Expert: Jennifer Walker - 2/1/2012

Question
My 7 year old boxer has developed red raw areas under his chin and around his nose. He seems to be rubbing this area on the furniture and w his paw. We just came back to the states from Holland. We have had to switch foods, snacks, and more. The vet says it is allergies and to give him 50 Benadryl 2 times a day. This seems to be helping some. I am wondering if u have other ideas or suggestions.

Answer
Hi Dawn,

It does sound like it might be allergies -- with your move back from Holland, my guess would be either the new foods or something environmental. The Benadryl is helping to relieve the itching, which is good, but of course you want to address the cause of the itching because you don't want him to be on Benadryl forever. You might want to consider giving him natural hyrdocortisone if the Benadryl isn't working as well or you suspect this will be a long-term process; it's plant-based product, and has less side-effects than synthetic steroids such as prednisone (which is probably your vet's next step, if the problem persists). Your vet can get it from a compounding pharmacy such as Pet Health Pharmacy.

Keeping his face clean and dry will help prevent secondary infections; especially after he eats, wipe his face gently with a cool washcloth, pat dry with a clean towel, and use a cotton ball saturated in witch hazel on the raw areas to dry the skin and kill bacteria. (Witch hazel is generally non-irritating, but if it seems to bother him you can dilute it 50/50 with water before applying.) After the witch hazel is applied and the face is totally dry, you could try Halo's Healing Salve -- I've found it quite successful at dealing with minor scrapes and sores. Milk of Magnesia or Aloe Vera gel applied directly to the raw areas may also give some relief from the itching.

Again, though, these things all address the symptoms of the allergies, and not the cause. You've switched foods and snacks -- how do the ingredients compare to what he was eating? The biggest culprit in food allergies is grains -- dogs do not require grains in their diet, and often switching to grain-free food and treats will eliminate allergy issues completely. Orijen is an excellent grain-free kibble; the Honest Kitchen has several grain-free dehydrated foods; and raw diets, both prepared and homemade, are typically entirely free of grains. Boxers often seem to have issues with wheat and corn especially -- if you're not ready for  grain-free, try to find a food that doesn't us any corn or wheat fillers.

If you think the allergies are more environmental and due to local flora -- hayfever, essentially -- you could try buying some locally produced honey (raw, if possible) and giving him a spoonful a day. Local honey contains the pollen of local plants, and this dosing is thought to work in a similar way to allergy shots -- low-dose exposure to build up tolerance. There is a very small chance of an allergic reaction, so give the first several doses at a time when you'll be able to watch him for any issues.

I hope this gives you some ideas to try, and your boy gets some relief from his itching!