Hair loss around the eyes

[Zuki]

I know there are a handful of dogs with allergies on this board so I was hoping that you guys might have some ideas.

Skyler has seasonal allergies to trees, some grasses etc. Aside from itchies, and all the icky things that come along with them, his eyes tend to run so much that they puff up and he loses most of the hair around them.

Does anyone have some good natural tips for eye compresses that will help the inflamation and soothe at the same time. I have read about a few, but don't want to use anything that stings. Ouch.

 

[sarnewfie]

I know someone who gives benadryl every day.
not sure you would want to do that

 

[Varmint]

Zuki -

Check your PM's...

 

[Jeannie]

Our girl Samantha suffers with allgeries--very bad allergies.

Hair loss around the eyes is usually a sign of low thyroid. Sam was loosing the hair around her eyes, we started her on medication for her T4 and T3. Within 2 weeks the hair around her eyes grew back and the weeping/swelling also went away.

She had been on soloxine for her T4 for many years, we added the T3 medication and it made a HUGE difference. Even her allergies are better. Thyroid problems can produce allergy like symptoms. I'd get thyroid testing done and insist it is sent to the University of Michigan as they do thyroid testing and have the most accurate results.

 

[Zuki]

Thanks everyone!

SAR - he does get benadryl along with Duralactin. I don't do the benadryl every day but he gets them the days he spends more time outside or goes hiking.

Ker Chunk - thank you for the information. I'll order that book today.

Jeannie. I just had those run actually. Sky's a genetic mess and has problems in each leg so he's on Duramaxx. We run his liver profiles every 6 months - and since I am doing that we run CBC's and thyroid levels. We know it is allergies since it only happens when his eyes get runny in the summer. It is just starting. In the winter they are not weepy and the hair is fine.

I just want to be able to put something on that area to help the "allergy eyes"

but don't want it to burn.

 

[Sheila]

I'd say maybe witch hazel or tea/green tea compresses, but they'd be used on a closed eyelid and I'm not sure how you could accomplish that with a poochie...just an idea.

 

[Leslie]

We used this one with our allergy kitty and it works wonderfully. It's a two part program, I think the eyebright goes for a week and then the goldenseal goes for a week. Or maybe it's 2 weeks each.

eyewash

After you're finished with this one, you can try a colloidal silver eyewash too. There's lots of info out there on that.

Good luck, I know how hard it is to watch them be uncomfortable.

[ 05-01-2005, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: Leslie ]

 

[robandrobin]

Compresses are one idea, if you had herbs handy. You could use green tea as the compress. Put the cooled green tea leaves in clean sterile gauze and place on eye/eyes. This may help take the swelling down.

The eye wash Leslie mentioned sounds wonderful.

Here is a place that has Ark Naturals. I've had really good outcomes with Ark Naturals.

http://www5.mailordercentral.com/petsage/default.asp

Robin

 

[Zuki]

THANK YOU! You guys are great. The responses are exactly what I needed. I made a goldenseal/ chamomile tea and then put that through a cheese cloth. I placed the compress on my eyes first to make sure it didn't burn. He seemed to tolerate it for a while.

It's just so hard to watch his body become all red, bubbly, itchy and furless and not be able to take away all the pain.

But on a happier note - he turned two yesterday. He wasn't supposed to make it to his second birthday with all his leg issues - so every day he is with us is special.

 

[sarnewfie]

Hi zuki
i hope you find relief
the guy i know is in CA
he has a girl that has summer allergies.
he keeps her on benedryl daily
but i dont know it helped iwth the hair loss around the eyes completly
good luck!

 

[jabear]

We use some of the above mentioned things and have added vitamin e oil to his eyebrow area where he has missing hair. It seems to improve the rate at which hair grows back by alot.

 

[ardeagold]

Is he getting any wheat, dairy, corn or soy in his diet?

When I worked at Hopkins, they noticed an amazing thing. Even if a person isn't "allergic" to wheat or dairy, when allergy season comes along, those two food items make their normal seasonal allergies (to pollen, etc) MUCH worse. They don't know why, but they're like triggers for the allergies to act up in a much more severe manner.

In the summer, I stay far away from dairy (yes even ice cream) and wheat. Since I learned this from the Doctors I worked with, my allergies have been much less severe, and almost non existent, overall.

Lots of dogs ARE allergic to wheat, corn, and soy as a normal course. The dairy and things like beef are more intermittent.

If you haven't already, you may want to switch to a food made for dogs with allergies. Wellness makes many foods without known allergens...like duck and potato, fish and sweet potato, etc. It may help, a lot.

Make sure there are none of those items in his treats either. Wellness also makes treats without known allergens. And...be sure he gets no bread, pizza crust, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream etc. He'll just have to eat popcicles instead!

You can use the probiotics in a capsule form rather than in a yogurt form and get the same, maybe better, amount of acidiphious/bifidus.

I hope this helps Skyler. It does work for humans!!

 

[Sabeaux]

I know this is a little late but glad to hear from you...sorry Sky has allergies...I think Ky might also but not so bad....I PM'd you.