Skin Allergies

Question
I have an eight year old toy poodle who has developed severe skin allergies. He scratches and licks and is quite uncomfortable. Skin around his arms has turned black and crusty. Our Vet gave him a Steroid shot last year, but that only provided relief for a month or two. We've tried Benadryl, but that had no affect. Any thoughts?

Answer
Hello Gregg,
Is there anything that you know of that your dog may have been exposed to that would cause your dogs allergies?  Try to think back to when your dog first started the skin problems.  Is there anything new that your dog could have been exposed to (new food, any new changes in your house, new cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, spot-on flea treatments, etc.)

You might consider talking to your Vet about Allergy shots (rather than Steroid shots) for your dog.  Just like they work for people, they can work for dogs.  They might require allergy tests to find out what your dog is allergic to, but it would be a benefit to know.
Also, how long did you use the Benedryl for?  You need to give it time to get into your dogs system.  I usually suggest people let it work for a week or two before giving up on it.  The Benedryl cream may help for on-site itching.  Apply to where the skin is red and irritated.

You might also want to try this diet for dogs that you can add to your dogs dry food.  It has Vitamins and Minerals that are beneficial to your dogs skin and coat and may help with the itching and crusty spots.

1 lb Hamburger, Lamb, or Turkey Burger
1 can Sardines in Olive Oil
1 cup Spinach, blended with the Oil of the Sardines
1 egg scrambled
1 Apple Blended (or you can use 1/2 cup of Applesauce)
1/8 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked using broth (either a meat or Veggie variety) for better flavor
1/2 cup Cottage Cheese (optional)
1 grated carrot (optional)

You can 1/2 the recepie if you want as its for a large dog.
Mix these ingredients together and add to your dogs regular dry food.   He will most likely love it and think he is getting a treat.  
This mixture should last you about a week in a sealed container.
Start off by mixing it in his food slowly to give his system a chance to get used to the food.

Well, I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim