Diagnosing and Treating Dog Hives and Allergies

Dog hives are itchy bumps or welts that appear on your dogs skin, lips or tongue. Hives occur immediately due to an allergic reaction of substances either inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Usually, hives will disappear as quickly as they appeared.

Hives Caused by Allergies

Hives may be triggered by an allergic reaction to a number of things including certain foods, insect bites, medication (after vaccines is common), insecticides, shampoo, or household chemicals and cleaners. Finding the cause may take time and require a simple process of elimination.

Treatment Depends on Severity

For mild cases of hives and allergies, antihistamines will be given or suggested. The more severe cases may be prescribed cortizone treatments. If a secondary infection is apparent, oral or topical antibiotics will be used.

Home Hive Remedies

• A cool bath using an oatmeal shampoo to sooth the skin and remove allergens. A warm or hot water bath will only make the itching a lot worse.
• Changing your dog's food to a type which doesn't contain ingredients that commonly cause an allergic reaction.
• Make a paste of oatmeal and apply it to your dog's skin.
• Add a strong concoction of black or green tea to bath water to sooth itchy skin.