Hey Woofa’s,

 

Just before Christmas there was a night there where Billy rubbed himself all over the carpet in our bedroom ALL NIGHT!

I hardly got any sleep and vowed to get to the bottom of it the next day.

That afternoon I gave him a bath and it seemed to relieve his itching.

Although later that night I noticed raised bumps all over him.

OH NO – HIVES!!!!

It was too late to call a Vet so I tried comforting him with cold compresses.

This did a little bit for him but not too much.

I was beside myself because he was in such discomfort.

The very next morning we called our Vet, he came out and gave Billy some medication and he was back to normal that afternoon.

And sleeping, he and I both slept a lot afterwards because we both missed 2 nights sleep!!

 

CAN MY DOG GET HIVES?

A big fat yes!  It’s not just something humans can get.

Dogs can get hives also.

And they make your dog extremely uncomfortable.

Your dog will definitely need treatment if they have them all over.

 

WHAT DO HIVES LOOK LIKE?

The picture above shows Billy’s hives, raised lumps that are hot to the touch.

Hives can cause your dog to itch excessively.

Hives are areas of the skin that appear raised and reddened.

They can appear anywhere on your dog but most commonly on the head, neck, back, stomach and legs.

If you want to know what hives look like google – what do hives look like on dogs, they’re not pretty.

 

WHAT CAUSES MY DOG TO GET HIVES?

Hives can come from the environment, or be chemical, or from diet.

Common causes include:

• Insect stings/bites (often involving the head and neck)
• Shampoos or topical agents
• Medications
• Vaccinations
• Toxic plants
• Food allergens
• Friction

Insects bites, chemical contact, and medications are the most common.

My friends staffy use to sit under a tree that dripped sap, this caused him to get hives.

I did a process of elimination with Billy and worked backwards.

From finding out he had hives I did some investigation in the garden.  Billy has a little section in one of our gardens, that on rare occasions he sits under one of our shrubs.

When I took a look, there was a massive hole dug there instead!

So my deduction is that he’s been digging (which he never normally does) and was irritated from the digging or could’ve been bitten by something.

Then that night he’s rubbed himself all over our carpet causing friction and therefore the hives to show up!

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY DOG HAS HIVES?

If you’ve googled – what do hives look like on a dog – you will know what they look like.

Raised bumps on your dog’s skin.

Your dog will be obsessively itching, panting and trying to do anything or go anywhere to relieve themselves.

Billy was getting under chairs, tables, under the bed, rubbing himself all over!

When he did sit it was lucky to be for 5 minutes and he was panting a bit.

The cold compresses helped mildly, but only because his were all over him.

Around Billy’s face and eyes he was rather red.

 

HOW DO I DEAL WITH HIVES?

It will depend on how bad they are, but either way they make your dog uncomfortable, so seek out your trusted vet.  Give them a call if you’re unsure if it requires a visit.

Any information you can give to your trusted vet can help as well!

Billy’s hives were way beyond treating naturally or just with cold compresses.

He was given tablets by the Vet that helped his hives go away, thankfully.

 

ARE HIVES DANGEROUS?

According to The Vets website – Dog hives are rarely life-threatening. However, there are a few less common situations where hives can affect your dog’s breathing and become dangerous.

• Hives in the face, neck, or throat can cause severe swelling that impacts breathing, which can become life-threatening.
• The presence of hives anywhere may indicate your dog is having or about to have an anaphylactic reaction, which causes constriction of airways and difficulty breathing. 3 Besides hives, other signs of anaphylaxis include vomiting, diarrhea, facial swelling, drooling, blue gum color, and collapse.

If you notice that your dog has hives, pay particular attention to how they are breathing and for any other concerning changes in their behavior. If you are concerned your dog may be having severe allergic reactions, take them to the emergency room immediately to rule out a medical emergency.

I stayed with Billy all night monitoring his behaviour!

Apart from his uncomfortable behaviour and only slight extra panting, he was okay to wait til morning for the Vet.

If he was struggling to breathe then yes I would’ve searched for a 24hour vet.

 

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?

Dogs can get hives, just as humans can.

It’s important to recognise that your dog has hives, by raised bumps on their skin.

Depending on the excess of hives and where they are situated will depend on whether you will need a trip to the Vet or not.

Be aware of your dog’s behaviour, and keep note of it.

When in doubt definitely seek Veterinary Advice, even if it’s via a phone call.

 

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW – HAS YOUR DOG HAD HIVES & HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH IT?