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Boxers/Boxer allergy/itching
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Question
We (actually my daughter) have a beautiful 2-year-old female Boxer (spayed) who continually breaks out in a rash. She is now on a wheat- and chicken- free diet and has Comfortis for flea treatment every two weeks. She has frequent baths with non-allergenic shampoo. Her big brother (4 years old) is fine. We've eliminated a 100% wool rug; floor is tile and hardwood; bedding is cotton and poly. They also have Memory Foam and orthopedic mattresses to lie on since her brother has hip dysplasia. They have a fenced-in backyard in which to run with a minimum of pesticides. Please help. Thank you for your expertise.
Hi Mary Lou,
Since your daughter has eliminated the most common culprits, I would only bath her once a month or less as the boxer doesn't require as much bathing as other breeds. Boxers are generally a cleaner by nature continually licking and bathing themselves. Some dogs are allergic to their own saliva and the frequent baths may be causing more of the cleaning they tend to do thus putting more saliva on her coat causing the allergic reaction. We use dawn dish soap as a shampoo for our boxers then apply mineral oil to seal the moisture in the coat which is lost during bathing. I would also change the flea remedy to a once a month treatment. Hope these tips help if not feel free to contact me again.
Sincerely,
Angela Donald
Canine Behavior Consultant
http://www.hitowerboxers.com
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | OK, one thing I see we're doing is weekly bathing. I'll forward this to my daughter. Thanks so much for your help. I've followed your blog since I found it about a year ago. Boxers are the best. Female Mckenzie is the smartest, brattiest dog ever. She is the itcher. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Angela Donald
Expertise
I'll be happy to answer questions about boxer dog allergies,behavior,behavior modification,breeding,care,coat color genetics,diet,ear cropping,exercise,genetics,grooming,health,history,pedigrees,showing and training.
Experience
I am a dedicated dog enthusiast and guardian of boxers for 40 years, a boxer conformation show exhibitor and breeder as well as a canine behavior consultant with a special interest in the boxer breed. I currently share my life with six boxer dogs.See our family of Boxer Dogs
Organizations
American Boxer Charitable Foundation
Publications
I currently contribute regularly to Dog-Canine Blog.I am the founder and publisher of The Boxer Behavioral Journal,a scientific journal with detailed behavioral case study information,which someday I hope will add valuable knowledge to the breeding,care and health of the breed.I am also a freelance writer with my latest article: Distinctive Behaviors of Boxer Dogs found at http://www.hitowerboxers.com/boxerdogbehavior.htm and distributed on the world wide web.
Education/Credentials
I have a MBA from AU.I have gotten real life experiences from my 40 years of the family owning boxers and other canine breeds, through my boxer rescue rehabilitation efforts, obedience training of the breed, more than 20 years of study on dog-canine behavior, genetics, health research,from my work as a canine behavioral consultant,exhibitor and breeder. My quest for canine knowledge is a never ending journey.
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