Itchy dog needs help!

So I went out of town for the weekend and my mom took care of my dogs for me. My jack russell terrier managed to get chain grease from my commuter bike on himself (not the first time he's done this- he likes to sniff along the walls & behind stuff, so he wanders under the bike that's propped up on the wall & half the time will knock it over).
So, she decides she needs to wash it off of him so he doesn't transfer it to any other surface in the house. She used dish washing soap. Now, his skin is pink and dry looking, and he is uncomfortably itchy. I gave him some benedryl, which seemed to help, but I can't tell if it's helping his skin or just making him too sleepy to scratch himself.

I don't know if the soap left any residue on him, but I'm worried to wash him again, because I don't want to make his skin drier. I usually don't bathe him at all unless he is really funky since he has sensitive skin that seems to get irritated when the natural oils are stripped off.

Does anyone have advice as to what I can do to help him out? Something to moisturize him? Dip him in oatmeal? (he'd probably love that)

I have two, and yes they love to walk under bikes. My little girl has sensitive skin. I just use a good oatmeal shampoo and it works well. Should condition the skin and take the itch out. They smell awesome afterwards.

Whatever you do, he'll need a good rinsing in plain water afterwards. Soap residue of any kind, even oatmeal shampoo (which has a lot of the usual shampoo soap ingredients in it) will irritate his skin.

Benedryl and an oatmeal bath. My little girls have the most sensitive skin and they only get oatmeal baths. There is a tar based shampoo that is even better but it smells bad so I don't like it. The dogs get half a benedryl for allergies when needed.

I don't mean to nit pick, but- a Jack russell must weigh about what, 12 pounds?
A human weighs about ten to fifteen times that much. If you give a 1/2 tablet of Benedryl to a dog that size I'd think it would be a huge overdose. I would ask the vet first.

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I don't mean to nit pick, but- a Jack russell must weigh about what, 12 pounds?
A human weighs about ten to fifteen times that much. If you give a 1/2 tablet of Benedryl to a dog that size I'd think it would be a huge overdose. I would ask the vet first.

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That is the recommended dose for my 7 lb Schnauzer but only once a day. The 19 lb miniature schnauzer can have one pill whole. I am not at home, maybe the box is kids benedryl but I think it is adult.

I am not a vet, I did not mean to imply she should give that dosage. I won't even listen when the groomer tells me to administer something to my dogs without checking with the vet. Heck I called the vet when my schnuazer sat in fire ants and I was worried. My vet is on speed dial in my house.

If you have concerns about the benedryl, next time you go to the vet ask for some prednisone, its a steroid. My K9 (police dog), occasionally gets the itches, like just red skin all over. One pill takes the itch away. I keep them on reserve.

I used to give my Jack Russell a 25 mg tablet of Benadryl for her sinus issues. That's a regular size dose for an adult human, and the recommended dose for her by her vet. She was sleepy but not coma-like!

It didn't work for her sinuses, really. We never figured out why she had gobs of snot every day.

My dad gives his Jack Russell doggie vitamins and that helps her skin. Also, I've heard that Omega-3s are good for their skin, too.

Karen

I worked at a vet's office for a while- they can safely take 1mg of diphenhydramine per pound of bodyweight (Indy gets the 12.5mg kid's dose).

I am going to try and just rinse him really well before I add more soap of any type into the equation. Poor thing is laying on his back on the floor, twisting back & fourth, and growling. I know he's uncomfortable :(

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I don't mean to nit pick, but- a Jack russell must weigh about what, 12 pounds?
A human weighs about ten to fifteen times that much. If you give a 1/2 tablet of Benedryl to a dog that size I'd think it would be a huge overdose. I would ask the vet first.

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We have a dog with allergies. The first time the vet said that we could give him a couple of Benadryl a day I was freaked. He said that dogs metabolize it differently.

Andrea is correct it is 1mg/lb. If you Jack Russell weighs 12 pounds give him 1/2 a 25 mg table 2 - 3 times daily. You can also add in tagament (it will help block the histamine receptors in his stomach - sounds strange but it does work). An oatmeal bath may help too. I personally would only use steroids if it is a severe reaction and your buddy is extremely uncomfortable. If you have any concerns/questions it is best to contact your vet.

Dogs can have chlorpheniramine maleate also. 4 mg twice a day seemed to be plenty for my 60 lb dogs, although I think a higher dose would've been safe. I don't know how the efficacy and side effects compare in dogs - but in my own body, chlorpheniramine works much better, diphenhydramine just puts me to sleep :D

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Originally Posted by Andrea

Poor thing is laying on his back on the floor, twisting back & fourth, and growling. I know he's uncomfortable :(

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Aw, poor baby! If the rinse job doesn't work, maybe try the Aveeno oatmeal bath stuff. It's very useful for people who suffer from sunburns or poison ivy.

If I have a choice I keep my dogs off predinsone as long as possible, it makes them very thirsty and therefore the have to potty often. With indoor dogs and no doggie doors it is an awful time for puppies and mommy! But that is what my vet prescribes if the allergies get too out of hand.

My vet also recommends giving the dogs the fish oil capsules from the store. It helps add oils into their skin but it does give them fishy breath. :rolleyes:

Second the recommendation for fish oil, up to bowel tolerance. It will help add oil plus it's supposed to help with inflammation. There are some bath oils for dogs at PetsMart & places like that you might look into. First thing, though, I'd get him into an oatmeal bath made for dogs & make sure all that residue is off him.

At least your mom didn't dip him in chain cleaner...:rolleyes:

Just get him to a vet ! He shouldn't have to suffer so long.

Chloe has dry skin, when it gets really itchy she gets a benedryl. I also massage in baby oil or Badger Balm. You might check with your vet to see if they carry Histacalm shampoo, it's an emollient oatmeal shampoo containing 2% diphenhydramine.

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Originally Posted by kjay

Just get him to a vet ! He shouldn't have to suffer so long.

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If he's still itchy, I'd get him in too. Benedryl & steroids help immune problems but I'm not sure about a contact irritant like dish soap.

Rinse him, give him a little can of canned salmon, couple of days of benedryl and his own oils will return. Don't let him dig a hole in his skin itching- if it even starts to look like that might happen, off to the vet for a short course of steroids. Don't let the scratch=infection=antiboitcs=rash=scratch cycle start.

I rinsed him off thoroughly yesterday- lo and behold, suds were popping up as I did. He didn't seem any better last night, but this morning, he's no longer pink, and he's only done his backwards floor rubbing thing once instead of constantly alternating it with back foot scratching.

I may have solved the problem! I've also brushed him a couple of times with a very soft natural bristle hair brush to try and stimulate the skin a little.

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Originally Posted by Chicken Little

Rinse him, give him a little can of canned salmon, couple of days of benedryl and his own oils will return. Don't let him dig a hole in his skin itching- if it even starts to look like that might happen, off to the vet for a short course of steroids. Don't let the scratch=infection=antiboitcs=rash=scratch cycle start.

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OH YEAH - DITTO THAT!!!

When I had my Shepherd to the doggie derm, that was the BIG THING they were concerned about. He didn't develop an infection, but he was on steroids, allergy shots and special shampoos for awhle.

My poor Aussie wears the e-collar quite often in the summer and fall due to allergies. If we don't catch the itchiness soon enough, he just keeps licking himself raw and there's little we can do to stop it at that point. Prednisone has proven difficult because he then pees in the bed in the middle of the night :eek:, but an antihistamine seems to work if we catch the itch soon enough.

Glad your pup is feeling better!