.
give good food and allergy medicine.
Have Normal Happy Dog.

In.
that.
Order.

[amazincc]

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNO.
NO NO NO.
I WANT THIS:
bring her home.
give good food and allergy medicine.
Have Normal Happy Dog.

In.
that.
Order.

You forgot to add - BE PATIENT!!!
You simply cannot undo in 2-3 weeks what this girl has lived with in the past year. You need to give everything some time to work... her meds, her new food, her treats, her new environment.
Her whole body was under enormous stress, and any changes for the better will still take time.

But, on the off-chance that I'm wrong, let me dig out my magic wand and make it happen NOW!

Worry Wart!

[ArtGypsy]

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNO.
NO NO NO.
I WANT THIS:
bring her home.
give good food and allergy medicine.
Have Normal Happy Dog.

In.
that.
Order.

You forgot to add - BE PATIENT!!!
You simply cannot undo in 2-3 weeks what this girl has lived with in the past year. You need to give everything some time to work... her meds, her new food, her treats, her new environment.
Her whole body was under enormous stress, and any changes for the better will still take time.

But, on the off-chance that I'm wrong, let me dig out my magic wand and make it happen NOW!

Worry Wart!

I KNOW I KNOW.

Well, I guess I 'KNOW" this to be true....and I'd give out the same information if I read this from another worried poster.
But for some reason I EXPECT more....Intensive, Active Intervention.

My time table just isn't realistic.

[amazincc]

I KNOW I KNOW.

Well, I guess I 'KNOW" this to be true....and I'd give out the same information if I read this from another worried poster.
But for some reason I EXPECT more....Intensive, Active Intervention.

My time table just isn't realistic.

I'm the same way. If one of mine has as much as a hangnail I have a full-blown panic attack.

Enjoy her enjoying herself. That alone will help you realize how far she has already come. All the rest will follow.