Allergic Reaction

[Speedy]

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Last Friday evening, after a walk, my 10 month old whippet's face began to swell. I assumed he must have been stung, bitten etc although I couldn't see any sting and gave him 1/4 of an antihistamine tablet (chlorphenamine maleate). In the morning the swelling had gone down considerably although it was still swollen under his jaws and Ziggy now had red blotches on his ears. I gave him 1/2 an antihistamine this time but as the day progressed he lost his appetite, his poos went white, shortly followed by diarrhoea and then in the night and first thing Sunday he was vomiting yellow bile :x Fortunately, by early afternoon Ziggy was well on the mend, wanting to play, eat etc so I didn't need a trip to the vet.

I was just wondering whether anyone else has had this sort of allergic reaction in their whippet? Also, could the vomiting and diarrhoea have been a side effect of the antihistamine or more related to the bite/sting? Although Ziggy looks and seems fully recovered now he still has red blotches on his ears.

Anybody else experienced this?

 

[pollyanna]

Not experienced it with a whippet but I get a bad allergic reaction with vomiting etc if I take antihistamines :wacko:

I would suggest you don't give them again as I tried another type a few years after the first reaction and was even more ill - felt as if I had 'things' crawling under my skin all over, among other nasty reactions!!

Maybe vet could suggest a non-antihistamine treatment for insect bites?

 

[jean.dunbar]

Stings are not always left in situ, so could easily have been and I think you were right to treat it a such (whipps chace and catch anything that moves!). My old lady has very thin hair and is bald in places - she is also very light coloured. Earlier in the year when OH started cutting the grass she was DEMENTED with itches. I gave her anti hists which really helped her. Some dogs get really runny eyes with the polin and piriton often eases this. I would be more cautious in a situation where other symptoms were in play.

 

[alfyn]

It sounds to me as though Ziggy could have been stung by a horse fly (w00t)

They can cause very severe swellings that can take an age to go down!

This happened to one of my whippets a few years ago,he was bitten on his face & within 15 minutes,his whole head had swollen & his eyes closed up.I rushed him to the vets & was told that i was very lucky to get him there so quick as his airways were closing up & we could have lost him!!!

Since that incident,i always carry antihistamines with me when i take the dogs out,just in case :sweating:

I would think the sickness & diahrroea could have been a reaction to the antihistamine,& yes,i would have a word with your vet about that!

 

[Seraphina]

I use Periactin, it should be available from chemist without prescription. However as it causes severe drowsiness in people it is not very popular nowadays, so not many chemists will stock it. May have to ask them to get it for you. It does NOT cause drowsiness in dogs, the only side effect is it makes them hungry, actually absolutely ravenous, it is prescribed by vets for both cats and dogs to stimulate appetite.

It is also very cheap, I pay equivalent of 2 GBP for hundred tablets, and use only 1/2 for Whippet.

Google it for more info, there is plenty on the internet

 

[Speedy]

Thanks for the advice - I will pay a visit to the vet as it would be helpful to have something to treat Ziggy with if he should he have a similar reaction again.