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 Pet Central
Q&A
Q: My 5-year-old Maltese has been
chewing continuously at her paws for the past year. Our vet suggested
she had allergies and recommended an over-the-counter antihistamine. But
he didn't offer a brand name or dosage. What's wrong, and will an antihistamine
help? -- M.L., Cyberspace
A: Dr. Edmund Rosser, veterinary
dermatologist at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine-East
Lansing, says that given your description, the Maltese has food and/or
inhalant allergies.
Rosser says food allergies are
the more likely culprit. There's no skin test or blood test to determine
food allergies. Instead, you'll have to prove it yourself by placing your
pooch on a home-cooked diet of a protein and carbohydrate she hasn't been
previously exposed to for 60 days. For example, try a venison or rabbit
and potato diet. There also special prescription foods prepacked for those
who don't like to cook. Rosser stresses the home cookin' should be done
under the supervision of a vet.
There are tests to determine inhalant
allergies, but you can save money by playing pet chef or trying a prescription
diet as a first course of action. If the problem proves to be food allergies,
your dog won't need additional tests.
Rosser says antihistamines can
relieve symptoms but that won't fix the problem. A dog dependent on antihistamines
long-term can develop side-effects. Rosser recommends Benadryl or Chlortrimiton.
Dosage varies depending on the size of the pet, and we don't recommend
dosages in this column. Rosser points out that antihistamines tend to
be more effective when taken in conjunction with an essential fatty acid
dietary supplement. And an antihistamine may take up to 30 days to work.
Antihistamines do relieve the discomfort of itchy paws in some dogs, but
other dogs aren't helped.
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