dog allergy

Question
hello there, I have a poodle mix 6 year old, ingested some macadamias and cashews while unattended I beleive now has some type of an allergy since all four feet are red, there's some type of topical cream that I can use??. Thanks in advance R.C.

Answer

Hi Ralph,

The problem is probably with the Macadamias, and not the Cashews. Dogs should not eat Macadamia nuts (or foods containing Macadamia nuts) because they can be toxic. With as few as six raw or roasted macadamia nuts a dog can develop a reaction called macadamia nut toxicosis. Within twelve hours of eating the nuts they start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand, ataxia (walking wobbly), depression, vomiting, muscle tremors, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate. Usually the symptoms go away within 48 hours but the weakness, and vomiting, can lead to dangerous and sometimes deadly shock.

Red inflamed feet can be a symptom of a food allergy. If it's been more than 48 hours since your dog at the Macadamias and Cashews, and if your dog hasn't ate either nut since, the foot redness might not be a reaction to the nuts.
Try washing your dog's feet in cool water (use an oatmeal based shampoo made for dogs) and you can apply 100% pure Aloe Vera Gel to help soothe them. It won't hurt your dog if it's licked off. If the redness doesn't go away, your dog should be examined by your vet.

If you ever think your dog is having an emergency due to something he ate, and your vet's office isn't open, you should call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Never wait for help during an emergency from an Internet helpline.

Best of luck,

Patti