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hives on boxer ; allergic reaction for boxer;

11:55:21

Question

hives
I took my boxer in for his rabies vaccination 1 week ago today (3 year vaccine). This morning I awakened to him gnawing on his scrotum (I assume it was itchy). It looks as though it has a hive on it. His chewing resulted in hair loss on the scrotum as well as "rawness" of the skin and some bleeding. He is neutered and usually his scrotum hangs like a little "sack," but now it is firm and swollen tight. He also has a bump under the skin at the injection site, as well as a hive directly on top of that. Much of his body is covered in hives, many of which are at least as large as a quarter. This was all discovered at about 5am. I gave him Benadryl at 11am, after visiting the vet. For a couple hours, he seemed significantly less covered in hives so i figured he was getting better (this was around 1pm). By 3pm, i noticed he had more hives again, more than he'd had at any point today. He acts completely fine (luckily) and has no fever according to the vet. His lungs were also clear as of his appointment at 10:30 this morning. I just gave him more Benadryl at 6pm, so i guess we'll see. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Because his hives are getting WORSE, i'm nervous that his reaction will progress in the night while i'm asleep. Is it possible for the reaction to worsen at this point in such a way that it would swell his face/neck or would that likely have already happened by now if it were going to???????????? Also, is it likely this is due to something other than the vaccination since he showed no signs until 1 week after the injection?  

Answer
update on Boxer with hives?
HI - how is your boy now?  Can I be of more help?
Marie

Oh Boy, I would take him back to the vet.  They can give him a steroid shot for the hives.  That would be much stronger than the Benadryl .....
This is very odd and may be from the Vaccination.

Please let me know, how he is today.  We can also talk supplements and other options for your boy.
Good luck

Marie Peppers of Ask the Pet Nurse
mtnmom@gci.net