# Feeling down today....



## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

I am so sick of this ongoing problem with Midgie! It's really getting me down! We just went on a 2-week camping trip to Florida & was hoping Midgie would have 2 whole weeks free of itching as I was thinking that the majority of her allergies are environmental. What I did find out is that whenever she's outside, even here at home, her itching is minimal, either because she's occupied exploring or whatever, but when she was in the camper or in our house, her itching is constant until she's so wore out, she finally goes to sleep. My hubby has come to the conclusion that she may have developed an allergy to our detergent?! I've used Tide forever and it seems like the obvious culprit. My delemma has been what to switch to, so I've decided to try Gain Original. It's going to take me a long time til everything is washed in gain, but I've already started washing my bedding. Don't know if this is going to help, but I'm grasping at straws like usual.

It's been about 3 months since she started the allergy shots that the Dermatologist tweaked and I'm supposed to take her back for a follow-up appointment. I've been hesitant about calling to take her in because I know the Derm. wants to put Midgie on Royal Canine Canned food. I have her on THK & ZP. I know these are better foods than RC, but I'm actually considering taking the Derm. advice as I have got to find some relief for this chi! Almost 3 solid years of misery is enough! :foxes15:

Sorry! I know your all probably sick of hearing about this problem, but I keep hoping that someone will have experienced a similar situation. I'll just have to keep trying. I actually wanted to quit giving her the immunotherapy shots as they are a pain to give and she screams when she gets them every friday. My wonderful hubby wants to keep giving them as he thinks they may be helpful. The Derm said it could take up to a year to see any benefit from them. Part of me wonders if I could do this for a year--but I know I have to!

It hurts me deeply to see my baby so irritated in her own skin and hearing her cry every time she gets a shot. I wish I could take her pain away....

p.s. I feel like if you look at this chi, you see a cute, healthy, unaffected chi. I don't think anyone realizes how intense this problem is. I scare myself when I try to think what could actually be causing Midgie's problems. Crazy thoughts go through my head like Cancer, specifically Leukemia (infected blood). Midgie's mother died from that and an orange-size tumor on her spleen. :crybaby::banghead:


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

It must be awful for you and midgie,my husband comes out in a rash if i don't use soap flakes and sensitive skin conditioner,could you try that.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I am so sorry you guys are having to go through this. If it were me, I would go an get a detergent that is perfume and dye free such as "All" Free Clear or Tide Free. Good luck and keep us updated.


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## widogmom (Mar 23, 2011)

Definitely try fragrance- and dye-free. I use 7th Generation because it's not tested on animals, but any free & clear will do. Also check your use of Love My Carpet, Carpet Fresh, and any and all room fresheners, Glade Plug-Ins, etc. All of these are very high in allergens and irritants. I hope your baby feels better soon...I know what she's going through!


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## Shamelle (Jan 20, 2010)

So sorry you're going through this, I hope the change of detergent helps.
We use tide free here because my hubby has allergies to dyes and perfumes, he would go crazy itching with other detergents and he can also do well with one detergent and then all of a sudden start having a reaction to it.

We also had an irish setter years ago that was really alergic to febreeze fabric freshner. I was spraying it in my couch and carpet, it took awhile after we stopped using it for the reactions to go away.

Fingers crossed it gets better soon


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

I cannot use Tide as it makes me itch too! that may be the culprit.... I now use a detergent without any smell or allergy irritants (ALL)


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

Another detergent to try is Dreft, it's a baby detergent and is supposed to be extremely mild. So sorry midge is having so much trouble with her allergies, I had a GSD that was allergic to grass, it was so horrible. She was bald at one point before we finally figured out what was going on.


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## CHITheresa (Apr 30, 2011)

Amberleah seems to itch a lot too. since the day i picked her up in car. I asked vet she looks fine is i need to keep eye on it. i am going to try washing her stuff in frag free detergent.


