We have a 1 year old Black lab mix breed that scratches constantly...
She was tested and found to have a (wheat?) grass allergy. The vet said "well, she will scratch a lot." and that was kind of the end of it.
In the last month it has been getting bad. She is constantly scratching with her hind legs, and chewing her anal area and stomach. The chewed areas have been getting really red and irritated. The scratching areas are losing hair, and she sometimes manages to scratch herself raw. For the red and rawness, we have been smearing on neosporin. (sp?)

Last week my wife took her to the dog food store, where she got some better advice. The woman working there had previously worked at a groomer and recommended a medicated shampoo, and told us that the food she was eating had grass products in it, so we were actually causing the problem. We've changed her food and bathed her twice in the last two weeks (is that too much?) but the woman said it could take up to 4 weeks before she is free of the allergy (from diet alone.)

My question: is there anything we can do for her before the food situation runs it's course? (and, does that sound correct?) we've talked to some people who have said their dog had similar issues and recommended cortisone conditioners and even some steroids to treat flare ups. My vet is a very nice woman but does not seem terribly helpful (our last visit was to treat diarrhea, after $150 she determined it was "emotional".)

Thanks!

If the dog is allergic to wheat, getting it on a wheat free chow is the most important step. Frequent baths are much more likely to cause problems than cure them, medicated shampoos, oatmeal, whatever. It is absolutely crucial to rinse the last bit of shampoo out and maybe even add a conditioner. I have to admit I am out on the fringe on bathing dogs, but my Aster hasn't had a baths since she retired as a dog guide 3 1/2 years ago. She is still perfectly acceptable out in public. My wife and I will be taking her to a group dinner Thursday night. We do that when it isn't stretching the health laws too far. If she had an odor problem, somebody would be unkind enough to say so. She gets a good diet, brushed regularly, and will be going on Revolution for fleas 1 April. I see many other dogs doing fine with infrequent baths. Those making their living as a groomer will see it differently.

You could try giving her a Benydril capsule or to a day, the standard 25 mg ones, while waiting to get the wheat out of her system. I seldom suggest medicating a dog yourself, but since she was diagnosed as having allergies, I am in this case. It is an antihistamine and one of the many drugs Aster used to take.

I am not impressed with your vet. She should have worked with you finding a wheat free chow and take other steps to relieve the itching. I would go elsewhere.

I do agree about the diarrhea maybe being emotional. Aster suffered loose stools when she was still working as a dog guide. She was taking all sorts of medication. She is doing fine now, recently going on hormone replacement therapy due to incontinence. In the meantime, her replacement is taking all sorts of medicine to relieve the problems their partner's stress causes them. Stress will flow down the leash.

Thank you for the quick answer. We've given her 1 a day benadryl before, to moderate results. We'll try to a day and see how it goes.

As for bathing... I am on the fence. I've had dogs before that went months possibly even years between baths. This dog really starts to stink inside of two weeks. I am really hoping it is because she slobers on herself so much with all the chewing that is causing the odor.

The diarrhea is gone now (actually stopped the day after visiting the vet) my wife and I had been out of the country for 3 weeks and left the dog with close friends. Seemed like she enjoyed the company of another dog during her stay, so maybe she was stressed about leaving her, or all the movement & comotion of coming home.

Thanks again for your help!

My Jack Russell Terrier is allergic to grass and the only thing that helps her is an allergy shot that she can get once a week or a pill (sorry I don't know the name) that she can take every day. I will get back with you and let you know the name of the pill. I have also given her benadryl but nothing works better than that allergy shot or the pill. Baths do make it worse when she has a flare up. We don't bathe her all the time and that seems to help a little. Poor babies.