Poor Buddy...?HELP!!

[English.Setter]

I have 2 English setters ones a year the othe is 7 years old. Buddy the older one is beautiful in the winter...BUT as soon as Summer comes around he starts pulling all his fur out and just digging at himself uncontrollably! Has Anyone had this with their dogs or seen it or know what it is?

[Moo]

Sounds like allergies. My dog used to have a summer allergy where pollen & such would irritate his paws and he would chew them.

[kshort49]

I also had a dog who was allergic to grass and would chew his feet terribly. He also was allergic to fleas, and if he got even one flea bite, his whole body would turn into one itching machine and he would chew a lot of his fur out. He needed steroids to help him out-maybe it is something like this? Hope he feels better soon. Kathy and Maia

[English.Setter]

Originally Posted by kshort49

I also had a dog who was allergic to grass and would chew his feet terribly. He also was allergic to fleas, and if he got even one flea bite, his whole body would turn into one itching machine and he would chew a lot of his fur out. He needed steroids to help him out-maybe it is something like this? Hope he feels better soon. Kathy and Maia

Im sorry to ask such personal qwestion but about how much do you think the shots cost you and how offten did they need to be given?

[kshort49]

He didn't have shots that often as I look back, only when really bad. He took prednisone pills, for much of the summer and fall, and then was weaned off them for the winter and spring. Sometimes he even went to the middle of summer before he needed them. This was also about 10 years ago, so there are probably better things today. It actually wasn't that expensive, because the prednisone is not that expensive. Hope your pup feels better soon. Kathy and Maia

[EmmaGirl]

It does sound like allergies. I would certainly talk to your vet about different treatments.

[Moo]

With Kirby's allergies, they were localized, so we never had to do any medical treatment. I just washed his paws with hibitane (mild antibacterial) every day.