My nieces dog had been suffering for years with severe i...

Question:

My niece''s dog had been suffering for years with severe itching on her belly or inner legs. It got so bad that the dog had to have injections as well as all kinds of pills. Nothing helped.Then my niece decided to redecorate her living room, pulled up the carpet and installed beautiful hardwood floors. Almost instantly, the dog''s problems went away! Obviously, she was allergic to the carpet. Too bad the vet had no knowledge of this. Thousands of dollars and years of suffering could have been avoided. Maybe you can pass this info on.

A.S., Westchester, NY Aug 28, 2005

Answer:

Thank you for the reminder to all dog (and cat) caregivers whose animal companions have chronic, unresolved skin problems. One test -- after conducting diet-ingredient deletion and substitution trials to rule out a food allergy -- is to either remove carpets or put down cotton sheets over the carpets (and upholstered furniture that the animals lie on). Also, remove any synthetic or wool blankets that the animal uses.Of course, there are many other allergens (mold, pollen, dust mites, fleas, etc.) and factors in animals'' environments that weaken their immune systems that a holistic approach to treating chronic skin allergies will address. Seasonal allergies are often alleviated by giving dogs locally produced honey and bee pollen -- about 1/2 teaspoonful of honey and a pinch of pollen per 30 pounds of body weight daily in the dog''s food.