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## Adrienne (Apr 3, 2009)

I am so sorry you are going threw all of this. Ava has allergies too But not as severe as what Midgie has. I hope you can find out what she is Allergic too Maybe it woud help if you switched her to Raw feeding?? Good Luck xo


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## kimr (Nov 14, 2010)

I don't know if this would help or not, but when we got Pedro, he had TERRIBLE allergies. He was a wreck. Our vet (after trying numerous medicinal treatments with no relief) suggested putting a tablespoon of olive oil in with his dry food. He loved the taste, and after a few days, he was itch free. His coat became softer (he's part Cairn, so that's quite a feat) and shinier. Now I only do it once a week! He's fine.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I agree about glade, febreeze, etc... I have been reading how these types of air fresheners are not good for their lungs, etc... anyways.


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## jazzman (Apr 8, 2009)

All Free Clear is good stuff.

I imagine you've been down this road, but do you every put any treatment on your lawn ?

Although I'm not a raw feeder myself, I think if I was in your position I'd consider
going with 'real food' for a while and rule out that it's in the dog food.

Do you bath her very often ? I know too often can dry out their skin.

I hope you find relief. Have you considered another Vet ?


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## Amandarose531 (Aug 9, 2010)

I wouldn't bother with Gain original, it's just as harsh as tide with fragrance, which is usually the culprit. 

You can definitely try anything that says Free or Clear, Tide even makes one now if you're partial to that.

I wash our laundry in Tide, but when I do dog blankets I go cheaper and use Purex Free and Clear, it's much less expensive for frequent washings and i've yet to have any adverse reaction out of either pup.

I can't believe no one thought of it sooner, to be honest it's not unusual. They're finally developing almost all brands to be free of hard fragrances, i've grown up on Tide and Downey liquids, but my OH had to adjust to it when we moved in together as he was used to Gain Original Powder.

This may be neither here nor there, but do you use liquid or powder? My mom swears that powder doesn't wash out as well so that may make the problem worse too.


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## lynx8456 (Feb 26, 2009)

svdreamer said:


> Another detergent to try is Dreft, it's a baby detergent and is supposed to be extremely mild. .


I was thinking the same thing. I work at CVS pharmacy and we often recommend that to people with allergies.


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## Ember (Aug 7, 2009)

there's one thing no one has mentioned yet that might be important and that is to use a NON BIO laundry product. 
the enzymes in a biological product can cause problems, i know first hand as an eczema and contact dermatitis sufferer.

i wash everything with an Non Bio baby laundry liquid and i always give the load of washing an extra rinse by using the 30 minute rapid cycle on my machine (without any wash product).
i don't use a fabric conditioner either, i invested in some of those tumble dryer balls and i find they work very well.

since following this routine, most of my skin problem has cleared but if i use a towel or somesuch when i visit someone else's house, i get a flare up.

good luck with Midgie's itchies. she has my deepest sympathy!


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## bayoumah (Nov 30, 2010)

hi sure hope the washing liquid change helps poor little midge


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

Have you tried a holistic vet? I went to a raw food diet seminar and people talked about how their dogs improved with this diet. It might be worth looking into.


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## mooberry (Jan 31, 2011)

Have you tried oatmeal baths too? We do it for Linc when he gets scritchy but he has very very mild episodes..


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## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

I can identify, for sure. My Bichon boy, Cosmo, had terrible itching for a long time and I've tried just about everything you can think of. I switched him to Wysong Synorgon food years ago and that helped. I have since changed to Taste of the Wild and he gets along OK with it. The fewer ingredients the food has, the better, and no wheat, which sometimes causes itching. I use Arm & Hammer fragrance-free detergent and fragrance-free dryer sheets. I mop the floor with vinegar and water and use vinegar and water on the carpet, too. If I need more for something on the carpet, I use Nature's Miracle. I used to put a onesie on Cosmo to keep him from scratching himself and have sat and held him for hours and hours to keep him from scratching. Benedryl helps also. I put Gold Bond Medicated Powder on him and have used Neosporin on a raw place, but covered the place so he couldn't lick the Neosporin off. He still gets itchy when we first start going outside in the grass in the spring and I rinse his feet off when we come back inside. It is very frustrating! Just about the time I think I have his itching well under control, I'll see him laying on the couch chewing on a foot! I hope you find something that works for your little one.

Jeanette


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## Louisegow (Nov 14, 2010)

Hi. For what's it worth. I wonder if she can have become allegergic to herself. Her own saliva. Just an idea. If you try to stop her from licking herself see if that make a difference. Just an idea. I know you are desperate.


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