Gun Dog Forum

Still waiting for the results from the vet, but I'm pretty sure my GSP is allergic to grass or maybe pine needles (the pine trees are where the squirrels hide). Under the vet's advice we've been giving him Zyrtec or Benadryll to try to keep the hives down, as well as the redness and swelling in his feet. I started using Benadryll after he got the second of his bee stings on his paws when he was 4.5 months old. There's also another antihistamine with a mild steroid that's he's finishing up (he's tapering down now).

Symptoms include red and swollen toes (to the point of fleshiness), as well as a general underbody redness. When it gets really bad he'll get hives, usually around the collar area. These will eventually dry up and fall out with small clumps of hair.

I've taken to washing the collar frequently, and we've switched to an all metal collar to facilitate that. He gets a bath once a week, and we do try to wipe him down after a trip outside. There was some heavy eye discharge two months ago (indicating allergies) but it's calmed down with the OTC and prescription meds.

Had a similar problem with my setter when he was 2. We had been feeding him a dry food with some corn and wheat in it. No problem until we started hunting the Wheat fields. Vet thought that the wheat dust and wheat in the food was enough to overload pups immune system. We switched to a grain free food and over about 2 months the symptoms subsided. He still has an occasional flare up at the beginning of hunting season, especially in dry conditions but nothing severe and doesn't last long.