My golden has such itchy eyes. He literally rubs and scratches them raw!He looks like he was punched in the eye. I have tried benadryl, changed his food to sensitive skin, changed to canned specialty food and steroids. Nothing helps.
Any Suggestions?
How old is the dog? Have you considered that it could be mange mites, yeast infections, or even an autoimmune disease such as lupus? Don’t just try and shotgun this, get to a vet!!
You don’t mention any help from a veterinarian, although the use of steroids suggests at least one has been involved. The problem may not be allergies if only the eyes are involved. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist (eye specialist) to see if there is some underlying cause–there often is!
If the problem is truly allergies, check your dose on the Benedryl. Dogs take a higher dose than humans! Humans take 25 mg. Dogs take 1-2 mg. PER POUND of body weight, and can take it 2-4 times daily. (One of my own dogs was a Lab with a cancer that releases histamine, and she was on 150 mg. of Benedryl every 6 hours for many months to block the histamine.) Now, many dogs do not need the maximum allowable dose to get relief, but if you are using a dose that is ineffective, it could be that it is just too low of a dose for your dog. If Benedryl at it’s upper limits is not working, then it may not be allergies, or it may be that a different antihistamine would work, or it may be that the problem is so severe that the dog needs antihistamines and steroids together, or cyclosporine to suppress the immune response, or antibiotics +/- antifungal medications for secondary infections.
Allergies are frustrating because they cannot be cured, just controlled. When things flare up, treatment deals only with that particular flare-up and allergies recur whenever there is exposure to something the dog is allergic to. Often these exposures cannot be controlled, such as allergies to pollens. Flea allergies are easily minimized by good flea control. Food allergies are also controllable if they can be identified and those foods strictly avoided. Food trials can be very helpful but often are not done correctly, which leads to frustration–be sure to use a food recommended by your veterinarian and be sure it is the only thing going into the dog’s mouth except water and medications for a full 10 weeks (no biscuits, treats, table scraps, rawhides, etc.) Allergy tests can also be helpful in severe cases, and you may also consider referral to a veterinary dermatologist if this involves other areas besides the eyes.
Melinda R. Burgwardt, DVM
Melinda R. Burgwardt, DVM
Lancaster, NY
This dog is likely ATOPIC……has allergies. This is a very common inherited disease of Golden Retrievers. Often one manifestation of this is periocular pruritis. Another possibility is an ocular disease itself.
Diagnosis and treatment of allergies can sometimes be a rather long and involved process which includes a PROPERLY CONDUCTED dietary trial with an elimination diet, skin or blood testing to learn what the dog is allergic too, and often hypoimmunization (“allergy shots”). If all else fails, the judicious use of corticosteroids is implemented.
My advice to you is to find a veterinarian who specializes in diseases of the skin, or perhaps first contact a veterinary ophthalmologist for his/her evaluation of your pets ocular pruritis.
Good luck.
Mike Keem, DVM
Member of the AAVD
Try using eye drops for allergy eyes, like Opcon or NapconA. Use them three times a day. BUT THIS IS ASSUMING YOU ARE WORKING WITH A VETERINARIAN and not just changing foods and trying benadryl.
Allergies require a thorough history and an multi-pronged approach to treat and a treatment such as opcon might be successful if used under the right circumstances with the right combination of medication and food therapies, but have very little effect used alone. Also, even if they do work, it is a temporary fix. Your pet may benefit from longer lasting treatments such as hyposensitization therapy which is closer to a cure than a band aid treatment. Golden Retrievers are notorious for their allergies and the whole patient needs to be evaluated. It is also possible that your dog could have other eye problems such as eye-worms or an infection.
Jennifer Kong, DVM in CA
My dog has the same symptoms, and there has been no answer for us either.